11th October 2010

Despite the clear sky last night and this morning were was still some movement over the island.

Best birds of the day were probably the 2 House (above right) and 9 Tree Sparrows, also present were 4 Chaffinches (above) and 3 Redwings, a single Song Thrush (below) and a Blackbird. A Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest (right) were the only warblers around the traps, the Yellow-browed Warbler from yesterday afternoon had not surprisingly disappeared.

Still a steady number of 200 Meadow Pipits and 150 Starlings travelling south with up to 80 Linnets going through during the morning.

Later in the day a flock of 17 Pink-footed Geese flew from Flintshire to the east, a female Blackcap arrived and a late Sandwich Tern was on the sea.

Ringed:-1 Song Thrush, 1 Wren, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Robin

(DB+ESCA,JE) [610] photos JE

10th October 2010 - Evening update

It was so good this morning, especially the appearance of the Redstart as the tide was rising, that one Obs member decided that an after-tide afternoon visit was in order. Arriving just after 3.30pm a quick tour of the island revealed Wheatear, 3 Rock Pipits, the Redstart and a fleeting glimpse of a phyllosc in the trapping area - presumably a Chiffy from earlier?

Back at the Obs enjoying the afternoon sun and moderating easterly breeze from the veranda - three Goldfinches alighted in the bushes in the garden and then another bird appeared at around 4.15pm in the brambles - a quick lift of the binoculars revealed a Yellow-browed Warbler! A couple of record shots (apologies for the quality) were taken as the bird flitted over the fence and around the 'new pond' for about five minutes.

Unfortunately it then promptly disappeared as numerous phonecalls were made and texts were sent.

Fortunately, a short time later (although it felt like longer) it reappeared in the Obs garden mist net. It was extracted ringed, photographed and released. In the meantime, a Chiffchaff was also caught which allowed the two birds to be photographed together.

Finally, yet another Dunnock was trapped indicating a passage of this species through the island today.

(JE, CJ, CJW, NDW, SRW et al) Photos SRW [606]

10th October 2010

The easterlies continue and so does the visible migration, mostly overhead but a brief interlude brought a Blackcap and a Whitethroat to the ground also a Chiffchaff in the new obs mist net that was almost dismissed and released a recent retrap that had been around for a day or two until the strange ring number rang bells and it was realised that it was a control from elsewhere (left). Warblers captured on Hilbre bearing other rings are rare indeed and enquiries are ongoing as to its origin.

An equally big surprise was an extremely late Common Redstart found sitting quietly in the 'Heli' trapping box just before the members left the island (right).
During the 3 hours available this morning a fair list of moving birds were seen:-
250 Meadow Pipits, 50 Starlings, 8 Redwings, 6 Blackbirds, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Swallows, 4 Grey Wagtails, 3 Pied Wagtails, 2 Wheatears, 2 Reed Buntings, several Skylarks, a few Chaffinches and Greenfinches and the first Brambling of the autumn.
Ringed:- 2 Dunnocks, 1 Robin, 1 Linnet, 1 Wren, 1 Blackbird, 1 Redstart, 1 Blackcap (left).
(CJ,NDW,SRW,TGW) [603]

9th October 2010

The wind today was lighter with a more easterly element and at first light in seemed there was no movement whatsoever but within 30 minutes or so it started to happen, not quite on the scale of yesterday, but nevertheless things were moving. Only about 100 Meadow Pipits passed in the first 2 hours but the hoped for Lapland Bunting was heard and seen as a single bird amongst a small flock of pipits going south at about 08.35hrs. Two flocks of 7 and 9 Redwings went through also 150 Starlings passed south low over the east side in a single flock and 14
Skylarks went across in small groups. Four Blackbirds were about the paddocks in the half light, 2 Chaffinchs and a Greenfinch was heard and 2 Grey Wagtails were identified apart from the few Pied that called overhead.
Two Teal flew into the tide edge off to the east side where 60 Bar-tailed Godwits fed.
The Common Seal reappeared resting on the lifeboat house slipway before being disturbed (right).
Later after the tide there were 2 more Blackbirds and a Greenland Wheatear.
Ringed:- 3 Blackbirds, 1 Chiffchaff.
(DB,AEH,CJ,CLW, SRW,TGW,CJW(f), GIW+JC) [595]

