25th May 2026

 Weather:  S force 1     sunny and very hot

 

On what is probably the hottest bank holiday ever at Hilbre, few birds made unexpected appearances. There were 6 Pied Wagtails seen and a female Wheatear was here. The lingering waders included 200 Dunlin and 250 Ringed Plover. Little Egrets increased again to 16 birds. Four Grey Herons were also present. Fifteen Sandwich Terns were about the islands. The morning moth trap was the main interest.

 

Common Swift

 

Brown Silver Line

 

Marbled Coronet

 The butterflies were nice too, there were 3 of these,

Common Blue 

 and a big influx of 24 of these,

Painted Lady

 

 

Bird's-foot Trefoil

Photos: CJW

24th May 2026

 Weather: ENE force 1

  Another beautiful and warm day with little wind and no cloud.

  Twenty Gannets and 8 Sandwich Terns were noted with few records of any surprise amongst the birds. Eleven Little Egrets was an increase in the most recent times, although 2 Grey Herons and 2 Shelduck were not. Ringed Plover numbered 35, the only waders of the day (apart from 240 Oystercatchers). The resident pipits, Linnets and Blackbirds were in low numbers. Insects were the best sightings, as they often are in mid-summer, there were 8 Painted Ladies, 4 Common Blue butterflies, 2 Brown Silver-line Moths and Azure Damselflies, one of each sex.

Photos  CJW
 

22nd May 2026

 

 

 

 

 

Weather: SE force 2   warm and mostly sunny.   NNW 2 in the afternoon

The first day recently with a warm south easterly at dawn. In the main however it was still quiet for birds. Two Yellow Wagtails were seen first thing, a female landed and a male flew passed while 2 Redpolls called over and later 2 Goldfinches came to ground. A female Greenland Wheatear was found mid-morning down the west side but it did not linger. Also not hanging about was a Whitethroat that dropped in the birches along the obs garden fence, but was not seen again. Five Starlings and 2 Swifts flew passed and a Jackdaw called as it flew west. A male White Wagtail was a bit of a surprise as the recent regular one was ringed and this was not.

 

 

 

Two Pied Wagtails seen were not surprising. One of the juvenile Rock Pipits was caught for ringing and joined our colour scheme.

   

Waders were not prolific, about 100 Dunlin and 85 Ringed Plover were about post tide, also a Whimbrel, a Grey Plover, a Curlew and 3 Bar-tailed Godwits. A group of 80 Common Scoter flew distantly and 6 were close to the island. Four Shedluck and 6 Little Egrets were on the list. A drake Eider floated off the north end. The sunshine meant butterflies were about, 5 Painted Lady, 2 Common Blue,

 

 a Green-veined White, a Cinnabar moth and an Orange Footman moth.

 

  

 Just after noon 2 Ravens inhabited the shore near the marine lake.

Photos SRW 

21st May 2026

 Weather: SSW force 5/6

 After a cool week or so in the month of May a brief visit found it somewhat milder but little evidence of much spring movement although a single Wheatear was about and 2 Redpolls passed through. Some fledged birds were seen on the island, a juvenile Blackbird was in the obs garden and a young Rock Pipit was in Telegraph west paddock.

 

Just 4 local Swallows flew over the island. The White Wagtail which has been a feature this spring is still here. Waders also lingering here were 120 Dunlin and 39 Ringed Plover and 2 Turnstone. Three Shelduck were noted, also 3 Little Egrets and 2 Grey Herons. A Painted Lady brightened up the scene.  

Photos: SRW 

10th May 2026

 Weather:  NE force 4  decreasing NNE 2

 A clear night brought a sunny day to the island. Three warblers were present, a singing Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler and a female Whitethroat. not a bad result for a north easterly in clear weather. Two Jackdaws were more typical of early spring, as was the male House Sparrow. 

 

 Two Goldfinches and 2 Redpolls showed as did the White Wagtail that has been here for some time. A few of the dozen Swallows present today are local breeders.

 

The bright sun was perfect for photography this morning, particularly the waders. Dunlin (310) and Ringed Plovers (210) showed off their summer plumage around the shore. 

 

 

 

 There were 300 Sanderling which seemed to be still heading north for the summer. Eight Shelduck some of which were looking very colourful among the thrift are being as secretive as usual about their intentions.

 

Only 3 Whimbrel appeared this morning, and there was just 1 Grey Heron but it was an amzing showing of 23 Little Egrets, the most for quite some time.

 

Twenty Linnets were probable breeders, they have no problem in showing themselves. 

 

 

 Photos AEH

9th May 2026

 Weather:  W force 3   cold at first warming later

 A visiting birder present from dawn reported single migrants of Tree Pipit, Yellow Wagtail and Redpoll. Also present was a Purple Sandpiper which is unusual in May, we are used to seeing them in full winter plumage. One of our regular Eiders was here, and a 3rd summer Yellow-legged Gull was identified. A Common Sandpiper stayed around until later in the morning. On the ground and in the paddocks there were few birds to see although a Wheatear was here and and one each of alba wagtails also a Chiffchaff. Six Swallows flew around the island while shore feeders included 6 Whimbrel, 1 Grey Plover, 2 Little Egrets and 4 Shelduck. Ten Common Scoter were the only sea birds noted at the low tide. Butterflies showed as the morning warmed up, 2 Painted Ladies, 2 Green-veined Whites and a single Small White.

