Spectacular Hilbre fall

I'd been to Hilbre with Steve on the 23rd April and thought we'd had a good day with a few Willow Warblers caught and ringed along with my 1st Redstart on the island since 2015. Compared to last year spring has been very good with a steady trickle of Willow Warblers and other species keeping the ringing totals ticking over. This female Redstart was the 2nd of the year following 3 blank years.

Roll forward 24 hours and I'm still jet lagged and tired after a full-on two weeks in Florida with all our grandchildren and children celebrating our forthcoming 40th wedding anniversary in June. Believe me the Disney experience is definitely not relaxing! 

Checking my phone I see a message from Steve asking if  I was about as Andrea had reported a big fall of Willow Warblers on Hilbre - at least 100 birds. Was I available? Next message was that Chris and Col were on their way over so  I guessed I wasn't needed. Steve then messaged to say there were at least 200 Willow Warblers on the island and it was definitely worth me getting across. 

Quickly dressing and leaving without having breakfast or having a chance to pack any food I messaged to say Id be at the Obs by 09.45.

When I arrived it soon became apparent this was going to be a very good day indeed.  Birds were arriving in off the sea all the time and the totals were slowly ticking upwards. This was turning out to be the best Hilbre fall for a number of years. Although Willow Warblers made up the majority of birds ringed (we eventually ringed 99) there was a smattering of other species with highlights being two Common Whitethroats. These allowed a good side by side comparison as they were a male and female. 

Male Whitethroat

Female Whitethroat

Male (L) and female (R) Whitethroat

Steve thought h'ed seen a male Redstart in the Blackthorn, near one of the heligoland traps and sure enough we caught it a bit later. A stunning bird.

With Chis and Col having to leave the island Steve and I carried on ringing, ably assisted by Andrea who scribed for us until the numbers started tailing right of and we stopped catching new birds. There was still time for one more surprise though when Steve extracted a Tree Pipit from the mist net in the Obs garden. The first I'd ringed on Hilbre since 2010.

An unforgettable day with 108 birds ringed  and the biggest daily total ringed on Hilbre since the last big fall of 2nd may 2012 - see here when we ringed 137 birds.

Another amazing Rock Pipit control

Our Rock Pipit colour ringing project continues to provide valuable information on the population on Hilbre Bird Observatory with our 2nd long distance movement of a juvenile bird seen in the field. Following our previous longest distance movement of a bird photographed at Bispham, Blackpool (see here) we had notification that CCH was seen on 2nd April 2026 at Garlieston, Dumfries and Galloway 176 km to the north north west.

CCH was originally ringed, by Steve, on Hilbre as a juvenile in August 2026 and was only seen once more on the island a month after ringing.

A great example of post juvenile dispersal and both our long distance movements are  of a bird thats travelled north.

Early spring on Hilbre

Since my return from Thailand I've managed to visit Hilbre on a number of occasions,. Initially helping with the repair of the Heligoland traps but more recently to carry out census and ringing activities as summer migrants start appearing.

Above and below. New posts, cross beams and mesh being installed on 'the heli'

Repairs to west side of 'Newton'

Newton ramp to catching box was in a bad state of repair

New marine ply ramp installed

Hilbre Bird Observatory is largely self funded and the repairs to both the Observatory building and the heligoland traps falls to a small group of people. Funds aren't limitless so we were pleased to be able to apply for and receive a grant from the British Birds Charitable Trust (see here) for materials to repair the traps as they are a vital part of our infrastructure and need a lot of TLC after the winter storms. With Chris and his mate working on repairing the wood burning stove and chimney stack in the Obs building we're getting the place shipshape for a good spring! 

Starling 

Dunnock

Goldcrest

Chiffchaff

Some of the winter visitors such as Brent Geese, Common Scoter, Purple Sandpiper and Turnstone are still  present when the first summer migrants start arriving.

Male and female Common Scoter

Male Scaup - this beautiful duck hung around West Kirby marine Lake and Hilbre for quite a few weeks.

A real surprise was catching a Meadow Pipit with ring number Z619571. Assuming it was either a very old bird or a control I checked the ring number on line using the BTO's DemON database and found it was ringed by Chris, on Hilbre, on the 28th May 2018

It appears that it might be a new longevity record for Meadow Pipit as the previous oldest one recored by the BTO is 7 years, 9 months and 10 days. This bird is 7 years, 10 months and 1 day when I retrapped it on 1st April. We need confirmation from the BTO.

