APRIL

Sunday 2nd 6am – 8am (Wirral)
Go Woodpecker Wild!
Join the Rangers on a walk to search out woodpeckers. The birds will be “drumming” on trees and displaying to prospective mates.
Booking essential: (0151) 648 4371/3884.

Saturday 15th 10:30am
High Tide at Point of Ayr
The spit and saltmarsh at the Point of Ayr are extremely important habitats for birds. They come alive at high tide with waders coming in to roost and ducks drift in on the tide to feed on the marsh. Join the RSPB Warden to look for spring migrants on their return from Africa (HW 13.15, 9.2m).
No need to book. Meet at the end of Station Rd,Talacre. For further information contact the RSPB on 0151 336 7681.

Saturday 22nd 6:30pm
Evening Special at Inner Marsh Farm, Dee Estuary RSPB Reserve
Join the Warden for a relaxing evening stroll around the reserve in search of spring migrants. Finish the evening with light refreshments, booking essential. Costs are £5.00 for members and £6.00 for non-members. Booking and further information contact the RSPB on 0151 336 7681.

Sunday 23rd 9am – 10.30am (Wirral)
Nestbox Frenzy 2: Boxwatch
Find out if anyone has moved into the nestboxes put up and mapped in February on this return trip to Stapledon Woods.
Booking essential: (0151) 648 4371/3884.

Sunday 30th 6am – 9am (Halton)
Wheatears, Whinchats and Warblers
An early morning walk to Hale Marsh taking in the sights and sounds of the dawn chorus. A magical time of day when bird song is at its best and millions of summer migrants are pouring into the country.
Meet at Pickerings Pasture LNR, Mersey View Road, Halebank. Widnes
For more details tel. 0151 425 4706.

MAY

Sunday 7th 6am – 8am (Wirral)
Wirral Way Warblers
Join the Rangers on this popular walk to see the return of the warblers from their African winter. Up to 6 species have been seen on previous walks!
Booking essential: (0151) 648 4371/3884.

Saturday 6th 5:30am
Ness Gardens early morning Breakfast Birdwatch
Join the local RSPB Wardens for an early morning walk around Ness Gardens. Costs inclusive of cooked breakfast are £7.50 (Friends of Ness Gardens) or £12.00. Booking essential. Further details and tickets from Ness Gardens on 0151 353 0123.

Saturday 13th 6:30am Breakfast Birdwatch Join the Warden for an early morning birdwatch at Inner Marsh Farm, Dee Estuary RSPB Reserve. The trees and bushes will be alive with bird song while lapwings display overhead. Costs inclusive of continental breakfast are £6.00 members and £7.00 non-members. Booking essential. Further details from the RSPB on 0151 336 7681. Sunday 14th 9am – 11am (Wirral) The Big Bird List Plenty of summer migrants will have arrived to breed so this is a great time to update the Wirral Country Park Big Bird List. Spot as many as possible on a walk around the varied habitats of west Wirral. Booking essential: (0151) 648 4371/3884.

JUNE

Sunday 4th 1:30pm
Orchid Spectacular at Inner Marsh Farm, Dee Estuary RSPB Reserve
The reserve’s wetland fields become carpeted with marsh orchids in the spring. Join the Warden on a walk around this special part of the reserve not normally open to visitors. Learn about how we manage the reserve over afternoon tea. Booking essential. Costs are £3.50 for members and £4.50 for non-members. For details and to book phone the RSPB on 0151 336 7681. Please book early to avoid disappointment.

Saturday 10th 1:30pm
Orchid Spectacular at Inner Marsh Farm, Dee Estuary RSPB Reserve
A second opportunity to join the Warden on a walk around a special part of the reserve not normally open to visitors. The event is followed by afternoon tea. Booking essential.Costs are: £3.50 members and £4.50 non-members. To book and for further details call the RSPB on 0151 336 7681. Please book early to avoid disappointment.

Wednesday 21st 9pm – 11pm (Wirral)
Owl-tastic!
Join the Rangers on a mission to see little, tawny and barn Owls around the fields, woods and hedgerows of West Wirral. Bring a torch. Booking essential: (0151) 648 4371/3884.

