Hoylake Bird Observatory (3 Viewers)

[deeestuary]

Best summer for Arctic Skuas I remember, another 3 off Red Rocks today. Also a few Manxies which I wasn't expecting but the wind was freshening from the south west. Loads of terns around past few days - 1,200 Sandwich Terns, 300 Common Terns max count.

 

[Jane Turner]

You quite often get summers like this Richard - summering skuas hanging about and robbing the terns. On some years you get sub ad Poms doing it.

Three Arctic Skuas this evening, including one being played with by a Peregrine. The latter, a very small male then took out a racing pigeon in a straight pursuit, only to drop it. The two sat on the beach facing each other until the pigeon made the fatal mistake of flying rather than walking in. It got about 200ft before the Peregrine nailed it again and this time made not mistake. Usual excuses, distance, fading light and hand held to scope, but the feather slick is impressive. The thumbnail does not benefit from expanding!

 

[deeestuary]

In July we had reports of arctic skuas on 26 days, and these were the days people were watching! As you say there must be at least 3 skuas oversummering in the area. But there have also been days of large counts off Hilbre, counts of 9, 10 and 11 on different days - and I also understand one day they had 18 going past which I'm told is a north-west highest ever count for July. This may well be connected with poor breeding success in the tern colonies resulting in them, and the following skuas, dispersing from their colonies early.

I had 3 skuas in sight through my scope at the same time yesterday, 2 dark phase chasing a tern together whilst a light phase bird was flying low over the tide line in front of them. |:d|

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

We seem to be having the same experience up here. Arctic Skuas and Bonxies are around more or less constantly on the coast, and have been for at least a month. Lots of failed terns around too, particularly Arctics. It's nice to see them all, but I guess it's indicative of a poor breeding season.

 

[Jane Turner]

Been a lot more wader coming through on the current set of tides. Up to 8 Turnstone, 25 Grey Plover, 15 Knot, 17 Bar-tailed Godwit, 200 Ringed Plovers, 300 Dunlin and 25 Sanderling.

Also been nice numbers of Terns in the high tide roosts, say 200 Sandwich, 100 Common and up to 8 Little Terns.

As few (dodgy as ever) pics, including a particularly funky Oystercatcher. The colourful summer plumage waders were not for landing in front of the house.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

We've got a very similar looking Oyc in Aberden, which I think has been around for several years. I saw it last Sunday, but maybe it's now off on its holidays!

 

[Jane Turner]

There are always a few here if you look hard enough Andrew - my fave is the chocolate one!

Yesterday was a nice day. Black-tailed Godwit and a small fall of Wheatears (15) on the beach were the highlights. 20 smart Grey plovers, 400 Dunlin, 50 Sanderling, 10 Bar-tailed Godwits, 200 Ringed Plover 45 Knot (many red) a beach bound Kittiwake and 7 Little Terns also. 2-3000 Gulls and 200 Terns (Sandwich/Common) too. Towards dusk there were 150 of so Manx Shearwaters milling about.


Today the seabirds were frustratingly off to the west. I could make out many (100s) of Manxies rising as dots on the horizon, and similarly distant Gannets. 600+ Terns/Kittiakes also on the limits of vision, feeding frenetically on sprats or similar. There are still plenty of Arctic Skuas in the areas too.

 

[deeestuary]

There's been a Pomarine Skua around, yesterday just off Hoylake.

 

[SiG]

A couple of yellow wags dropped in briefly to a garden I was drunk in on Barton Rd last Sunday

 

[Jane Turner]

You should have called in (depending on how drunk you were!)

 

[JWN Andrewes]

As few (dodgy as ever) pics, including a particularly funky Oystercatcher. The colourful summer plumage waders were not for landing in front of the house.

Check out a very similar bird on the Clwyd at the back end of July.

http://northwalesbirding.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=397&sid=5e95c5f3502945c71e39ae1164775d71

James

 

[Jane Turner]

Very similar indeed. Not far as the Oyc flies either!

