10th September 2013

Weather:- wind north or north north west force 4/6 but up to 7 during a sea watch
Bird of the day was a Black-throated diver on the sea together with 10 Gannets and 3 Great Crested Grebes and a single dark phase Arctic Skua but not  the hoped for petrels that occur during prolonged strong winds this month. Counts on the ebb tide included the following:- 225 Ringed Plover, 270 Sanderling, 300 Dunlin, 64 Bar-tailed Godwits, a Whimbrel and best of all a Greenshank at Little Eye. The recent run of Black-tailed Godwits continues with 2 more sighted today. Amazingly after no Wheatears on the island all day, no less than 5 arrived at 17.00hrs, you never know just when things can happen!
(DB, + Matt Thomas)

Black Tern

The photo below is a record shot of today's Black Tern found in the tern roost east of the island taken from the Obs balcony with 50x iPhone digiscoping. The head pattern is rather 'White-winged' and the bill looked small when the bird was 'on the deck' although it is slightly turned towards the observers.  However, there is very little contrast between wings and mantle.  

Assuming it was the same bird (two Black Terns were reported off nearby Red Rocks not long after), when seen in flight from east of Middle Eye the bird's wings and mantle appear dark grey and there is a shoulder patch (although not broad). However the tail is distinctly paler (grey not white) than the mantle and wings.  Before anyone asks the flanks were white (see below)! These are very poor ipad screen grabs from iPhone digiscoping video - on the last grab the rump does look whitish but this may be just the quality of the video/grab.  An interesting bird...

9th September 2013

 Weather:- SW force 1/2 early then NW 3/4 late morning with heavy rain showers.


Fairly quiet for the last few days with little to report, but brief visits before the tide this morning found a juvenile Black tern associating with the mixed tern flock (mostly Sandwich, about 30 Common and 1 or 2 Little) on the east hoyle at the flood tide. Black terns have been particularly scarce (totally absent?) in the local area this year. There seems to have been a new arrival of terns in the estuary as 1,000 Sandwich were estimated yesterday and today.

Greylag Geese (with 2 domestic)

A Sparrowhawk flew along the island chain mid-morning and a flock of 38 Greylags (plus a couple of domestic geese tagging on) came up the east side then landed around the south west side of the island before departing west towards Wales. The only small migrants were a single Willow Warbler and 2 Wheatears, and a small number of Robins which seemed to be new in. Shorebirds at low tide included 15 Bar-tailed Godwits, 16 Sanderling and 2 Little Egrets.
Ringed:- 1 Robin                           [ 554-31 ]

(DB,CJ et al )

6th September 2013

A few images from the shore today

 

Curlew Sandpipers and Dunlin west of the marine lake

Curlew Sandpiper with Dunlin and Ringed Plover

 Mediterranean Gull at West Kirby marine lake, now known to have been ringed in Belgium

5th September 2013

Weather:- light wind force 2, west north west, later from the north

Knot in summer plumage with Turnstone

At about 9.15 am an adult summer Black Guillemot flew south west off the north end, accompanied by 3 Common Guillemots. Black Guillemots are less than an annual visitor off Hilbre and regular visits to the island are still required for any birder hoping to acquire the species for their Cheshire list. A Bonxie was also on the sea with 2 Arctic Skuas, 2 Gannets and 28 Common Scoters. Good counts were made of 7,500 Oystercatchers, 3,000 Dunlin, 275 Ringed Plover, 270 Curlew, 2 Whimbrel, 75 Sanderling and 15 Bar-tailed Godwits, while Gulls also featured with 2,300 Black headed, mostly to the south of the islands, and 3,000 Herring on the west hoyle. The only non-resident passerines were a Chiffchaff and 10 House Martins. Sandwich tern numbers are still holding up at 326, with 3 Common and 11 Little terns also noted. Two Little Egrets made the log, while the rabbit which has been more elusive lately proved it is still thriving.
(DB,DCT,PT,NDW et al)

4th September 2013

Weather:-fog early clearing to warm sunshine in a light southerly airstream

Migrant Hawker

A very pleasant day for early September and even a few birds to ring ! Warblers included 2 Willows, 2 Chiffchaffs, a Whitethroat and a Blackcap, not too many but better than most days this autumn. A single Wheatear arrived on the rocks at the north end but decided not to linger near the potter traps and disappeared almost immediately, it was also not a big hirundine morning but a few dozen Swallows passed through. Typical autumn records in the morning were 4 Wigeon, 4 Common Snipe flying across the north end, plus 2 others near the shore, a Sparrowhawk over the beach towards the islands, and 2 Black-tailed Godwits resting on the whaleback. Waders were in good numbers with 50 + Sanderling, 2,000+ Dunlin, 200 Curlew, at least 200 Ringed Plover, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, a Whimbrel and a returning colour ringed Turnstone among the birds that have so far arrived.. In the afternoon as most of the warblers had left attention turned to the sea and invertebrates found on the island. Eight Arctic Skuas were noted on the sea, some distant, also 8 Gannets, 30 Common Scoter and 5 Greta Crested Grebes. While watching the sea 4 Harbour porpoises came into view as they surfaced off to the east of the island. Dragonflies have been very scarce this year at Hilbre and the 2 Common Darters around the main island pond today with a single Migrant Hawker made it one of the better days. The moth trap last night produced yet another new species for the island as a Mullein wave was attracted. The main pond in addition to the presence of the dragonflies had a Map spider that entertained the members climbing in and out of its 'nest' home in the vegetation.

Common Darter

 

Wheatear

colour ringed Turnstone

Chiffchaff

fenale Blackcap

Purple Loosestrife

Map spider

Mullein wave

Map spider

Ringed:- 2 Robins, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, 1 Meadow Pipit [ 550-31 ]
(DB,ME,CJ,CS+1,DCT,PT,NDW,CJW,et al)   Photos, CJ,CJW et al

3rd September 2013

Weather :- variable light winds
Early in the morning a Greenshank spent some time at the north end and then flew off high to the south west, whilst 7 wandering Canada Geese also reminded us that autumn was now here. Very little sign of passage of small birds (15 Swallows, 3 House Martins ) until the surprise of seeing a Grasshopper Warbler in the trapping area in the afternoon, it had possibly been since the morning.
(DB,DCT,PT,NDW)

1st September 2013

Weather:- WNW force 5/6
An increase in wind strength at least gave hope of some seabirds on the early tide this morning but despite an intense 4 hours watching the rewards were meagre. On the log were 100 Gannets, 2 Manx Shearwaters, 30 Common Scoter, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Guillemots, and 6 skuas including 4 definite Arctics. A juvenile Arctic came along the tide edge by the obs and flew across the middle of the island to the west side (right).

As expected there were no small migrants. An adult Mediterranean Gull was still by the pontoon on the marine lake, after 2 were there yesterday (above).
(CJ,DCT,PT,NDW,SRW,PSW + MP&PO)    photos  CJ (skua) SRW (Mediterranean Gulls)