31st January 2009

A very inhospitable day with such a biting wind that even the birds found other places to be. The only Brents located were 92 sheltering north west of the whaleback, and waders were almost completely absent and may have found more comfortable places to reside (see photo of Redshanks and others by the sea wall of the marine lake).

A couple of Song Thrushes and a Robin seemed to be the only passerines on the island, and a male Red-breasted Merganser on the sea was likewise unopposed for the observers attention.

(JE) photos JE

22nd January 2009

The 3 dark-bellied Brents were still present along with a count of 136. Counts have been pretty steady (with a slight increase) since the turn of the year, but we have definitely had a 'turn-over' of birds.

A male Peregrine hunted the waders around the islands which included 3,500 Oystercatcher, 2,000 Dunlin, 316 Curlew, 60 Sanderling and 18 Purple Sandpipers. The Curlew count was typically around Little Eye which also saw 280 Shelduck.

However, the highlight of the day was an all-time record Cormorant count of 1,678 birds that were seen moving out of the estuary around high tide.

(DB)

21st January 2009

Talking point of the day was the cliff fall on the west side of Middle near to the south end. Some massive slabs and other rock debris bore witness to the substantial nature of the collapse which involved a fair length of the cliff. No doubt the recent frost assisted the inevitable.

Three dark-bellied Brent (right) (out a total of 136) were an increase on sightings during the last two weeks and therefore some are probably new arrivals. The blue and red Dublin ringed bird was again seen in the flock with the pales.

Very quiet on the sea, just a single Red-throated Diver, a Shag, a Great-crested Grebe and male and female Common Scoters (left).

A large count of 752 Cormorants flew out at dawn and 180 Shelduck were south of the islands, while counts of waders as usual were difficult at low tide but 15 Purple Sandpipers and 11 Grey plovers were of note.

Not much change on the ground, 5 Song Thrushes, 2 Blackbirds, a Dunnock, 2 Meadow Pipits and 3 each of Robins and Wrens. A Rock Pipit at the north end that had been previously ringed was new in today. Both Peregrine and Kestrel were around at some stage.

(DB,ME,CJ) photos CJ

17th January 2009

Bright and sunny but very windy today but not much activity on the island with just 3 Song Thrushes found, although a Merlin as well as Peregrine and Kestrel were present, one of the two former probably being responsible for the 2 Turnstones kills discovered.
The red and blue ringed Brent was among 127 birds (including one dark) counted today.
(JE)

Redpolls revisited

Many thanks for those who contacted me about the Redpoll spp.


The reason why the Redpoll spp on 9th May was not sub-specifically identified at the time is that the wing length was outside the range in Svensson for male Mealy Redpoll ('Flammea') and at the very bottom of the range for female Mealy Redpoll (and therefore much too short for 'Rostrata' - North Western Redpoll). Apologies for not putting that in the original post but I did not have the information to hand.


It might not be clear from the photos in the original post that the bird contains red markings on the face and breast - although nothing like one would expect from a male Mealy (the male Mealy on 9th May was an adult and this bird is a first year).


The reason the bird was photographed at the time was because of its unusual appearance. Whilst it shares a number of features with Lesser Redpoll (three of which were caught at the same time) - including wing length, brownish upperparts, some buff underparts etc. It also shares some features with Mealy - 'appearing' large, having white wing bars, grey streaking on upperparts, white vent, grey around the face, pale greyish rump (with some pink). And other features with North Western - large bill, straight (if not convex) looking culmen, brownish upperparts, white wing bars, buff on underparts, heavy streaking on buff background on flanks - lacking extensive pink on breast associated with male Mealys.

An interesting bird nevertheless which went down as an unusual Lesser Redpoll at the time ...

Maybe this spring we will get some more interesting redpolls - which adds a new dimension to birding on Hilbre - prior to 2008 there was only one previously documented record of Mealy Redpoll on Hilbre; during 2008 we had three!

Repoll Review Part 1

Spring 2008 was excellent on the island for the capture of redpolls - the iPod was used to attract flyover redpolls into the Obs garden. In amongst good numbers of Lesser Redpolls there was a sighting of a Mealy Redpoll (6th May) and the following Mealy was later caught on 6th May:





Then on the 9th May the third Mealy of the spring occurred when the following male was trapped (left with Lesser Redpoll right):

Redpoll Review Part 2

Then later on 9th May 2008, another redpoll was caught and after some investigation was thought to show some features of North Western (or Greenland) Redpoll - however its wing length is too short even for Mealy (despite appearing very large) - which is no doubt why it caused confusion at the time and why it was photographed! See photos below, any comments welcome (email steve@hilbrebirdobs.fsnet.co.uk):





Compare these with Lesser Redpolls from earlier years:

All photos SW except Lesser Redpoll above by CJW

10th January 2009

A magnificent sunrise before the wind strengthened and the temperature rose ahead of the Atlantic fronts from the west arriving to relieve the cold spell.

Five new thrushes were ringed including 2 Blackbirds, 2 Song Thrushes and a Redwing (right). Redwings are normally a bird of very early spring or late autumn at Hilbre, and indeed this is the first individual ringed at Hilbre in January for 30 years and only the seventh ever in this month (others were 1 in 1959 and 5 in 1979).

Birds recaptured today were a Dunnock (below) first ringed in October 2007 and the Blackbird and Meadow Pipit still present from last week which seem to be in good condition despite the hard weather.

The Brents were not showing well and only 117 (including 8 young) were counted, no colour ringed birds could be found.

(JE) photos by JE