Wednesday 30 November 2016
30th November 2016
Tuesday 29 November 2016
29th November 2016
Monday 28 November 2016
28th November 2016
Best bird of today was a male Scaup that was off the north end after the tide. The only small migrants were 2 Skylarks and a Pied Wagtail overhead, with just the regular birds, (4 Robins, 4 Wrens, 1 Blackbird, 2 Rock Pipits etc.) on the ground. Only 6 Purple Sandpipers could be found, a meagre number compared to years gone by. Up to 5,000 Knot were between the islands and the shore after the tide.
Grey Plover (CJ) |
Brent Geese flying up the east side (CJ) |
Sunday 27 November 2016
27th November 2016
Saturday 26 November 2016
26th November 2016
A very brief afternoon visit found the new colour ringed Brent (see 23rd) still present.
Friday 25 November 2016
25th November 2016
A better than average day for this time of year. Twelve Redwing were heard on the journey over first thing with another 2 seen later, also 2 Song Thrush and 8 Blackbirds present on the island with a Goldcrest in the obs garden. Other migrants were 6 Skylarks, 4 Starlings, a Chaffinch, a Sparrowhawk, and most unusual was a flock of 28 Lapwings settled at the tide edge near Little Eye. Pink-footed Geese passed over in a flock of 160 and another group of 60 moving to the north east. Shelduck were counted at 450, and 4 Wigeon were also recorded. Seven hundred and forty eight Cornorants exited the esatuary at dawn. Four Little Egrets and 2 Grey Herons were present and some wader counts were 520 Curlew, 79 Redshank and 105 Turnstone.
Thursday 24 November 2016
24th November 2016
Three Redwings were heard going over early morning, and during the day groups of 3, 10 and 12 Skylarks did likewise. A Goldcrest was in the new obs garden first thing with 4 Blackbirds on the island, one of which was caught for ringing (below,JE).
Ninety Turnstones and 120 Sanderling were noted but just 2 Purple Sandpipers were logged this morning, together with the now regular Rock Pipits (2) and Little Egrets (4).
On the West Kirby marine lake this morning, the 2 Goosanders were still present, also 5 Red-breasted Mergansers.
Ringed: 1 Blackbird, 1 Wren [ 520-30 ]
Wednesday 23 November 2016
23nd November 2016
A Brent Goose with colour rings that we have not seen before was found this morning. It was ringed in Iceland this spring and has a blue ring on the right leg with a number 7, and a yellow ring on the left with the letter P. Two Skylarks passed over and 25 Bar-tailed Godwits flew west, earlier 380 Cormorants flew out of the eastuary at dawn. The 2 Goosanders that were found yesterday were still on the West Kirby marine lake.
Monday 21 November 2016
21st November 2016
A Chaffinch was on the island and 2 Mute Swans flew east. Fifty five Redshanks were in the gutter.
Sunday 20 November 2016
20th November 2016
A Kestrel was the only raptor of note, below.
All photos AEH
Wednesday 16 November 2016
16th November 2016
Monday 14 November 2016
14th November 2016
Sunday 13 November 2016
13th November 2016
Shore birds counted on the island today included 7,000 Oystercatchers, 65 Bar-tailed Godwits, 50 Turnstones and 7 Purple Sandpipers, while sea birds seen were 1 Red-throated Diver, 5 Great Crested Grebes and 3 Guillemots. The only obvious small arrivals were 2 Skylarks, others on the island would probably be winter visitors such as Song Thrush, Robins and Wrens.
Our own insect specialist was joined today by 2 colleagues from Stockholm Museum who enjoyed a pleasant day on the island.
Ringed: 1 Wren, 1 Song Thrush. [ 518-30 ]
Saturday 12 November 2016
12th November 2016
Tuesday 8 November 2016
8th November 2016
A male and 2 female Pintail were seen flying west early on and Bar-tailed Godwit numbers had increased to 105 with 7 Little Egrets and a single Grey Heron.
Purple Sandpipers now number five and 240 Dunlin were seen in two separate flocks, the Pale-bellied Brents were difficult to count today but 120 were noted, also 25 Shelduck and 250 Oystercatcher; one with what was probably a very old worn colour ring difficult to read.
Three Whooper Swans flew over the island going east.
Gull numbers had fallen today after yesterday's razor shell feast with 100 Black-headed and 400 Herring.
There was a small thrush passage with a male and female Blackbird, a Song Thrush and 2 Redwing, 6 Skylarks also flew over.
Seven Crows were around the islands with the usual small numbers of Wren, Robin and Dunnock. A flock of 28 Linnets came in just before the rain started.
The unwell Grey Seal was still hauled out on the rocks at the North End.