20th March 2025

 Weather: ESE force 1/2    mist around the estuary

A lovely morning and a good migration day. The headline was a Puffin which was on the water off the east hoyle before flying westwards. A less than annual species at Hilbre, Puffin usually occurs in spring as on this occasion. The 10 Chiffchaffs today is always a good total in spring, another couple of weeks or so the first Willow Warblers should appear but for now we are happy with Chiffchaffs.

There was a Wheatear of each sex today,
 

The Meadow Pipits continued their migration, 215 noted coming through the island, 3 Goldcrests were in the paddocks, while 9 Robins certainly included visitors and 23 Pied Wagtails were also notable. Finches were not forgotten, there were 8 Chaffinch, 7 Goldfinch and 2 Redpolls in addition to the island breeding Linnets. Two Skylarks passed by while larger visitors included a Magpie,

 

and regular arrivals at this time in spring were  4 Jackdaws, 6 Woodpigeons and a Reed Bunting. No longer stangers at any time of year now are the Eiders, there was an immature male and 2 females

 Nine Wigeon were more unexpected to find in addition to the 212 Brent.

 

A female Goosander and 4 Red-breasted Mergansers completed the wildfowl. A Red-throated Diver, 700 Common Scoter and 6 Great Crested Grebes completed the sea list. Wader counts were 200 Dunlin and 2,000 Knot.

 

 Redshank numbered 13,

Turnstone 90,

and Purple Sandpiper 13.

Signs of spring among the insects were a Small Tortoiseshell and 4 Bumble Bees.

Photos SRW

19th March 2025

Weather: ESE force 4/5   decreasing 3 by afternoon

A proper (and typical March) passage this morning with 300 Meadow Pipits making the journey through the islands.

 

 Other typical records for this time of year were 4 Woodpigeons passing through,

 

 also 5 Jackdaws moving south east over the island, 

 

 the arrival of 3 Chiffchaffs,

 

 and 6 Pied Wagtails and the odd finch ( 3 Goldfinch, 1 Chaffinch,).

 

  A male Wheatear was the first of its kind since the initial female on 8th March.

 

 

 

More unusual lately were 2 Dunnocks on the island, although a Raven visiting is not scarce these days. The Brent still number 220.

 and 4 Eiders will be our regulars.

 

3,500 Common Scoter distantly shows just how many there are if we could get close to them. Four Red-throated Divers and 25 Great Crested Grebes were on the sea, also a summer plumaged Guillemot. Amongst the waders there were 12 Grey Plover, 120 Turnstone, 120 Sanderling, 3,500 Knot, 100 Dunlin, 9 Purple Sandpiper, and 75 Ringed Plover.

No Egrets this morning but 2 Grey Herons were here.

Ringing today:  2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Robins, 1 Wheatear, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Turnstone.

 Photos SRW

18th March 2025

 Weather: SE force 2,  mist around the estuary

 

Despite the light south easterly wind there was disappointingly little passerine movement. A male Reed Bunting singing in the old Obs garden was seen off by one of the 8 local Meadow Pipits recorded, along with 10 which flew south over the islands. Singles of Siskin and Pied Wagtail flew over and about 25 Linnets were about.

 A male Red-breasted Merganser flew passed the North End and 8 more were on the sea towards the West Hoyle, Common Scoter numbered 120 and Brent Geese 220.

On the East Hoyle before dawn was a good count of 8000 Dunlin, mixed in with them were 8 Bar-tailed Godwit, 120 Grey Plover and a few Knot, although flocks totalling 5500 were noted - most heading towards Hoylake. South of Middle were 26 Ringed Plover, 30 Redshank and 9 Purple Sandpiper were in the small roost in Niffy Bay.

When some of the 500 Oystercatcher roosting on Middle went up observers suspected ( and hoped for) a bird of prey, but were surprised when the Fox popped up and sat in the grass for a while.

