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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:

March Newsletter now published on this website featuring Highlights for March 2018 to Feb 2019.

Cheshire and Wirral Bird Report 2016 NOW AVAILABLE. For a synopsis and details of how to obtain a copy CLICK HERE.

Latest Sightings.... (more)

Mar 19
3 Short-eared Owl - Old Baths, Parkgate.
1 Wheatear (male) - Kerr's field,Leasowe Lighthouse.
4 Purple Sandpiper and 4 Eider (displaying) - Hilbre.
20 Brent Geese on shore by Dee SC causeway - Thurstaston Shore, many Chiffchaffs singing along Wirral Way.
3 Short-eared Owl - Denhall Quay.

Mar 18
24 Brent Geese on shore by Dee SC causeway - Thurstaston Shore.
1 Bittern, 1 Water Rail, 3 Short-eared Owl, 2 Barn Owl, 1 Hen Harrier and 1 Great Egret - Old Baths, Parkgate.
1 Cattle Egret and 1 Cetti's Warbler - Burton Mere Wetlands.
166 Brent Geese (1 dark-bellied) and 6 Eider (3 pairs) - Hilbre.

Mar 17
2 Kittiwake - New Brighton.
1 Mediterranean Gull (ad) and 1 Caspian Gull - Leasowe Lighthouse.
6 Eider, 1 Great Northern Diver, 2 Red-throated Diver and 2 Gannet - Hilbre.
3 Cattle Egret with Little Eget flock - in field across A540 from Two Mills pub - north east of Puddington.
2 Water Pipit - Burton Mere Wetlands.
1 Bittern off Old Baths, Parkgate, late afternoon.
c11 Purple Sandpiper - New Brighton Marine Lake.

Mar 16
1 Greenshank in flooded horse paddock - Leasowe Lighthouse.
1 Merlin over Column Road, West Kirby, headed towards estuary.
1 Glaucous Gull (2CY) - on beach off Leasowe Lighthouse.

Mar 15
2 Sand Martin, 1 Cattle Egret and 8 Spotted Redshank - Burton Mere Wetlands.
1 Barn Owl and 1 Short-eared Owl - Riverbank Road, Heswall.
1 Redpoll, 3 Eider and 232 Brent Geese (1 dark-bellied) - Hilbre.

Mar 14
33 Brent Geese (1 dark-bellied) - West Kirby Marine Lake.
5 Great Egret - Burton Mere Wetlands.
1 Great Egret and 1 Barn Owl - Parkgate.

Mar 13
1 Little Gull flew out of the Mersey - New Brighton.

The March Newsletter includes:
Highlights from March 2018 to February 2019,  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.

Cetti's Warbler at Burton Mere Wetlands, March 18th.



Barn Owl at Parkgate, March 14th © Frank Burns




Dark-bellied Brent Goose at West Kirby Marine Lake, March 14th © Steve Williams



Kittiwake along north Wirral, March 11th © Allan Conlin



Twite flock at Flint, March 9th © Jeff Cohen



Red Kite over Parkgate, March 5th © Steve Round
http://stevenround-birdphotography.com/


Short-eared Owl at Parkgate (Feb 2019) © Richard Steel
http://wildlifephotographic.blogspot.com/


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."