19th April 2024

 Weather:  NW force 5

An after tide visit saw the sun come out, although the fine weather did not bring many birds. A Chiffchaff was the sole small warbler present,

 ... and the only large warbler was a female Blackcap that was in the obs garden.

On arrival at the island news came through that 4 Common Cranes were doing a tour of Wirral and at one stage it seemed they were coming our way up the estuary but they headed across Wirral at Heswall and then went north to cut the corner off our section of Wirral and went off towards Wallasey, still it kept eyes to the telescope for quite a while.

Good numbers of Gannets were in the area, 145 feeding, also 6 Red-throated Divers, 18 Common Scoter, 2 Great Crested Grebes, just 2 Eiders and a Guillemot at the north end that seemed not too well. Still about 150 Brent and a dark-bellied bird. Seven Little Egrets and  4 vShelduck were also around the island. Best of the waders were 5 Purple Sandpipers, 18 Ringed Plover, 65 Redshank and a single Whimbrel.

 

Photos SRW