22nd October 2023

 Weather: SW force 4 showers overnight then clear and sunny

 An early start before dawn produced a spectacular sky.

The obs will have been noticed from the mainland when the lights were on.

Venus shone brightly in the east and in the north west a camera shot of Jupiter enabled it's 4 largest moons to be seen.

A cool breeze was present this morning as the skies cleared and little was heard passing overhead until 7 Siskins came through. Then Meadow Pipits were moving, up to 200  were estimated and mid-morning a single Reed Bunting called over the obs as it circled around. Four Fieldfare were seen flying off towards the mainland, while 3 Song Thrush moved about the island bushes and a flock of 42 Linnets circled around the island. The only possible migrants in the gardens were some of the 3 Goldcrests here, although they are more likely to be the ones that have been here for some days, indeed one was ringed and none have been ringed here for days now. A Merlin was seen to be chasing a Meadow Pipit and was later flying off towards Wales. 

 

At the same time a Peregrine flew south off the west cliff and a Kestrel hovered over the top paddock. 

The Brent were counted at 113 birds this morning.

 

 Sixty Shelduck flew west, 

 

and 5 Pintail (including a male) also flew over the sea. 

 A Red-throated Diver flew rapidly west passed the north end.

 .... and later a Great Crested Grebe did the same. About 25 Common Scoter also flew into the wind. Low tide counts of waders seen included 40 Sanderling, 7 Bar-tailed Godwits and 80 Redshanks feeding in the gutter. Little Egrets were in short supply this morning with just 3 seen and 2 Grey Herons. About 100 Black-headed Gulls flew west passed the north end in medium sized groups.

 Just 3 Rock Pipits were seen about this morning.

Photos AEH

19th October 2023

 Weather: ESE force 4/5  moderating slightly in the afternoon with a rain shower.

Today was very similar to yesterday as far as migrants were concerned, although only a couple of Chaffinch there were 113 Siskin and 6 Skylark over. Some of the 43 Meadow Pipit noted came down on the island and 3 Goldcrest plus a Chiffchaff present were probably birds that have been here a few days, 6 Rock Pipit were also here.

Between the islands and the marsh were 10 Carrion Crow, 220 Shelduck and 222 Curlew as the tide came in.

Four Teal drifted into the estuary on the east side and between the islands over tide the Eider had increased yet again to 15. A scan from the North End found 6 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Razorbill, 5 Scoter and 23 Red-throated Diver.

Four Bar-tailed Godwit fed on the north shore, 120 Redshank roosted on the north end of Middle but most of the 127 Turnstone spent the tide on the west side of Hilbre with a few Knot.

 

There were 480 Cormorants noted today including the regular colour ringed bird at the North End, along with one of the 4 Little Egret present.

 The Kestrel was about and after tide a Peregrine headed out to the islands from the marsh.

Photos AS

18th October 2023

 Weather: E force 4,  E 6 later(pm) with drizzle

The Siskins came through again this morning, small parties added up to 107 in total including a single flock of 46. 

 

Not as many Chaffinches as yesterday, just 6 today and a Goldfinch. One Skylark and 3 Pied Wagtails called but no Starlings passed through, although a small number of Meadow Pipits still moved across the islands. Three Goldcrests were again in the paddocks. A very late Common Tern flew passed for our observers to make a note of.

Three Red-throated Divers and 80 Scoter were also out to sea. Brent totalled 172 and Eiders 13 including the 2 adult males. There were no exceptional numbers of waders, 75 Turnstone and 80 Redshank were logged. Peregrine hunted the waders and Kestrel showed closely on the island.

The WK marine lake held 9 Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 Goosanders and a Great Crested Grebe.

Photos SRW

17th October 2023

 Weather: SE force 2, mist to the west, E 5/6 in the afternoon.

Best bird of the day was a ringtail Hen Harrier that flew south towards Middle mid-morning. It flew back over Hilbre less than an hour later and then was lost to sight again.

Despite wintering on the Dee estuary they are far from annual at Hilbre, the last record being October 2016. It was a fantastic morning for finch movement with 156 Chaffinches and 140 Sisikins counted, this is the sort of happening which is often confined to the Wirral coast at this time but is seldom seen here. A Fieldfare early morning was a first for the autumn and later there were 3 Redwing over the island. Other passerine movement included 11 Skylark and 25 Starlings, a few Meadow Pipits, 4 Goldfinches and 3 Pied Wagtails. Apart from the harrier, a Merlin on the west side, Kestrel and Peregrine were all recorded. 

 

On the island from the start 3 Goldcrests and a Chiffchaff may have been new or from previous days. A round up of the wildfowl would not be complete without Eiders, there were 9 today, also 148 Brent seen, 28 Shelduck, 3 and then 6 Wigeon, while roosting birds included 6 Little Egrets and 4 Grey Herons with 6,000 Oystercatchers. No Gannets were noted today, just a Great Crested Grebe and 120 Common Scoter were seen. 

 

Six Bar-tailed Godwits were the pick of the waders and after the tide a flock of about 200 Sanderling were feeding with Dunlin on the shore. 

The young seal from yesterday which had now been out of the water for at least 2 days was this morning at the top of the west cliff and so a joint rescue team from the Obs, residents at Cox's bungalow and visitor Dan was formed. The seal was caught with specialist equipment (a rubble sack and broom) and transported back to the sea where thankfully it swam off happily.

 

 Three more Red Admirals took advantage of the benign weather. 

Now that the autumn/winter season is here we like to keep a close eye on the West Kirby marine lake, today there were a Great Crested Grebe, 4 Goosander and 9 Red-breasted Mergansers.

On the rocks at the lake were Redshank, a Knot and 320 Turnstone some had been ringed in Norway and Finland.

 

 

 Photos AEH, AS, SRW

16th October 2023

Weather: SE force 2/3   

A first look around the island found a seal pup resting by the lifeboat slip on the north end of the island. This is not normal behaviour and the animal may not be too well.

Footprints of a Red Fox were on the sands across to the island, even if they are not here permanently it seems they come and go quite often. After a slow start it turned out to be a good day for birds and we will give the highlights first. A photogenic Short-eared Owl, our first of the autumn, flew passed the obs garden before landing on Middle island and then reappeared later over the main island.

 

 

Even more in scarcity value was the arrival of a Great Spotted Woodpecker on the island, these birds while common on the mainland appear on average about once a year on Hilbre, and October is certainly the best month to see one.

 On the ground this morning were 3 Goldcrests and a Chiffchaff, and in addition to a small passage of Meadow Pipits (90) coming through today, we saw a flock of 8 Siskins flying south, 6 Pied Wagtails, at least 14 Skylarks, a few extra Robins and Wrens, a Goldfinch and 6 Chaffinch.

Two Ravens flew over very high going west. Present were 8 Little Egrets and 3 Grey Herons A Merlin flew west late afternoon, while earlier a Peregrine disturbed the roosting waders.

Wildfowl also produced good records, the regular group of Eiders seen reached a remarkable 13 today which included the 2 adult males. Brent were counted at 187 with 72 Shelduck plus 300 Common Scoter and less expected was a flock of 10 Greylag Geese flying to the north east.

All the normal waders were seen including 200 Dunlin, 120 Sanderling, 100 Knot and 5 Bar-tailed Godwits also a visiting Black-tailed Godwit.

Best of the sea birds were 4 Red-throated Divers and 4 Gannets. A late Red Admiral flew from the bushes this morning.

Photos SRW