31st August 2025

 Weather: ESE force 4   veering SSW 6 by mid-morning

Very quiet again this morning, no warblers nor Wheatears blown in by the south easterlies at dawn. The most activity about the island were 15 Swallows feeding on passage through to the south. The highlight of the day were 42 Little Terns resting on the west hoyle together with 400 Sandwich and 2 Common Terns. Half a dozen Meadow Pipits and 17 Linnets inhabited the grassy areas and paddocks. Just a single Whimbrel was here with the 25 Curlew also 50 Redshank and 20 Turnstone, while at least 1,000 Oystercatchers made themselves known on the shore. 

 No sea birds showed themselves out to sea although nearer in a male Common Scoter was at the north end while around the island edges there were 5 Little Egrets and 4 Grey Herons.

 The Kestrel stayed with us and as usual gave a good show.

 

 

Just a single Painted Lady butterfly this morning but the Red Admirals again arrived in numbers with 20 recorded today.

In the afternoon a sea watch took place and was rewarded with 70 Gannets, 4 Guillemots and 8 more Common Scoter.

 Photos AEH

30th August 2025

 Weather: SSW force 4,    S 4 by noon 

 Lots of Oystercatchers dropped into the estuary and gulls were numerous on the banks especially to the West as the tide ebbed, Sandwich Terns (220) too were active on the early ebb. A lot of effort went into a more exact count of the gulls than normal with results as follows: 374 Black-headed Gulls, 33 Common Gulls, 39 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 1350 Herring Gulls and 10 Greater Black-backed Gulls.  A Common Sandpiper loitered in the small caves on the east side of Middle.

 

 The other waders included  78 Ringed Plover, 6 Whimbrel, 164 Curlew and 225 Dunlin.

 

 There seemed to be a small increase in scoters to the north, 60 could be seen today. A massive 21 Little Egrets were counted but only 1 Grey Heron, a sign of the times. The only migrants were 2 Pied and 2 Grey Wagtails but butterflies seemed fairly numerous with no less than 56 Red Admirals, 2 Small Whites, 10 Large Whites,

 .......... 3 Small Tortoiseshells..

 and 4 Painted ladies, an opportunity to picture these splendid visiting creatures.

 

 There was also a fine list of the other lepidoptera from the garden moth trap.

 

Common Wainscot

 

Dark Swordgrass

 

Flounced Rustic

Our now regular Kestrel still hunts the voles.

Photos CJW 

29th August 2025

 Weather: SSE  force 3

The winds were in a favourable direction this morning but migration to the islands was in short supply. One of the highlights were a couple of Greenshanks calling to each other around the island.

 

 Three Willow Warblers made it here, but only one was caught for ringing.

 While the single Wheatear kept to the usual habitat occupied by this species.

 

 There were a few Meadow Pipits passing through, also 6 Swallows and a Grey Wagtail. Apart from the Greenshank other wader records were 35 Ringed Plover, 14 Turnstone, 4 Whimbrel, a Sanderling and a Bar-tailed Godwit. Around the island fed 2 Common Scoter, 4 Shelduck, 6 Little Egrets and a Grey Heron. The Kestrel kept an eye on things from it's lofty perch.

 A Raven flew down the west side and over to Middle and there were a few Sandwich Terns around. The butterflies noted were 4 Large White, 2 Red Admiral and a Small White.

 Photos CJW

26th August 2025

 Weather: SW force 1/2 ,  a few rain showers,  SW 6 mid-afternoon

 The first rain for some time overnight did little to spice up the bird migration to the island as the mix was much as before. Two Willow Warblers made it to the island.

Unlike the last few days only 2 Swallows showed, but again unlike yesterday at least we had a Wheatear to admire.

 

Two Grey Wagtails and a Pied Wagtail were noted with a few more (15) Meadow Pipits than of late that we assume are migrants. There have been a few sightings of Common Snipe in recent days, they are more frequently seen here later in the autumn than the latter part of August, but a single was here again today. Best of the waders included 25 Ringed Plover, 4 Whimbrel, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 6 Sanderling and 45 Dunlin. A Mediterranean Gull in adult winter plumage was seen again and many Black-headed Gulls (1500) gathered on the sandbanks today, also 80 Sandwich Terns and 4 Common Terns. One Shag was at the north end and scattered around the islands were 5 Little Egrets and 2 Grey Heron.

Photos SRW 

25th August 2025

 Weather: ESE force 4     S 3 by mid-afternoon

Dawn is starting to get a little later now, how many knew that Anfield football Stadium can be seen from Hilbre ?  (the top of it anyway) 

 

  It was quiet early on with just 2 Willow Warblers and the odd Swallow and little else to excite. Later on more Swallows arrived, they will be migrants passing south.

 

Things improved as the tide flooded around midday when 2 Goldcrests arrived, one was a young male which was our first of the autumn. 

 At the same time 4 new Willow Warblers dropped in.

The 4 wagtails that were heard overhead were all alba species, Rock Pipits seemed all over the islands, 11 counted. 

 

Another flock of 8 Teal floated in towards the north shore and then disappeared, a sign of autumn to come as was a Common Snipe near the south end. A lot of Black-headed Gulls were on the west hoyle, estimated 2,000. Eleven Little Egrets was the count today.

A single Bar-tailed Godwit was on the east hoyle, as was a summer plumaged Grey Plover, Ringed Plover numbered 180, there were 7 Whimbrel and 42 Curlew.

The female Kestrel was on the island but went off and did a huge circle over the sea before heading back to the island.

 

  

A Great Crested Grebe was on the sea which has been quiet for some time now, also a Shag, a Common Scoter and 150 Sandwich Tern. 

 

 A Mediterranean Gull (adult winter) again appeared on the shore after the tide. Later in the afternoon a Raven was on the reef south of Middle. 

 

 Several Red Admirals and 2 Small Tortoiseshells flew today. 

Ringed: 2 Willow Warblers, 1 Goldcrest, 2 Wrens.

Photos AEH, SRW 

24th August 2025

 Weather: ESE force 1  then   N  1/2 in the afternoon

 A Willow Warbler and a Chiffchaff were present this morning, the Chiffchaff the more unexpected of the two in the early autumn. A group of 60 Swallows flew near the island proving there was some migration in action and 1 each of Pied, Grey, and White Wagtails were recorded.

 

Three Common Snipe flew off north east when disturbed early in the day. Later on a Mediterranean Gull was on the shore and a distant flock of about 1,500 Black-tailed Godwits were noted down the estuary. The midday tide gave good views of many waders during its flood and ebb including several hundred Ringed Plover, 350 Dunlin, 800 Knot, 4 Sanderling, 61 Grey Plover (a flock of 60 summer plumage birds flew by the islands), 35 Redshank, 18 Turnstone, 7 Whimbrel and 6 Bar-tailed Godwits.

 

 

Over 500 Sandwich Terns flew in to roost near the north shore, this was surprise as they have declined in the last week or so at Hilbre

 

 .... there were also 35 Common Terns, and 2 Shags and a Scoter at the north end of the island. Just a single Shelduck today but 8 Little Egrets and 4 Grey Herons were about.

  

 A Kestrel was the sole raptor.

 The butterflies included a Red Admiral, a Small White and a Green-veined White. 

Ringed: 1 Chiffchaff. 

 

 

 

 Photos SRW