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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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February Newsletter now published on this website featuring a site guide to Wirral Country Park.

Latest Sightings.... (more)

Feb 23
1 Bean Goose with Pink-footed Geese in Shotwick Fields, also 3 Egyptian Geese.
5 Spotted Redshank and 3 Bewick's Swan - Burton Mere Wetlands.
6 Short-eared Owl, 1 Peregrine, 4 Hen Harrier, 1 Merlin, 4 Great Egret and 2 Green Sandpiper late afternoon - Parkgate.
3 Eider, 400 Common Scoter, 7 Purple Sandpiper and 1 Great Northern Diver - Hilbre.

1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Barn Owl, 2 Hen Harrier (both males went to roost off Burton Point), 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Merlin, 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Raven and 6 Whooper Swan (flew off Saltmarsh at dusk) - Burton Marsh.


Feb 22
1 grey male Hen Harrier and 1 merlin female over high tide today - Riverbank Road, Heswall.
5 Great Egret, 2 Short-eared Owl and 3 Hen Harrier (2 ringtail and 1 male, late afternoon at Parkgate.
1 Greenshank, 700 Knot, 14 Grey Plover, 30 Golden Plover, 750 Wigeon, 100 Pintail, 8 Shoveler, 6 Brent Geese, 2  Rock Pipit, 1 Chiffchaff singing - Point of Ayr.

Feb 21
6 Great Egret, 5 Marsh Harrier, 3 Hen Harrier, 4 Peregrine, 1 Merlin, 3 Short-eared Owl and 1 Jack Snipe over high tide at Parkgate, tide came up to the wall despite no wind.
5+ Short-eared Owl off Heswall Golf Course/Cottage Lane over high tide.
3 Mediterranean Gull - Burton Mere Wetlands.
2 Great Egret - Riverbank Road, Heswall.
1 Cattle Egret - Puddington.
9 Purple Sandpiper - New Brighton Marine Lake.
1 Barn Owl off Denhall Lane at 5.10pm then flew inland over Net's Cafe - Burton Marsh.

Feb 20
Hen Harriers included three grey males, also 7+ Short-eared Owl - Parkgate.
3 Avocet - Burton Mere Wetlands.
3 Eider (1 drake) and 287 Brent Geese (1 dark-bellied) - Hilbre.

Feb 19
231 Great Crested Grebe and about 2,000 Common Scoter on rising tide - Leasowe Lighthouse.
430 Pink-footed Geese, 14 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 650 Pintail, 11 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Great Egret, 1 grey male Hen Harrier, 2 Peregrine, 600 Redshank - Riverbank Road, Heswall, over high tide.
7 Great Egret, 1 Bittern, 2 Short-eared Owl, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 grey male Hen Harrier and 2 Stonechat (pair) - Parkgate.

Feb 18
1 Fulmar and 3 Eider - Hilbre.
2 Bewick's Swan and 3 Egyptian Geese - Shotwick Fields.
27 Brent Geese (including 1 dark-bellied) - Thurstaston Shore by Dee Sailing Club slipway.

Feb 17
1 Greenshank on groyne and 1 Kingfisher along River Birket - Leasowe Lighthouse.
3 male Stonechat, 1 Grey Wagtail over, 3 Eider and 2 Peregrine - Hilbre.
2 Water Rail - Red Rocks Marsh.
120 Bar-tailed Godwit flying south, also 1 Merlin, 32 Pink-footed Geese (over), 11,000 Knot, 4,500 Dunlin, 422 Curlew, 185 Grey Plover, 78 Ringed Plover and 7,500 Oystercatcher - Tanskey Rocks/Middle Eye/West Kirby Shore at first light.
2 Crossbill - Burton Mere Wetlands.
4 Short-eared Owl and 3 Hen Harrier (2 grey males) - Parkgate.

Feb 16
1 Sand Martin VERY EARLY and earliest ever for Cheshire and  Wirral, watched flying for about half an hour - by Fort Perch, New Brighton.
1 grey male Hen Harrier - Heswall Marsh.
c30 Twite over  Lower Heswall flying towards Heswall Marsh this morning, identified by call.
615 Pink-footed Geese, 900 Oystercatcher, 1000 Knot, 3000 Dunlin, 760 Redshank, 260 Bar-tailed Godwit, 85 Black-tailed Godwit, 780 Curlew, 1 Barn Owl, 2 Raven - Heswall Shore.
1 Green Sandpiper - Burton Mere Wetlands.
At least 1 Bearded Tit heard, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Bittern flew into roost at north end of reedbed at 5.30pm, 2 Hen Harrier (grey male and ringtail), 3 Marsh Harrier and 1 Short-eared Owl - Neston Reedbed late afternoon.
2 Short-eared Owl, 1 Barn Owl, 2 Hen Harrier and 3 Marsh Harrier - Parkgate.
Feb 15
1,200 Pink-footed Geese in fields below Dungeon Wood - Thurstaston.
2 Short-eared Owl showing well, 6+ Marsh Harrier, 3 Hen Harrier (1 male), 4 Great Egret and 1 male Stonechat - Parkgate.
3 Eider (1 drake), 1 Peregrine and 1 Rock Pipit - Hilbre.
17 Whooper Swan - Burton Mere Wetlands.

The February Newsletter includes:
Site Guide to Wirral Country Park and  Forthcoming Events.
Newsletters going back to March 1998 can be read, they are indexed both month by month and by subject matter.

Eider off Hilbre, February 17th ©  Allan Hitchmough




Hen Harrier at Parkgate, February 17th © Frank Burns



male Stonechat on Hilbre, February 17th ©  Allan Hitchmough




Brent Geese landing on West Kirby Marine Lake, February 11th © Roy Lowry



Shoer-eared Owl, Parkgate, February 10th © Alan Saunders



Black-tailed Godwits with a few Pink-footed Geese on the ground, Parkgate, February 10th
© Alan Saunders



Brent Geese at West Kirby Marine Lake, February 7th © Charles Farnell



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."