6th October 2024

 Weather: ESE force 4

An eventful start to the day, members told the story. ' We’d gone on early to look for the Tawny Owl from the other day - didn’t see it but found the Weasel in the Obs garden!  Later a Starling appeared again on the Motus and a Siskin passed over. At about 815am we went through the heli garden and a phylloscopus appeared at the box end, it was our 3rd Yellow-browed Warbler of the autumn. I was contacted and informed it was the 100th to be colour-ringed in the country this autumn'.

'Later on I was following a Raven off down the reef when it landed on a rock near little eye next to another large brown bird. I lifted my bins and realised it was a raptor sat on the rock … it was only when it lifted and flew a short distance I realised it was a Red Kite. It flew a short distance again and landed briefly on little then flew off from little around me and off to the South West … an amazing morning.'

 

 

'Rain arrived soon after and perhaps it had brought the warbler, a Sparrowhawk and the Red Kite in.  When I looked at my photos of the kite it appears to have some remnants of food from its bill … so maybe it had been eating some carrion - hence why it was on the ground and perhaps why the Raven was nearby.'  There were 2 Ravens this morning, the Sparrowhawk was a male. Apart from these exciting events very few new birds arrived. Counted were 120 Brent, 2 Eider, a Shag, 6 Grey Herons, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 40 Turnstone, 3 Knot and a Bar-tailed Godwit.

Photos SRW

5th October 2024

 Weather: SE force 4

Three Redwing were heard at first light and then a Lapland Bunting landed briefly on Middle Eye first thing this morning, too briefly to photograph (here is a picture of one here in October 2010).

 

 Shortly afterwards 3 Great White Egrets flew in at the north end, landing briefly before taking off again towards North Wales. Great White Egret is still a very scarce bird about this part of the estuary and 3 together was an unexpected treat.

 

 

Three Chiffchaffs were here and there were visits by 50 Meadow Pipits, 60 Starlings and 4 Siskins.

Just 70 Brent were seen before the tide, also 4 Eiders and a pair of Wigeon. A Shag, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Little Egrets and the Kestrel were on the list while waders were scarce but 120 Sanderling was notable with 25 Curlew, 35 Turnstone, 35 Redshank and a Bar-tailed Godwit. A distinctive Barrel jellyfish lay on the sand.

Photos SRW

4th October 2024

 Weather:  SE force 4

The day started before dawn when our member was surprised to see (despite the dark) an owl fly east to west low over the island just beyond the obs south fence line. The evening before when it was dark an owl made an exit of the slate shed near to the lookout which startled our observer. No doubt it would be the same bird obviously roosting in the slate shed overnight. It was impossible to be certain of the species at the time but the general dark colour did not suggest Barn Owl. Tawny Owl has now been pinned down as the culprit, a very rare occurance at Hilbre. All owls are extremely rare on the island apart from Short-eared Owl which is not known normally to enter buildings. After the Redwings last night 2 more were here this morning.

 In contrast to yesterday it was breezy and cool first thing. The main visitors were 6 Chiffchaffs in the paddocks of which 4 were then ringed.

 A little time later a male Blackcap was found which was the only other warbler with the Chiffchaffs.

 Small visitors today included 2 Skylarks (one landed on the island), about 30 Meadow Pipits, 5 Pied Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail and a Starling sitting on the 'motus'.

 A Wheatear was found on the top paddock fence, the only one today.

 

 Whereas most days flocks of Pinkfeet are flying early morning, today just a single bird flew from east to west across the island mid-morning. While we are talking wildfowl mention must be made of a single Pintail (top right) which flew with 7 Wigeon down the east side.

 Later 7 more Wigeon and another single Wigeon added to the total. Yet another single bird was a drake Teal sitting on the north end rocks before flying off.

 Another 7 Teal flew in a flock over the lookout a little later. Completing the wildfowl for today were 120 Brent, 240 Shelduck, 800 Scoter and 3 female Eider joined after the tider by an immature male. Small waders were extremely scarce this morning, a few Dunlin and Turnstone and single Grey Plover and Knot. Just 5 Little Egrets and 3 Grey Herons were on the shore and raptors were the Kestrel and an immature Peregrine. On the sea Red-throated Divers were more obvious than of late, 16 floated a good way out, 2 Guillemots and 5 Great Crested Grebes were a little nearer in. Two Red Admirals and a Small White braved the breezy conditions.

Photos CJ, SRW 

3rd October 2024

 Weather: SSW force 1     E 3/4 in the afternoon

 A really good autumn migration day, with beautifully calm conditions on the sea. Fifty Pink-footed Geese flew over early after the dawn. The first 'nice' bird was a female Pintail followed by 2 Brambling flying south west and lots of passage birds travelling through the islands including 2 Chaffinch ,9 Pied Wagtails and a White Wagtail, about 50 Meadow Pipits, 5 Sklylarks and 2 Song Thrush.

