11th August 2014

 Weather:- WSW force 6/7
 
 
Still a strong wind, and the sea was quite rough at the north end, the Manx Shearwaters however were less abundant and 180 was a far fewer number than yesterday, while other seabirds noted were a dark phase Arctic Skua, 6 Gannets and a Fulmar. Two other good sightings today were a Golden Plover that was on the ground briefly after flying between the islands, and a Merlin that flew passed the north end of the island. Terns were again in good numbers with 50 Common, 150 Little and 600 Sandwich. As expected no land migrants were to be found today.

Golden Plover

Sanderling with Dunlin

Short-tailed Field Vole

(AMC+1,FD,CJW & family)       all photos CJW

10th August 2014

Weather:- ESE then SSE 3/4, then W force 9 in the evening, for a short while reaching
 force 12 during a rainstorm !

Sunday started off with a fairly strong easterly wind but fairly heavy drizzle, so after a non productive search for any grounded migrants a trip to the North end and a quick scan of the sea with bins was undertaken. To the observers surprise several flocks of Manx Shearwaters were instantly picked up flying past at a moderate distance, a  telescopes was quickly retrieved  from the Obs and a sea watch began. Manxie's continued to fly past in various numbers and distances until about an hour to high water when the wind dropped and an eerie calm brought several flocks in off the North end and then down the East side of the island. The total at the end of the morning was 1258 birds, 45 Gannets, 18 Great Crested Grebes and a single Arctic Skua.

Peregrine

Little Terns - note the adult on the left with metal ring and the juvenile on the right with a green ring

Sedge Warbler

 As the shearwaters subsided a trip through the trapping area revealed a Sedge Warbler and a Whitethroat had dropped in, the sedge was duly caught and ringed. As the wind increased in the afternoon Little Terns, Dunlin and Ringed Plover sheltered behind any bit of rock they could find.
Ringed:- 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Robin  [ 618-33 ]

(DB,CJW & family)    all photos CJW

9th August 2014

Weather:- W force 4/5
With the wind in the west a sea watch was the order of the day and 35 Gannets, 2 Kittiwakes and 3 Common Scoters were the best found, but with the weather forecast promising of better things to come, the next couple of days could be interesting. There were no Swallows moving through unlike the last few days and a single Willow Warbler was the sole migrant. Some wader counts included 3,500 Oystercatchers, 600 Sanderling, 150 Ringed Plover, 12 Bar-tailed Godwits, 2 Whimbrel and a massive 14,000 Dunlin (above, photo CJW). Only small numbers of butterflies today although there were 4 Common Blues.
Ringed :- 1 Robin, 1 Dunnock         [ 616-33 ]
(CJW & family later DB+ESCA)

8th August 2014

Dunlin (CJ)

Weather:- SE force 3
A disappointing morning for a south easterly in August with only a single Willow Warbler on the island and no other grounded migrants. Twenty five Swallows came through and later 2 Swifts flew south; most Swifts will be leaving us shortly as they are one of the first species to leave after the summer. Dunlin (right) were again much in evidence with about 10,000 present, many of which flew north over the sands in several flocks early morning. Ten Whimbrel were around the island early in the day and 71 Turnstones, mostly in summer plumage rested out the morning tide on the north west cliffs.

Little Terns (CJW)

Ringed:- 1 Linnet, 1 Robin, 1 Wren       [ 614-33 ]
(CJ,CJW & family, + several)      

7th August 2014

Weather:- NW force 2/3, rain or drizzle early

Little Egrets (CJW)

The 2 Common Snipe that flew towards Hilbre from the Red Rocks area became the first to be recorded on the islands this autumn and another late autumn regular in the form of a Sparrowhawk crossed over south of middle travelling east. The biggest surprise however was the finding in a vehicles headlights of a Short-eared Owl settled on the beach just before midnight. No warblers arrived today, although the recent Whitethroat was seen again, but at least 3 Wheatears landed during the day and 60 or Swallows came through containing mostly juvenile birds. An Arctic Skua and 15 Common Scoters were the sole seabird sightings apart from the terns now building up around the islands, namely 600+ Sandwich, 42 Common and about 130 Little. Dunlin totalled 12,000 by the end of the day, while other counts included 160 Ringed Plover, 84 Redshank, 70+ Curlew, 5 Whimbrel and 4 Bar-tailed Godwits. There were 8 Little Egrets to be seen feeding.
(DB,CJW & family)

6th August 2014

Weather:- SE force 4 with rain overnight, turning westerly
Quiet with little movement, 2 Willow Warblers were seen and a few dozen Swallows went through, otherwise it was a case of watching the waders and terns. Sanderling were in good numbers with 300 seen and 630 Sandwich Terns were counted on the flood tide.
(DB,NDW,CJW & family)

5th August 2014

Weather:- SE 3, later 5, partly cloudy but clear
The south easterly brought a small trickle of about 6 Willow Warblers to the island, also a Blackcap and throughout the morning Swallows passed through in small numbers with a single House Martin. A Whitethroat also noted may be the bird present for some weeks now.

  A Mediterranean Gull (above) was seen to fly over the sands near Little Eye where many hundreds of Black-headed Gulls rested after the early tide. Dunlin flocks (which were estimated at 4,000 this morning), moved about the shore with many Ringed Plover and some Sanderling as the tide ebbed. A female Peregrine and a Kestrel were both logged, as were 2 Whimbrel, 3 Common Scoters and 2 Little Egrets. The Rabbit still shows to the lucky observer.
 Later in the afternoon 4 Swifts moved through and a Harbour porpoise was sighted of the north east corner of the island. Little terns seem everywhere at the moment and 127 were counted during the day.
Ringed:- 4 Willow Warblers, 1 Linnet, 1 Robin      [ 611-33 ]
 (AAB,CJ,CJW & family, + 4)       photos   CJ

4th August 2014

Weather;- WSW force 3 , then NNW force 3
Waders featuring today were 350 Sanderling ( including 150 flying south), a total of 8,000 Dunlin around the estuary, 85 Knot, 5 Whimbrel, 60 Redshank and amongst the 80 Turnstones was a bird that Hilbre observatory colour ringed in the winter of 2008/2009 and is back to spend the winter once again. A Willow Warbler and a Whitethroat were in the paddocks. Two Little Egrets were on the shore.
(BSB,DB,CJW & family)