11th January 2017

Weather: WNW 1 vis 4 mls

On the sea today were 5 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Eider and 147 Common Scoter. When the sun came out briefly, a flash of green drew attention to a male mallard in amongst the Scoter flock off the East Hoyle, the first of the year. A pair of Widgeon flew from the west across the North End. A Little Egret was feeding in the Gutter and 4 Grey Heron were west of Middle Eye.

One Purple Sandpiper was all that could be found but 19 Bar Tailed Godwit were feeding at the tide edge along with 4 Sanderling. Other waders around the islands were 51 Curlew, 55 Turnstone, 30 Redshank, 9 Grey Plover and 6 Ringed Plover. A small flock of 64 Dunlin landed briefly in the Gutter below the Obs.

A flock of c. 5,000 Knot were noted in the air just south of Little Eye, Oysyercatcher numbered 1,500.

The only passerines present were a male and female Blackbird, 2 Song Thrush, 3 Meadow Pipit, 8 Wren and 2 Robin.

photos AS

8th January 2017

Weather : SSE 0/1  A cold and frosty start to the day but almost flat calm.

 A quiet day compared to yesterday but the 6 Eider are still present close to the islands and well out off the East Hoyle was a seventh in the form of a lovely male, 44 Common Scoter were also around the same area.

Below the Obs garden 39 Ringed Plover were feeding, other waders included 28 Grey plover, 52 Dunlin, 3 Bar Tailed Godwit  and about 100 Turnstone. A nice surprise was a lone Lapwing at the North End, on the rocks by the slipway. Just west of the South End slipway a single Heron was hunting in the pools.

The Song Thrushes today numbered 4, with a Blackbird, 1 Rock Pipit and the usual Wrens & Robins also about the island. A single Skylark flew over.  

photos AS

 

7th January 2018

Weather: NE force 1/2  cold, overnight frost slow to clear in bright sunshine

A very cold but sunny morning brought a plethora of wildfowl to the islands featuring several loose flocks of 35, 300 and 200 Pink-footed Geese seemingly flying towards the Lancashire mosslands.

A slightly less expected highlight were 9 beautiful Whooper Swans crossing the island and ditching into the Dee to the west and giving good viewing opportunities to the obs members.

Other wildfowl included 3 Wigeon, 3 Shelduck, 4 Greylags flying west and the Hilbre 'locals' this winter of 4 Eider and 310 Pale-bellied Brent Geese.

A Blackbird and a Song Thrush (1of 3 present) became the first birds to be ringed this year, while also present were 2 Rock Pipits, 7 Wrens  and 9 Linnets (7 of them were on Middle). The only passage birds over were a Skylark and a Pied Wagtail.

Waders seen at the low tide included 60 Sanderling, 4 Grey Plover, 3,000 Knot towards Wales but disappointingly no Purple Sandpipers.
Seabirds were understandably scarce, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 80 Common Scoter, and on the shore 2 Little Egrets and 2 Grey Herons.
Ringed: 1 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush              [ 2-2 ]
 photos AEH, PSW

6th January 2018

Weather: NE force 4,   cold with wind chill
A before tide visit found 4 Eiders present (below), also a single Purple Sandpiper, 2 Rock Pipits, 3 Blackbirds (2 were happily eating worms) and a Song Thrush (eating a snail).

Not many seals are hauled out on the bank at the moment, only 35 were there today.
photo JE

4th January 2018

Weather:  SE force 1, then W 6/7, up to WNW storm 10 middle of the afternoon

Today was very contrasting weather wise from still and bright in the morning to a force 10 Westerly in the afternoon which held the tide in for over 3 hours after High tide.

The Purple Sandpiper roost held 9 birds again and over 6000 Oystercatcher roosted on Middle Eye with 227 Brent Geese until the storm blew waves over the island putting everything into the air with a Peregrine also putting in an appearance.

The Eider drifted towards Little Eye -6 in number and 7 Pintail joined them briefly.

On our return to the mainland after tide 10,000 Knot fed between Middle and Little Eye.

photos AEH

29th December 2017

Weather: W force 7
An afternoon visit in a near gale found 80 Common Scoter and the Eiders up to 6 in number.

27th December 2017

Weather: NNW force 5

A cold wind greeted observers this morning with a wind chill of -2C.

The Eiders, now back up to 5 in number were favouring the East channel as normal.

A Peregrine patrolled Middle Eye and amongst the Brent Geese was the Icelandic colour ringed bird.

A flock of 300 Knot also had 6 Grey Plover with it and other waders logged included 35 Bar-tailed Godwits, 60 Redshank and 65 Curlew.

photos AEH

24th December 2017

Weather: WSW 3/4  vis 30 mls

A brief pre Christmas visit found 293 Brent Geese, mostly around the north end and including 2 colour ringed birds. 

The Eider count was back up to 5 and 40 Common Scoter were off the East Hoyle.

Sixty four Curlew were noted but there were few small waders about, although 20 Redshank were in the gutter, also a single Little Egret.

A Kestrel was seen hunting on the south end of Hilbre and the usual Wrens and Robins were about, along with 3 Song Thrush and a Blackbird.
photos AS