Spring is also characterised on Hilbre with a passage of White Wagtails whilst the first Wheatear of the spring is widely anticiapted.

White Wagtail

Female Northern Wheatear

Male Northern Wheatear

Another early spring highlight was finding this colour ringed Stonechat. Tom spotted it as we were driving beside Middle Eye but it disappeared before we could get photos'. Steve was already on Middle Ey so we rang him to tell him and exited the vehicle to help look for it. Luckily it was relocated and it turned out it was ringed on the Isle of May in 2025. A good indications as to where our regular spring passage of Stonechats may come from.

After being missing most of the winter our breeding Rock Pipits are returning and its nice to see a number of the previously colour ringed birds returning. CAI is the oldest bird seen so far this year having been ringed in 2023. However, the oldest Rock Pipit was first ringed in 2020 but only colour ringed in July 2025. CBX seems to breed on Middle Eye and was seen and photographed at the end of MArch this year.

Ringing demonstration Ness Botanic Gardens

For a few years now I've been helping out at bird ringing demonstrations at Liverpool Universities Ness Botanic gardens run by the Merseyside Ringing Group (MRG). See here for more details of events held at Ness Gardens.

They're always well attended and its a real pleasure talking to people about the birds and the purpose of bird ringing as well as being able to interact with youngsters who'll, hopefully, take an interest in the natural world and become the next generation of conservationists.

The most recent event coincided with a poor weather forecast but luckily the weather held for us and we caught a good variety of birds to keep the public happy. It was definitely quieter than previous ringing demos as most of the birds are pairing up and on territory but finch numbers were good with Siskin the commonest species. We also caught tow Redpolls - the first caught at Ness Gardens.

Male Chaffinch

Male Siskin

Redpoll

After the first Cetti's Warbler was caught and ringed by John last year it was still a surprise to catch another unringed bird. It was sexed by a male on biometrics with the males being significantly longer winged and heavier than the females. I learnt something new from Nikki as well as I'd only ringed juvenile Cetti's previously and hadn't had cause to look at the ageing criteria in Laurent Demongin's "Identification Guide to birds in the hand."

Cetti's Warbler

Occasionally 2nd calender year Cetti's Warblers retain their juvenile longest undertail coverts and these are noticeably faded and worn. This bird has retained these so was aged as a Euring 5 or 2nd calendar year.

The wonderful ladies who organise these educational events at Ness ensured the ringers were kept well fortified with tea and cakes from their on site cafe and we had a steady stream of moof visitors, young and old, all day. Some of the visitors return for every ringing demo and it was nice to see some familiar faces.

Ness Botanic Gardens is one of the few places in the north west where you can find the naturalised chlorophyll free parasitic Purple Toothwort. They obtain their nutrition from the roots of the host plant and 

don't have any leaves. 

A great day with 38 birds being processed of 14 species.  I'm looking forward to the next event in August that'll, hoepfully, be warmer! 

Thailand - the final day.

Sadly our trip had come to an end and we were leaving Jay behind in the north to meet up with another group whilst we returned to Bangkok. There was still time for some birding before we had to catch our flight.

We visited paddy fields north of Chang Mai and were rewarded with an avian feast! Amur Stonechats, Red-throated Pipits, Richards pipits and Citrine Wagtails vied for our attention with track side Long -tailed Shrikes and both Common and Pin-tailed Snipe. This was a well known site for Rosy Pipit although none had been reported in 2026 on eBird. Luckily for us Jay's eagle eyes picked one out and we had good scope views of this subtle pipit species that breed in the mountains and winters in the lowlands.

Rosy Pipit

Long-tailed Shrike

We hoped to find Striated Grassbird and a singing bird eventually gave itself up as it sang distantly on top of a reed bed. The same area held several Yellow-breasted Buntings and our first Bluethroat of the trip.

All to soon it was time to leave for Chiang Rai where we'd be flying from back to Bangkok. There was one last trip tick in store for us thought as the airport is the best place to see Burmese Shrike. Sure enough, as we pulled into the car park, Jay spotted one across the other side of the airport approach road. Marc and I, in full ninja stealth mode, moved from post to post until we got superb views of this bird sat on the same razor wire as a Brown Shrike for comparison. A real hardcore bird - most shrikes in Europe use barbed wire or thorns as 'larders' for their prey. This one was using razorwire! 