 Thanks to Pierre Montieth for some records

7th May 2026

 Weather: ESE force 4,      In the afternoon SSE 3/4

It was very cold this morning but it warmed up as the tide came in. Another quiet day bird wise, the best being a Greenland Wheatear round and about Buzzard hill near the north end. Both races of alba Wagtails were here, one of each, and a House Martin and 2 Sand Martins accompanied the 4 resident Swallows. Sandwich Terns numbered 120 and Herring Gulls 350, while 3 Whimbrel, 6 Common Scoter, 3 little Egret and 2 Grey Herons were recorded. A Painted Lady was here again. The only ringing was a female Meadow Pipit with a lovely brood patch.

6th May 2026

 Weather: E force 2

 A short visit in a cool easterly found no migrants apart from this lovely Painted Lady butterfly.

Sightings in the short time available were 12 Whimbrel, a Curlew, 3 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Herons, 3 Eider and 6 Shelduck, while on the sea were 300 Common Scoter, a Guillemot and a pleasing sighting of 4 Little Terns. Four Swallows around the island were probably breeding birds.

Photo: SRW 

3rd May 2026

 Weather: NNE force 4     drizzle

 A cloudy and wet start to the morning. The only birds moving were Swallows (32 counted) with the resident birds noisily chasing the passing groups. 

A Common Tern was present but 2 Little Terns took the eye despite the presence of as many as 160 Sandwich Terns.

Completing the sea birds were a single distant Red-throated Diver and 350 Common Scoter. The flocks whirled around as the tide pushed in.  

 

 

A Chiffchaff was here this morning, also a Pied Wagtail and the male White Wagtail.

 

 

 A look around the island would reveal 4 Eiders, 4 Little Egrets, a Grey Heron and 8 Shelduck.

Eight Whimbrel passing north stood out among the very small number of waders present as the tide rose, their whistling call was heard all around the islands.

 

Photos: AEH 

2nd May 2026

 

 Weather: WSW force 1    backing NNE 2 ,   rain later in the evening

A change of weather this morning anticipated a change of birds, but it turned out not be much of a difference. At first several phylloscopus were here but no more added to these early arrivals, which included this one on 'buzzard hill' near the north end.

 

  

Together with the 5 Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff and a Whitethroat were singing on and off most of the day. A Grey, a Pied and a White completed the trio of Wagtails today. 

 Five Goldfinches were the only finches with the breeding Linnets today. A Raven made another visit to the islands. Later in the afternoon a Greenland Wheatear and 2 House Martins joined the few Swallows on the island. In addition to 3 species of terns: 520 Sandwich (mostly fishing off the east hoyle after the tide), 2 Common and 21 Little Terns, a sea watch produced 205 Common Scoter, 2 Red-throated Divers, 5 Red-breasted Mergansers, 8 Guillemots, 4 Great Crested Grebes and 38 Gannets, some seen here flying over the sea hide. 

 

Waders included 400 Black-tailed Godwits, 7 Bar-tailed Godwits,  470 Dunlin, 5 Ringed Plover and 15 Whimbrel. Regular duck were 4 Shelduck, 3 Eider (2 male) and feeding around the island were 7 Little Egret and 2 Grey Herons. Most of the seals at Hilbre are Grey Seals but today a Common Seal hauled out at the north end of Middle Eye at high tide. 

 

Plenty of insects about in the afternoon, including this Celery Fly (Euleia heraclei) 

 

 

 

 

and several Cydia ulicitana (a little moth) flying over the gorse.  

Both are generally common but neither have been recorded on Hilbre before.

Photos: GB, SRW

1st May 2026

 Weather: ESE force 3, mist down the welsh side     NW 1  by afternoon, with drizzle 

 A migrant friendly start with the weather brought in 6 Willow Warblers and 2 Chiffchaffs and 5 Greenland Wheatears (all female), 

 

 also 5 Yellow Wagtails, a Tree Pipit. and a Whitethroat.  

 One of the Willow Warblers was already bearing a ring which was applied in Hampshire in 2024.

Others worth mentioning were 3 Pied Wagtails, 2 Redpolls, 2 Goldfinches and a House Sparrow.

 

.... and a number of hirundines, (120 Swallows, 3 Sand Martins, 2 House Martins) and 2 Swifts. Highlight of the morning for the observers was the sighting of a Red Kite heading east out of Liverpool bay towards the Lancashire coast. The disturbed Oystercatchers raised the alarm.

 

This was only the 11th record at Hilbre of this once rare british raptor. Sea records today were 3 Red-throated Divers, 22 Gannets, a Manx Shearwater, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Guillemots, 240 Sandwich Terns, 4 Common and 11 Little Terns and 200 Common Scoter. The gathering of Black-tailed Godwits on salisbury bank occured again with 240 noted while other waders were 450 Dunlin, 25 Knot, 8 Ringed Plover, 7 Turnstone, 2 Sanderling, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit and 15 Whimbrel. Around about the islands were 4 Eider (3 males), 3 Shelduck, 4 Mallard (males), 2 Little Egrets and 1 Grey Heron. A Raven again made a visit to the island, the Fox was also seen. A large arrival of butterflies today included 30 Red Admiral, 6 Painted Ladies, 2 Small Tortoiseshells and a Peacock. 

  Ringing: 5 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Wheatear, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Robin, 1 Linnet.

 Photos SRW