Weather: ESE force 1
Three Wrens were singing today on this last day of January, with other wintering birds present including 4 Rock Pipits,2 Blackbirds, and a Song Thrush. Wader counts included 3000 Knot, 85 Grey Plover, 65 Turnstone. Kestrel and Great Crested Grebe were others that made the list today, while 4 Rock Pipits were the best of the land birds.
Weather: ESE force 5, later ENE force 6
Eighteen Purple Sandpipers were again seen roosting at the north end 2 hours before the high tide and the female Eider was still present. A Peregrine was around, also the female Kestrel, while waders included 120 Sanderling, 60 Grey Plover, 60 Turnstone, 75 Curlew and 48 Redshank. Sightings out to sea were 250 Common Scoter and 4 Great Crested Grebes. Species present on the ground were Robin (3), Wren (6), Blackbird, Song Thrush, Meadow and Rock Pipit.
Weather: W 2/3, then NW 2/3 with rain
Oystercatchers roosted the high tide along the west side of Hilbre as well as the usual site at the north end of Middle.
while the 129 Curlews were all on Middle
The Purple Sandpipers meantime reached a new peak of the winter with 18 birds at the north end.
Passerines on the island were the regular Blackbird, Song Thrush, 2 Robins, 7 Wrens and 2 Rock Pipits. Three Meadow Pipits were also present. The female Eider still stays about, as does the Kestrel. The only sea birds of note were 74 Common Scoter and 2 Great Crested Grebes.
Weather: SW force 4, up to 8 degrees in the afternoon
A few records from today: 125 Brent, 20 Shelduck, 75 Common Scoter, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 8 Purple Sandpiper, 35 Grey Plover, 40 Ringed Plover, 180 Sanderling, 1200 Dunlin, 4000 Knot. A pair of Blackbirds, 2 Rock Pipits, 10 Linnets and a female Kestrel were on the island.
Weather: W force 3
Birds of the day were 2 Whooper Swans that were picked up on the water off the West Kirby/Hoylake shore which then flew west between Little and Middle Eye. A small group of Common Scoter called and displayed off the east side of the island, these would be some of the estimated over 20,000 or so off the north of Wirral this winter.
Seventeen Purple Sandpipers rested on the cliff at the north end during the tide.
The now regular female Eider showed and the 126 Brent around included a dark-bellied bird. Sixteen Linnets were on Middle island.
Weather: NW force 3/4. mild for time of year but snow visible on the Clywd hills.
A Rock Pipit was present and a look through the paddocks found the usual suspects fo Blackbird, Song Thrush, 2 Robins and 8 Wrens.
Weather: E force 3, snow later.
A 5am start in the dark to catch the early tide this morning .
A total of 5 Rock Pipits noticed today including 3 east of Middle Eye.
Good numbers of Wildfowl were recorded with 250 Brent, 250 Common Scoter, a pair of Red-breasted Merganser and 17 Teal. Just 4 of the Purple Sandpipers present were showing, other waders seen were 4500 Knot, 600 Dunlin, A single Bar-tailed Godwit, 8 Grey Plover and 62 Curlew.
Both Kestrel and Peregrine were noted and the 2 Ravens seen recently appeared again today.
Weather: W force 4, showers
An exceptional amount of water is lying on the island at the moment, a pond even forming on the other side of the path to the main pond. Among the waders today were 120 Turnstones, 21 Sanderling and 1200 Oystercatchers.
A Grey heron also enjoyed the sunshine by the island.
Weather: WSW force 5/6
A high tide visit produced good counts of waders including 10,000 Oystercatchers roosting, including a leucistic bird .
Other waders showing well in the sunshine were 8,500 Knot, 650 Dunlin, 108 Redshank, 57 Ringed Plover, 10 Grey Plover, 6 Bar-tailed Godwits, 30 Sanderling and 136 Turnstone.
Weather: SSW force 3, slight mist
In an afternoon post tide visit, a Rock Pipit was found on Middle, as were 9 Linnets, while on the main island 3 Blackbirds and 2 Song Thrushes showed today. Only 2 Purple Sandpipers could be seen, although no doubt there were more; other waders noted were 120 Sanderling with about the same number of Ringed Plovers, 70 Grey Plover and 2,000 Knot.
Weather; N force 1, clear, lake district visible
A short visit found that the female Eider was still present, and the bright conditions enabled 3,200 Common Scoter to be visible from the island, also 8 Great Crested Grebes and 4 Red-throated Divers on the calm sea. Good numbers of Brent are still present, 280 counted today. Three Purple Sandpipers were among the waders, notable others were 220 Ringed Plover and 180 Sanderling. Both a Grey Heron and 2 Little Egret were present and the Kestrel was there.
Weather: NW force 3/4
A total of 4 Eider today, and they were the highlight of the morning. Nine Purple Sandpipers were among the regular waders including 160 Turnstones..
Weather: S force 1, W force 2 in the afternoon
A female Eider was present today,
A quick trip across to the Observatory yesterday to check everything was ok after the recent spell of freezing weather and to carry out some necessary maintenance to the heligoland traps which have suffered the ravages of the weather.
A Lapland Bunting was found on Middle Eye early morning but couldn’t be refound later. A colour ringed Grey Plover was seen in the gutter and turns out to be the same bird photographed in virtually the same spot last autumn.
Weather: N force 2
Oystercatchers again roosted on west side as well as on Middle.
Weather: N force 2/3
A pair of Eider first appeared on the west side and then were in the east gutter on the rising tide
photos AS
