12th May 2009

A quiet morning until about 7.30am when the fresh easterlies brought the first Marsh Harrier of the year to the islands. A single all dark bird flew in from the West being mobbed by a Peregrine off the West side of Middle. It then made hard work of the easterly breeze as it headed firstly to West Kirby, before re-orientating and heading over the dunes below Pinfold Lane Steps and then inland towards the Carrs (Hoylake Langfields) - see poor record shot below.




[DB, SRW] Poor quality photo SRW

10th May 2009

Hardly any wind this morning for the first time in ages...however, migrant numbers didn't improve much although there was a good passage of Swallows with over 100 seen. Single Sedge and Willow Warbler were caught (see below).

However, lots of Dunlin and Ringed Plover were around the island as well as 4 Curlew and a single Common Sandpiper graced the Whale back again and 4 Little Egrets appeared after the tide.

(JE, DCT, PT, NDW + CD) [365] Photo JE

9th May 2009

Another slow start meant that observers thought the two Willow Warblers present early on were going to be the only migrants of the day...

The only mainlander to venture out in the continuing westerly winds arrived late (845am) but soon a couple of Lesser Redpoll were trapped (opposite), followed by a steady trickle of Willow Warblers and a single Chiffchaff.


A juvenile Robin was also caught followed (below) by a Sedge Warbler (the first to be ringed this year - below left) in the Old Obs garden.




On the sea Gannets (c500), and terns (c350 Sandwich and c150 Common) continued to be seen in good numbers along with single Manxie, 3 Fulmar, 4 Kittiwake and a nice flock of 5 Eider which flew in from the North Wirral shore (above) and landed between the islands after high tide (see below).

(DCT, PT, NDW, SRW +VMcF et al) [363] Photos SRW

8th May 2009

Sea-watching was the order of the day with the following logged:

13 Great Crested Grebe
630 Gannet
18 Kittiwake
4 Guillemot
180 Sandwich Tern
160 Common Tern
3 Little Tern
1 Arctic Tern
20 Common Scoter
110 Manx Shearwater
2 Fulmar

The Manxies count is particularly good for early May and the Gannet count is also significant.

(DCT, PT, NDW + RB and CS)

7th May 2009

Another quiet day migrant-wise produced the bird of the spring so far - a Nuthatch in the sycamores around the Heli paddock. Unfortunately, the tide was in and there were no ringers on. This is only the second ever record for Hilbre following one on 22nd April 1962!


We include an 'off-island' shot of such a rare Hilbre bird.

Other than that a Razorbill (left) was an unusual sight on the rocks at the North End, more Whimbrel passed through and wader movement in general has improved with Dunlin and Ringed Plover (see below left) in greater numbers around the island.








The only migrants were a few Wheatears (right), a Whitethroat and a couple of Willow Warblers were little consolation for the mainlanders hoping for a glimpse of the Nuthatch after the tide - but to no avail.




(BSB, DB, DCT, PT, NDW et al) [346] All photos BSB

5th May 2009

The last few days have been dire for migrants ... as was today. However, sea-watching produced 120 Gannets, 200 Common and 50 Sadnwich Terns plus an Arctic Skua as well as 86 Common Scoter, 3 Kittiwake and 10 Manx Shearwaters.

The only other things of note were 24 Whimbrel, 2 Little Egrets and a single Pale-bellied Brent Goose that appeared last night (4th May).

(DB, DCT, PT, NDW)

2nd May 2009

Well May has certainly got off to a slow start...

Highlights of a beautiful day (weather-wise) were 2 Manxies, 80+ Gannets and over 100 Sandwich Terns on the sea. A Common Sandpiper on the Whaleback in the morning reminded us it was still Spring - although it proved elusive for the photographers.

Very few migrants appeared with just a couple of Willow Warblers trapped (see opposite), a Goldfinch (see below) and perhaps surprisingly for the time of year a single new Robin and Wren.

Other than that a few Whimbrel were noted (6), three Little Egrets fed between the islands (and were later seen in the gutter) and a Peregrine flew overhead.

In fact it felt more like a quiet sunny June day - with the local breeding birds, such as Meadow Pipit (see opposite), still attracting more attention than is normal at this time of year (as yesterday!)

Of interest mammal-wise another pipistrelle bat was sadly found dead near the Obs this morning (see below).

The 'grockles' (tourists) were out in full force in the mid-day sun (see above left) and by early afternoon the Obs mainlanders made a hasty retreat...

(CJ, DCT, PT, NDW, SRW + CD & MJ) [344] Photos by Mike Jones (birds) and SRW (bat and grockles)

1st May 2009

The traditionally exciting month of May started with an absence of any visible migration save for a drift in of about 20 Willow Warblers. Even the now ubiquitous Goldfinches failed to appear to give their distinctive calls over the island. The Willow Warblers appeared to be all females on wing length which is as expected as the males are the first to arrive in the spring.

Thirty Swallows (right) passed through by 11.00hrs and more will arrive during the day.

Whimbrels seemed to be down in numbers on recent days and just 2 Wheatears were on the island, one was the ringed male of yesterday.

The breeding Meadow Pipits (above) are now in full song, and the first Large White butterflies(right) are starting to appear.

Ringed today:-

10 Willow Warblers

1 Chiffchaff

(CJ,DCT,PT,DNW) [339] photos CJ