Our first #YellowbrowedWarbler of the autumn was caught&ringed under licence this morning. Only our fourth ever September record but our second earliest … hopefully more to come #birdringing

Always a joy to hear and see the first #YellowbrowedWarbler of the autumn and this morning’s bird was in the heligoland @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social our joint second earliest ever. Autumn has properly arrived this week 🍂💥 also at least 20 Chiffchaff on the island today and a smart male Stonechat too 😍

Great day @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social today. Quite a few birds moving overhead. A few birds ringed including this male Goldcrest and another Rock Pipit added to the colour ringing project and a few logged in the field.

A real surprise @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social today when this very juvenile Wheatear was trapped & ringed. I don’t recall seeing one this young on the island before #birdringing #cheshirebirding #ukbirding

7 species of butterfly recorded @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social today including a few stunning Common Blue #cheshirebutterflies #hilbrebirdobs

This Rock Pipit was ringed as a juv on 30.07.20 @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social by our chairman @hilbre.bsky.social. It was retrapped today, sexed as male in breeding condition & colour ringed. It was retrapped soon after it was originally ringed but not seen since #hilbrebirdobs #ukbirding #birdringing

A beautiful sunny day @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social surrounded by the call of juv Sandwich Terns begging for food off parents. Lots of butterflies around and lots of Six-spot Burnett Moths nectaring on thistle flowers

Call in at the Bird Observatories Council stand (www.birdobscouncil.org.uk) and hear about the great work of bird observatories around Britain and Ireland and what the BOC is all about @globalbirdfair.bsky.social

Plenty of these tiger-striped Cinnabar moth caterpillars on ragwort @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social today.

Autumns officially started @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social with this returning Common Sandpiper found in Niffy Bay after the high tide #ukbirding #ukbirding

Rock Pipit CBA was ringed as a juv @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social in July 24 and is now back breeding in the island after inky being seen once previously in March this year. Great to see juvenile recruitment into the breeding population #birdringing #ukbirding

A new juvenile Rock Pipit colour ringed @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social today as part of our long term study #birdringing #ukbirding

A few from y’days rather eventful trip to @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social. Whimbrel, Ringed Plover & Dunlin all heading north to their breeding grounds #ukbirding #cheshirebirding

Photos from an idyllic Thursday morning on Hilbre Island, my first visit since before the Millennium. Thanks Steve W for the brew @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social and watching the ringing of a Linnets and Willow Warbler.

Sunset

Sunrise

Partial eclipse

Non stop at @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social set, rise, eclipse and more maintenance.

T shirt weather after the early morning frost @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social this morning. Lesser Celandine, Narcissus & Daffodils all in flower. The island will soon be covered in pink Thrift.

It’s not only about birds @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social. We record other wildlife - including moths. @hilbre.bsky.social had the moth trap out more in hope than expectation but we caught Early Grey, Quaker & Clouded Drab

A great couple of days @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social with our first #BlackRedstart of the year on Friday and first LittleGulls of spring on Saturday being the highlights #UKBirding

Nice open wing shot showing difference between male (bottom) & female (top) Linnet @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social this morning

Barn Owl hunting over Hilbre

Short-eared Owl passing over Hilbre

Head of a male young Sparrowhawk caught and ringed under licence Hilbre Bird Obs

Great White Egret flying over Hilbre - still a rare bird here

Some recent highlights from the patch … @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social #UKbirding

22nd October Another vismig day, with heavy cloud cover that rolled in right after dawn dropping a substantial passage to the sort of height where it cou...

www.portlandbirdobs.com/2024/10/22nd-october.html

Merlin

European Shag

Rock Pipit

European Shag

Early tide Saturday morning @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social an imm Merlin spent the morning hunting Turnstone and Rock Pipits. A couple of Shag fed around the North end. 2 Raven on Middle Eye and a Peregrine briefly. 150 Pinkfeet south of Little Eye.

View from the sea watching hide @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social this morning. A squally, blustery F6-7 N westerly usually brings Leaches Petrels & I managed 5 this morning until the cold got to me!

A damp dull morning @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social but returning Brent’s & waders brightened things up as well as a nice Merlin and aerobatic Raven! #UKbirding

Turnstone studies on an enjoyable 1st visit to Hilbre Isle, Dee Estuary, today. @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social Terrific characters! 😀

Spotted Flycatcher and Garden Warbler @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social today along with Snipe and a Sparrowhawk being seen off by the local Kestrel #Ukbirding

Autumn underway @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social Little Egrets dispersing from Hale on the Mersey, Swallows check into the Motus! #ukbirds

Pale-bellied Brent Goose passing the North End of Hilbre

A flock of 15 Whimbrel arriving into the mouth of the Dee estuary from the north

Sandwich Tern off Hilbre

Distant Osprey heading high west

An autumnal feel to Hilbre Bird Obs today with the first couple of GreyWagtails of the autumn over, an early PalebelliedBrentGoose flew past the North End, waders and terns were much in evidence (including this flock of 15 Whimbrel) and our first Osprey of the autumn flew west #UKBirding