17th September 2025

 Weather: SE force 5/6    SW 6 by midday,  heavy rain first half of the morning

 

 The rain overnight and for a few hours this morning did not give hope of migrants today and there was no hangover from yesterdays sea birds at Hilbre either. All that showed were a Red-throated Diver, 2 Guillemot, 4 Great Crested Grebes and 350 Common Scoter. Just 35 Sandwich and 2 Common Terns were about the islands. Two Wigeon came in off the sea and flew south east and a Pintail was seen going off to the north west.

  

A sighting of 148 Shelduck was the best for some time. Curlews were counted at 460 along the shoreline and tide edge from Hoylake to Tanskies, the German ringed bird was noted also. Other waders included another good count of 280 Sanderling, 120 Knot, 46 Turnstone and 45 Dunlin, 30 Redshank, 12 Grey Plover, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit and 25 Ringed Plover. 

 

Two new Robins were ringed so perhaps we can say they were migrants. 

  

The Kestrel was still here and 8 Little Egrets and 2 Grey Herons fed about. Six Red Admirals and a Comma butterfly have survived the stormy weather.

Photos SRW