Weather: ESE force 3/4 rain showers
Gloomy weather again with clouds theatening even when it wasn't actually raining.
A check on the island early morning had the predicted result, it was quiet except for a House Martin being the only small migrant passing. A few of the breeders were seen: Wrens, Meadow and Rock Pipits, and the Linnets, a juvenile and a male were ringed.
Photos: SRW
Weather: W force 4 rain showers
In true bank holiday style the weather was not attractive to many visitors.
A brief visit between the rain showers discovered as expected that the rain and the westerly wind killed any hopes for many migrants, although a Yellow Wagtail did call over the island towards late morning. The singing Whitethroat was still present.
There were 8 Eiders today and 4 Gannets on the sea, also 35 Sandwich and 4 Common Terns. Good numbers of Lesser (86) and Great Black-backed (72 ) Gulls were noted.
Photos SRW
Weather: ESE force 3 persistent drizzle in the morning, rain mid morning NE 1 in the afternoon
It's been a good spring this year for Ospreys with 4 previous records and this morning another sighting. This time it passed low over the obs from the west and headed towards the north shore at about 06.50 hrs. At one time it seemed to hover, ready to dive for a fish but it continued on to disturb the gulls around the east hoyle tideline and headed off to the north east.
A male Greenland Wheatear was near the lookout first thing and later a female was seen briefly at the south end. A Sedge Warbler was flushed from bracken near the old obs, and a few Swallows and 2 House Martins came through, meanwhile a pair of Whitethroats are inhabiting an area where the male is still giving good voice.
A Curlew Sandpiper rested briefly on rocks at the south end with Ringed Plover and Dunlin as the tide was rising.
The Curlew Sandpiper was of course the star of the waders today but the supporting cast included 4 Whimbrel, 140 Ringed Plover, 16 Knot, 80 Dunlin, 6 Sanderling and 6 Turnstone, also 3 Black-tailed Godwits that flew across the east hoyle sands. The sea featured 20 Gannets and terns of 3 species; 85 Sandwich, 20 Common and 2 Little, while 'shore' birds around were 12 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Common Scoter, 3 Shelduck and 5 Eider.
Ringed: 1 Whitethroat, 1 Linnet.
Photos AEH, SRW
Weather: ESE force 3 slight mist
A Spotted Flycatcher was found in the east Telegraph house garden, a typical date for Spotted Flycatchers to appear, although this year we have had 2 on 8th of the month and another on the 15th.
It later relocated to Niffy bay out of the wind.
The early morning was dominated by a passage of House Martins, about 26 during the day,
Also a steady movement of Swifts, 39 today,
There was the more usual Swallow arrival of more than 3 dozen migrants plus 2 Sand Martins. Two Willow Warblers and a Chiffchaff inhabited the gardens and a Whitethroat emerged to give a hearty song when the sun came through.
A Grey and a White Wagtail were seen, as was a Goldfinch and several Lesser Redpolls called early in the morning. A Grey Heron and 9 Little Egrets fed in the gutter.
More waders were evident today, the best being a Greenshank that was heard calling distantly also 5 Whimbrel nearer the island and 21 Sanderling, 90 Ringed Plover, 75 Dunlin and 25 Turnstone, many in bright summer plumage.
Duck included 3 Mallard on the pond, a Red-breasted Merganser and the regular 5 Eider.
Four Shelduck flew through in addition to two on the shore.
Despite the southerly element to the wind 124 Gannet were feeding and 45 Sandwich Tern were on the sea but only 7 Common Tern. The sunny spells brought out 4 Painted Ladies, 4 Red Admirals and 2 Green-veined Whites. Most numerous of the moths again were the Brown Silver-lines (12), with others being 2 Brimstones, 7 Grey Pug, 2 Common Swift, 2 Netted Pug, a Mottled Pug and a Bright-line Brown-eye.
Ringed: 3 Linnet, 1 Willow Warbler
Photos: AEH, SRW
Weather: N force 1 /3
After the persistent rain in the last 2 days and more, a presence was once again possible in the late afternoon to check out the island wildlife.