 

Photos AS  

17th March 2025

Weather: ENE force 3/4   E 4 by afternoon

 A quiet day with no migrants but counts were made of 180 Brent, 3 Common Scoter, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 10 Red-breasted Mergansers, a single Eider, a Mallard on the pond, 450 Oystercatchers, 3,000 Knot, 23 Dunlin, 70 Turnstone, 20 Redshank,  and 6 Purple Sandpipers. Just a single Little Egret and one Grey heron were around the island. Local small birds were 7 Blackbirds, 8 Rock Pipits, 3 Robins, 4 Wrens, 24 Linnets and a Pied Wagtail.

 

15th March 2025

 Weather: NE force 2  NNW 2 by noon

Work on the trapping area was the order of the day. A few migrants were recorded during the morning included finches: 2 each of Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Lesser Redpoll and a single Siskin. Two Pied and a White Wagtail were noted, also 6 Robins and 6 Blackbirds, some of which may ahve been passing through. At least 4 Rock Pipits were on both main islands so a good breeding season is expected. On the sea were a massive 12,000 Scoter tracking to the west, 6 Great Crested Grebes and a single Red-throated Diver. Sanderling numbered 260 and total Purple Sandpipers seen were 16.

14th March 2025

 Weather:  N force 3

 No visit in the morning today so a late afternoon look to see if there was anything new. On the way over while there was still daylight a visit to the West Kirby marine lake found a splendid female Goosander on the calm water.

 

Less expected was a Great Crested Grebe with Little Eye in the background.

Two Harbour Porpoise swam north west of the island which were easily seen on the flat sea. One hundered and twenty Pink-footed Geese flew north late afternoon. There are still plenty of Scoter distantly of the north shore, 7,500 estimated but of course no chance of identifying the recent rare Black Scoter from that distance but 2 Red-throated Divers, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers and 6 more Great Crested Grebes were much closer. Brent about the island were estimated at about 245 birds. Some waders wrere seen at the low tide; 4,500 oystercatchers, 85 Grey Plover, 110 Curlew, 130 Turnstone, 280 Knot, 1300 Dunlin, 250 Sanderling, 65 Redshank and 2 Purple Sandpiper. Not many of the island passerines were active late in the day but noted were 4 Wrens, 4 Rock Pipits and 4 Blackbirds.

 

Photos SRW

11th March 2025

 Weather: N force 4

The wind being in the north, there was no sign of any migrants today on a post tide afternoon visit. Brent were counted at 220 individuals, 3 Eider were here and out to sea massive numbers of Common Scoter were seen (about 9,500). Among the waders were counts of 350 Sanderling, 500 Dunlin, 120 Turnstone, 135 Curlew and the usual few dozen Redshank.,

Records of Raven have increased in the last few years, one showed well today.

The dead dolphin seen on the 8th March may not have been the cetacean found on 1st March after all as the individual seen today could very well be a version of the 1st March sighting after several large gulls have fed on it.
 

Photos SRW 

10th March 2025

 Weather: SE force 2 with mist around the estuary, later in the afternoon NE 6

 

A nice steady trickle of birds today began with a Reed Bunting down briefly in the Obs garden with 2 more passing over later, there were 2 each of Redpoll, Goldfinch and Chaffinch also singles of Goldcrest and Dunnock (not a common bird here). Three Chiffchaff were noted with 2 of them caught and ringed.

 

 Twelve Swans flying out of the Estuary on the west side was a lovely sight but sadly they were heading away from observers and unidentifiable. What are probably the last remaining breeding Shelduck on the island have returned to their favoured spot.

Jackdaw were heard calling and 3 spotted flying high over the island, 2 Collared Dove flew north, then landed on the lifeboat station and flew back south. 

 Two Woodpigeon also came through.

 Two hundred and eighty five Brent were around the island with 3 Eider while on the sea were 5 Great Crested Grebes and further out 200 Common Scoter. Waders showing were 90 Turnstone, 300 Dunlin, 8 Purple Sandpipers and quite a number of Curlew.

 

 The drake Mallard still swims on the island pond.

 

Photos: AS, SRW