The Hoylake “Bird Observatory” Bird Report for 2000-1

The status line included for each species is adapted from the Cheshire and Wirral Ornithological Society's bird report.

Yellow Wagtail                              Montacilla flava

Scarce summer visitor and migrant
Overhead passage was as follows: two on May 13th, singles on May 14th Aug 30th and Sept 10th with two on Sept 3rd 2000. Fewer records in 2001; two on Apr 23rd and one on May 7th.

Scarce resident and migrant
In 2000, autumn passage occurred between Aug 30th and Oct 9th, when a total of 21 birds flew over. One or two individuals took a fancy to the stream in the back garden and were present through into late December.

In 2001 there were singles on Mar 3rd, Mar 10th, May 21st and the unusual date of Jul 16th. Autumn passage took place between Sept 21st and Oct 28th, with eleven on Sept 23rd and eight on the last date the highest day totals.

White Wagtail                         Montacilla alba alba

Uncommon spring and scarce autumn migrant

Two on Oct 28th were the only birds recorded in 2000, though of course we moved in well after the peak passage period for this subspecies.

In 2001 spring passage was highly compressed with 322 recorded on eleven dates between Apr 8th and Apr 30th. 45 on Apr 22nd, 83 on Apr 23rd and 62 on Apr 27th were the best counts. A few birds made it onto the lawn and the garden wall, but the vast majority fed on the beach.

Pied Wagtail                              Montacilla alba yarelli

Common resident and uncommon migrant
Resident throughout, with one to four around on most days. Ten on Sept 11th 2000 and 18 on Oct 10th 2000 were the largest counts.

Wren                                      Troglodytes troglodytes

Abundant resident 
Resident with two pairs breeding in both years. At least six fledged young were in the long grass of the front garden fallow area on Jun 17th.

Abundant resident
Up to four present throughout. A male was singing on the early date of Feb 4th 2001.

Abundant resident and winter visitor

Resident, with one or two birds throughout. Bred locally though nest not located. There was evidence of migration in both autumns.

Scarce summer visitor and migrant
A female type was in the back garden on Aug 29th to 30th and an immature male did a passable impersonation of something much rarer as it furtled about half hidden in the brambles of the front garden on Oct 12th, all in 2000.

Very scarce summer visitor and migrant
Singles on Sept 24th 2000 and May 11th 2001 both chose the front garden wall.

Very scarce winter visitor and migrant
An adult male spent most of Oct 9th 2000 trying out various perches in the front garden. It stayed long enough for MGT to be able to twitch it from work! He narrowly avoided running it over as he came up the drive.

Scarce migrant and summer visitor
In 2000, recorded between Sept 4th and Oct 1st, with four on the last date the highest count.

Very scarce migrant

Rare summer visitor and migrant
A male was present on the front lawn on the morning of Mar 27th 2001

Abundant resident augmented in winter
Two to three pairs present throughout though none nested on our grounds. Hard weather and persistent feeding led to an impressive roost building up for much of Dec 2000 until Feb 2001. 18 on Dec 29th 2000 was the largest day count in that period.

Fieldfare to Willow Warbler