Weather: W force 3/4, later SW 2/3
Over 2,000 Cormorant left the estuary at first light and there were 2,500 Dunlin plus 800 Knot around Little Eye along with good numbers of Oystercatcher on the reef and around Tanskeys. Only 4 Eider were in the gutter east of Middle but the 5th joined them later.
Weather: ESE force 4
Five female type Eider were in the ebbing gutter pre dawn and it was expected that they would visit the north end but they were not seen again. What was at the north end though was a quite small seal hauled out on the slipway where it stayed all day. Even if intentions are good visitors should not approach animals in this situation as they are usually sick and don't have the energy to move away, this causes them much stress.
A cold ESE wind meant that there were few passerines about, a couple of Siskin flew over and 2 Chaffinch came down briefly and a few Starling went south. The sea was also quiet with just 18 Gannet, a few auks and 3 Great Crested Grebe noted.
We seem to have had a run of Lapwing recently and today a single was found at the north nnd as a final "round" was made before the afternoon tide.
Around the Little Eye and East Hoyle area at high tide were 3,000 Dunlin, 800 Knot, 60 Grey Plover and 158 Shelduck.
The Brent were counted at 327, already very high for this time of the season.
Photos AS
Weather: W force 4/5, rain, later WSW 3 with sunny intervals.
With the wind back in the west emphasis switched back to the sea and shore. Twenty two Gannets 8 Red-throated Divers, 5 Guillemots, 2 Razorbills and 1,200 distant Common Scoters were sighted out to sea, while after the regular Eider was missing yesterday today there was adequate compensation in the form of 6 female type Eiders also offshore.
A couple of Ravens were around the islands and a large flock of Lapwings flew west passed the island.
Among the waders were 2,500 Dunlin, 1,200 Knot, 120 Sanderling, 45 Grey Plover, 120 Redshank, 126 Turnstone and 10 Dunlin.
The Kestrel was seen mobbing a Peregrine on the west side and a large count of 320 Shelduck were on the east hoyle, also 4 Little Egrets were around the islands.
Four Goosander were still on the West Kirby marine lake just before the tide.
Sunset over the welsh mountains is quite early now.
and soon Jupiter shone brightly over the obs.
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Weather: ESE force 4/5 SE 4 in the afternoon
Three
Canada Geese flew west betweeen the islands and a good start to an excellent
November Hilbre day was a Woodcock put up from the west side, both pre dawn. On
a further 3 occasions Woodcock were put up around the main island, including
once from the beach at the south end, it was decided there were at least 2
birds present. An observer arriving later had a lovely surprise when
they found a Lapland Bunting on Middle Eye but despite a cautious approach so as not to flush the bird it flew before anyone else got to see it, possibly towards the West Kirby saltmarsh. Our observer was however able to obtain a record shot on the ground.
A single Pink-footed Goose and a Lapwing were also noted whilst on Middle. Later a flock of 36 Lapwing flew over the East Hoyle, a good number for the islands these days.
On the main island 2 Snipe flew west high over the island
calling. There was excitement when a small warbler with pale underparts was
spotted flying near the northernmost buildings, luckily it landed in the trees
and was seen to be a pale Chiffchaff, it was eventually caught and ringed and
was confirmed as a Siberian Chiffchaff, a first for Hilbre. This remains a tricky identification issue, even in the hand, but we were satisfied that it met the present criteria for Siberian Chiffchaff.
There was a small finch passage this morning including 13 Siskin, 14 Linnets, 5 each of Chaffinch and Goldfinch, also a single Brambling, while thrushes also featured, a Redwing was heard early, 16 Blackbirds and 3 Song Thrushes were counted and the regular migrants at this time did not disappoint, there were 177 Starlings and 6 Skylarks. The Eider did not appear today but as the tide came in 4 Wigeon and 7 Teal were in the gutter.
A Sparrowhawk was found on the west side of the island an seemed totally unconcerned about the photographer standing above, it eventually was chased off by a Crow and flew west.
Another great mid-November day on the island.
Photos AS, SRW
Weather: ESE force 5 mostly cloudy in the morning.
