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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.

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November Newsletter now published on this website featuring Species Spotlight - Teal, Colour Ring Report and Latest Events.

Latest Sightings.... (more)

Nov 16
1 Bittern showing well off Parkgate Old Baths, also 1 Great Egret.
2 Cattle Egret still in field NE end of Puddington Lane, Puddington.
Many small skiens of Pink-footed Geese moving over Thurstaston/Caldy/Newton are today.
2 Bittern at dusk - Neston Reedbed.
1 Short-eared Owl flew in off the sea - Hoylake.

Nov 15
4,000+ Knot this morning, 430 Pinkfeet, 340 Pintail, 380 Teal, 95 Golden Plover, 800 Lapwing and 2 Greenshank on the rising tide this afternoon - Heswall/Thurstaston.
1 Cattle Egret, 1 Hen Harrier and 1 Water Pipit - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Nov 14
4 Bearded Tit (2m, 2f) , 1 Cetti's Warbler, 10 Siskin, 1 Cattle Egret and 1 Water Pipit - Burton Mere Wetlands.
2 Cattle Egret with 5 Little Egret in field at Puddington end of Puddington Lane.
3 Water Pipit and 1 Jack Snipe this morning, 7+ Marsh Harrier, 1 Hen Harrier and 1 Bittern at dusk - Neston Reedbed.
1 Scaup, 4 Goosander (redheads), 3 Red-breasted Merganser (redheads) and 1 Great Crested Grebe - West Kirby Marine Lake.
4 Marsh Harrier, 1 Hen Harrier. 1 Great Egret and 500 Pink-footed Geese - Parkgate late afternoon.

Nov 13
1 Snow Bunting - Hilbre.
1 Scaup and 1 Little Grebe - West Kirby Marine Lake.
1 Water Pipit - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Nov 12
15 Marsh Harrier (6 in the air together), 2 Hen Harrier (male and ringtail), 1 Bittern, 1 Barn Owl, 1,000 Pink-footed Geese, 1 Merlin and 9 Great Egret - Neston Reedbed.
1 Snow Bunting - Hilbre.
1 female Marsh Harrier, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (pair) and hundreds of Fieldfares by Old Baths - Parkgate.
1 Hen Harrier (male), 2 Marsh Harrier, 2 Cattle Egret, 1 Short-eared Owl and 1 Green Sandpiper - highlights from Burton Mere Wetlands.

Nov 11
8 Bearded Tit (photographed) - Neston Reedbed.
1 Snow Bunting - Hilbre.
1 Greenshank by groyne - Meols Common.
1 Great Grey Shrike 200m north of Denhall Quay this morning.
2 Bearded Tit, 2 Cattle Egret, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Water Pipit and 1 Great Egret - Burton Mere Wetlands.
1 Scaup - West Kirby Marine Lake.
1 Hen Harrier (grey male) flying towards Parkgate plus several Marsh Harriers at dusk - Neston Reedbed.
1 Hen Harrier (grey male), 1 Great Egret, 1 Merlin, 2 Peregrine, 1 Barn Owl, 2 Stonechat (pair) and 1 Bittern which flew towards Neston, also several Marsh Harrier - Parkgate.

Nov 10
No sign of Pied Wheatear today.
Nice display by 1 female and 1 male Hen Harrier and 1 Great Egret - Parkgate.
5 Whooper Swan flying low over Saughall this morning.

Nov 9
1 Pied Wheatear showing well on sea wall - Dove Point, Meols.

7.000 Wigeon, 5,000 Pintail in the River channel, 4,000 Teal, 2,000 Black-tailed Godwit, 2,500 Dunlin, 10 Spotted Redshank, 11 Greenshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 6 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Peregrine, 1  Hen Harrier and 2 Kingfisher - Oakenholt Marsh.


The November Newsletter includes:
Species Spotlight - Teal, 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.

Bittern at Parkgate, November 16th © Jon Ashton



Scaup and Little Grebe on West Kirby Marine Lake, November 13th © Les Hall



Marsh Harriers at Parkgate, November 13th © Roy Lowry



Snow Bunting on Hilbre, November 11th © Allan Hitchmough



Pied Wheatear on the other side of the road, Meols, November 7th © Steve Williams



A more unusual perch.
Pied Wheatear at Dove Point, Meols, November 7th © Allan Conlin


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."