29th November 2008

Scruffy wonders how he will ever find
his way back !

Thick fog throughout the estuary today with visibility down to 100 yards or less, and two lost people wandering the shore were rescued by our member with a compass. This is a warning against attempting to cross in such conditions, especially if the tide is rising ! Three canoeists turned up at Hilbre at high tide, I expect navigation would be equally as difficult for them.

Counts today in trying circumstances included 99 Brent, 5 Wigeon, 1 Eider and 11 Purple Sandpipers.


Six Blackbirds, a Song Thrush and 9 Starlings were on the ground, two of the Blackbirds were caught for ringing ( photo of 1st year male Blackbird shows the contrasting new black and old brown greater coverts after post juvenile moult).


(JE) photos by JE

28th November 2008

A dark-bellied Brent (left) was alone on the whaleback early morning, but the rest of the Brents were scattered elsewhere so no meaningful count could be made today. A Pink-footed Goose flew with the cormorants out to sea during first light and 2 Redwings went overhead. Thrushes on the ground were 6 each of Song Thrushes and Blackbirds on the main island, a single Rock Pipit was at the north end though other passerines only consisted of the usual small scatter of Meadow Pipits, Robins and Wrens.

A count at high tide produced 19 Purple Sandpipers (left) and 117 Turnstones resting on the McAffe 'steps' a habit not followed much lately (below). The Eider floated in with the Brents between the islands after the tide, a single Snow Bunting was seen at Little Eye, and 200 Starlings crossed the sands.

In the afternoon 400 Sanderling grouped together on the East Hoyle bank, 4 Wigeon and 2 Little Egrets were noted, 80 Grey Plover (below with Curlew) flew north up the west side and 10 Redwing went over just before dusk.

The Great Northern Diver was then seen to fly over the obs in a northwesterly direction, confirming the suspicion that the Hilbre and marine lake bird are one and the same.

Another suspicion was confirmed when a fresh digging and droppings of a fox were discovered north of the old obs garden.

Trapped for ringing were 2 Song Thrushes, 2 Blackbirds and a Wren.

Minor repairs were successfully completed to the sea hide and door of the SK trap (thanks to DCT,PGW for labour and Phil W for donation of materials).

(DB,ME,CJ,DCT,PGW) All photos by CJ

25th November 2008

A quiet start to the day in the dark (because of the early tide) with a crescent moon in a clear sky and a cool breeze, burst into life when a cloud of approximately a thousand Starlings (right) flew low over the south end of the island and off to the west.

There had obviously been a thrush movement overnight as it became clear there were 7 Song Thrushes and 3 Blackbirds around the paddocks and gardens, and also a Dunnock.

A sea-watch produced little except 3 Teal and a few G C Grebes and Common Scoters.

As the tide ebbed records became more interesting with an Eider close to the east side, a Snipe between the islands with the shore waders and 2 Whooper Swans flying west towards the north shore. A commotion that disturbed all the waders and Brents proved to be a brief appearance of a Common Buzzard north of Middle, unfortunately the bird could not be relocated despite an active search. Seven Wigeon (below) flew north along the east side, and 14 Black-tailed Godwits went south passed Middle.

On the way off the islands a large female Peregrine (above left) was seen sitting on the rocks near Little Eye but only 2 Snow Buntings (below) could be located there.

Four Song Thrushes were trapped for ringing.

(CJ,PGW) All photos CJ

24th November 2008

Despite the continued strong winds no more Storm Petrels, but a Goldeneye ( a surprisingly scarce bird at Hilbre, but regular on the marine lake in winter) and a Little Egret were noted. Three Song Thrushes, a Redwing and a Blackbird were grounded.
(DB,CF)

23rd November 2008

Again the 4 Snow Buntings at Little Eye and with the north westerly reaching up to force 8 in the afternoon, and following on from the bird on friday another Storm Petrel flew west at 15.30 hrs ( just after low tide).
(AMC,MGT)

22nd November 2008

Still 4 Snow Buntings at Little Eye, and 7 Wigeon logged flying west.
(MGT)

21st November 2008

Winds up to gale force from the north west this morning and a one hour sea-watch early afternoon (3 to 4 hours before the tide) saw 2 Leach's Petrels and a Storm Petrel blown in passed the north end. These are the only petrels reported so far in western Britain at the present time, the Storm Petrel being particularly late. In addition to the regular bird a flock of 8 Eider also went through, made up of 2 adult and 2 eclipse males and 4 females. Other sea-birds were 18 Common Scoter and a Red-throated Diver. The Brents were still at yesterdays numbers but the Snow Buntings on Little Eye have increased to four.
A Peregrine was logged and 5 Skylarks flew over.
(DB)

20th November 2008

A low tide visit today during a force 5/6 from the north west produced similar results to yesterday, 23 Common Scoter, 6 Scaup, 36 Bar-tailed Godwit, 58 Sanderling, a Shag and the Eider, but the Brent were up to 119 Pale-bellied and 3 Dark-bellied. Only 3 Purple Sandpipers could be found at low tide, although 151 Grey Plover were feeding out by the Tanskeys. Very few passerines, not even a Meadow Pipit, just a single Song Thrush and a Starling (below).

The 2 Snow Buntings (above) were still around Little Eye, hopefully they will stay longer than the one on Middle two weeks ago.

(DB,CJ,PGW,SRW) photos by CJ