 The next excitement of a brilliant day was a Marsh Harrier that came in from the south, circled and drifted high off towards north Wales and was lost to view, 2-3 minutes later it came in over north end and headed over east Hoyle then south down the estuary and dropped low landing on Tanskies.

 

The first Purple Sandpiper of the autumn was at the north end, on a normal day this would be the headline.

 

 

There were limited numbers of the other regular waders seen but a Snipe was in the SK paddock, 2 Peregrines and the Kestrel were logged, also 4 Little Egrets and 2 Grey Herons. The flat calm sea made spotting birds on the sea a little easier than usual,

On the sea list were 6,000 Common Scoter, 4 Red-throated Divers and 9 Great Crested Grebes, while 200 or so Brent floated around the islands with 4 Eiders. In the afternoon the second Yellow-browed Warbler of the year arrived in the obs garden, even if it immediately disappeared after a few minutes, not to be seen again. A few records shots were obtained during the brief visit.

A Stonechat was found on the island in the late afternoon. After dusk 23 Redwings were heard about the island. A great end to a perfect day.

Photos SRW
 

2nd October 2024

 Weather: NE force 3,  ENE 4 in the afternoon

It was worth the visit today just to see one of the two Peregrines that has been around the islands for a while now dive into the Oystercatcher roost and take its prey, it was surprising how quickly the other birds returned once the Peregrine began feeding.

 

There were about 8,000 Oystercatchers in the roost today so safety in numbers may apply but only for 7,999.

 The Brent Geese count had increased to 217, and 488 Shelduck were on the sand in front of the marsh on the ebb tide. Three Common Scoter and 4 Eiders were logged. Two Grey Heron were noted and the 5 Little Egret included the colour ringed bird that has been previously seen.

There were 220 Curlew, 4 Bar-tailed Godwit, 55 Turnstone, 4 Sanderling, 22 Dunlin, 60 Redshank and 150 Knot.

 There were no small migrants today but still present were 3 Swallows, 3 Robins, 2 Blackbirds, 7 Wrens, 4 Rock Pipits, 3 Meadow Pipits and 5 Linnets. A Red Admiral and a Small White butterfly were on the wing.

Photos AS

1st October 2024

 Weather: N force 3/4,   drizzle at first,  NNE 4 mid-afternoon.

After the deluge just a slight drizzle to start the day which soon brightened up. A very slow begining to October bird wise. A single Goldcrest again and a Grey Wagtail passing through were the migrants. The wildfowl impressed with 132 Brent, 450 Shelduck, 185 Common Scoter and 3 females of our regular Eiders. Five Swallows included the juvenile from an island nest which is doing well.

 Other residents were 3 Blackbirds, 9 Linnets, 2 Robins and 4 Rock Pipits. A Peregrine flew around here again, there were 8 Little Egrets and 3 Grey Herons on the shore. Waders included 425 Curlew, 14 Ringed Plover, 58 Turnstone, 50 Dunlin, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit and 62 Redshank.

Photos SRW

30th September 2024

 Weather: NNW force 4.   rain

A late afternoon visit in the rain which had been falling all day was to record details from the island for the Winter gull survey. For those that are gull fans the results were as follows: Herring Gull 600, Black-headed Gull  454, Common Gull 71, Great Black-backed Gull 37, Lesser Black-backed Gull 17. Birds seen incidentally were 7 Goosander, a Goldcrest, 2 Swallows, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 22 Ringed Plover, a Grey Plover, 150 Knot, 8 Dunlin. Good counts of 182 Brent were made. 

 

 Seventeen Little Egrets and 750 Shelduck were impressive.

 

 

A juvenile female Peregrine was the only raptor.

 Photos SRW

29th September 2024

 Weather: ESE force 3

 

 'Red sky in the morning etc..' A really spectacular start to the day. 

A single Wigeon first thing was joined by 2 more in the gutter as the tide made, nearby were 3 female Eider with a male seen separately later, 60 Brent fed between the islands but more were tucked away on the west side of the reef and 360 Shelduck could be seen south of the Tanskeys after tide. Two immature Peregrine interacted on the west side, a male and a female with the size difference being very notable.

 

The Kestrel was also about along with a Sparrowhawk which flew around the North End and was later caught and ringed .

 

 Out by the windfarm 3,500 Common Scoter were in the air and at half distance was a Red-throated Diver. Eighteen Bar-tailed Godwit flew east over the Obs and 25 Sanderling flew low over the gutter. Long-legged feeders around the islands were 3 Grey Herons and 9 Little Egrets. There were 60 Redshank and 120 Curlew.

Single Chiffchaffs and Goldcrest were on the island, and in addition to the Sparrowhawk, 2 Robins and a Song Thrush were ringed today.

Photos AS, SRW