The Dee Estuary, on the North Wales / North-West England
border, is one of the United Kingdom's premier birding locations for
wetland and shorebirds. This Website describes the best Dee Estuary
birdwatching areas with detailed maps and latest bird news for
dedicated twitchers and casual birdwatchers alike.
22 Mediterranean Gull (17 adults, 3 2nd summer, 2 1st summer) on rising tide this afternoon -
![](images/knotsHoyAHi240724.jpg)
Knots at Hoylake, July 24th © Alan Hitchmough
![](images/YLGHoyAC220724.jpg)
Yellow-legged Gull at Hoylake, July 22nd © Allan Conlin
![](images/reedbuntNestonreedbedJohnCrook220724.jpg)
Reed Bunting, Neston Reed Bed, July 22nd © John Crook
![](images/MedGullPHNTWKRS180724.jpg)
Mediterranean Gull x Black-headed Gull hybrid, West Kirby Shore, July 18th © Richard Smith
![](images/SpoonbillsParkgateJohnKane180724.jpg)
Spoonbills on Boathouse Flash, July 18th © John Kane
![](images/yellwagMeolsSO180724.jpg)
Yellow Wagtail on Meols Shore, July 18th © Sean O'Hara
![](images/medgullWKRS170724.jpg)
Mediterranean Gull on West Kirby shore, July 17th © Richard Smith
![](images/sandternsHilbreS150724.jpg)
Sandwich Terns between Little Eye and Middle Eye this morning, July 15th © Richard Smith
![](images/WhimbrelMeolsSO110724.jpg)
Whimbrel on Meols Shore, July 11th © Sean O'Hara
![](images/LitgullMeolsAC100724.jpg)
Little Gull (centre), Meols Shore, July 10th © Alan Conlin
![](images/LitgullMeolsSO080724.jpg)
Little Gull at Meols, July 8th © Sean O'Hara
![](images/blackwitLeasRS080724.jpg)
A single Black-tailed Godwit with the roosting knots, Leasowe Gunsite, July 8th © Richard Smith
![](images/knotsatLeasoweRS080724.jpg)
The over-summering flock of knots roosting on the tide edge early morning off Leasowe Gunsite
July 8th © Richard Smith
![](images/BlackwitsCWCRS060724.jpg)
Black-tailed Godwits at Caldy Wildfowl Collection, July 6th © Richard Smith
![](images/manxieNewBSO040724.jpg)
Manx Shearwater at New Brighton, July 4th © Sean O'Hara
![](images/medgullHoyAC270624.jpg)
Mediterranean Gull at hoylake, June 27th © Allan Conlin
![](images/goosandersHesSH220624.jpg)
Goosanders enjoying the sun this morning at Heswall, June 22nd © Steve Hinde
![](images/sanderlingGronantIanSheppard160624.jpg)
Sanderling at Gronant, June 16th © Ian Sheppard
![](images/fulmarHilbreAHi160624.jpg)
Gannet and Fulmar at Hilbre, June 16th © Alan Hitchmough
![](images/whitethHesJohnCrook130624.jpg)
Common Whitethroat on Heswall Marsh, June 13th © John Crook
![](images/stonechatHesBruceHogan120624.jpg)
Stonechat on marsh by Heswall GC, June 12th © Bruce Hogan
![](images/knotsLeasoweRS120624.jpg)
Knots and Oystercatchers off Leasowe Gunsite, June 12th © Richard Smith
![](images/littlestintMeolsAC090624.jpg)
Little Stint on Meols Shore, June 9th © Allan Conlin
![](images/BlackcapParkgJohnCrook050624.jpg)
Blackcap singing by the Wirral Way at Parkgate, June 5th © John Crook
![](images/bartailsBMWSR300524.jpg)
Bar-tailed Godwits at Burton Mere Wetlands, May 30th © Steve Round
![](images/cettisbabyBMWSR280524.jpg)
Cetti's Warbler fledgling, Burton Mere Wetlands, May 28th © Steve Rround
![](images/CuSandMeolsSO280524.jpg)
Curlew Sandpiper at Meols, May 28th © Sean O'Hara
![](images/CuSandHilSRW260524.jpg)
Curlew Sandpiper with Ringed Plovers, Hilbre, May 26th © Steve Williams
![](images/housemartinHesDThompson260524.jpg)
House Martin collecting mud for nest-bulding, Heswall Shore, May 26th © David Thompson
![](images/OspreyHilbreAHi260524.jpg)
Osprey at Hilbre, May 26th © Alan Hitchmough
![](images/SEOLLSeanO190524.jpg)
Short-eared Owl inland of coastal paddocks, Leasowe Lighthouse. May 19th © Sean O'Hara