JULY

Friday 7th 6pm – 9pm (Halton)
Hale Duck Decoy
This Scheduled Ancient Monument was constructed in the 17th century as a method of attracting and catching duck. Currently it is the only surviving example in the north west and one of only 3 in the country. Places are limited so booking is essential.
Meet at Pickerings Pasture LNR, Mersey View Road, Halebank. Widnes
For more details tel. 0151 425 4706.

Saturday 22nd 8pm
Birds, Bats, Moths and BBQ
Join the RSPB Wardens at Burton Point Farm, Dee Estuary Reserve and delve into the world of the creatures of the night. Learn all about our nocturnal neighbours with the local experts.
BBQ followed by apple pie and cream. Booking essential. Costs are £9.50 for members and £10.50 for non-members. For booking and further information contact RSPB on 0151 336 7681.

AUGUST 

Saturday 12th 11.15am (Wirral)
Banks Road Birdwatch
One of the biggest roosts of redshank in the country occurs in the saltmarsh off Banks Road. Amongst the thousands of waders that are herded up in front of us by the tide, there is a good chance of seeing spotted redshank and curlew sandpiper (HW 14:15, 9.6m). Joint event with RSPB. Meet at Banks Road car park, Lower Heswall, near Sheldrake’s Restaurant. For further details, phone 0151 648 4371/3884.

Saturday 26th 11am
High Tide at Point of Ayr
The spit and saltmarsh at the Point of Ayr are extremely important habitats for birds. They come alive at high tide with waders and terns coming in to roost and ducks drift in on the tide to feed on the marsh. Join the RSPB Warden to watch the action as it unfolds (HW 13.40, 9.1m) No need to book. Meet at the end of Station Rd. Talacre. For further information contact the RSPB on 0151 336 7681.

SEPTEMBER 

Saturday 16th 10am – 1pm (Halton)
Hale Duck Decoy
This Scheduled Ancient Monument was constructed in the 17th century as a method of attracting and catching duck. Currently it is the only surviving example in the north west and one of only 3 in the country. Places are limited so booking is essential.
Meet at Pickerings Pasture LNR, Mersey View Road, Halebank. Widnes
For more details tel. 0151 425 4706.

Saturday 23rd 6pm
Egret roost count at Inner Marsh Farm
Help count little egrets flighting in to roost at Inner Marsh Farm, Dee Estuary RSPB Reserve. Up to 112 were counted last October – a record number! After this taxing work, finish the evening with light refreshments. Costs are £5.00 for members and £6.00 for non-members. For booking and further information phone the RSPB on 0151 336 7681.

OCTOBER 

Saturday 7th 10am–3pm (Flintshire)
Deeside Naturalist Society Connah’s Quay Reserve – Open Day
Another chance to join members of the DNS at this excellent site. The DNS’s West hide over looks the adjacent RSPB reserve at Oakenholt Marsh. At hide tide the birdwatching from here is spectacular as the wader flocks gather to roost on the marsh. Access is off the A548 sign posted E’ON Power Station. For further info please contact the DNS on  01244 537440.

Sunday 8th 7am – 11am (Halton)
Wings to the South
As migration gets underway, this part of the Mersey Estuary becomes an important crossing point for thousands of summer birds heading south, and if we are lucky, a few early winter migrants coming into the country. A great place for some early morning and exciting bird watching.
Park in Hale Village and meet at Hale Lighthouse.
For more details tel. 0151 425 4706.

Saturday 14th 7:00am
Migration Watch and breakfast at Inner Marsh Farm RSPB Reserve
Passerine migration should be in full swing
so why not join the Warden to witness the mass movement of finches, pipits, redwings and fieldfares as they move south as winter approaches. Costs inclusive of continental
breakfast are £6.00 members and £7.00 non-members. Booking essential. For further information phone the RSPB on 0151 336 7681.

Sunday 15th 9am – 11am (Wirral)
Autumnwatch
Say goodbye to our summer visitors and greet our winter residents on this walk to mark the changing of the seasons. Late swallows and early redwings could be seen.
Booking essential: (0151) 648 4371/3884.

Saturday 21st 10am
Flight of the Godwits
The mudflats and saltmarsh off Flint are internationally important for feeding and roosting black-tailed godwits. Expect to see large numbers of other waders (HW 11:45, 9.1m) Please bring wellingtons. Meet at the Flint lifeboat station car park.
No need to book. For further details, call 0151 336 7681.

