27th June 2025

 Weather: NW    breezy

A quiet day birdwise with the highlight being a surprise Common Sandpiper see as the tide ebbed in Niffy Bay.

 

 Several Swifts passed over the island as did a group of 5 Sandmartins. A new juvenile Rock Pipit was  colour ringed as part of our ongoing project and there were good sightings of other colour ringed birds - including CAX which has previously only been seen once at Hoylake after being ringed in July last year but is now back breeding on Hilbre.

 

The sea was quiet with the only birds of note being the long staying female Eider & a flock of 20 Gannets. It was nice to see lots of Cinnabar Moth caterpillars on ragwort after a very poor year for them last year. 

Lots of Large White butterflies are on the wing and a single Skipper species was seen briefly in flight - probably Large Skipper. Rock Sea Lavender is currently flowering and the island is full of the purple flowers of this rare sub-species found only here and on Anglesey.

 Photos PSW

22nd June 2025

 Weather:  SW force 4

 The morning tide produced a few things of interest on the sea. There were 23 Gannets, a couple of Manx Shearwaters, a Guillemot also 68 Sandwich Terns, 50 Common Terns and a single Kittiwake. On the island a Chiffchaff was singing in the old obs and the pair of Goldfinches were still here, also the White Wagtail. A pair of Swallows seem to have 2 fledged young and several Rock Pipits and Blackbirds were feeding offspring. Two Swifts were passing visitors. After the early tide 6 Dunlin and a couple of Ringed Plovers sat on the shore sheltering from the wind between the islands.

 

Just the female Eider was present today. Despite the wind keeping them close to the ground a few butterflies were noted. There was a Small Tortoiseshell;

 and a Meadow Brown;

Others included 4 Red Admirals, 16 Large Whites and 4 Small Whites. Two 8 Spot Ladybirds added variety.

Photos CJW 

16th June 2025

 Weather: SW force 2,  SW 4/5 in the afternoon

Ten Swallow were recorded together over the island but 8 of them soon moved on, also making a brief appearance was a Kestrel, there hasn't been one about for some time.

The female Eider was about all morning then after tide an adult male turned up west of Middle Eye.

 Thirty Sandwich Tern fed to the east of the island after tide.

 

Seven Little Egrets and  3 Grey Herons were here while among the small residents at the moment are a White Wagtail, 6 Rock Pipits  and a Goldfinch.

 

 

A few butterflies included a Red Admiral, a Small Tortoiseshell and a Burnett moth. There was evidence again of the Fox.

Photos AS

9th June 2025

 Weather: WSW force 4 with mist, W3 with mist by afternoon. 

With a drop in the wind from yesterday fewer birds were noted on the sea but fortunately some  were close enough for photos with singles of Great-crested Grebe and Guillemot, 4 Common Scoter and 47 Gannet.

 A Common Tern was feeding in the Swash and 15 Sandwich Tern were about with some settling on rocks between the islands to preen.

A Curlew was heard calling but other than the 200 Oystercatcher present the only waders recorded today were 80 Ringed Plover by the reef.

 Six Little Egret fed in the Gutter after tide and 2 Grey Heron had roosted on Middle.

 

Photos AS

 

8th June 2025

 Weather: W force 5/6

 A seawatch today did not produce large counts but there was more variety than of late with records of 7 Manx Shearwater, 2 Kittiwakes, an Arctic Skua, 44 Gannets, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 16 Common Scoter and 3 Red-breasted Merganser that went west passed the north end. On the reef south of Middle were 110 Ringed Plover and 60 Dunlin. As it is mid-summer a count of only 220 Oystercatcher was about normal.

 Land birds around the island were 5 Rock and 5 Meadow Pipits, 3 Blackbirds, a pair of Pied Wagtails and a Goldfinch. 

 

 The regular female Eider was here together with 2 Grey Herons and 6 Little Egrets. 

 There was evidence again of the presence of the fox.

Photos AS 

2nd June 2025

 Weather: WNW force 3/4,  by evening NW 2/3   

The sea was very quiet today with just 2 Sandwich Tern seen but a Fulmar unusually flew up the east side of the island, normally we see them on the west side where they are considered to be 'prospecting' the cliffs. Sightings of Fulmar in general have become rarer in recent years.

 

Two male Mallard were on the pond, a single Shelduck was recorded and a female Eider came up the Gutter with the tide.

