15th May 2024

 Weather: E force 3/4
Two of the most sought after passerines in spring were ringed this morning, first of all a Spotted Flycatcher.

 

  Later a Garden Warbler was ringed, it was our first sighting this year.

 Three Willow Warblers and a Chiffchaff were also in the paddocks and passers by included a Yellow Wagtail, a White Wagtail, about 10 Swallows, 6 House Martins and a Swift. Single Goldfinch and Lesser Redpoll represented the migrant finches. A male Greenland Wheatear on the island was also the only one of it's species. Ten Shelduck, a Common Scoter and 13 Eiders were logged,

 ..... while out on the sea were a Red-throated Diver, 14 Sandwich Terns and 24 Gannets. The pick of the waders was again the Whimbrel with 11 birds. A Peregrine paid the island a visit.

 

Butterflies were out and about again, 3 Red Admirals, 12 Green-veined Whites, a large White and a Small White.

 Ringed: 3 Willow Warblers, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Garden Warbler.

Photos SRW

 

14th May 2024

 Weather: ESE force 4  rain,  SE 5 by late afternoon.

A late start following the overnight rain which continued into the morning but then brightened up in the early afternoon.

It seemed quiet at first as was expected with the overnight rain but a search of the island revealed the presence of a Whinchat.

 

It was not alone as a Sedge Warbler had clearly arrived in the upper paddock and in addition a Grasshopper Warbler's song was heard near to the canoe club. This was very encouraging as no Willow Warblers nor Chiffchaffs were present. Three Greenland Wheatears were here again, while 2 White Wagtails and about 30 Swallows passed through, also 6 House Martins, but no finches (apart from Linnets). A band of rain which  came across Wirral but missed Hilbre itself brought an impressive 31 Swifts across the island

 

Just a single male Eider this morning, but 19 Shelduck including a flock of 12 were more than expected.

 

 Only 7 Whimbrel were counted with no other exceptional numbers of waders noted today. The Kestrel sighting was the first for quite a while. Thirty two Gannets and 4 Sandwich Terns were on the list. At least one pair of Blackbirds are very close to fledging.

 Ringing: 1 Whinchat.

Photos SRW

13th May 2024

 Weather: ESE force 3/4

A single Willow Warbler made it here today but no sign of any Whitethroats etc, although  2 male Greenland Wheatears were present.

Two House Martins and the second Swift of the year passed through and a Goldfinch and a Woodpigeon showed on the island. Other species noted were 6 Eiders, 5 Little Egrets, 7 Shelduck, 2 Common Scoter, 20 Sandwich Terns and 3 Whimbrel and a Sanderling among the waders. Bird of the day arrived at noon when a Short-eared owl flew east from Hilbre towards the north shore and then went low over the beach to Wirral. 

 Three frogs were seen scurrying through the grass.

Green-veined white butterflies are still on the wing, 3 today.

Ringed: 1 Linnet.

Photos SRW

12th May 2024

 Weather: ESE force 4     slight mist

The weather was similar to yesterday and the migrants also followed a similar pattern. The Swallows only numbered 9, about half of which will be residents here for the summer, 

 

All the martins however will be passing through the islands, 3 House and 7 Sand Martins.

Four Greenland Wheatears fed on the grassy areas, about the same number as the last few days (female below).

A Whitethroat was singing, probably the same as yesterday, and visitors included a Starling, 2 Redpolls and 4 Goldfinches. Willow Warblers still arrive, 4 today with 2 Chiffchaffs, also 2 Lesser Redpolls and 2 calling Yellow type Wagtails and a single White Wagtail with a deformed or growth affected foot. It will have travelled to reach here so can't be doing too badly.

There were not too many waders showing at the low tide, for example 19 Ringed Plover,  20 Sanderling, 480 Knot, 300 Dunlin, and 4 Whimbrel. A Peregrine visited, there were 5 Shelduck, 5 Eiders and a male Scoter around the island and 4 Little Egrets on the shore. Just 12 Sandwich Terns made the sea bird list. A warm day that brought out another 5 Green-veined White butterflies, and on the moths list were 7 Brown Silver-lines, a Bee moth and a flame carpet.

