23rd October 2023

Weather: ESE force 4 with showers mid-morning,  SE 3 in the afternoon.

The day started well with about 50 Redwing noted on the walk to Middle Eye and a couple of Blackbirds plus a Song Thrush on top of that island. Upon arrival on Hilbre 15 Fieldfare went up from the southern gardens and South End, totals of Blackbird and Song Thrush were 22 and 5 respectively. Chaffinch, Siskin and Meadow Pipit were also going through but not in the numbers recorded previously.

The biggest surprise of the day when first checking the gardens was our first Yellow-browed Warbler of autumn in the SK paddock, this then promptly vanished and was not seen again until lunch time when it turned up in the Obs garden.

It spent the next couple of hours round and about the obs garden but despite the garden mist net being deployed it stubbornly refused to cooperate. Eight Goldcrests and a Chiffchaff were on the island and a male Blackcap was found in the Newton trap after a shower of rain, also a Dunnock was a surprise find as they no longer breed at Hilbre and have recently reverted to rarity status on the islands. In addition to the early morning thrush and finch arrival, 5 Skylarks went over and a Pied Wagtail arrived. A Pink-footed Goose was noted, the strange thing was that it was on its own, we are used to see flocks flying through the estuary. The only Eider showing today was one of the males. Brent were counted at 192 but the sea was quiet with just 6 Great Crested Grebes and 2 Guillemots. A Peregrine chased a Turnstone over the top of the island, the outcome of which was not seen, and the Kestrel as usual hunted the voles. A Red Fox was seen to climb over the wall at Telegraph House east garden. The day finished as well as it began when the last 'round' of the island put up 2 Short-eared Owls from the dip east of the Old Obs, after circling low over the sea for a while one came back to the North End where it was pursued by the Kestrel which it ignored and landed. Sight was lost of the second bird which may have headed towards Red Rocks.

 

  Ringed: 3 Goldcrests, 2 Wrens, 1 Blackcap, 1 Blackbird, 1 Dunnock.

Photos AS