Thursday 21 October 2021

21st October 2021

 Weather:  N force 4/5, NW 5/6 in the afternoon

One observer on a quiet sea watch today persevered when others had given up hope and was rewarded with a Little Auk flying in from the north, landing on the sea before taking off again. Little Auk is still a rare bird at Hilbre, sometimes a few years pass between records. No Gannets or Divers were recorded, just 4 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Guillemots and 87 Common Scoter. Prior to this a Whooper Swan flew east from Wales, showing from the north end out towards the windfarms. 

 

This morning a small number of bird visitors were sighted in response to the northerly wind, in the form of 9 Skylarks, 4 Siskins and 3 Starlings. There are no wintering Purple Sandpipers yet, although cannot be long appearing now, but other waders included 180 Dunlin, 105 Curlew, 37 Ringed Plover, 37 Turnstone, a single Bar-tailed Godwit and 52 Redshank, mostly in Niffy Bay.

 There were 13 Little Egrets (no longer a surprise), a Grey Heron and a male Kestrel.

Photos AS


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