Waders about the island included 33 Ringed Plover, 2 Turnstone, 45 Dunlin and 50 Oystercatcher. Both the male and female White Wagtail were in Niffy Bay, Little Egret had increased to nine.

 Photos AS

31st May 2025

 Weather:  SSW force 4   SW 3 at noon

A mid morning visit to do some maintenance work was quiet bird wise, the highlight being a Swallow that entered the obs building accidently and was therefore ringed before release through the door. This will probably turn out to be a bird breeding on the island, we shall see.

 

 Seen while working were: 2 Little Egret, 120 Oystercatcher, and a flock of 200 Dunlin, also 4 Blackbirds, 8 Meadow and 6 Rock Pipits. The male White Wagtail is still about as are the 2 Goldfinches. A Greylag Goose flew high over the island.

 Photos CJW 

27th May 2025

 Weather:  WSW force 5,   later SW 6 with rain

For some time now we have known that a Fox has been around the island leaving signs of its activities but not seen all that often. Today it was on the rocks down the west side of the island and was caught on camera.

Although the wind was still strong today there were virtually no sea birds, just a single Great-crested Grebe flew west passed the North End. Four hundred Herring Gulls fed on a small Razor Shell wreck on the East Hoyle and 19 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were in the recording area.

Just singles of Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwit were seen, 18 Dunlin and 30 Ringed Plover landed briefly to the south of the lifeboat station but were soon moved by spray breaking over the island.

 

The pair of White Wagtails were sheltering from the wind in Niffy Bay along with at least 4 Rock Pipit.

Also present were 2 Sandwich Terns, 5 Little Egrets and the female Eider.

Photos AS

24th May 2025

 Weather: WNW force 5   slight drizzle later

The north westerly failed to give us any migrants as expected, and a Swift was probably the only passing bird of any note. Still present is the White Wagtail, it has been a star here at this quiet time of the spring and now the nest has failed the female is also on view. Six Swallows were about the island, also 8 Meadow Pipits, 6 Rock Pipits, 20 Linnets and 4 Blackbirds. Eiders did not let us down even if only a single female showed up. Four Shelduck and 2 Little Egrets were logged as well as several species of wader: 25 Dunlin, 3 Turnstone, 2 Curlew and 22 Ringed Plover. A lovely Brown silver-line moth was definitely worth seeing.

 

Photo CJW

23rd May 2025

 Weather: ESE force 2,  N2 early afternoon

 Two Jackdaw flew west over the island, 3 male and a female Mallard were by the pond.

 

Twenty Linnet were noted but more will be on nests. The White Wagtail nest seems to have failed, with the pair being seen today around the buildings hopefully prospecting for a new site. The female has a smaller bib than the male.

 

Even a failed White Wagtail nesting attempt could be a first for the island. Two of the 9 Meadow Pipit seen today were juveniles, although a nest found a few days ago with 5 eggs had been predated. One of 7 Rock Pipit recorded was carrying small food meaning it's young are not long hatched.

 Two summer plumaged Turnstone rested over tide at the Noth End.

 About 100 Oystercatcher are still here, 3 Whimbrel were about over tide and 25 Dunlin roosted at the south end.

 along with 48 Ringed Plover.

 No Grey Herons were seen today but 3 Little Egret were present.

 

Twenty two Gannets and 12 Sandwich Terns were logged from a sea watch. Just the regular wing damaged female Eider was here this morning.

 Photo AS

22nd May 2025

 Weather: E force 3/4   slight drizzle mid-morning

A brief visit today found it as quiet as it has been for a while. The White Wagtail is by far the best attraction at the moment.

A few waders were logged, single figures of Ringed Plover, Knot and Dunlin plus the colour ringed Curlew previously mentioned here recently.

There were 4 Little Egrets this morning and a Grey Heron.  Five Canada Geese paid us a visit.

 Photos SRW

19th May 2025

 Weather: NNE force 3    haze

Early morning a seal was hauled out at the North End with injuries to both sides of its face, probably caused during a fight.

 Two Sandering were on the east side along with 44 Ringed Plover.

 

Only a single female Eider was recorded along with the 4 Shelduck, one of which was chasing off the Mallard and a pair of Scoter.

 

Twelve Gannets and 16 Sandwich Terns also showed on the sea.  Our resident singers on the island at present include a Willow Warbler and the White Wagtail. Bumble bees are visiting the Birds-foot Trefoil plants amongst the grassy areas.

 While Azure Damselflies can be seen almost anywhere at the moment.

 Three Red Admirals were logged this morning.

 Photos AS