28th September 2026

Weather: SSE  force 2/3       later ESE  2     with haze

A beautiful day with very light winds. 

 

The star bird was a Black Guillemot in juvenile/ first winter plumage that drifted up the gutter near Middle and then proceeded around the island until going passed the north end and off to the west. It was also seen yesterday. There has recently been more records of this species but they are still prized as visitors to the island. The picture below shows how relatively close it came to the north end going west (bird is in the middle distance).  

 

 

 

 Before we finish with the sea, water birds included 3 Red-throated Divers, 250 Common Scoters, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Guillemots and a Shag which sat on the whaleback.

 The sea was so calm that a Kayak was a nice way to say hello to a seal.

 The Brent geese count came to 62 today. The brilliant weather brought quite a few migrants our way including a Stonechat, 

 

.. and a hundred or so Meadow Pipits, 2 Pied and a Grey Wagtail, 9 Goldfinches, 8 Robins and 4 Swallows. Also present were 14 Linnets and a Blackbird. Little Egrets excelled themselves with 25 birds today.

Waders were numerous on the high tide. There were 4,500 Oystercatchers, 240 Curlew, 600 Dunlin, 162 Redshank, 105 Ringed Plover, 120 Sanderling, 124 Turnstone and 65 Bar-tailed Godwits. In addition to a Peregrine seen, the local Kestrel was present.

  As many as 9 Rock Pipits could be found around the island.

 The only butterflies this morning were 2 each of Red Admirals and Painted Ladies.

 

 

 Photos : SRW 

27th September 2026

 Weather: ESE force 4

 

A Great White Egret was spotted flying west across Middle Eye this morning, still a very scarce bird at this end of the estuary.

Two splendid male Stonechats appeared opposite the obs and worked their way north down the fence line.

 

 

 A Robin and a male Blackcap were caught for ringing.

 Not many other migrants, just a few Meadow Pipits were moving and a Reed Bunting called over the obs as members were leaving. At the same time a flock of Wigeon flew up the gutter (11) and two more flew up from south of middle.

 Other numbers from the log were 52 Brent, 150 Common Scoter, 3 Little Egrets, a Grey Heron, 60 Bar-tailed Godwit, 45 Turnstone, 1 Sandwich Tern, 1 Swallow, 2 Blackbirds, 7 Robins. Unusual sighting of the day was shortly after dawn when a Fox was seen scavenging the shore for anything that was going. The bright photo is deceptive, it was in the half light.

 In reality it looked more like this to those present.

  

 Later a visiting birder (Pierre Monteith) discovered a Black Guillemot off to the east side drifting towards Middle. 

Photos AEH, SRW 

26th September 2026

 Weather: SSW force 4,     N 1  with drizzle by noon

A Stonechat was on the island again this morning 

 

  

 

 As many as 18 Meadow Pipits dropped in and 14 Rock Pipits were also around.

Three Pied Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail, a Swallow together with the Stonechat and a small number of Robins completed the small migrants.

 Roosting the tide were a few of the 5,500 Oystercatchers,

 

  and 130 Curlew,

 Other waders were 35 Ringed Plover, 42 Turnstone, 10 Bar-tailed Godwit and 49 Redshank.

Looking to the sea, just 3 Sandwich Terns, 250 Common Scoter, a Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Guillemots and a Red-throated Diver. Some of the island regulars here were 10 Little Egrets, 3 Grey Herons,

 .... and the female Kestrel.

 

 A Sparrowhawk was also identified and also the recently designated regulars, 2 Ravens.

 Butterflies today included 6 Red Admirals, 2 Painted Ladies and another Clouded Yellow.

Photos; CJW  

24th September 2026

 Weather: SE force 4

  A moderate south easterly produced a good morning of migration. A Stonechat spent most of the morning around the main island -

 

  

 Wheatears were on middle first thing and the main island in the afternoon. 

 

Eleven Pied Wagtails were here and a Grey Wagtail came down to the island where the habitat looked familiar.

 

 

 Four Chiffchaffs arrived on the island, 2 were caught for ringing.

 About 50 Meadow Pipits came through on passage today and 23 Skylarks appeared which were mostly singles in flight. Over 20 Linnets showed, also 2 Goldfinch and a Greenfinch. Just 3 Swallows appreciated the weather.

 

 Visiting birder Rob Williams spotted three Eiders (including the recent male) and a juvenile Peregrine. Twenty Six Pink-footed Geese flew passed, and there are still 52 Brent today. 

 Seabirds comprised 2 Red-throated Divers, 200 Common Scoter, 3 each of Sandwich and Common Terns and 3 Guillemots. A Curlew Sandpiper was picked out amongst a lovely flock of Dunlin, Sanderling and a few Grey Plover.  Others about were 48 Ringed Plover, 50 Bar-tailed Godwit, 250 Knot, 65 Redshank and 5,500 Oystercatchers.  Some of the regulars was a Raven, 6 of our Rock Pipits, 

 

also 14 Little Egrets.

 

 
Later in the afternoon the island warmed up (it was cool mid morning when it clouded over and the south east breeze was cool).  A clouded yellow came in off the sea at the north end and flew along the seaweed covered rocks heading down the east side another appeared by the air raid shelter/generator bunker.  

 Another Hummingbird Hawk moth zoomed through the old obs garden. There were 10 Red Admirals and a late Painted Lady.

 The Obs helped a lady who had slipped on the rocks between Middle and Hilbre and had injured her arm/wrist. We wish her a speedy recovery.

Ringed: 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Robin.

Photos: SRW 

23rd September 2026

 Weather: WNW  force 4  rain     just after noon N 3/4

Two Raven were on the beach just off the promenade  before dawn as some early risers will have noticed over the last few months. Early on Brent were hard to find at first but later 38 were recorded by Middle as our observer left the island. Two Snipe were other early visitors and were put up south of Middle and they continued off to the south. Eight Skylarks were seen today, 6 of them came down at the north end. A Wheatear and a Goldcrest were the obvious other migrants down on the island. The best counts of the waders were 323 Curlew, 70 Ringed Plover, 110 Dunlin, 80 Redshank, 53 Bar-tailed Godwits and 4 Sanderling. Others hanging about were 9 Little Egret, 2 Grey Herons and 25 Shelduck. A few Harebells are still in flower at the south end of the island.

22nd September 2026

 Weather: SE 1,   backing NE 1

 An afternoon visit discovered a male Goldcrest on the island, surprisingly possibly the first this autumn at this late date. It was in the obs garden on arrival and was caught for ringing.

 

 

 

 

 

Another Chiffchaff was here, also in the obs garden, a Pied Wagtail showed and 8 Meadow Pipits were moving south. Another Robin was ringed, a few have been trickling through the last few days. 

 

 

 

 Among the 240 Dunlin present was a colour ringed bird from elsewhere, we will make enquiries as to its origin.

 

 

 

 

 A Golden Plover flew west and there were  8 Sanderling, 45 Bar-tailed Godwits and  62 Ringed Plover present.

An immature Kestrel hunted the island and there was another good count of 14 Little Egrets.

 Brent were logged at 52 with 18 Shelduck. Twenty Five Common Scoter sat on the sea while a Shag was at the north end.

 

 

 

Ringed: 1 Goldcrest, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Robin.

Photos SRW