Dee Estuary Birds - birdwatching, birding and twitching

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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 Website 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:

October Newsletter now published on this website featuring The Status of Rock Pipits at Hilbe and in the Dee Estuary, also Colour Ring Report and September August Bird News.
Newsletters going back to March 1998 can be read, they are indexed both month by month and by subject matter.

Latest Sightings.... (more)

Oct 30
1 Black Redstart still among gardens behind boatyard at Dove Point, also 2 Snow Bunting - Meols.

Oct 29
1 Black Redstart on roof of house behind boatyard at Dove Point, 2 Snow on sea defence just east of Dove Point slipway, 1 Greenshank by groyne - Meols.
1 Hen Harrier and 1 Marsh Harrier, also 5 Kestrel over the marshes - Parkgate.
1 Ruddy Shelduck - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Oct 28
1 Black Redstart in vicinity of car/boat park Dove Point, 2 Snow Bunting on cycle path just to the east, 350 Shelduck and 1,000 Oystercatcher on the shore - Meols.
1 Lapland Bunting, 260 Starling, 7 Skylark, 535 Chaffinch, 2 Brambling, 40 Linnet, 3 Lesser Redpoll and 8 Reed Bunting on vis mis, 4,000 Knot on the shore - Heswall Fields/Shore.
2 Goosander (redheads) - West Kirby Marine Lake.
1 Short-eared Owl and 1 Merlin - Decca Pools.
2 Raven - Kerr's Field, Leasowe Lighthouse.

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Black Redstart at Meols, October 29th © Les Hall

Snow Buntings at Dove Point, Meols, October 28th © Peter Sutton

Raven at Leasowe, October 28th © Les Hall

Snow Bunting at Dove Point, Meols, October 28th © Matt Thomas

Snow Bunting at Dove Point, Meols, October 28th © Richard Smith

Kstrel at Parkgate, October 22nd © Mark Woodhead

Knot and Dunlin at Hoylake, October 17th © Roy Lowry

Ringed Plovers at Hoylake, October 17th © Peter Sutton

Male Hen Harrier at Parkgate, October 16th © Frank Burns

Pink-footed Geese at Parkgate, October 16th © Mark Woodhead

Fieldfare at Burton Mere Wetlands, October 15th © Les Hall

Marsh Harrier disturbing a flock of Wigeon over Parkgate, October 12th © Frank Burns

Cattle Egret, Hoylake Langfields, October 11th © Richard Smith

Shelduck on Meols Shore, October 11th © Richard Smith

Cattle Egrets and Little Egret, Hoylake Langfields, October 10th © Richard Smith

Oystercatchers at Greenfield Dock, October 7th © Gareth Prestridge

Kingfisher at Leasowe Duck Pond, October 7th © Jeremy Bradshaw
"As the sun went down the lovely pink hue of the Leasowe duck pond just had to be admired. Imagine my surprise
to find I wasn't the only one admiring the colours. The sun really brought out the redness of the kingfishers
plumage & it is set off very well with the pink background !"

Little Egrets, Redshanks and Black-headed Gulls in the channel at Meols, October 6th © Richard Smith
At least 20 Little Egrets in the area.

Nine out of the ten Cattle Egrets at Burton Mere Wetlands, October 1st © Mark Woodhead

Stonechat at Leasowe, September 29th © Roy Lowry

Whinchat at Denhall Quay, September 28th © Peter Sutton

Ruffs at Burton Mere Wetlands, September 25th © Les Hall

Firecrest on Hilbre, September 24th © Steve Williams

Hen Harrier with satellite tag at Parkgate, September 23rd © Frank Burns

Merlin at Heswall, September 21st © Mark Woodhead

Cattle Egrets at Burton Mere Wetlands, September 20th © Mike Kay

Peregrine over Flint Marsh, September 19th © Alan Oates

Curlew at Flint, September 17th © Jeff Cohen

Oystercatchers at Hoylake, September 17th © Mark Woodhead

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.