Blackbird Recovery

During this relatively quiet spell we bring news to encourage the observers and ringers who are working hard each day on the island at the moment with only modest rewards...

A male Blackbird was ringed on Hilbre on 3rd January 2009 (and was retrapped a week later still on the island) was found on 26th March 2010 at Alsgarde, Helsingor, Denmark.

This adds to the nice set of controls/recoveries of Blackbirds that Hilbre Bird Observatory already has had from Northern Europe and Denmark in particular.

Remarkably when ringed on Hilbre it was the first bird to be ringed on Hilbre during 2009.

[Photos SRW top and JE right - the actual bird]

15th May 2010

A bright and clear morning with a moderate North Westerly breeze greeted observers who had stayed on overnight. Expectation was low but were raised (temporarily) with a Whitethroat captured in the SK on the first round of the traps.

However, the only other passerine migrants were a singing Chiffchaff (presumably the bird that has been present for a week now) and a Willow Warbler that was ringed a few days ago.

A Peregrine sat on the reef and up to four Grey Herons patrolled the gutter as the tide flooded. There were a few terns and Gannets on the sea and a few Whimbrel and Curlew picked there way along the tide edge.

Otherwise another quiet day, coverage remains excellent, surely there are still birds to arrive...

[CJW, SRW + DGW, RTW] [281]

14th May 2010

With the wind remaining in the south the only excuse today was the rain - it had started before dawn and it continued on and off (but mainly the former) for most of the morning.


However, it was obvious that a few Willow Warblers had been 'downed' by the drizzle and when the rain eventually stopped a couple were ringed and then observers got a brief glimpse of a red tail which later proved to be a nice first summer male Redstart which was trapped in the SK (see below).

Later the Peregrine appeared on the reef and up to 5 Little Egrets were in the gutter below the Obs garden.

[DB, PSW et al] Photos PSW [280]

13th May 2010

This Spring on the island is certainly confusing the weather analysts amongst us... a light south-easterly, with some slight mist (albeit with relatively clear skies) resulted in very few grounded migrants indeed.

However, observers struggled on and four birds were trapped and ringed (3 Linnets and a Willow Warbler) and there were a couple of interesting retraps including a male Chiffchaff that seems to have made the island its territory.

A Wheatear appeared on cue as the tide rose and the day warmed up for a change.

[DB et al] [277]

12th May 2010

After yesterday's excitement things quietend off once again with a single Sedge Warbler on the island.

More news to follow...

[DB]

11th May 2010

A light west north westerly and some drizzle did little to lift the spirits of observers - however, they were rather suprised to find the first Whinchat (a male) of the year; first on Middle and later on the main island. Also present were a Sedge Warbler, two Whitethroat and 2 Wheatear.

Sea-watching was very productive with 26 Manx Shearwaters early on, 4 Red-throated Divers, 34 Gannet, 60 Sandwich and 25 Common Terns, 14 Guillemot and a male Eider.

Whimbrels again passed through in good numbers (18).

However, bird of the day was the first Osprey of the year for the island which drifted in from Prestatyn until directly north of the North End before it then headed out (in the usual manner) towards Formby Point. At last!

[DB + SH]

10th May 2010

Hardly any wind first thing brought hardly any birds! The wind then picked up to a brisk cold easterly which brought in some Swifts and a few Swallows.

The highlight of the morning was a Common Sandpiper at the South End but other 'strange' waders included the semi-resident Oystercatcher with the deformed downcurved bill (see right).

Whimbrels were again present in small numbers (see left) and the passage of Ringed Plover and Dunlin continued.

Finally, of note was the ship below seen bringing in the blades for one of the windmills for the offshore windfarm.

[BSB] Photos BSB

9th May 2010

A beautiful day on the island with hardly a cloud in the sky (see left view from Middle Eye near high tide).

Unfortunately, this coupled with a light north-easterly meant that grounded migrants were again thin on the ground although several Willow Warblers were present and three new birds were caught and one was retrapped from 28th April 2010 - having not been retrapped since - where had it been in the meantime?

Up to six Little Egrets were at the south end of Middle and along the reef during high tide (see right) and five Eiders flew in from the west and landed on the sea opposite the Obs. Good numbers of Dunlin (over 450) and Ringed Plovers (up to 150) were around the islands throughout the morning and a nice mixed flock of small waders at the North End of Hilbre included 3 Turnstone in smart summer plumage (below right rear) and a passing Purple Sandpiper (see below left rear with Dunlin in foreground);it is several weeks since our last wintering Purple Sandpiper left the islands.

A single Bar-tailed Godwit was hanging around with a nice flock of half a dozen Whimbrel; at least 15 of the latter were counted today. On the way over to the islands, just after high tide, an Eurasian Golden Plover was found on the rocks between the islands and allowed very close approach (see above and right).

It is unusual to get these superb plovers 'down' on the islands we usually just hear and see them flying over. However, we have had a number of single birds in the last week or so.

Back on the main island a couple of Goldfinches were trapped along with a Chiffchaff (which was a retrap from 6th). Finally, a fine first summer male Greenland Wheatear was caught in the potter traps and found to weigh over 42 grams (with a rather high fat score!) - this bird was certainly ready for the next large step in its journey. This is almost twice the weight of some Wheatears caught earlier in the spring.

Finally, Hoylake Lifeboat (right) made an appearance and motored down the West side of the main island during RNLI exercises ... recognise anyone?

[AAB, DB, JE, DCT, PT, AW, NDW, SRW + TGW] [273] Photos SRW