A morning that was considerably cooler and breezier than forecast had thrushes passing through early including 22 Blackbirds, 2 Song Thrushes, 8 Redwings and 4 Fieldfares, also a steady stream of Starlings moving south through the island chain.
Two Skylarks flew over, 3 Chaffinches called and a Siskin and Brambling were identified. As the tide rose a Lapwing rested amongst the Shelduck south of Little Eye. Red-throated Divers again featured greatly at the sea watch with 32 counted, also 8 Gannets, 19 Common Scoter, 11 Great Crested Grebes and 38 auks, 8 of which were definitely Guillemots.
at the same time the star performer out to sea was a Harbour Porpoise which was swimming in the swash to the west of the island. On the ebb tide 2 female Eider appeared west of Middle and over 8,000 Dunlin were all across shore between islands
and mainland after tide. A flock of 14 Bar-tailed Godwits then flew west, 2 others had already been feeding on the north shore. Just 10 Purple Sandpipers were about, other waders included 148 Turnstone, 130 Redshank, 12 Ringed Plovers and 2 Grey Plovers. Six Little Egrets and the Kestrel seem like regular residents now. The sun was out by midday until the fading evening light.
Photos AS
Weather: SE force 4 , later ESE 4
A pleasant day on the island and clear skies meant lots of overhead migration. Chaffinch (13), Brambling (2), Redpoll (2), Siskin (11), Goldfinch (14), Skylark (4) and good numbers Starlings (162) were logged flying over the island but the good weather meant none dropped in - apart from a Reed Bunting that briefly landed in the Pittosporum in the obs garden, also a couple of Chaffinches. A late Chiffchaff that spent the day fly-catching in the obs garden was a nice surprise. Other passerines seen included the resident Blackbirds, Robins, Wrens and Song Thrush.
Five Rock Pipits were recorded between Middle Eye and the north end of Hilbre but most of the Meadow Pipits have moved off to the mainland. A single Lapwing flew over, a scarce species at Hilbre. There was plenty to look at on the sea as well with 6 Goosander reported initially as being seen flying passed Seaforth and heading towards Wirral, 5 of them dropping in briefly opposite the Obs as the tide was ebbing.
A little later a male Goosander, the last of the group was spotted between Hilbre and Middle, he then got out to preen on the rocks. Wader numbers are increasing with a significant increase in the number of Knot and Dunlin being seen. Purple Sandpiper numbers increased to 16 and they all roosted on the west side cliffs.
The sight of a few Red-throated Diver from the Obs encouraged a sea watch from the north end. Thirty Red-throated Divers, 30 Guillemot and 10 Razorbill were counted on the sea and the long staying female Eider was at the north end and later in the gutter. A small number of Gannets were fishing out towards the wind farm and a few Common Scoter were also seen. This large frog was found in the SK paddock.
The end of a very good day for the middle of November.
Weather: SW force 4/5 later 5/6
The Brent were on the sand
west of the lagoon first thing and Dunlin with Grey Plover mixed in were by
Little Eye on the ebb.The roost of Purple Sandpipers at the north end on the high tide numbered 13.
A number of sea birds also showed on the tide, there were 7 Gannets fishing close in, 8 auks seen included 2 Guillemot and 2 Razorbill and 86 Common Scoter were noted. There were 50 Grey Plover and 47 Ringed Plover, while Oystercatchers peaked at 5,500, a typical count now at this state of the tide.
Migrants were in short supply, just a single Skylark passed through and a Redwing flew around the south end of the island. Two Linnets were all that was to be seen on the island although 24 were in a flock on the marsh at West Kirby.
Photos AS
Weather: SE force 4/5 rain
A brief after the tide visit featured mainly gulls, waders and sea birds
Five Purple Sandpipers were together on the whaleback.
While there was a feeding frenzy off the north end of 48 Gannets with gulls and Cormorants.
About 280 Brent are still here and there were 95 Shelduck by Little Eye, many of the waders showed better after the tide ebbed, with 2,500 Knot, 500 Dunlin, 200 Sanderling, 110 Turnstone, 80 Redshank and 200 Grey Plover.
Six Little Egrets and 4 Grey Heron were found around the shore.
A few migrants were seen during the short visit, for instance 24 Starlings flew south, and a Skylark was down by the lookout.
Photos SRW
