23rd November 2009

A visiting birder recorded a Slavonian Grebe today; it is possible this would be the same bird that was seen last month.
No significant increase in the Brent over the last week or so, the count today being 112, two pairs of Pintail were with them for a short period. Four Dunnocks are still on the island, it is likely they may now winter as Dunnock has been suspected of staying over the last couple of years.
(DB)

22nd November 2009

After waiting 8 years for the next foreign ringed passerine to arrive at Hilbre, another turns up within 11 days ! Also a Blackbird, this time a German ringed bird from the helgoland scheme was found in the ' heli ' heligoland trap named after the migration station in Germany. The brown coverts contrasting with the darker new feathers made this individual easy to age as a male born in the current year. There can be little doubt now that many if not most of the Blackbirds that pass through Hilbre in late autumn are from the continent. Just received is news that a German Blackbird has been found dead in Birkenhead on the same date that the Dutch bird was on Hilbre.

More mundane records from this before tide only visit were of a Song Thrush, a Dunnock, and a Redwing. The Brent geese are still at 114, Cormorants were estimated at 700 and there was some Starling movement.

Ringed:- 1 Song Thrush

(DB,JE) [597] photos JE

21st November 2009

A high tide sea-watch today produced 3 Red-throated Divers, 6 Guillemots, 200 Common Scoter, 2 Shags (left) and 4 drake Scaup flying passed the island.


A male Blackcap was seen in the old obs garden which later flew towards the rangers garden and Song Thrushes inhabited the old obs and top paddock areas. A Fieldfare flew from the main island to middle, and 2 parties of 8 and 4 Starlings arrived in low over the sea (above).

The winter resident Purple Sandpipers (left) and a Rock Pipit showed well.




(MGT,PSW) photos PSW

19th November 2009

Fourteen Red-throated Divers on the sea today, also 10 Great Crested Grebes, 8 Guillemots and 2 Shags. Only 10 Purple Sandpipers could be counted although there are probably many more present.
(DB)

17th November 2009

Very little to record of note over the last week during the wet and windy weather other than a Merlin present on the 12th and 13th (DB).
This morning brighter and more pleasant conditions saw a Dunnock and Goldfinch ringed, also retraps of Song Thrush, Blackbird, Robin and a Wren first ringed in August 2006. The Brent were not co-operating to enable a count to take place, but a count of 140 Turnstones was the most complete for some time.
(DB,KMc) [ 596 ]

12th November 2009

Seven Great Crested Grebes today on the sea: other records included 3 Peregrines and a Merlin, 5 Wigeon, 3 Blackbirds and 2 Redwings.
The 114 Brent includes only 1 juvenile which suggests an extremely poor breeding season in arctic regions this year and it will be interesting to see if the peak totals this winter are down because of the lack of young birds.
(DB)

11th November 2009

A slow start with some Blackbirds, a Song Thrush and a Redwing about but very little migration overhead apart from a single Skylark and parties of Starlings passing all morning. A Raven flew to Red Rocks and both Merlin and Peregrine were seen.

The Brent were at a new high of 114 with both the colour ringed birds present. Another late Gannet was noted and 12 Great Crested Grebes rested on the calm sea but not much else off shore except for a flock of 2,000 Knot flying at the north end.

Later in the morning a Brambling appeared in a mist net (above), very surprising as no other finches were seen all morning apart from the usual Linnets and 2 Siskins overhead soon after dawn. This is the first Brambling to be ringed on Hilbre since December 2001 and only the second in the last fifteen years.

Just as members were congratulating themselves on finding bird of the day, there seemed to be another influx of Blackbirds, and the new bird of the day found itself in the Newton catching box (above and right). A male Blackbird bearing a Dutch ring was extracted with much excitement as foreign controls such as this do not happen often at Hilbre! It seems quite appropriate that a ring bearing the legend 'ARNHEM HOLLAND ' was found on armistice day. The late chairman Peter Williams would have been especially delighted at this recovery as he did a lot of ringing in Holland.

Ringed :- 4 Blackbirds, 1 Redwing, 1 Brambling.

(DB,CJ,) [594] photos CJ

PS. on a lighter note a penguin was photographed at Hilbre today but the photographer has been sworn to secrecy for a couple of days ... watch this space !

10th November 2009

It was cold and damp this morning with a south easterly wind and at least 5 Blackbirds and a Redwing were present in the trapping areas together with the more regular residents of 5 Robins, 2 Pied Wagtails (one showing the ring of a bird that bred on the island this year-left), and at least one Dunnock and Rock Pipit. Only 7 Starlings were to be found today.
The Brent were at a high total for the season of 105 birds, a single Great Crested Grebe was on the sea and there was an excellent sighting of 2 female type Eiders.



Ringed:- 3 Blackbirds (below), 1 Redwing (right), 1 Robin.




(JE) [588] photos JE