Ringed: 3 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs

Photos:  SRW

11th May 2024

 Weather: ESE force 4   slight mist,  SSE 3 in the afternoon.

 Another beautiful day, this time with a fresh breeze and there were just 2 Willow Warblers in the paddocks first thing. A Whitethroat was singing in the old obs later and a Skylark also singing at the south end. Three Greenland Wheatears, a Grey Wagtail, and a Goldfinch were logged and a Redpoll was ringed.

Several Swallows plus 5 Sand Martins and 3 House Martins completed the small migrants. Three Woodpigeons were noted, 2 seem to be nest building. Highlights of the day were in the early afternoon with a Marsh Harrier in off the sea and flying distantly down the estuary on the west side, and then a Short-eared Owl was flushed from the spouith west side of the island and flew east towards Red Rocks.

 

Quite a few butterflies today, 8 Green-veined Whites and a Red Admiral. The Fox left fresh evidence of it's presence. A summary of the waders included 420 Dunlin, 38 Ringed Plover, 79 Turnstone, 53 Sanderling and 19 Whimbrel. 

Twenty two Gannets were logged, also 2 Common Terns and a Little Tern, a first for the year at Hilbre. A single Common Scoter was about the island with the late staying Brent. There were 5 Eiders, 6 Little Egret and 2 Grey Heron. Blackbirds are busy now feeding their young. 

The Marbled Coronet although being one of the regular moths found in the trap was without doubt one of the best looking insects this morning.

 

 In the evening a Common Sandpiper was found in the Niffy bay area. 

 

 Ringed: 2 Willow Warblers, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Redpoll 

 Photos : CJW, SRW

10th May 2024

 Weather: ENE force 1  veering south east early morning

Another relatively quiet day despite the breeze being in the south east most of the morning. A Willow Warbler which became ringed was the only one here today but there were 3 male Whitethroats one of which also was ringed. 

Greenland Wheatears did better than the Willow Warblers, two of each sex were about the west side and north end. 

Apart from the breeding Linnets the only finches were a couple of Goldfinches and 8 Redpolls, 5 of which came in a group to the mist nets. Few Swallows again, mostly the local birds, but 2 Sand Martins visited the island. best of the waders were a flock of 100 Bar-tailed Godwits, plus about twenty more feeding on the north shore. Lower numbers of Whimbrel today, only about half a dozen seen. Five Eiders spent the low tide on the west hoyle bank, there were also 5 Mallard on the pond (including just one female) and the tardy Brent was in the gutter and then joined the Eiders to the west. Two Little Egrets and a Grey Heron fed about the islands. Very little on the sea, only 3 Sandwich Terns noted. May is a month of flowers at Hilbre and the Thrift is now in full bloom.

 The moth trap this morning was a little more productive than of late with the following:

Seraphim

 

 

Netted Pug

Silver Y ( with amazing camouflage)

From the moths released early this morning to events at the end of the day when towards midnight our members present had spectacular uninterrupted views of the aurora, starting with the view from the life boat house.

 

 

Ringed:  5 Lesser Redpolls, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Blackbird.

Photos: CJW, SRW

9th May 2024

Weather: SW force 2,    later veering N 2

Some mist and fog again today, but migration was limited. Nine Redpolls were calling  and a single was caught and ringed.

Four Siskin and 2 Goldfinches were others of their like, while 2 Tree Pipits flew over and  2 Willow Warblers were in the paddocks. A male Whitethroat may have been here since yesterday and a single male White Wagtail made a good picture while at a pool on the top of the island.

There were no martins today and most of the Swallows seemed to be the local breeding birds. Three Greenland Wheatears, 1 male and 2 females, were one more than yesterday.

 

 A visiting Magpie just about completed the new land birds.

Bar-tailed Godwits were in good numbers, 260 today and 22 Whimbrel were about the island and 18 Ringed Plover are still present. On the sea a couple of Gannets, 120 Sandwich and 2 Common Terns were the best. Five Eiders were present toady. The Fox was in the SK paddock again, this time our photographer was quick enough on the trigger.

 A Green-veined White butterfly and a Yellow-tail caterpillar were recorded.

Ringed: 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Lesser Redpoll.

 Photos:  AS,  SRW