Hilbre Island

Heather and Bell Heather


Hilbre


Rock Sea-Lavender

After an absence of a few weeks, I finally got back to Hilbre, keeping alive my ambition of visiting the island at least once in every month this year. In fact this was my 20th visit of 2009 so far.

It was important to slot in a July visit, because I didn't want to miss the flowering of Rock Sea-Lavender, a Hilbre speciality and one of the few places it is found in the World. I though that I might have missed it this year, but fortunately it was still very much in evidence with lots of plants still in flower.

Also around the island are patches of heather, mainly Calluna Vulgaris but also a few patches of Bell Heather Erica cinerea.

From a birding point of view, there is very much an autumnal feel in the air. Waders have begun to build up in numbers, notably 12 Whimbrel around the island, and some spectacularly plumaged Turnstones. What stunning birds they are! The air was full of the sounds of Sandwich terrns, with about 150 on the East Hoyle Bank. A female Peregrine flew over the island and then swooped towards the Oystercatcher flock, causing panic and mayhem.

Meanwhile, on the West Hoyle Bank Grey Seal numbers have risen to about 300 individuals, and butterflies included a couple of Graylings.

The feel of the island now is of a place bracing itself for the onset of autumn gales and the arrival of some good sea birds and hopefully a few decent passerines, now only a few weeks away!

The anticipation is almost unbearable!