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.
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sightings to: 
Newsletters going back to March 1998 can be read, they are indexed both month by month and by subject matter.
Latest Sightings.... (more)
Oct 22
1 Yellow-browed Warbler in Obs garden briefly - Hilbre.
2 Greenshank by groyne, and 80 Black-tailed Godwit on flood by Park Lane - Leasowe Lighthouse.
1 Little Stint off Sandhey slipway - Meols.
1 Black Tern over flashes north of Denhall Quay.
Oct 21
2 Kingfisher on shore by Dove Point, 1 Little Stint off Sandhey slipway - Meols.
1 Lapland Bunting in field but access difficult, 1 Swallow over and 1 Mediterranean Gull on shore - Heswall.
2 Pochard on Boathouse Flash - Parkgate.
1 Garganey on flood - Denhall, Burton Marsh.
1 Scaup - Point of Ayr.
150 Brent Geese, 292 Curlew and 2,000+ Oystercatcher - West Kirby Shore.
Oct 20
1 Little Stint - Hoylake.
Reed Bunting in Hoylake Langfields, October 21st © Jeremy Bradshaw
A 'Winter Blackbird' at Parkgate, October 21st © Mark Woodhead
Marsh Harrier at Parkgate, October 19th © Nigel Favager
Common Scoter at high tide, Hoylake, October 18th © Jeff Cohen
This Raven had found something to eat on the marsh, Hoylake shore, October 17th © Richard Smith
A nice undisturbed roost at high tide, Hoylake shore, October 17th © Richard Smith
Young male Hen Harrier past Hilbre, October 15th © Steve Williams (Hilbre Bird Observatory)
Stonechat off Heswall GC, October 14th © John Crook
Yellow-browed Warbler near Hoylake Muncipal Golf Course, October 12th © Richard Whitby
Black-tailed Godwits at Caldy, October 10th © Richard Smith
Marsh Harrier flying past Heswall Golf Club, October 9th © Jeff Hodgson
Yellow-browed Warbler with brand new ring, Hilbre, October 8th © Steve Williams (Hilbre Bird Observatory)
Dark- and pale-bellied Brent Geese, Hilbre, October 8th © Steve Williams (Hilbre Bird Observatory)
Eider eating crabs off New Brighton, October 6th © David Bradshaw
Yellow-browed Warbler along Lingham Lane, October 6th © Jeremy Bradshaw
Red Kite flying past at Hilbre, October 6th © Steve Williams
Ringtail Hen Harrier over Hoylake Langfields, October 5th © Richard Whitby
Redwings on Grange Hill, West Kirby, October 3rd © Alan Hitchmough
Green Sandpiper at Burton Mere Wetlands, September 27th © Steve Round
Sandwich Terns off New Brighton prom, September 25th © Richard Smith
Great Crested Grebe on the sea at West Kirby (just off the Marine Lake), September 20th © Elliot Montieth
Yellow-browed Warbler, Hilbre, September 20th © Steve Williams (Hilbre Bird Observatory)
Peregrine spooking Redshanks at Heswall on the rising tide, September 20th © John Crook
Guillemot on West Kirby Marine Lake, September 19th © Mark Woodhead
Pink-footed Geese over Moreton, September 19th © Graham Connolly
Pink-footed Geese over Heswall, September 17th © John Crook
First year Merlin on Hilbre, September 14th © Alan Hitchmough
Stonechat at Parkgate, September 12th © Nigel Favager
Leach's Petrel off Leasowe Lighthouse, September 11th © Jason Stannage
Leach's Petrel over Wallasey shore, September 11th © Elliot Montieth
Leach's Petrel over Hoylake shore, September 10th © Allan Conlin
Spoonbills at a wet Parkgate, September 8th © Sasha Quentin
Eider on Hilbre, September 7th © Chris Wilding
Wheatear on the rocks by the Lifeboat, Hoylake, September 3rd © Sean O'Hara
Mediterranean Gull at Hoylake, September 3rd © Mark Woodhead
Wheatear at Burton Marsh, August 31st © Carole Killikelly
Eider at Hilbre, August 31st © David Lang
A nice mix of waders on West Kirby Shore on the rising tide, August 31st © Richard Smith
Greenshank on Heswall Shore, August 28th © John Kane
Lesser Whitethroat at Burton Marsh, August 24th © Carole Killikelly
Knots on Wallasey shore with nice mix of plumages
juv in middle with adult s/pl behind, the rest are 2CY (last year's young), August 24th © Richard Smith
Adult Sabine's Gull flying past Flint Castle, August 21st © Colin Davies
Seen whilst unsuccesfully looking for the Hudsonian Godwit!
