6th October 2021

Weather: WNW force 4, slowly decreasing WSW 1 by the middle of the afternoon

 

The day started with the Barn Owl making an appearance at 7.am in the dawn light. A drake Eider flew past the north end but a search of the sea but not find any lingering Leach's Petrels from the day before. A large influx of Pink-footed Geese (possibly 1,000) was seen at a distance to be arriving over the Lancashire mosslands and Merseyside. Two Ravens were here again and a light passage of Skylarks came over in ones and twos and a few Meadow Pipits also. A Goldcrest was in the paddocks and was ringed as was a Wren and a Robin.

A Rock Pipit caught was an adult in fresh winter plumage that was ringed here in October 2019 and has probably been here ever since, such has the status of this species altered in the last few years

 Apart from 360 Common Scoter, 3 Great Crested Grebes and 2 Guillemots (a few had been found moribund the day before on the north Wirral coast), few other sea birds were about, but then a Bonxie was found sitting on the east hoyle and a little later what was presumably the same bird was seen flying west. 

Another individual then flew north east, while the original bird was discovered resting on the sea at Hoylake. The Brent reached a new high for the winter of 111 birds, and Shelduck numbered about 900 around the estuary and other duck logged were 8 Wigeon and a flock of 60 Pintail flying to the south west. In addition to the Kestrel, 2 Peregrines were around today.

Photos JE, SRW