Today was a good day. I tried three timed counts of Manx Shearwaters (each 15 mins, between 1.30 and 2.45. 550/hr, 474/hr and 884hr. I counted 680 in all before I got distracted by a skua on the beach. They were mostly milling about, passing west close inshore and East further out (the counts are the Westerly moving birds). There are small parties on the sea tonight and a couple of times I saw flocks (distantly) that numbers small hundreds.

The skua turned out to be a sub adult (3rd summer) Pomarine Skua. It started off sat on the beach bum end on well out to the East and was hard to be sure that it was really a Pom. Then a fisherman walked out (nearly on top of it) and it moved towards me, close enough to be able to get truly dreadful, but eminently identifiable pictures of it. There was still plenty of barring on the underwing and the spoons were about 2/3rd grown. A smallish and especially small-billed individual.

Otehr birds included 5 or so Arctic Skuas, milling about after the 600+ offshore terns, 50+ Gannets etc.

 

[Jane Turner]

The Pomarine Skua was on the beach again today. Also there were at least 11 Arctic Skuas mostly loafing about about on the beach and close inshore. A lot fewer Manx Shearwaters than yesterday, probably 40 in all, 70 or so Gannets and 4 Kittiwakes. Highlight of the day was a Storm Petrel that unfortunately attracted the attentions of two marauding Skuas. It hit the sea and was not seen again, but no swallowing action was apparent! Little Tern and a good selection of waders, including 70 Knot.

Earlier in the day, there was a Willow Warbler in the back garden.

 

[Stephen Menzie]

The Pomarine Skua was on the beach again today. Also there were at least 11 Arctic Skuas mostly loafing about about on the beach and close inshore. A lot fewer Manx Shearwaters than yesterday, probably 40 in all, 70 or so Gannets and 4 Kittiwakes. Highlight of the day was a Storm Petrel that unfortunately attracted the attentions of two marauding Skuas. It hit the sea and was not seen again, but no swallowing action was apparent! Little Tern and a good selection of waders, including 70 Knot.

And here's a pic of the Pom... not quite as good as yours from yesterday
And 3 of the Arctic Skuas

 

[Rob Smallwood]

Couldn't get down until early evening, but still plenty of Skua activity - 2 Arctics on the beach, somewhere between 3 and 10 offshore (inc those two and a really white headed bird), what was probably the Pom but too far out to be absolutely certain.

10+ Manxies too before the rain and cloud made the sea invisible from the prom. (Someone walked out whilst I was there - must have got soaked and never returned as far as I could see!).

Later had just as distant views of the 2 Spoonbills at Burton and a nice Barn Owl to round off the evening.

 

[Jane Turner]

Rob, how many more times... call in for a drink!!!! Tea/coffee/beer/wine. All available!

The soaked person did come back..eventually.

Nice pics Menzie!

 

[Rob Smallwood]

I will! Might even get back today over tide if my 11 year old son can be chiselled out of bed, although he wants to watch the football (M/cr Derby) whilst I can't stand to watch unless I'm there so would rather try and photo the Pom!

 

[Jane Turner]

Blowing a gale here just now - straight off the sea. I have to go out 12-13:30, but I'll be in and sea watching after that. If you come before the tide, the Pom, which is approachable if you are dressed as a Fisherman, tends to be sat on the beach near Roman Rd in Meols.

Park >here<

Don't think you'll get a better pic than Menzie and I though!

 

[PhilW]

Rob, how many more times... call in for a drink!!!! Tea/coffee/beer/wine. All available!

The soaked person did come back..eventually.

Nice pics Menzie!

Jane

You've got to get your house guests trained. Whilst you were in the pub young Menzies refused to bring messrs Conlin, Williams, Duff & myself the requested sandwiches and mugs of tea!

 

[Jane Turner]

You could always have helped yourselves you know. Anyway Alan got a cuppa out of me on Fri!