![](images/swallowHilAHi190524.jpg)
Swallow on Hilbre, May 19th © Alan Hitchmough
![](images/SpotflyLLEddieW150524.jpg)
Spotted Flycatcher, Leasowe Lighthouse, May 15th © Eddie Williams
![](images/whinchatLLARamsden120524.jpg)
Whinchat along Park Lane, Leasowe Lighthouse, May 12th © Anthony Ramsden
![](images/ospreyBMWSR090524.jpg)
Avocet mobbing an Osprey, Burton Mere Wetlands, May 9th © Steve Round
![](images/SpotflyHilbreAHi080524.jpg)
Spotted Flycatcher at Hilbre, May 8th © Alan Hitchmough
![](images/SEOHilbreAHi080524.jpg)
Short-eared Owl at Hilbre, May 8th © Alan Hitchmough
![](images/blackguillHilbreSRW060524.jpg)
Black Guillemot at Hilbre, May 6th © Steve Williams
![](images/blueheadwagLLSO060524.jpg)
Blue-headed Wagtail at Leasowe Lighthouse, May 6th © Sean O'Hara
![](images/GardenWarblerLLJB050524.jpg)
Garden Warbler at Leasowe Lighthouse, May 5th © Jeremy Bradshaw
![](images/whimbrelsHilbreAHi040524.jpg)
Whimbrels at Hilbre, May 4th © Alan Hitchmough
![](images/SEOHeswallShi040524.jpg)
Short-eared Owl in hedge on edge of marsh, Heswall, May 4th © Steve Hinde
![](images/IbechiffyLLSeanO030524.jpg)
Another Iberian Chiffchaff, by Park Lane at Leasowe Lighthouse, May 3rd © Sean O'Hara
![](images/IberianchiffchaffLLSoH010524.jpg)
Iberian Chiffchaff near Kerr's Field, Leasowe Lighthouse, May 1st © Sean O'Hara
![](images/OycandredknotLeasGunRS010524.jpg)
Oystercatcher and Red Knots off Leasowe Lighthouse, May 1st © Richard Smith
![](images/whinchatBMAndrewIngham290424.jpg)
Whinchat on the tidewrack at Burton Marsh, April 29th © Andrew Ingham
![](images/ChannelwagLLCS280424.jpg)
'Channel' Yellow Wagtail at Kerr's Field, Leasowe, April 28th © Colin Schofield
![](images/cuckooLLSO270424.jpg)
Cuckoo at Leasowe Lighthouse, April 27th © Sean O'Hara
![](images/rouzelLLSO260424.jpg)
Ring Ouzel near Lingham Lane, Moreton, April 26th © Sean O'Hara
![](images/yellwagLLJBr250424.jpg)
Yellow Wagtail in the horse paddocks, Leasowe Lighthouse, April 25th © Jeremy Bradshaw
![](images/whimbrelsThursRS240424.jpg)
Whimbrels at Thurstaston, April 24th © Richard Smith
![](images/gropperBMFrankB230424.jpg)
Grasshopper Warbler, Burton Marsh, April 23rd © Frank Burns
![](images/greensandLLSO210424.jpg)
Green Sandpiper in horse paddock, Leasowe Lighthouse, April 21st © Sean O'Hara
![](images/pinkfeetHilbreSHi200424.jpg)
Pink-footed Geese leaving the estuary past Hilbre, April 20th © Alan Hitchmough
![](images/cuckoosHoyRWhitby200424.jpg)
Cuckoos in Hoylake Langfields, April 20th © Richard Whitby
![](images/gropperMeolsDBradshaw200424.jpg)
Grasshopper Warbler at Meols, April 20th © David Bradshaw
![](images/sandternHilAHi200424.jpg)
Sandwich Tern, Hilbre, April 20th © Alan Hitchmough
![](images/dunlinsWKRS200424.jpg)
Dunlins, many in breeding plumage, at West Kirby, April 20th © Richard Smith
![](images/CommonCranesMoretonGrayo190424.jpg)
Common Cranes over Moreton, April 19th © Graham Connolly
![](images/gropperBuMarshMarkW180424.jpg)
Grasshopper Warbler at Burton Point. April 18th © Mark Woodhead
![](images/blackwitsCWCRS180424.jpg)
Black-tailed Godwits at Caldy Wildfowl Collection, April 18th © Richard Smith
![](images/redstartshesSHi170424.jpg)
Male and female Redstarts at the back of the beach at Heswall, April 17th © Steve Hinde
![](images/whimbrelHeswallSHi160424.jpg)
Whimbrel at Heswall, April 16th © Steve Hinde
![](images/rouzelHoyLangTonyRamsden140424.png)
Ring Ouzel on Hoylake Langfields, April 14th © Tony Ramsden
![](images/spotredsBMWMarkW140424.jpg)
Spotted Redshanks with Redshanks and Black-tailed Godwits, Burton Mere Wetlands, April 14th
