Migration continues @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social #ukbirding

Sunrise @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social. No new birds ringed and the early morning frost reminded us of the old saying ‘never cast a clout ‘till May is out’ A beautiful morning with Reed Bunting, alba Wags, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch & Siskin passing overhead

Cracking male Wheatear @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social this morning. Appeared after having a bath in the pond and flew onto Obs new chimney pot to inspect the workmanship before drying off on the roof

Plenty of Rock Pipit activity @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social . Especially for @suffolkseawatcher.bsky.social! At least 3 unringed birds around paired up with colour ringed birds. CAI one of the 1st birds we ringed is back again after not feint seen since Sept 25

More maintenance on the heligoland traps @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social today. A brisk F6 westerly made repairing the west side of the ‘Newton’ interesting! Internal baffles replaced on SK so we’re now ready for the new season

Not just the team @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social getting on with spring maintenance, a nice Black Redstart near home too. #ukbirding

Busy day @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social repairing one of Heligoland traps ready for the main migration. Birding time limited but did manage Scaup off N end. Probably the long staying bird at WK Marine Lake #cheshirebirding #ukbirding

Our blog for another great early spring day on Hilbre Islands LNR is uploaded, click on the link to view: hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/2026/03/5th-march-2026.html?m=1

Unicorn @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social today? No, it’s a Chiffchaff with a pollen horn. One of two ringed at the Obs today

Coal Tits aren’t annual @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social but are most commonly seen in spring. These two were caught & ringed today

Nice spring passage of Robins @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social today. Probably 10-12 birds on the island & 6 ringed.

Series 1 of #TheTwoJonnies podcast DONE! ♠️ We finish on a high with @philwoollen.bsky.social of @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social fame. A wide ranging chat including Hilbre, Thailand and Oz birding! Episode is up on all reputable podcast platforms NOW: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...

Great day @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social today with @steveonhilbre.bsky.social. The run of Stonechats continues with 1 ringed & this colour ringed bird photographed on Middle Eye. Ringed in August 2026 on Mull!

A wonderful start to March on the islands the highlight today was this superb sub-adult male #HenHarrier that flew in off the sea and off west towards North Wales … more photos and news on our blog later hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/?m=1 photos 📸 by @alanhilbre71.bsky.social and @hilbre.bsky.social

Spring was in full swing @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social with all the locals back in full voice, Stonechats buzzed around the paddock fences & waders fed as the tide moved them. Great to see a male Hen Harrier come in from the North before heading West, a sadly rare bird here now. #ukbirding

Early start to get over for the tide @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social payed off with a fantastic imm male Hen Harrier that came in off the sea. Spring migration continues with 3 Stonechat, a pair each of Starling,Stock Dove & Woodpigeon. 13 Purple Sand roosting. #UKbirding

The winter regulars greeted me @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social in the cold & damp, we were rewarded after doing a few repairs with a couple of Porpoises off the North end headed into the estuary

Nice to see some of our Rock Pipits back @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social with @steveonhilbre.bsky.social & starting to pair up. CAK ringed as adult in 2023, CAX ringed as juv in 2024 & CBN ringed as juv in 2025

At least 7 Stonechats @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social with @steveonhilbre.bsky.social today! Spring has officially begun. Skylark & Grey Wagtail over typically early spring birds & an increase in Robins around the island suggests they’ve started moving as well.

Our 2nd earliest ever Chiffchaff caught & ringed @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social today with @steveonhilbre.bsky.social. Earliest was 23/2/2019. Pollen horn & fat score suggest local movement rather than long distance. Contrast in greater coverts indicates 2nd calendar year bird #birdringing #birdbanding

With shock & great sadness we report the loss of Marc Eden, HiBO member & great friend. Marc was an Obs stalwart for over 40yrs & despite living away cont’d to visit Hilbre & the Dee until his untimely passing. Love & thoughts are with his wife Harriet at this difficult time 🙏❤️‍🩹

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.

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

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

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

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