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Archived Latest Sightings:
January and February 2014.

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Click here to see list of Archived latest sightings from September 2000.

Feb 28
1 Little Stint, 2 Avocet, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 ringtail Hen Harrier, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Water Rail and 20+ Grey Heron - Burton Mere Wetlands.
50+ Twite - Connah's Quay Reserve.

Feb 27
700+ Pink-footed Geese - Parkgate Marsh.

Feb 26
1 Green-winged Teal (drake) seen from Marsh Covert Hide, also the first 2 Avocet of the year and 19 Grey Heron - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Feb 25
4,000 Pink-footed Geese (all took off from marsh just before dusk) and 1 Stonechat by Old Quay pub - Parkgate Marsh, also 127 Fieldfare and 112 Redwing in fields/on Golf Course.
95 Grey Plover, c12000 Knot, 1850 Redshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 150 Bar-tailed Godwit, 525 Curlew, 1 Merlin, 1 Peregrine - Heswall Shore as tide came in, also 2 Hen Harrier (ring tails) hunting in fields nearby.
1 Mediterranean Gull (by Cafe) and 2 Stonechat (by car park) - Leasowe Lighthouse area (see lighthousebirding blog for photos).

Feb 24
1 Greenshank (on Groyne), 9 Stonechat (7 on Meols common and 2 in car park) and 1 Peregrine on shore - Leasowe Lighthouse area.

Feb 23
40+ Twite - Connah's Quay Reserve early morning.
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail), 1 Kingfisher and 24 Grey Heron - Burton Mere Wetlands.
1 Spoonbill off the Old Quay pub late afternoon - Parkgate Marsh.
1 Red Kite reported over Grange Hill, West Kirby.

Feb 22
1 Woodcock over flying west - Leasowe Station this morning.
2 Hen Harrier (ringtail) and 1,500+ Pink-footed Geese - Parkgate Marsh.
1 Greenshank on groyne and 1 Kingfisher on the R Birket - Leasowe Lighthouse.
50 Fieldfare on stubble field by cafe - Denhall Lane, Burton Marsh.

Feb 21
950+ Pink-footed Geese, 3 Raven over - Parkgate Marsh.

Feb 20
550 Pink-footed Geese - Neston/Parkgate Marsh.
180 Redshank and 30 Black-tailed Godwit - Donkey Stand Flash, Parkgate.
53+ Twite, 1 Common Scoter in channel - Connah's Quay Reserve.
235 Brent Geese - highlights from Hilbre, for more details see
http://www.hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/. 

Feb 19
288 Great Crested Grebe and at least 500 Common Scoter flying around in small flocks - Meols Shore at high tide.
2 Hen Harrier (grey male and ringtail) - Parkgate this evening.
7,000 Common Scoter (many small flocks but also a large number were disturbed by fast boat out towards North Hoyle windfarm), 1 Goosander and 25 Great Crested Grebe, as tide came in - highlights from Hilbre, for more details see
http://www.hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/. 

Feb 18
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) and 1 Peregrine - Heswall Marsh.
1 Green Woodpecker - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Feb 17
1 Great Northern Diver, 21 Red-throated Diver, 62 Great Crested Diver, 161 Common Scoter, 14 Guillemot and 1 Little Gull - highlights from Hilbre, for more details see
http://www.hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/. 

Feb 16
2 Hen Harrier (grey male and ringtail) and 1 Peregrine - Riverbank Road, Heswall.
1 Peregrine - Hoylake Shore.
1 Kingfisher along River Birkett near Leasowe Lighthouse.
1 Guillemott on river and 1 Spotted Redshank - Connah's Quay Reserve.
1 Spotted Redshank and 1 Kittiwake with the waders on pontoon - New Brighton Marine Lake.
2 Mediterranean Gull (adults almost in full s/pl) on shore by Leasowe Castle.

Feb 15
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road this morning - Burton Marsh.
1 Snow Bunting - Red Rocks Marsh.
15 Purple Sandpiper and 1 Spotted Redshank on pontoon - New Brighton Marine Lake.
1 Hen Harrier - Parkgate.

Feb 14
1 Great Northern Diver flew NE - Leasowe Lighthouse.
2 Mediterranean Gull in roost, 4 Little Gull and one possible Glaucous Gull, similar numbers of Herring Gulls to yesterday - Hoylake Shore.

Feb 13
430 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2,000 Dunlin, 9,400 Knot and 6,000 Herring Gull - Hoylake/Meols Shore.
1,200 Dunlin and 500 Redshank on groyne - Dove Point, Meols.
2 Hen Harrier (ringtail) and 1 Merlin - Parkgate.
1 Fulmar seen, 1 Raven heard - Hilbre.

Feb 12
1 Goosander flew towards Hilbre, 1 Razorbill - Leasowe Lighthouse.
9 Purple Sandpiper and 1 Red-breasted Merganser - New Brighton Marine Lake.

Feb 11
2 Spotted Redshank and 57 Twite - Connah's Quay Reserve.

Feb 10
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road this morning - Burton Marsh.
230 Bar-tailed Godwit, 12,000 Knot and 15,000 Oystercatcher - Thurstaston Shore as tide went out.

Feb 9
1 Greenshank and 1 Peregrine - Leasowe Shore.
1 Water Rail calling from marsh by Old Quay Pub, Parkgate.
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road this morning - Burton Marsh, c400 Pink-footed Geese, 1 Hen Harrier and 1 Peregrine on Outer Marsh.
c50 Twite and 1 Spotted Redshank - Connah's Quay Reserve. 

Feb 8
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road this morning - Burton Marsh.

