Hilbre Island

It was a tough day today on Hilbre. It felt like it should have been good, with south easterly winds, the threat of squally showers and migrants massing on the east coast. Unfortunately nobody told the birds.

There was a decent passage of Swallows and House Martins, but just a couple of Willow Warblers, a Wheatear and a handful of Lesser Redpolls were all that we had to show when I left at 11am, after nearly five hours on the island. Still, it's the quiet days like this which make the good days so much fun!

Highlight of the day was the arrival of six Mute Swans, which hung around for about an hour, at first feeding in the channel to the east of the island (presumably on seaweed), and later asleep on the sand. Also two Peregrines, a single drake Common Scoter, three Whimbrel and at least 60 Gannets out at sea.

Lots of great flowers, including Bladder Campion, Thrift and Bluebells.



Thrift


Bladder Campion


Common Scoter

Mute Swans

Martin Mere

Garganey 1 male
Avocet 60

Brockholes Quarry, Preston

Red-necked Grebe 1 ad sum
Whimbrel 4
Reed Warbler 3

Plex Moss

Dotterel 15
Whimbrel 10
Wheatear 3

Hilbre Island

Sedge Warbler 1
Willow Warbler 1
Whimbrel 4
Wheatear 3
Gannet 20
Common Sandpiper 1 (on the whaleback)

Grey Seal 300


Grey Seals on the West Hoyle Bank


Sedge Warbler


Bluebellls

Bob Dylan Number 1 on both sides of the atlantic, aged 68

"Together Through Life", the 33rd studio album of new material by Bob Dylan, is today number 1 in both the UK and US album charts, and is already a strong contender for album of the year. Meanwhile, now aged 68, the greatest songwriter of the modern era continues to tour with an intensity which puts lesser mortals to shame, averaging over 100 gigs per year all over the World. Keep going Bob!

Crosby Marina / Seaforth

Pallid Swift 1
Common Swift 20
Wheatear 1
Whimbrel 1

Eccleston Mere

Grasshopper Warbler 1 reeling
Whitethroat 5 singing males

Sefton Coast

I had a great day today searching for Sand Lizards on the Sefton Coast (sorry I can't be more specific). We saw five in total, including 3 spectacularly green males, as well as 2 Common Lizards.


Common lizard


Sand Lizard male


Sand Lizard male

Hilbre Island

Though it was a beautiful day, westerly winds didn't bode well for migrants, and so it proved, with only two Willow Warblers trapped. Even so, I managed to add a new species to my Hilbre list, a Common Sandpiper which was feeding on the "whale back" early morning. There were also at least 5, possibly 7 Wheatears on the island, and still at least 6 Whimbrel on the shore.

On Middle Eye, a magnificent Peregrine flew off the cliffs and away down the Dee estuary.

What really caught the eye today were the flowers. The south end of the island was awash with bluebells, whilst the cliffs were covered in thrift.

Butterflies today included Green-veined white and Small tortoiseshell.


Thrift


Bluebells in front of the obs building

Pallid Swift - Crosby Marine Lake / Seaforth

What an amazing evening! I was on my way to see Bob Dylan at the Echo Arena Liverpool, when a phone call alerted me to the fact that a Pallid Swift which had been seen yesterday morning, had unexpectedly returned to Seaforth. Knowing that I had my bins in the car, I took a quick diversion to the docks, but not being a Seaforth permit holder I went to Crosby Marine lake.

Within five minutes I had seen the bird, the only Swift present, flying over the perimetre fence and away over the marine lake. I dashed back to the car and made it back to the arena and was in my seat 10 minutes before Dylan emerged!

Pallid Swift is a Brit tick for me.