30th October 2011

The wind was variable in the Southerly quarter all day, 7 Red Throated Divers, 9 Great Crested Grebes and 60 Common Scoter were observed on the tide and the Brent Goose flock had increased to 105 birds. Waders included 4 Purple Sandpipers, 10000 Knot, 10000 Oystercatcher, 12 Ringed Plover, 35 Curlew, 100 Turnstone and 25 Redshank. Migrants and other passerines included 79 Meadow Pipit, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 White Wagtail, 13 Goldfinch, 3 Chaffinch, 6 Wren, 4 Dunnocks and 4 Robins. 3 Rock Pipits were present and the Coal Tit remained. Ringed:- 1 Chaffinch, 1 Wren.
(CJW) [943-46]

29th October 2011

Very little to report today in a cool and blustery south easterly that did not allow mist nets to be used, indeed there wasn't a lot in the trapping area anyway apart from 5 Chaffinches, a single Goldcrest heard on the east cliff and the now seemingly resident Coal Tit. Passage was just as meagre, a flock of 22 Starlings flew west, and a Greenfinch called overhead. Another (or one of yesterdays ) Porpoises was off the north end several times in the morning. The largest count possible of the Brent was 65, but some probably were missed as the flock is scattered most of the time. A Peregrine chasing the waders was the only raptor of the day.
Ringed :- 3 Chaffinches, 1 Wren.
(RA,CJ,NDW) + Tony Duckels and party [941-46]

28th October 2011

A beautiful sunny day but with minimal migration began with a Starling being ringed (the first this year) (left), also a Goldfinch, but later little overhead apart from a few Meadow Pipits in off the sea, 3 Skylarks, 2 Pied Wagtails, a Reed Bunting and the odd Chaffinch and Goldfinch passing through. The Coal Tit still stayed in the trapping area (above right), a Blue Tit briefly visited the obs garden and 4 Blackbirds were about. A large arrival of Brent happened when about 40 flew in from the north and joined the existing flock, making 84 in total. Amongst this group was an old friend, a colour ringed bird (blue'D' left leg and red 'H' right leg) that has been seen now for the last 3 winter seasons at Hilbre. Also building up were Purple Sandpipers now numbering 4 seen at the north end. A single Wigeon was at the tide edge on the flood, and later at high tide a drake Eider flew west (right). Also at high tide 2 Porpoises swan off the north end and were seen several times in a half hour period. Seabirds noted included 8 Red-throated Divers, 11 Great Crested Grebes,17 Guillemots and a Razorbill, and saving the best till last a exceptionally late Common Tern flew over the observers heads (below) , thought about landing on the island, and then made off towards Red Rocks. This is the latest date some of us can remember seeing this species at Hilbre. Ringed:- 1 Starling, 1 Goldfinch. (DB,CJ,KMc,NDW,CJW,DGW+1,) + party from Liverpool Ornithologists Club [937-46] Photos CJ

27th October 2011

The predicted drop in wind had not come about by this morning however the early seawatch provided 2 Red Throated Divers, 20 Great Crested Grebe, 35 Gannet and a single Arctic Skua.
Two Purple Sandpipers where observed with the Turnstones on the flood and flocks of Knot and Dunlin moved throughout the afternoon, wader numbers where as follows: Oystercatcher 6000, Ringed Plover 20, Grey Plover 6, Knot 1800, Dunlin 800, Bar Tailed Godwit 10, Curlew 45, Turnstone 120 and Redshank 50. The Brent Goose flock provided easy counting off the West side and again totalled 45, Shelduck came into the estuary later and the count came to 38, a solitary Little Egret searched the rock pools by Middle.
Passerines included a Blackcap early morning (above), 13 Meadow Pipits, 7 Skylark, 50 Starling, 3 Blackbird, a single Pied Wagtail, 4 Chaffinch and 5 Goldfinches (right) followed by a late afternoon flock of 30.
Ringing: Blackcap 1, Chaffinch 1, Goldfinch 2, Blackbird 1. (CJW+JW,DGW,RTW,NLW,EKW) [935-45] photos CJW

