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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:

January Newsletter now published on this website featuring Peregrines and a Colour Ring Report Knot Special.

NEW EVENT: Hoylake High Tide Birdwatch Saturday 25th January at Hoylake, 10am to Noon, High tide 1115am.

  Latest Sightings.... (more)
 

 
Jan 17
1 Merlin on post, 1 Short-eared Owl on ground, 2 Stonechat and 20+ Redwing in paddock - Parkgate.
3 Water Pipit - Burton Mere Wetlands.
1 Bittern flew in to roost - Neston Reedbed.

Jan 16
3 Goosander and 25 Brent Geese - West Kirby Marine Lake.

Jan 15
50+ Brent Geese - Point of Ayr.
1 Merlin, 2,800 Lapwing, 6 Marsh Harrier and 3,000 Starling - Parkgate.

Jan 14
15 Brent Geese on shore close to Leasowe Lighthouse.
8,500 Knot - Hilbre

Jan 13
2 Goosander (pair) on Boathouse Flash, 3 Hen Harrier and 4 Short-eared Owl - Parkgate.
2 Purple Sandpiper, 278 Grey Plover, 6,500 Oystercatcher and 5,500 Knot - Hilbre

Jan 12
1 Goosander (male), 1,430 Cormorant, 380 Grey Plover, 5,000 Knot and 6,500 Oystercatcher - Hilbre at first light.
1 Water Pipit, 2 Water Rail, 80 Knot and 1 Cetti's Warbler (heard) - Burton Mere Wetlands.
1 Goosander (male) on Meols pond (next to station).
1 Peregrine, 1 Merlin, 6 Marsh Harrier, 2 Hen Harrier (ringtail and male), 4 Great Egret, 2 Goosander and 150+ Redwing - Parkgate.
120+ Redwing west end of Park Lane, Meols.

Jan 11
8 Purple Sandpiper, 45 Dunlin, 390 Turnstone and 360 Redshank - New Brighton Marine Lake.
1 Rock Pipit on sea wall by Roman Road - Meols Shore.
3 Common Sandpiper by River Dee - Queensferry.

Jan 10
1,500 Dunlin on rocks by West Kirby Marine Lake at high tide.
3 Marsh Harrier and 1 male Hen Harrier - Heswall Marsh.
1 Long-tailed Duck - Shotwick Boating Lake.
6 Purple Sandpiper, 45 Dunlin, 230 Turnstone and 224 Redshank - New Brighton Marine Lake.

Jan 9
3+ Short-eared Owl off Heswall Golf Course, 2 male Hen Harrier flew into the roost late afternoon.
5 Purple Sandpiper - New Brighton Marine Lake.
3 Marsh Harrier flying towards Neston Reedbed, also 2 Shoveller and 340 Lapwing on Donkeystand Flash - Parkgate.

Jan 8
3+ Short-eared Owl off Heswall Golf Course at mid-day.
9 Goosander, 1 Goldeneye (drake), 1 Shag and 1 Rock Pipit - West Kirby Marine Lake.
7 Purple Sandpiper - New Brighton Marine Lake.
7 Purple Sandpiper, 374 Grey Plover, 340 Curlew, 8,000 Knot, 7,000 Oystercatcher, 94 Ringed Plover and 1,046 Cormorant - Hilbre.
1 Mediterranean Gull on grass by Wallasey shore.
1 Bittern - Neston Reedbed.
5+ Spotted Redshank - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Jan 7
350 Pink-footed Geese very close to the path off Heswall Golf Course, also 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Merlin and 2 Stonechat.
6 Goosander, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 male Goldeneye and 1 Shag, 5 Turnstone on the rocks - West Kirby Marine Lake.
240+ Brent Geese - Hilbre.

Jan 6
15 Brent Geese by the sea wall at Leasowe this morning.
1 Shag, 1 Goldeneye, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 3 Goosander and 9 Brent Geese - West Kirby Marine Lake.
2 grey male Hen Harrier heading for roost site off Heswall Golf Course late afternoon.

Jan 5
3 Short-eared Owl off Heswall Golf Course.
1 Red Kite over Burton Marsh.

The January Newsletter includes:
Peregrines, Colour Ring Report Knot Special and  Forthcoming Events.

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


Marsh Harrier over Heswall Marsh, January 15th © Frank Burns



Brent Geese over West Kirby Marine Lake, January 10th © Richard Smith



Merlin off Heswall Golf Club, January 10th © Mark Woodhead



Redshank, Dunlin and turnstone at West Kirby Marine Lake, January 10th © Richard Smith




Short-eared Owl at Parkgate, January 9th © Frank Burns


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."