29th June 2010

Not many seabirds today considering the wind was quite strong from the west, just 3 Gannets, 1 juvenile Kittiwake and a single Sandwich tern. Bird of the day was a Whitethroat that appeared from nowhere as they sometimes do in mid-summer. Creature of the day was a Hummingbird Hawk moth that was found in the old obs garden. Three Little Egrets were on the shore together with the single Whimbrel.
(DB)

27th June 2010

Great Spotted Woodpecker averages about one bird a year at Hilbre usually in late autumn, so it was a surprise when one appeared suddenly today across the south end at 07.15hrs this morning and was seen to carry on to Middle Eye where it rested momentarily on a post. It was then followed through a telescope off towards Little Eye and amazingly was seen to be snatched out of the sky by a female Peregrine! The falcon then proceeded to devour the unlucky Hilbre visitor by a yellow buoy on the shore to the east of the islands. Later the remains were identified as a juvenile, and judging by the direction of travel probably from Wales. A sad but interesting episode.
Another Common Sandpiper was on Middle for a time and 12 Shelduck ducklings were a very pleasing sight in the east gutter on the flood tide, but the rest of the records today were of more normal fare:- 3 Swifts, 5 Swallows, 3 Little Egrets, and a male Kestrel.
(DB + ESCA)

25th June 2010

The first Common Sandpipers of the autumn (yes, for some species its autumn already!) spent the morning around the tide edge rocks (above). The 3 birds were constantly on the move and gave the photographer the run around to try to get a decent shot.

Also briefly in the area was the single late Whimbrel that was first seen some days ago. Other shore birds of note were 3 Little Egrets and a large group of 8 Grey Herons.

Ten Gannets were well out towards the wind farms but more obliging were 2 drake Eiders (right) that flew closely passed the north end late morning, but again a marked lack of terns with just a single Common Tern between the islands at high tide.

No hirundines at all today but there were 5 Swifts before 07.00hrs this morning.

Some Meadow Pipits are still on eggs (above), but there appears to be a new family of Dunnocks just out of the nest this week (right).

Ringed :- 4 Meadow Pipits, 1 Dunnock.

(DB,CJ) [307] photos CJ

24th June 2010

A fairly strong north westerly produced records of 40 Gannets, 2 Guillemots and a Common Scoter.
At low tide yet another all time record count of 825 seals was made.
(DB)

23rd June 2010

Highlight of today were 3 Manx Shearwaters seen fairly closely on a south westerly breeze. Just 2 Sandwich Terns seen and passing through during the morning were 3 Swallows and a Swift.
(DB)

20th June 2010

Single female Scoter (left) and Eider were off the west side at the ebb tide this morning and 10 Gannets were out to sea early with 3 Great Crested grebes but again no terns were to be seen.

Thirty two Curlew flying south at Little Eye was a very good number for mid-summer although unexpected bird of the day was a late Whimbrel (above right) that flew down the east side calling.

Young birds seen today on the island included a Dunnock (left) along with the more regular breeding species.

Burnett moths (above right) are now hatching out in numbers, but despite the warm sunshine the only butterfly of the morning was a Small Tortoiseshell.

(DB+ESCA,CJ) photos CJ

brief updates for this last week are below

18th June 2010

The young of 3 species that bred on the island were ringed today : - Carrion Crow (left), Wren (right) and Meadow Pipit (below left).

An out of season male Chiffchaff (below right) was also present today, no doubt a failed breeder from the mainland and the fact that it had some growths around the head may have had some bearing on its lack of success.

Ringed:- 2 Wrens, 2 Meadow Pipits, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Carrion Crow

(DB,JE et al) [ 302] photos JE

17th June 2010

A massive wreck of jellyfish was found deposited by the tide today on the shorelines of Hilbre and the Red Rocks area. They consisted mostly of the common 'Moon' jellyfish aurelia aurita but with some giant 'Lion's Mane' jellyfish cyanea capillata often resting on a carpet of the smaller commoner species, as in the picture taken at Middle Eye. None of the present witnesses pretend to be an expert in the field of jellyfish but it is known that the Lions Mane is capable of giving a very painful sting.

(DB,BSB and AAB,CJ at Red Rocks) photo BSB