A very damp looking female Wheatear was here, but it did not pose easily for photos this evening. A Pied Wagtail was singing at the north end. Other findings in the short time left of the day included 5 Eider and the Chiffchaff that was ringed here on Tuesday, it is not surprising it did not leave considering the recent weather. A Whimbrel, a Curlew, a Grey Heron, 4 Shelduck and 9 Little Egrets were around the shore with 3 Turnstones. As many as 2,000 Herring Gulls were scattered across the west and east hoyle and north shore and 2 Common and 18 Sandwich Terns were among the Terns noted. RNLI Hoylake hovercraft was called out for the night tide (this photo taken at 1045pm) following reports of an individual walking out as the tide flooded. All fine. It is great to have these volunteers looking out for anyone who might be in trouble around the estuary.
Weather: E force 1/2, backing N 2/3 then NE 3 slight mist
It is not too late to discover an Osprey as the obs found this morning when one flew out of the estuary on the west side and off towards the north west. The sea was another highlight today with records of 4 Red-throated Divers, 6 Gannets, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 18 Guillemots, 55 Common Scoter, 3 Manx Shearwaters, 130 Sandwich, 2 Common Terns and in addition another surprising passage of Kittiwakes with 95 in total including a flock of 80 which flew west high and calling. A Chiffchaff was ringed and was the only warbler on the island today. Passing through were 2 House Martins, about 30 Swallows and a male Pied Wagtail. A Common Sandpiper was found around the shore although it was not the first this year.
Ringed Plover numbered 142, Dunlin 145, Sanderling 15. Whimbrel 3, plus a single Grey Plover. Five Eider and 8 Shelduck were hanging around the island today.
New this year was a male Emperor dragonfly, also a male Common Blue butterfly.
Painted ladies increased to 15 insects today.
Azure Damselfly was present again this morning.
High tide is the time to see the Grey Seals pop their heads out to ogle the visitors.
Ringed: 1 Chiffchaff
Photos SRW
Weather: E force 4, ESE 3 later
A touch of east and south in the wind brought us a few birds during the morning. Two Willow Warblers were here and a singing Sedge Warbler in the old obs garden, also a total of 4 Whitethroats (2 of which were then ringed).
Overhead passage was limited to 3 Swifts, 2 Siskins, a House Martin and 4 Lesser Redpolls.
Three Collared Doves dashed through the island with another a little later. A young Linnet became the first bird reared this year to be ringed.
A large female Peregrine sat on the sand on the east hoyle briefly. There was plenty of time to look at the sea resulting in an unusal spectacle of a group of 27 Kittiwakes passing west off the north end. More expected sightings were 20 Gannets, 7 Guillemots, 4 Scoter, 2 Razorbill, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 26 Sandwich and 5 Common Terns. Two Whimbrel are still here with 200 Dunlin, 20 Ringed Plover, 4 Sanderling and 9 Turnstone. Ten Shelduck were around the island with 6 others passing through and 6 Eiders were on the whaleback.
Seen less often here than the Small White (4) is the Large White (1).
About a dozen Green-veined Whites have been seen each day recently.
A Red Admiral was also on the list. A Marbled Coronet was in the moth trap and a sweep of the grassy areas by our moth expert found lots of Diamondback moths, estimated in 4 figures! Our expert was able to show us a hoverfly that is a mimic of a bee for defensive purposes.
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| Merodon equestris |
Ringed: 2 Whitethroats, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Linnet.
Photos GB, SRW
Weather: W force 1, veering NW later in the morning.
It's been a good month for Puffins at Hilbre and there were 2 more today. They were feeding distantly out to the west of the island. Also on the sea were 2 Gannets, 20 Sandwich Terns, 15 Common Terns, 3 Little Terns and a Guillemot. A varied array of migrants passed through: 5 Jackdaws, 2 Woodpigeons, 2 Goldfinch, a Grey Wagtail, 2 Collared Doves and 2 House Martins. The local Swallows were showing well.
A Whitethroat (the only warbler on the island) was singing at full volume.
A Whimbrel and a Grey Plover were located and a Ringed Plover and 25 Dunlin were found.
The breeding birds are making the best of the spring: Meadow Pipits, Rock Pipits, Wrens, Blackbirds and Linnets.
There were 7 Eiders today also 4 Little Egrets, a Grey Heron and 5 Mallards (including 4 males)
Insects were taking advantage of the fine weather.
Photos AEH