Such a privilege to see this #Cuckoo close up caught in one of our heligoland traps @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social for ringing under licence 😍 Then later watching it migrate off the island towards North Wales 🏴 #birdringing #UKBirding
@hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social
A real surprise @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social today. Definitely not on my bird radar this morning. The 15th Cuckoo ringed at the Obs caught in the SK heligoland. Only the 3rd in the last 40 years. A 2nd calendar year female #birdringing #birdbanding
Our blog is up to date with lots of news and photos from Hilbre Islands LNR, click on the link to view: hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/?m=1
Our blog for yesterday is uploaded with lots of photos of birds and other wildlife from Hilbre Islands LNR: hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/2026/04/18th-april-2026.html?m=1
Lovely to see a Long-tailed duck @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social and some fantastic Dunlin plumages as they move North #ukbirding
Great to see Gannets passing again, not many Brent geese remaining now and the locals getting busy @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social #ukbirding
Couldn’t believe my eyes when this stunning Sardinian Warbler appeared in front of us @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social reward for all the efforts the team put in. A cracking Redstart was nice too. #ukbirding
As well as the Pinks heading North, Wheatears continued to move through @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social and a Sparrowhawk was escorted off the island! #ukbirding
Thousands of Pink-footed geese headed North out of the Dee and over @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social (sound on) a few passerines around too. #ukbirding
Retrapped this venerable old Meadow Pipit @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social today. 1st ringed by @hilbre.bsky.social on 18/5/2018 making it nearly 8 years old #birdringing #birdbanding
Female Northern Wheatear caught and ringed under licence @hilbrebirdobs.bsky.social this morning. A very worn 2nd calendar year bird #birdringing #birdbanding
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
5th March 2026
Weather: SE force 5 with mist, later SE backing north 4 But the sun shone through later. The first Wheatear of the year, on this excepti...
hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com
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...
The Two Jonnies Episode 18
Podcast Episode · The Two Jonnies Podcast · 4 March · 55m
podcasts.apple.com
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
