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Welcome to the St Helens Birds and Wildlife blog. We welcome your reports from across the borough regarding all forms of wildlife. Please click on the "Report a sighting" tab if you would like to contribute to this blog.

We ask that you refrain from posting exact breeding locations of any species which may be considered scarce or vulnerable, and in particular schedule 1 species. In the context of St Helens, schedule 1 species usually means kingfisher and little ringed plover. Little ringed plover should not be reported at all on this blog between 1st May and 1st August.

Scarce or vulnerable species include but are not restricted to any species of wader, ducks other than mallard, all owls, any birds of prey, grey or yellow wagtails, grey heron, all grebes, Cetti’s warbler, water rail, willow tit, corn bunting etc. If in doubt, please ask.

We reserve the right to edit or delete posts which contravene this rule.

Hebridean tour

Just completed a fantastic camping tour of the Hebrides. We visited 12 islands, Mull, Iona, Ulva, Staffa, Lunga, Skye, North Uist, South Uist, Benbecula, Berneray, Eriskay and Harris. I saw lots of great birds, including, White-tailed Sea Eagle and I found a Great Shearwater at sea and a Buff-breasted Sandpiper on Berneray. In all I got two lifers (Sea Eagle and Great Shearwater) and eight year ticks putting me on 217 for the year so far, Year ticks included Corncrake and summer plumage Great northern Diver.

Amongst the great dragonflies we saw, two were new to me, the fabulous Azure Hawker and Highland Darter. Butterflies included Scotch Argus and many Dark green Fritillaries. The machair and silver sand beaches of the Outer Hebrides were a stunning sight, and included species such as Frog Orchid and Great Yellow Bumblebee. Mammals seen during the holiday included Otter and Pine Martin.

Full details will appear on my blog soon, but here are three photos.

Great northern Diver.

Puffins.

Adult White-tailed Sea Eagle.

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