8th April 2025

Weather: ESE foce 3, force 4 later in the morning, then N 2 with haze in the afternoon.

A disappointing day in terms of species logged for early April. A steady trickle of phylloscopus warblers drifted in totalling about 16 on the day, equally divided between Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs, these were the only warblers this morning. Very little else arrived except for a small number of Meadow Pipits moving south, also going south were 2 Reed Buntings, and sightings of 3 Pied Wagtails, 3 Goldfinches, a Lesser Redpoll and 3 Swallows. Three Brent hung about the north end all morning and were joined by another 10 later, most have now left us.

Thirty Sandwich Terns made themselves known by their calls but the only other sea birds were 5 Gannets and 25 Common Scoter. Several colour ringed Rock Pipits can be seen around the islands at the moment, here is ' CBB'.

 

 Waders were scarce at high tide except for a flock of 45 Turnstone that flew into the main island. As the island was quiet at high tide a Grey Heron stood briefly by the pond where 3 male Mallards and a single female resided.

 Ringed: 5 Willow Warblers, 5 Chiffchaffs, 1 Linnet, 1 Robin. 

Photos CJ

7th April 2025

 Weather: ESE force 4/5  SE 2/3 late afternoon

A very quiet morning because of the strong cold wind but a highlight were 230 Sandwich Tern streaming up the estuary over morning tide. Others noted on the sea were 5 Gannets, 12 Common Scoter, 3 Great Crested Grebes and a Guillemot. Fourteen pale and a single dark bellied Brent seemed to be the most remaining here today. The 10 Meadow Pipits around the island were probably all breeding birds, likewise the 6 Rock Pipits. Later in the afternoon as it warmed up and the wind dropped a lone Wheatear appeared, likewise 15 Chiffchaffs dropped in (almost as many as yesterday), but just 2 Willow Warblers arrived. A Woodpigeon had come through, also 2 Goldfinches and recorded were singles of Swallow, House Martin and Sand Martin. In the evening a nice surprise were 2 Harbour Porpoise swimming close in off the west side. A Small Tortoiseshell was the only butterfly recorded today.

Photos AS

6th April 2025

Weather:  ESE  slight mist

It is not every day we have 2 Ospreys sighted from the islands but today was such a day. The first was seen near Little Eye at about 9.20 then over the marine lake before making off over Leasowe and Seaforth, then another was found circling over the obs an hour and a half later.

 

Island passage during the morning featured a fall of 20 Chiffchaffs, a Willow Warbler, 4 Greenland Wheatears, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Lesser Redpoll and a White Wagtail. One of the Chiffchaffs captured had already been ringed elsewhere in Britain (we will discover where later), but the surprising thing was that we know for sure that it was ringed in 2018, and as such it has survived longer than most of the species's normal lifespan.

 

Hirundines were passing through in good numbers, 35 Sand Martins, 12 Swallows and a single House Martin . A Woodpigeon and a Collared Dove visited the islands, the fast flying Collared Dove is often a challenge as it frequently evades the heligoland traps.

 

 

 A look at the sea revealed a Red-throated Diver, 120 Common Scoter and 18 Sandwich Tern. Twenty two pale-bellied Brent and 1 dark-bellied were here and 4 Goosander turned up, while a late showing of 6 Teal and 5 Wigeon seemed also indicated the changing seasons. Two thousand Knot flew north for the approaching summer but still around the islands were 100 Dunlin, 65 Redshank, 80 Turnstone, 35 Curlew, while there were also 40 Ringed Plover and 2 Grey Plover.

 

Ringed: 9 Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Collared Dove.

 Photos CJW, SRW

5th April 2025

 Weather: ENE force 4, later E 4 with haze

The sea was quiet with singles of Gannet and Great-crested Grebe, 2 distant Sandwich Tern, 5 male and a female Mallard off the Whaleback early morning and a total of only 22 Common Scoter noted.

On the small afternoon tide 5 Little Egret were at the head of the Gutter and a Heron looked for frogs by the pond, only 10 Brent Geese could be seen and 5 Shelduck were around the islands. Below the west side at high tide were 2 Knot, 2 Dunlin and 40 Redshank

 also 17 Ringed Plover.

 

Also noted were 20 Curlew and 50 Turnstone.

Hirundines passed overhead  with our first House Martin of the year noted by Matt Thomas, also a single Sand Martin and a total of 31 Swallow. Land migrants included a small movement of Meadow Pipits, 4 Chiffchaffs, 3 Willow Warblers, 4 Goldfinch,  a Reed Bunting and a Magpie.
Photos AS

4th April 2025

 Weather: E force 2, increasing 3/4 later      sunny and warm

 A slightly different day than yesterday, without some of the frequent birds of early spring ( Woodpigeons, Jackdaws, House Sparrows etc.) but still some finches, 12 Lesser Redpolls, 8 Goldfinches, 3 Siskins. The highlight of the day was when a Wheatear of the Greenland race (first this year) was caught for ringing. Strangely it was a female which was also the case for the first Wheatear that arrived at the island. Normally like a lot of species males arrive first in spring.

