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