Sunday 22nd 7am – 12noon (Halton)
Winter Migrants
Autumn migration is now well underway. As thousands of winter migrants arriving here from colder climates, the Mersey Estuary becomes an important migration route and a great location to see it close up as it happens. Park in Hale Village and meet at Hale Lighthouse.
For more details tel. 0151 425 4706.

Sunday 22nd 5pm
Parkgate Raptor Watch
Watch the elegant hen harriers come in to roost on the RSPB reserve at Parkgate. Other birds we hope to see include merlin, peregrine, sparrowhawk, short-eared owl and barn owl. Meet at the Old Baths car park, over looking the Dee Estuary RSPB Nature Reserve at Parkgate, close to the Boathouse pub. For further details contact the RSPB on 0151 336 7681.

Saturday 28th 10am – 4pm RSPB Feed the Birds Day at Ness Gardens Join the RSPB staff to find out how you can help your garden birds survive through the winter. See the birds at the feeding station and learn about the different foods on which each species feeds. Meet at Ness Gardens Tearoom to which there is free admission. There is a charge to visit the gardens. For more information contact the RSPB on 0151 336 7681.

NOVEMBER 

Sunday 5th 9am
Rails of the River Bank
A fantastic place to see birds of the estuary. Huge flocks of ducks and waders swirl around in the sky while there’s always the chance of seeing a water rail as it’s flushed out of the saltmarsh by the rising tide. Joint event with Wirral Borough Council Ranger Service. Meet at Riverbank Road car park which overlooks the Dee Estuary RSPB Reserve at Lower Heswall. (HW 10.38, 9.8m). No need to book. For further details contact the RSPB on 0151 336 7681.

Saturday 25th 10:30am (Wirral)
Banks Road Birdwatch
One of the best places on the estuary to get close-up views of a variety of waders including black-tailed godwit, knot, redshank and curlew as they amass along the banks of the Heswall Gutter (HW 13:43, 8.6m). Joint event with RSPB. Meet at Banks Road car park, Lower Heswall, near Sheldrake’s Restaurant. For more details, tel. 0151 648 4371/3884.

Sunday 26th 3pm
Parkgate Raptor Watch
Come along and watch birds of prey with the experts. See the graceful hen harriers coming in to roost on the RSPB reserve.
Other birds of prey we hope to see are merlin, peregrine, sparrowhawk, short-eared owl and barn owl. Meet at the Old Baths car park, which overlooks the Dee Estuary RSPB Reserve at Parkgate, close to The Boathouse pub. For further details contact the RSPB on 0151 336 7681.

Sunday 26th 2pm – 3.30pm (Wirral)
Funky Finches
Come down to Wirral Country Park and see the birds feeding from our bird hide and make a feeder to take home to help our feathered friends now times are getting tough. This event is always popular so book early.
Booking essential: (0151) 648 4371/3884.

DECEMBER 

Saturday 9th 11am
High Tide at Point of Ayr
The spit and saltmarsh at the Point of Ayr
are extremely important habitats for birds and they come alive at high tide with waders coming in to roost and ducks drifting in on the tide to feed on the marsh. Join the RSPB warden to watch the action as it unfolds (HW 13:50, 8.7m).
No need to book. Meet at the end of Station Rd. Talacre. For further information contact RSPB on 0151 336 7681.

Sunday 24th 2:30pm
Parkgate Raptor Watch
Watch the elegant hen harriers come in to roost on the RSPB reserve at Parkgate. Other birds we hope to see include merlin, peregrine, sparrowhawk, short-eared owl and barn owl. Meet at the Old Baths car park over looking the Dee Estuary RSPB Reserve at Parkgate, close to the Boathouse pub. For further details contact the RSPB on 0151 336 7681.

The RSPB is a charitable organisation which relies heavily on the support of its members. You can join at any of the RSPB diary events or you can contact the Warden on 0151 336 7681. New members receive a free hand book packed with detailed illustrations and information, ‘Birds’ magazine and access to over 100 RSPB nature reserves throughout the UK – plus the knowledge that you will be helping to safeguard the future of Britain’s wildlife!