Whimbrels at Hoylake, August 20th © Mark Woodhead
Juvenile Little Ringed Plover at Hoylake, August 19th © Sean O'Hara
Sandwich Terns at Hilbre, August 14th © Richard Smith
Hudsonian Godwit (with wings up, left), notice the dark underwing compared to the Black-tailed Godwit
August 13th © Mark Woodhead
Hudsonian Godwit at Burton Mere Wetlands, August 13th © Alan Hitchmough
Juvenile Cuckoo at Leasowe Lighthouse, August 11th © Jeremy Bradshaw
Common Redstart at Burton Mere Wetlands, August 10th © Richard Whitby
Spoonbills at Parkgate, August 8th © Les Hall
Black-tailed Godwits feeding off West Kirby, August 8th © Richard Smith
Juvenile Cuckoo in paddocks by Leasowe Lighthouse, August 7th © Sean O'Hara
Little Gull close to the prom at Hoylake, August 6th © David Leeming
Sanderling at Hoylake, August 6th © Charles Farnell
Little Gull at Meols, August 3rd © Graham Connolly
Garganey at Burton Mere Wetkands, August 1st © Richard Whitby
Common Sandpiper at Hilbre, July 27th © Steve Williams (Hilbre Bird Observatory)
Pectoral Sandpiper, Burton Mere Wetlands, July 27th © John Hewitt
Knots at Hoylake, July 24th © Alan Hitchmough
Yellow-legged Gull at Hoylake, July 22nd © Allan Conlin
Reed Bunting, Neston Reed Bed, July 22nd © John Crook
Mediterranean Gull x Black-headed Gull hybrid, West Kirby Shore, July 18th © Richard Smith
Spoonbills on Boathouse Flash, July 18th © John Kane
Yellow Wagtail on Meols Shore, July 18th © Sean O'Hara
Mediterranean Gull on West Kirby shore, July 17th © Richard Smith
Sandwich Terns between Little Eye and Middle Eye this morning, July 15th © Richard Smith
Whimbrel on Meols Shore, July 11th © Sean O'Hara
Little Gull (centre), Meols Shore, July 10th © Alan Conlin
Little Gull at Meols, July 8th © Sean O'Hara
A single Black-tailed Godwit with the roosting knots, Leasowe Gunsite, July 8th © Richard Smith
The over-summering flock of knots roosting on the tide edge early morning off Leasowe Gunsite
July 8th © Richard Smith
Black-tailed Godwits at Caldy Wildfowl Collection, July 6th © Richard Smith
Manx Shearwater at New Brighton, July 4th © Sean O'Hara
Mediterranean Gull at hoylake, June 27th © Allan Conlin
Goosanders enjoying the sun this morning at Heswall, June 22nd © Steve Hinde
Sanderling at Gronant, June 16th © Ian Sheppard
Gannet and Fulmar at Hilbre, June 16th © Alan Hitchmough
Common Whitethroat on Heswall Marsh, June 13th © John Crook
Stonechat on marsh by Heswall GC, June 12th © Bruce Hogan
Knots and Oystercatchers off Leasowe Gunsite, June 12th © Richard Smith
Little Stint on Meols Shore, June 9th © Allan Conlin
Blackcap singing by the Wirral Way at Parkgate, June 5th © John Crook
Bar-tailed Godwits at Burton Mere Wetlands, May 30th © Steve Round
Cetti's Warbler fledgling, Burton Mere Wetlands, May 28th © Steve Rround
Curlew Sandpiper at Meols, May 28th © Sean O'Hara
Curlew Sandpiper with Ringed Plovers, Hilbre, May 26th © Steve Williams
House Martin collecting mud for nest-bulding, Heswall Shore, May 26th © David Thompson
Osprey at Hilbre, May 26th © Alan Hitchmough
Short-eared Owl inland of coastal paddocks, Leasowe Lighthouse. May 19th © Sean O'Hara
Swallow on Hilbre, May 19th © Alan Hitchmough
Spotted Flycatcher, Leasowe Lighthouse, May 15th © Eddie Williams
Whinchat along Park Lane, Leasowe Lighthouse, May 12th © Anthony Ramsden
Avocet mobbing an Osprey, Burton Mere Wetlands, May 9th © Steve Round
Spotted Flycatcher at Hilbre, May 8th © Alan Hitchmough
Short-eared Owl at Hilbre, May 8th © Alan Hitchmough
Black Guillemot at Hilbre, May 6th © Steve Williams