In total there were 7 Wheatears including 2 of the Greenland race. The first Swallows flew through the island this morning but too rapidly for photos, 2 individuals came south. Small warblers were here in good numbers this morning, 8 Chiffchaffs and 5 Willow Warblers. Below are one of each, Willow Warbler on the left and Chiffchaff on the right (with pollen horn).

The female Blackcap showed again for the 3rd day. Three Canada Geese sat on the shore to the west of the island, while the Brent numbered 81 plus a dark-bellied bird, there were 9 Shelduck, 6 Common Scoter, a Great Crested Grebe, 2 Little Egrets and a Grey Heron. Not many waders were about at the low tide, a few dozen Knot and Dunlin were seen with 35 Turnstone, 12 Ringed Plover and a Grey Plover. Two Small and 2 Green-veined White butterflies were the only ones noted. Two Hoverflies were on the obs fence and were obviously into the full spirit of spring. Our insect expert identified them as one of the drone flies, an Eristalis species.

Ringed: 5 Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Warblers, 1 Greenland Wheatear, 1 Northern Wheatear, 1 Linnet.
Photos SRW

3rd April 2025

 Weather: S force 1   mist around the estuary

Another typical early spring day with plenty of finches passing through. One of them was probably the bird of the day when it called overhead - it was a Brambling, quite a scarce bird on the list at Hilbre these days. Others recorded were 8 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Goldfinch, a Greenfinch and a Siskin. A Reed Bunting came through and some of the larger stuff was showing again, but only in singles, a Jackdaw and a Woodpigeon. The female Blackcap was still present from yesterday.

 Just singles of male Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff inhabited the paddocks this morning.

 

A Wheatear showed itself to good effect as they nearly always do.

 

Two early returning Sandwich Terns flew out at sea, 18 Common Scoter and 6 Red-breasted Mergansers made the list. A Goosander was off the whaleback later in the morning. Just 13 Brent were hanging around the island.

Photos SRW

2nd April 2025

 Weather: E  light air with mist, force 5/6 by afternoon

 A single Willow Warbler was the only warbler present at dawn,

 

and we waited until mid - afternoon for the next to show up, a female Blackcap.

 Meanwhile a good number of typical early spring arrivals in the form of 14 Jackdaws, 4 Woodpigeons and 4 Magpies.

 A Reed Bunting dropped in,

 As did a male House Sparrow.

 Only a single Wheatear again today,

 but finches arrived including 15 Goldfinches, 4 Lesser Redpolls and a Siskin. A single White Wagtail completed the small migrants. A female Goosander, 9 Red-breasted Mergansers, 6 Great Crested Grebes and 2 Gannets were on the sea. Brent were scarce today (85), there were 25 Common Scoter and 4 Shelduck.

A group of 2,500 Knot flew north north east, and good numbers of Bar-tailed Godwit (55) and Sanderling (265) were logged, but only 2 Purple Sandpipiers were seen. A massive 6,500 Herring Gulls were scattered over the west hoyle at low water. Fox footprints proved its presence between the islands. A Peacock butterfly flew in the sunshine.

Photos SRW 

1st April 2025

 Weather: ESE force 2/3

 

Some mist at first but a sunny and clear day with the lake district visible beyond the wind farms.

 Over 700 Pink-footed Geese flew north out of the estuary early morning.

 Five each of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs were down on the island first thing and a total of 7 Wheatears came through.

A Goldcrest, 5 Pied and a White Wagtail were noted with 4 Goldfinches and a small passage of Meadow Pipits. More visitors passing through were 2 Sand Martins, a Redwing and 3 Woodpigeons.

 A Merlin flew south later and 2 Mute Swans sat on the shore.

 

Some of the Brent Geese may have already departed north, there were 125 seen this morning. 

A single Gannet was spotted on the sea, also 30 Common Scoter and 4 Red-breasted Merganser. Sixteen Purple Sandpipers roosted the tide with 95 Turnstone. Twenty Black-headed Gulls flew west while 5,000 Herring Gulls were estimated today.

 

 

Photos SRW

31st March 2025

 Weather: SE force 2/3    some cloud early

Our first 4 Willow Warblers were found on the island  this morning.

 

 

 

Amazing what a touch of south easterly will do. The first last year arrived on exactly the same date, but normally it is into early April before we see them. A single Chiffchaff was also here.

 A fine looking Wheatear was down on the island.

 

A Goldcrest was still here, 5 Pied Wagtails were around but just 2 Goldfinches represented the finches today apart from the resident Linnets.

An adult male Peregrine was noted, also a Raven, and a largish Sparrowhawk flew between the islands and off towards Wales.

A single Canada Goose swam with 180 (plus a dark bellied) Brent Geese around the island.

 

Two flocks of Pinkfooted Geese totalling 70 flew out of the estuary this evening

 

Of the sea birds there were 3 Red-throated Divers, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, a Guillemot and 600 Common Scoter plus one close to the island.

 

 Seventeen Purple Sandpipers are still here, also 25 Ringed Plover etc.

Photos SRW