Weather: ENE force 2,  N 3/4 by noon  Light winds and the Pink-footed Geese are moving again, but only 335 this morning.    Highlight of the day was a Red-legged Partridge strutting about on the island.     Only the 6th ever record, although it is the 4th in the last 5 years, all in March/April. Warblers were scarce again today, just a single Willow Warbler and a Blackcap. A Collared Dove was a nice change from the regular Woodpigeons recently.  Four Starlings arrived, they seemed to be moving south.   Five Greenland Wheatears were around the ..read more

 Weather:  NW force 3 The forecast rain showers did not happen this morning but the north westerly wind meant migration was very sparse. But somehow in these conditions the first Whitethroat of the spring came to the island.   A male Blackcap was also here, probably the bird ringed yesterday. Four Wheatear resembling the Greenland race arrived, they are often not dependent of wind conditions for their arrival. Predictably no Pinkfooted Geese flew out of the estuary this morning against the head wind and the only geese on view today were 8 Canadas and the remaining 59 Brent. O ..read more

 Weather: ESE force 2   backing N 1 early afternoon The expected Pinkfooted Goose early morning flyover produced large groups passing in the first couple of hours or so but not quite at the massive scale of yesterday, 2,500 were estimated today. First thing the weather was calm again this morning but with a lot of high cloud, the paddocks were quiet early on with just the odd Willow Warbler appearing now and then, and one or two Wheatears on show. A Grasshopper warbler sang briefly near the SK paddock gate, pleasing observers noting their first for the year. Numbers of Willow Wa ..read more

 Weather: SSE force 1   NNE 1 by noon Another massive departure for the Pink-footed Geese with a following wind. An estimate of 6,000 birds this morning in many flocks during the first 3 hours after dawn.   Right from the start about 100 Gannets were diving close by the island , and sitting on the sea when not feeding, they were still there at noon.     Rivaling the Gannets a few Common and 150 Sandwich Terns fed at the north end.    Six Wheatears favoured the north end of the island, one being the Greenland race.     Warblers on th ..read more

 Weather:  NW force 5 An after tide visit saw the sun come out, although the fine weather did not bring many birds. A Chiffchaff was the sole small warbler present,  ... and the only large warbler was a female Blackcap that was in the obs garden. On arrival at the island news came through that 4 Common Cranes were doing a tour of Wirral and at one stage it seemed they were coming our way up the estuary but they headed across Wirral at Heswall and then went north to cut the corner off our section of Wirral and went off towards Wallasey, still it kept eyes to the telescope for ..read more

 Weather: SSE force 1/2  later WSW  6  with rain mid afternoon A brief spell of a southerly element in the wind meant some obvious migration took place. In the padddocks and gardens were 3 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaffs and 3 White Wagtails, 4 Swallows and a Collared Dove came through during the morning. Finches also turned up; in addition to the 6 Goldfinches showing 2 Siskins and a Redpoll flew through. Small bird of the day was a Yellow Wagtail making itself known. A single Wheatear was on the ground.    The lack of strong head winds early this morning encourag ..read more

 Weather: NNW force 5, easing 3/4 by late evening with the lake district visible A quiet day with no warblers present nor small migrants of any kind if we exclude the 4 Goldfinches hanging about.  The main interest came with seeing the winter visitors heading north, there were 62 Brent today, possibly all that are still with us, likewise 4 Purple Sandpipers, but we have been fooled before. Sea bird arrivals feeding today were 70 Gannets and 279 Sandwich Terns, always a delight around the island.   Two of the scarcer Arctic Terns were also noted. Flocks of Common Scoter, abou ..read more

 Weather: NW force 4/5  Following yesterdays gale the strong north westerly blew sand across the foreshore as the tide was very small. A Chiffchaff was on the island but we had to wait until later in the afternoon for the bonus of a male Blackcap to ring. Four Goldfinches  and 3 Woodpigeons visited, one of the group arrived randomly from the south.  Earlier the sea was the main interest in these conditions, and a good list resulted from a period of watching. Counts included 176 Gannets, 200 Common Scoter, 3 Razorbills, 2 Red-throated Divers, 2 Great Crested Grebes, a Red ..read more

 Weather: SW force 2 The early morning was without wind of rain and as usual started with the Pink-footed Geese flying out north along the Wirral shore, 40 today. A look at the trapping area saw several phylloscopus warblers about and 4 Willow Warblers and a Chiffchaff were ringed.    It was obviously not a big 'fall' however and the next two hours only produced a few more. One of the Willow Warblers (right in photo) was darker in the hamd and probably belonged to one of the northern races. Late morning a few drops of rain was enough to drop in 3 Chiffchaffs and another Will ..read more

Weather: SSW  force 3, increasing 6 later  Another quiet day.  Most of the Brent will be leaving shortly, possibly within the next few days, but there are still at least 146 around the islands. Also leaving are the Pink-footed Geese, exiting the estuary for breeding grounds further north, about 100 were calling as they went. A Canada Goose that was in the gutter will be of local origin and not planning any long journeys. Some of the 5 Eiders today may stay the summer, who knows. A Good variety of waders roosted the high tide in Niffy bay   At the north end 450 Knot were th ..read more