Blue-headed Wagtail at Leasowe Lighthouse, May 6th © Sean O'Hara
Garden Warbler at Leasowe Lighthouse, May 5th © Jeremy Bradshaw
Whimbrels at Hilbre, May 4th © Alan Hitchmough
Short-eared Owl in hedge on edge of marsh, Heswall, May 4th © Steve Hinde
Another Iberian Chiffchaff, by Park Lane at Leasowe Lighthouse, May 3rd © Sean O'Hara
Iberian Chiffchaff near Kerr's Field, Leasowe Lighthouse, May 1st © Sean O'Hara
Oystercatcher and Red Knots off Leasowe Lighthouse, May 1st © Richard Smith
Whinchat on the tidewrack at Burton Marsh, April 29th © Andrew Ingham
'Channel' Yellow Wagtail at Kerr's Field, Leasowe, April 28th © Colin Schofield
Cuckoo at Leasowe Lighthouse, April 27th © Sean O'Hara
Ring Ouzel near Lingham Lane, Moreton, April 26th © Sean O'Hara
Yellow Wagtail in the horse paddocks, Leasowe Lighthouse, April 25th © Jeremy Bradshaw
Whimbrels at Thurstaston, April 24th © Richard Smith
Grasshopper Warbler, Burton Marsh, April 23rd © Frank Burns
Green Sandpiper in horse paddock, Leasowe Lighthouse, April 21st © Sean O'Hara
Pink-footed Geese leaving the estuary past Hilbre, April 20th © Alan Hitchmough
Cuckoos in Hoylake Langfields, April 20th © Richard Whitby
Grasshopper Warbler at Meols, April 20th © David Bradshaw
Sandwich Tern, Hilbre, April 20th © Alan Hitchmough
Dunlins, many in breeding plumage, at West Kirby, April 20th © Richard Smith
Common Cranes over Moreton, April 19th © Graham Connolly
Grasshopper Warbler at Burton Point. April 18th © Mark Woodhead
Black-tailed Godwits at Caldy Wildfowl Collection, April 18th © Richard Smith
Male and female Redstarts at the back of the beach at Heswall, April 17th © Steve Hinde
Whimbrel at Heswall, April 16th © Steve Hinde
Ring Ouzel on Hoylake Langfields, April 14th © Tony Ramsden
Spotted Redshanks with Redshanks and Black-tailed Godwits, Burton Mere Wetlands, April 14th
© Mark Woodhead
Whinchat on Hoylake Langfields, April 13th © Richard Whitby
Common Redstart at Leasowe, April 11th © Ian McKenna
Cattle Egrets on Burton Marsh, April 11th © Mark Woodhead
Water Rail at Parkgate, April 9th © John Crook
Ring Ouzel at Riverbank Road, Heswall, April 7th © Steve Hinde
Ring Ouzel on Hoylake Langfields, April 7th © Richard Whitby
Sandwich Tern, Hilbre, April 6th © Alan Hitchmough
Ring Ouzel on Hilbre, April 6th © Alan Hitchmough
White Wagtail at Leasowe, April 5th © Steve Round
Ring Ouzel at Leasowe Lighthouse, April 3rd © Elliot Montieth
White Wagtail on Hilbre, March 29th © Alan Hitchmough
Wheatear on Hilbre, March 28th © Matt Thomas
Iceland Gull in the roost on Hoylake Shore, March 26th © Allan Conlin
Waxwing at Neston, March 24th © Steve Williams
Wheatear by Middle Eye, March 21st © Alan Hitchmough
Stonechat at Leasowe Lighthouse, March 20th © Graham Connolly
Avocets on Parkgate Marsh, March 19th © John Crook
Waxwings at Neston, March 17th © Nigel 'Wirral Guy'
Wheatear on the cliffs at Thurstaston, March 17th © Steve Hinde
Greenshank in the channel by the groyne, Meols, March 16th © Sean O'Hara
Short-eared Owl over Burton Marsh, March 13th © Nigel Maitland
Grey Partridge in field by the Old Baths, Parkgate, March 13th © John Hewitt
Water Rail at Parkgate, March 12th © Dave Edwards
Dunlins at Meols on the flooding tide, March 12th © Graham Connolly
Green-winged Teal on tide off Riverbank Road, Heswall, March 12th © Alan Hitchmough
Green-winged Teal on Heswall Shore, March 9th © Steve Hinde
Short-eared Owl at Denhall Quay, March 3rd © Stuart Phillips
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.