26th October 2011

With quite a drop in temperature the insistent wind felt cold today, the flood tide provided 5 Red-throated Divers, 6 Great Crested Grebe, 25 Common Scoter, 30 Shelduck and only a single Gannet. A yellow legged Gull flew past the north end and ended up roosting on Bird Island towards Red Rocks.
The Pale-bellied Brent numbers increased to 45, wader numbers where more difficult to count (especially with a ridiculous individual spending the 9.7 metre tide wandering around Middle with his dog) but were as follows:
Oystercatchers 6000, Ringed Plover 20, Grey Plover 5, Knot 225, Dunlin 60, Curlew 90, Turnstone 100, Redshank 30.
Other movement/passerines continued with 88 Starlings, Meadow Pipit 20, Pied Wagtail 5, Wren 6, Robin 4, Blackbird 6, Song Thrush 3, Goldcrest 2, Greenfinch 3, Goldfinch 12, Linnet 26 and a single Redpoll. The Coal tit was again present and a Merlin visited after the tide.
Ringing: Goldcrest 2, Wren 1, Robin 1. and several nice retraps.
(ME+HW,NDW,CJW,DGW,RTW,NLW,EKW) [930-45]

25th October 2011

Early evening yesterday it was windy Force 7 but Redwings could be heard overhead during the night. The wind varied throughout the day but the early flooding tide brought 42 Gannets close off the north end, as a nice Great Northern Diver flew east giving good views, 10 Great Crested Grebes and 14 Common Scoters where also present.
A Hen Harrier was observed, from Red Rocks, over Middle and down over the West side, meanwhile two Peregrines gave good views during a tussle near the mast on the main Island. Wader numbers where as follows: 6000 Oystercatchers, 20 Ringed Plovers, 75 Curlew, 150 Knot, 120 Turnstone, 40 Redshank and 85 Dunlin, also 31 Pale -bellied Brents and 24 Shelduck
Migration/passerines was as follows:
Skylark 11, Meadow Pipit 33, Pied Wagtail 5, Goldcrest 1, Blackbird 4, Redwing 1, Starling 84 (several flocks) Chaffinch 2, Greenfinch 4, Linnet 26, Coal Tit 1 (am) Rock Pipit 1.
Around 16:00 a Short-eared Owl was observed quartering the gutter on the East side towards the north end, it then flew across the shore and landed on a seaweed/mud outcrop where it remained until at least dusk, a Merlin flew down the east side at 17:00 chasing Turnstone.
Ringing: Blackbird 2, Greenfinch 1, Chaffinch 1, Wren 1, Linnet 1
(CJW et al) [926-45]

22nd October 2011

Another quiet day, or does it just seem so as we are all feeling a Red-flanked Bluetail hangover? A passage of Blackbirds was expected in the fresh southeasterly but only 2 arrived with a single Song Thrush, although a flock of Redwings were seen to fly off the west side later. A steady trickle of Chaffinches passed in ones and twos, also 12 Starlings (left), a Reed Bunting, a Goldfinch, 2 Rock Pipits, a couple of Skylarks and 2 Pied Wagtails. Yet again the Merlin showed and the Coal Tit (right) remained and was retrapped revealing that it is very happy here as it had put on half a gram since 2 days ago. Counts from the shore were difficult because of the very low tide, however 18 Bar-tailed Godwits, and 12 Shelduck were noted. A single Pintail flew between the islands and a Little Egret was on the shore. Thirty nine Brent stayed mostly near Little Eye. Ringed :- 1 Blackbird, 1 Robin. (CJ,PSW) + C Wells and RSPB party [920-45] photos CJ

20th October 2011

Although the westerly continued today the wind was lighter, and first thing the rain showers dropped in 11 Goldcrests, which are often the only regular autumn migrants on Hilbre with this wind direction. Two new Blackbirds were ringed, together with the Coal Tit (left, a very scarce bird at Hilbre) which was still present from yesterday. A Merlin, presumably the same bird that has been around for the last few days, showed for the first hour after dawn, and slightly later a Sparrowhawk landed briefly on the buoymasters house garden wall (right), making 4 raptors for the day after both Peregrine and Kestrel had made an appearance earlier. Very few Meadow Pipits were seen today, certainly no migrants, and the only land birds passing through were 15 Starlings. A single Gannet on the sea was the only seabird of note in the calmer conditions today, but pleasing was the build up of Brent to 38 birds, which may have had a good breeding season judging by the number of young amongst them (above). Ringed:- 8 Goldcrests, 2 Blackbirds, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Robin. (CJ,KMc) [918-45] photos CJ