11th March 2024

 Weather: NE force 2,   NNE 2/3 in the afternoon.

The weather was misty and windless but there was some migration early on with Meadow Pipits and Siskins passing through, and also appearances of 5 Pied Wagtails and a Skylark. Two Canada Geese entered the recording area where there were 5 Eiders and just a single Goosander in addition to the 250 or so Brent Geese.

 

Two Red-throated Divers, 12 Red-breasted Mergansers, 4 Great Crested Grebes and 300 Common Scoter were the only  sea sightings today despite the very high tide. Good numbers of waders included 1,200 Oystercatchers, 92 Curlew, 80 Grey Plover, 70 Turnstone, just 1 Purple Sandpiper and most impressive were 256 Bar-tailed Godwit. Two Little Egrets were present and one of the 2 Grey Herons was pictured in a 'Cormorant type' pose

 
There were no raptors today, we did however have a Raven inspecting the island. An early start on the yearly breeding bird survey for the island was made as there were lots of displaying Meadow Pipits, singing Wrens, Blackbirds, Mallards and Rock Pipits. One of the Rock Pipits was retrapped and from our ringing scheme it was identified as the male bird that has been seen at Leasowe, Hoylake and Meols, and he was caught with a female that was just starting to drop the feathers from the place where her brood patch will develop.

 

 A female Blackbird was also retrapped and she was at stage 2 of brood patch development.

 Photos JE, AS