27th April 2025

 Weather: SSE  force 3,  WSW 4  mid-afternoon

 

 A trickle of migrants this morning and the first one in the traps was a Lesser Whitethroat, normally a less than once a year bird at Hilbre.

 

There were just 4 Willow Warblers on the island which were outnumbered by the 12 Wheatears scattered about the open areas. The majority seemed to be of the Greenland race.

 

 

 Hirundines  were also in good numbers, 3 Sand Martins, a House Martin and 25 Swallows.

 

A couple of White Wagtails dropped in and several Pied Wagtails were down on the island.

 

A Starling and 2 Goldfinches completed the list of small migrants. The main feature on the sea were the amount of Gannets, 180 were estimated with a similar numvber of Sandwich Terns.

 

Other than those only a single Red-throated Diver and a single Red-breasted Merganser were noted offshore. Fourteen Ringed Plovers, 7 Dunlin, single Sanderling and single Bar-tailed Godwit were only competition for the showy 25 Whimbrel around the island.

 

 

No sign of the last 2 Brent to leave us so it looks like that is it until they arrive back in late autumn. Just a pair of Eider today.  Lots of Green-veined White butterflies (30) made an impressive show, also 5 large Whites and a Brimstone moth.

 

Photos AEH, SRW