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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 Web site describes the best Dee Estuary birdwatching areas with detailed maps and latest bird news for dedicated twitchers and casual birdwatchers alike.

Please send any sightings to:

September Newsletter now published on this website featuring Arctic and Great Skuas.
NOTE: New event - Point of Ayr Tidewatch on Oct 2nd - booking essential, see
http://www.deeestuary.co.uk/news.htm#events

  Latest Sightings.... (more)
 
Sep 17
1 Great Skua and 17 Brent Geese - Hilbre.
3 Spoonbill - Parkgate.
1 Little Stint - Burton Mere Wetlands.
3 Mediterranean Gull - Thurstaston Shore.

Sep 16
A major movement of Wheatears today:
31 Wheatear - Hilbre.
3 Great Egret - Oakenholt Marsh.
A few small flocks of Pink-footed Geese this morning flying across north Wirral towards the estuary.
2 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Little Stint and 1 Little Ringed Plover - Burton Mere Wetlands.
5 Wheatear and 1 Spotted Flycatcher - Neston Old Quay.
8 Wheatear on groyne - Meols Common.
2 Wheatear in tree by Old Baths, 4 Great Egret, 3 Spoonbill and 1 Marsh Harrier - Parkgate.
7 Wheatear by sheep pens, 2 Great Egret and 1 Marsh Harrier - Burton Marsh.
1 Whinchat and 4 Wheatear - Heswall Shore.
4 Mediterranean Gull - Thurstaston Shore.

Sep 15
1 Little Stint and 1 Curlew Sandpiper - Flint Marsh.
1 Yellow-legged Gull - Hoylake Shore.
1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Hen Harrier (ad fem), 3 Marsh Harrier, 2 Kestrel, 7 Spoonbill, 2 Great Egret, c200 Swallow and c40 House Martin - Parkgate.
1 Little Stint and 6 Ruff - Burton Mere Wetlands.
1 Hobby spent a lot of time perched on posts - Burton Marsh.

Sep 14
1 Dotterel (juvenile) briefly by the groyne - Leasowe Lighthouse.
4 Lapland Bunting feeding on stubble between Shotwick Lake and Finger Post Gutter this evening, flew towards Burton Point.
1 Great Egret and 1,500 Knot on shore, 2 Wheatear on the cliff - Thurstaston.
1 Treecreeper (not exactly common here!), 2 Brent Geese, 4 Pintail, 8,000 Herring Gull (most on West Hoyle Bank) and 1 Wheatear - Hilbre.
2 Hobby, 2 Marsh Harrier and 7 Spoonbill - Parkgate.
1 Hobby hunting swallows by the Harp Inn - Neston Marsh.
3 Little Owl, 1 Green Sandpiper and 1 Great Egret - Burton Point.

Sep 13
7 Spoonbill, 5 Great Egret, 4 Marsh Harrier (1 juv), 130 Lapwing and 1 Peregrine - Parkgate.
960 Knot in the channel, mostly juveniles - Heswall Shore.
1 Spotted Flycatcher by Net's Cafe - Denhall Lane.
1 Guillemot flew west - Hoylake.
1 Great Egret and 1 Peregrine over - Burton Mere Wetlands.
1 Wheatear, 1 Merlin and 200+ Pink-footed Geese over - Burton Point.

Sep 12
1 Great Skua and 2 Great Black-backed Gull feeding on a dead sheep on marsh - Denhall Quay.
 1 Little Stint, 3 Green Sandpiper and 3 Ruff - Burton Mere Wetlands.
5,200 Black-tailed Godwit - Caldy Wildfowl Collection.
 

The September Newsletter includes:
Arctic and Great Skuas, Colour Ring Report and  Forthcoming Events.

Newsletters going back to March 1998 can be read, they are indexed both month by month and by subject matter.


Wheatears by the Old Baths, Parkgate, September 16th © Charlie Lowe



Spoonbill at Parkgate, September 14th © David Collis




Treecreeper on Hilbre, September 14th © Terry Wigley




Swallows at Denhall Quay, September 13th © Jeff Cohen



Wheatear at Burton Point, September 13th © Mark Woodhead



Little Egret at Meols, September 9th © Carole Killikelly, 


Photographers - please note there is a wildlife photographers code of practice , also read Guidelines.
Please Maintain a safe working distance from all birds, particularly roosts, so as not to cause unnecessary disturbance.
"There is one hard and fast rule whose spirit must be observed at all times. The welfare of the subject is more important than the photograph."