Saying goodbye to our drivers we headed for the check in desks where we said a sad farewell to our wonderful guide, Jay. A truly great guy and an expert birder and co-author of the 'Birds of Thailand'.

Thailand is a fabulous place and I'm sure I'll be visiting again. Thanks To Alan & Marc for making the trip so memorable along with the other guests.We had plenty of laughs, saw some stunning scenery and birds =, ate loads of fantastic food and enjoyed the warmth and friendship of the Thai people.

Doi Lang. Scarlet-breasted Liochicla, minefields and a border crossing

Still buzzing from our success with the Mrs Humes pheasants and after meeting up with Alan and Howard we set off further up the road to the border post near the Myanmar border where we were hoping to see Scarlet-faced Liocichla! Apparently these had been showing well early morning but we'd spoken to another group who'd spent all day there from 10.00am the previous day and not seen them. 

We were literally right by the border post and Marc and I couldn't resist a cheeky selfie. Marc isn't really that much smaller than me  - he was standing lower down the slope! 

We didn't have to wait long until the Liocichla's showed and we had a pair of these multi-coloured babbler and elusive coming down to feed. 

The area was teeming with birds and we soon added a stunning male Slaty-blue Flycatcher to the trip list whilst behind us Jay picked out another new bird - Striated Bulbul.

A speciality of the area is Giant Nuthatch and after spending time at the Liocichla site we started walking back down the road exploring as we went. It really was a stunning area and birds were coming thick and fast. Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon was added to the ever expanding trip list and a stop at a small clearing along the edge of the road, where the movement of a female Slaty-blue Flycatcher had caught our eye, was rewarded when an absolutely gorgeous male Siberian Rubythroat hopped into view. Not a new new species for me but it was for Marc and Howard and they couldn't have hoped for better views as it perched up showing its full ruby throat as if posing deliberately for the camera's. Despite having seen three in the UK and all males theres still something about this species that makes your heart beat just a little faster.

Signs of previous conflict between Thailand and Myanmar were all around us. On the opposite ridge we could see a Myanmar army border post and signs warning of minefields lined the road as we explored the area. 

A pickup pulling up along side us disgorged a group of guys, some wearing military style fatigues, who  started taking our photos and talking to Jay. It looked quite serious for a while but there were soon smiles and it turned out they were national park rangers and were asking Jay how he thought the national park could be improved for visitors. We even had our photo taken with one of them and after shaking hands they got back into their truck and drove off. 

A stop for lunch opposite an area which proved to be another area rich in birds being attracted to food that had been put out for them. Grey-throated babblers, Yunnan Fulvetta's and White-browed Scimitar Babblers.

Grey-throated Babbler

Yunnan Fulvetta

White-browed Scimitar Babbler

Large Niltava - male

After lunch we continued our exploration and had a master class in phylloscopus warbler identification from Jay. A plain looking leaf warbler, looking like a washed out Palla's eventually called and confirmed Jay's suspicion that it was a Sichuan Leaf Warbler - only the 8th record for Thailand and only the 2nd Jay had seen in Thailand. Another puzzle was resolved when both Jay and Marc managed to get photos of White-spectacled Warbler. A 1st for Thailand that had been discovered a few months previously! We sifted through Chinese and Pallas's Warblers, Aberrant Bush Warblers, Bianchi's Warblers and Marten's Warblers trying to memorise their calls and identification features. 

Other birds seen were  Stripe- breasted Woodpecker and a showy male large Niltva and an equially gorgeous and showy male Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher

Stripe-breasted Woodpecker.

Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher

A calling Giant Nuthatch, one of our target species, eventually gave itself up after giving us the run around for awhile. It was constantly moving and one minute would be behind us and the next in the trees opposite before finally landing in a roadside tree. This critically endangered species is the largest nuthatch in the world and has declined primarily due to loss of habitat.

With the light fading we just had time to add Grey Treepie to the list before climbing wearily back into the mini-vans and heading back to the hotel. Tomorrow we were flying back to Bangkok but were doing some birding on the way to try and add another couple of species to the trip list.