© Mark Woodhead
![](images/WhinchatHoyLangRWhitby130424.jpg)
Whinchat on Hoylake Langfields, April 13th © Richard Whitby
![](images/comredLeasIanMckenna110424.jpg)
Common Redstart at Leasowe, April 11th © Ian McKenna
![](images/CategretBMMarkW110424.jpg)
Cattle Egrets on Burton Marsh, April 11th © Mark Woodhead
![](images/WrailParkgateJCrook090424.jpg)
Water Rail at Parkgate, April 9th © John Crook
![](images/RouzelHesSHi070424.jpg)
Ring Ouzel at Riverbank Road, Heswall, April 7th © Steve Hinde
![](images/rouzelHoylangRWhitby070414.jpg)
Ring Ouzel on Hoylake Langfields, April 7th © Richard Whitby
![](images/SandTernHilShi060424.jpg)
Sandwich Tern, Hilbre, April 6th © Alan Hitchmough
![](images/rouzelHilbreAHi060424.jpg)
Ring Ouzel on Hilbre, April 6th © Alan Hitchmough
![](images/whitewagLeasStRound050424.jpg)
White Wagtail at Leasowe, April 5th © Steve Round
![](images/rouzelLLElliot030423.jpg)
Ring Ouzel at Leasowe Lighthouse, April 3rd © Elliot Montieth
![](images/whitewagHilbreAHi290324.jpg)
White Wagtail on Hilbre, March 29th © Alan Hitchmough
![](images/wheathilbreMatt280324.jpg)
Wheatear on Hilbre, March 28th © Matt Thomas
![](images/IcegullHoylakeAC260324.jpg)
Iceland Gull in the roost on Hoylake Shore, March 26th © Allan Conlin
![](images/waxwingnestonSRW240324.jpg)
Waxwing at Neston, March 24th © Steve Williams
![](images/WheatHilbreAHi210324.jpg)
Wheatear by Middle Eye, March 21st © Alan Hitchmough
![](images/StonechatLeasLGrayoC200324.jpg)
Stonechat at Leasowe Lighthouse, March 20th © Graham Connolly
![](images/avocetsParkgateJCrook190324.jpg)
Avocets on Parkgate Marsh, March 19th © John Crook
![](images/waxwingsNestonNigelWirralGuy170323.jpg)
Waxwings at Neston, March 17th © Nigel 'Wirral Guy'
![](images/WheatThursSH170324.jpg)
Wheatear on the cliffs at Thurstaston, March 17th © Steve Hinde
![](images/greenshankMeolsSeanO160324.jpg)
Greenshank in the channel by the groyne, Meols, March 16th © Sean O'Hara
![](images/SEOBurtonNigelMaitland130324.jpg)
Short-eared Owl over Burton Marsh, March 13th © Nigel Maitland
![](images/GreyPartridgeParkgateJHewitt130324.jpg)
Grey Partridge in field by the Old Baths, Parkgate, March 13th © John
Hewitt
![](images/waterrailParkgateDEdwards120324.jpg)
Water Rail at Parkgate, March 12th © Dave Edwards
![](images/dunlinMeolsGConnolly120324.jpg)
Dunlins at Meols on the flooding tide, March 12th © Graham Connolly
![](images/GWTHesAHi120324.jpg)
Green-winged Teal on tide off Riverbank Road, Heswall, March 12th ©
Alan Hitchmough
![](images/GWTHeswallSH090324.jpg)
Green-winged Teal on Heswall Shore, March 9th © Steve Hinde
![](images/SEODenhallQStuartPhillips030324.jpg)
Short-eared Owl at Denhall Quay, March 3rd © Stuart Phillips
![](images/SEOHilbreAHi030324.jpg)
Short-eared Owl near Hilbre, March 3rd © Alan Hitchmough
This is a wholly
independent
web
site and unless
where specifically stated has been written and maintained by myself,
Richard Smith. I do receive articles for the newsletter from time to
time for which I am very grateful, and also various people kindly
donate photographs and sketches. l rely to a large extent on people
keeping me informed about the birds they have seen - this, more than
anything, is what keeps the website going. Note that everything on this
website is subject to © copyright although some material may be
available for non-commercial use - but please ask first! Lastly, 'Dee
Estuary Birding' is just the name of this web site - it is not the name
of an organisation or society.
Copyright © 2020 Richard Smith | Header
Photograph of Black-tailed Godwits © Steve Round.