17th May 2025

 Weather: ENE force 2/3

A singing Willow Warbler in the obs garden gave hope of a more productive day, it was however a false dawn as no other warblers were encountered during the morning. The most spectacular sight and sound was the arrival of 10 Eiders off the west side of the island.

There were 7 adult and 2 immature males amongst them.

The 3 female types that have been here for some time soon joined them for some fun.

Other ducks present were not in such good numbers (2 Mallard, 2 Shelduck). Two Goldfinches are still here, likewise the White Wagtail. Two Swifts arrived as cloud rolled in, and then another 3 were over the centre of the island.

Of considerable interest for the island was a Lesser Black-backed Gull that stood at the south end of the reef near Little Eye and was colour ringed.

 

It turns out it has been here on several occassions since 2018 after being ringed at Banks Marsh in 2017. It had also visited France and Spain.Thanks to Richard Smith for the following sighting details.

The sea produced records of 70 Sandwich Terns and 4 Common Terns and the shore 4 Little Egrets, 1 Grey Heron, 40 Ringed Plover, 50 Dunlin and a single Whimbrel. When the sun finally reappeared and the temperature rose insects came to life, there was a Common Blue butterfly,

 

 a Cinnabar moth and 4 Red Admirals, also Azure Damselfly and Blue-tailed Damselfly.

As the tide flooded a Raven fed on the corpse of a gull near Little Eye.

Photos SRW 

16th May 2025

 Weather: ENE force 0/1      with haze

 

A brief visit failed to find any warblers and the like. The White Wagtail was still at the north end giving hope of breeding, as did the pair of Goldfinch in the old obs garden. Only 4 Swallows flew about the island and 6 Meadow and 8 Rock Pipits were seen. Two Little Egrets and a Grey Heron fed. Just 2 Whimbrel, 6 Ringed Plover and 15 Dunlin represented the waders. Six Painted Ladies added to the island colour.

Photos SRW

15th May 2025

 Weather: NE force 3

On the flooding tide this morning a splendid summer plumaged Curlew Sandpiper was at the tide edge gutter.

Despite it showing so well it was not located at the high tide and is suspected of roosting on Middle Eye. Two Common Sandpipers were some compensation, also a Grey Plover, 3 Whimbrel and a Bar-tailed Godwit.

 Among the smaller species were 100 Ringed Plover and 50 Dunlin. There were no warblers as expected but showing was a Goldfinch,

 

and the singing White Wagtail.

Butterflies were worth seeing today. A hundred plus Painted Ladies came in an influx before and during the tide.

 

Others were a Common Blue and 4 Red Admirals. Both Azure and Blue-tailed Damselflies were recorded, also a large Emperor Dragonfly. Three female Eiders only were here this morning,

On the list today were 4 Mallard (1 female), 4 Little Egrets, 4 Shelduck. The only 'sea birds' were 8 Sandwich and 2 Common Terns.

Photos SRW

12th May 2025

 Weather: ESE force 2    NNW 3 by afternoon,  very warm and sunny

A Whinchat was spotted on the Obs fence but disappeared before it could be photographed, fortunately it stayed around for the morning and was later relocated.

 

Three  Swift passed over the island early, they were going east as were the 10 Swallows seen later. Unusually one of the males was caught and ringed, it's normally the juvenilles that are caught.

The Chiffchaff was singing and a Willow Warblrer was caught for ringing.

 A Magpie was noted and a Greenshank was heard calling and was thought to have flown into the estuary, but at high tide it was spotted at the north end of Middle along with 2 summer plumaged Turnstone. Just the 4 Whimbrel seen but there were 130 Dunlin and 26 Ringed Plovers. Eight Mallard around today included a pair spotted on Middle Eye, there were 3 Little Egret and 3 Grey Heron recorded.

 

A single Harbour Porpoise was seen in the Swash. Also on the sea were 3 Gannets, 14 Common Scoter and 20 Sandwich Terns. Red Admiral butterfly were in lower numbers today with 40 noted but 9 Painted Lady had arrived.

 Photos JE, AS

11th May 2025

 Weather: ESE force 3,  backing N and then NE

At last our first Short-eared Owl of spring arrived and was first spotted by the lookout flying south, 

 It landed briefly by the pond then set off again, this time headed towards Hoylake.

Singles of both Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler were singing, 5 Goldfinch toured the island and later a female Blackcap was in the SK paddock. The male White Wagtail still sings at the North End and a female Alba Wagtail was also seen there today.

 There were fewer Gannets (64) in the Swash than yesterday and just 3 Eider noted.

 Only 15 Cormorant were recorded, one of them was finding plenty of fish off the west side.

Five male Mallard were on the pond and 8 Shelduck about the islands. Amongst the few wader records were 16 Whimbrel, 28 Ringed Plover and 80 Dunlin.

 Another influx of Red Admirals with 60 arriving today, also 10 Small Tortoiseshells, 2 Common Blue and 2 female Orange Tips.

 Photos AS

10th May 2025

 Weather: ESE force 3

 A fairly quiet day with just the singing Chiffchaff present representing the warblers, plus a few odd visitors to the island. A single Swift paid a visit just after dawn.

  Five Jackdaws passed over flying in a south easterly direction.

A Grey Wagtail flew from the whaleback towards the south. while the White Wagtail continued to sing, and at some point was collecting food.

Two Goldfinches were noted after a blank day yesterday. Gannets were a spectacular sight with about 100 seen flying up the river even further than Mostyn.

 

Terns were scarcer with 25 Sandwich and 4 Common. The pair of Common Scoter were here again, with 6 Little Egrets and 3 Grey Herons. Only 4 Shelduck stayed around the islands again, one wonders what effect the Fox has had on this. A pair of Mallard were on the pond, its good to see a female.

 

There were 5 Eiders today including 2 males.

The Whimbrel continue to be the main attraction among the waders, there were 16 today, also 25 Dunlin, 6 Knot, 2 Turnstone and 35 Ringed Plover. With some young Rock Pipits about the numbers have increased to about 10 birds. Only 2 Swallows were recorded, local birds that will be breeding.

There was a large influx of Red Admiral butterflies this morning, estimated at 25. In addition were  8 Green-veined White, 6 Large White and an Orange Tip.

 Photos AEH

9th May 2025

 Weather: ESE force 2, sunny with a slight mist around the coast 

 Another beautiful but quiet day for migrants which has been the case for a week or more.

 The only excitement was capturing a Willow Warbler that had been ringed elsewhere, one of only 2 of these present on the island today. Enquiries are being made as to its origin.

A Chiffchaff was also caught and ringed while another was singing repeatedly this morning. A flava Yellow Wagtail called as it flew up the west side, and the White Wagtail continues to sing at the north end of the island. 

The Rock Pipits seem to be having a successful season, 3 juveniles were present as well as 5 adults. There were still 18 Whimbrel around the island, also about 35 Dunlin and 55 Ringed Plover. 

 

Out of the 3 Turnstone here, 2 were in summer plumage. A summer plumage Grey Plover was near the reef early on.

A Peregrine sat on the sand near Little Eye first thing this morning. Three Eider were off the whaleback but very little was seen on the sea apart from 1 Gannet,  about 40 Sandwich Terns and a pair of Scoter.

 Just 2 Little Egrets today and no Grey Herons. The butterflies were more varied this morning which is to be expected with a wind direction including some south in it. There were 3 Red Admirals, 4 Common Blues, 2 Large Whites and 8 Green-veined Whites. Near the pond, a pair of Azure Damselflies and a Blue-tailed Damselfly were active in the sunshine.

 

 Photos SRW