8th October 2010

A good visible migration day with a fresh south easterly and lots of mist produced the first Lapland Buntings for the island this year despite there being so many around the north and east coasts and also a few in the west especially Angelsey. They flew south with some Meadow Pipits (there were 400 through today) down the west side with their distinctive call.
Another first (for the autumn) were 2 Redwings, one over the shore early and the other later. A Whinchat perched in the SK paddock was an unexpected find this late in the year, but most of the other birds passing were more in keeping with the season:- 3 Reed Buntings, 10 Skylarks, 25 Starlings, 1 Goldcrest, 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Song Thrushes, a Blackbird and another late Greenland Wheatear.
There were 6 Rock Pipits today, none of which were the ringed birds of yesterday (see remarks yesterday re passage).
Around the shore 3 and then 6 Wigeon were noted, also a Common Snipe, also the juvenile Brent of recent days.
Ringed:- 1 Robin, 2 Meadow Pipits, 1 Blackbird, 1 Chiffchaff.
(DB,BT, +MR, et al) [591]

7th October 2010

The island was clear overhead at first light in a steady south/south easterly but at about 09.00hrs a band of fog closed in from the south raising expectations of a few unusual birds on the ground. As it turned out little did we realise how unusual until on leaving the obs a flock of 6 Coal Tits were around the paddocks and immediately more were seen in the Newton trap and others flew away to the south. The 20 birds involved were probably the largest ever amount to land at Hilbre as we are normally lucky to see one in a year. Seven birds were ringed, some of which stayed on to take advantage of the feeders provided.

Other grounded birds were 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Goldcrests, 2 Chaffinches, a male Blackcap and a late Greenland Wheatear on the obs fence (left). Not stopping but passing through were 8 Skylarks, 3 Starlings, and 100 Meadow Pipits.

A Common Snipe was off to the west of the island, and there were 3 Rock Pipits (right) which occur traditionally on passage in October, but seabirds were few and far between the best being a Red-throated Diver and a Razorbill.

Ringed:- 7 Coal Tits, 2 Rock Pipits, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Chaffinch.

(DB,JE,CJ,PSW, et al) [586] photos CJ

2nd October 2010

The Observatory was visited today by the extended Dixon family who had gathered from all parts to pay tribute to Henry and Denise Dixon (old picture above in front of 'southward' as it was then known) who owned the bungalow from 1949 until 1988, when they donated the building to the bird observatory. Many of the family (above, with some obs members on the veranda) had very happy memories to share of their time on the island. A commemorative plaque was unveiled by Nick Dixon (below right with observatory chairman Chris Williams), and the family then enjoyed a tour of the observatory, some even commenting that they remembered the furniture!

Birds of the day were 2 Twite heard travelling west from West Kirby saltmarsh towards Middle Eye early in the day. There was some movement of Meadow Pipits and Linnets, 3 Goldfinches (right) also single Chaffinch and Greenfinch, 1 Grey Wagtail, and 5 Skylarks. The only warbler was a previously ringed Chiffchaff (left).

A Red-throated Diver was an unusual sight flying high up over the west side of the island, single Pintail and Wigeon were the only duck but 73 Bar-tailed Godwits were present and 2 Sandwich Terns were on the sea. A Rock Pipit was at the north end (right) but there was no sign today of the Common Seal there.

Ringed:- 3 Meadow Pipits, 2 Goldfinches, 1 Wren.

(AAB,DB+ESCA,ME+HW,CJ+VB,CJW,PSW) [574] photos CJ, VB, PSW

1st October 2010

A late afternoon visit surprisingly found a good number of records for that time of day. Three Greenland Wheatears were the most for some time and 6 Gannets and 18 Sandwich Terns were late records on the sea. Counts on the shore included 175 Sanderling and 86 Turnstone.
The juvenile Brent was still about as was the Common Seal seen yesterday.
(DB+ESCA)