Feb 7
1 Black Redstart (1st winter male) - Flint Castle.  
126 Stock Dove on maize stubble below Stapledon Wood, Caldy.
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road this morning - Burton Marsh, it's back!!
9 Whooper Swan, 1 Bewick's Swan and 1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) - Burton Mere Wetlands.
2 Hen Harrier (ringtail) - Riverbank Road, Heswall.
9 Purple Sandpiper - New Brighton Marine Lake.

Feb 6
1 Black Redstart (1st winter male) - Flint Castle.
1,300 Lapwing this morning, 1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) this evening - Parkgate Marsh.
1 Greenshank on Groyne - Dove Point, Meols.
1 Purple Sandpiper on rocks with 170 Turnstone and 250 Redshank - West Kirby Marine Lake.
32 Whooper Swan, 1 Little Stint, 1 Jack Snipe, 1 Hen Harrier (ringtail), 100+ Linnet, 2 Stonechat, 4 Siskin and 1 Water Rail - Burton Mere Wetlands.
1 Peregrine flew over and 2 Water Rail calling - Red Rocks.

Feb 5
18 Whooper Swan (distant), 3 Spotted Redshank, 1 Hen Harrier (ringtail), 1 Peregrine and 1 Water Rail - Burton Mere Wetlands.
1 Water Pipit - Neston sewage works, disturbed and flew to marsh.
300 Pink-footed Geese - Neston Marsh.
2 Hen Harrier (grey adult male and ringtail) - Riverbank Road, Heswall.

Feb 4
2 Hen Harrier (ringtail) - Burton Mere Wetlands.
34 Pied Wagtail - Target Road, Heswall.
1 Black Redstart (prob 1st year fem) - Flint Castle.
2 Hen Harrier (grey adult male and ringtail) and 1 Merlin - Riverbank Road, Heswall.
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) off Donkey Stand Flash before high tide - Parkgate Marsh.
4,000+ Dunlin and 500 Redshank on groyne at high tide - Dove Point, Meols.
1 Water Pipit and 1 Siberian Chiffchaff - Neston Old Quay.

Feb 3
3 Hen Harrier and 3 Short-eared Owl - Parkgate Marsh at high tide, 1,300 Lapwing over the marsh this morning.
12 Purple Sandpiper, 100 Turnstone, 80 Dunlin and 650 Redshank - New Brighton Marine Lake.
1 Hen Harrier (grey adult male) - Riverbank Road, Heswall.
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) - Burton Marsh.
60 Twite - Connah's Quay Reserve.
2 Hen Harrier (ringtail) - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Feb 2
5 Short-eared Owl and 2 Hen Harrier (grey ad male and ringtail) - Gayton, off Heswall Golf Course, before and during high tide which came well in similar to yesterday, also 1 Twite on path briefly.
3 Hen Harrier (grey ad male and 2 ringtail), 1 Peregrine, 2 Raven and 2 Spotted Redshank seen from Harp Inn, Neston Marsh.
18 Purple Sandpiper - New Brighton Marine Lake.
1 Purple Sandpiper on groyne - Leasowe Lighthouse.

Feb 1
8 Short-eared Owl, 1 Water Pipit plus good numbers of Rock Pipits, 3 Water Rail (1 by Donkey Stand, 1 by Old Baths and 1 at Gayton), 3 Hen Harrier, 2 Merlin, 6 Brent Geese (off Donkey Stand) and 1 Great White Egret - Gayton/Parkgate before and during high tide which came in well all along Parkgate prom.
c17 Purple Sandpiper and 1 Greenshank among the waders on pontoon - New Brighton Marine Lake.
67 Twite - Connah's Quay Reserve.
1 Water Rail, 1 Greenshank, 3 Short-eared Owl, 1 Hen Harrier, 1 Merlin and 1 Peregrine - Riverbank Road, Heswall.
2 Goosander (pair) - West Kirby Marine Lake, briefly this morning.
9 Bewick's Swan - Burton Marsh.
1 Great White Egret, 20+ Little Egret and 3 Grey Heron in Neston Reed Bed roosting just after high tide, great views at close range, also 4 Hen Harrier (ringtail).
500 Common Scoter, 20 Red-throated Diver, 40 Razorbill, 200 Ringed Plover and 67 Brent Geese which were on top of Middle Eye - Hilbre.

Jan 31
1 Great White Egret, 1 Hen Harrier (ringtail), 1 Peregrine, 2 Merlin and c1,000 Pink-footed Geese - Gayton/Parkgate at high tide, tide only just made it to Gayton.
60+ Twite - Connah's Quay Reserve.
1 Little Stint and 600 Lapwing  flushed by a Hen Harrier - Burton Marsh.
1 Little Stint - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Jan 30
57 Twite - Connah's Quay Reserve.
63 Turnstone on pontoon (north end), 1,600 Dunlin on rocks and 2 Red-breasted Merganser - West Kirby Marine Lake at high tide.
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road this morning - Burton Marsh.
1 Merlin and 1 Peregrine - Heswall Shore.

Jan 29
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road this morning, 1 Siberian Chiffchaff by Net's Cafe - Burton Marsh.
25 Stock Dove in field by Stapledon Wood, Caldy.
1,800 Dunlin on rocks by West Kirby Marine Lake at high tide.

Jan 28
1 Buff-bellied Pipit and 1 Siberian Chiffchaff bottom of Station Road this morning - Burton Marsh.

Jan 27
1 Buff-bellied Pipit and 1 Siberian Chiffchaff bottom of Station Road this morning - Burton Marsh.
1 Great White Egret, 2 Hen Harrier (ringtail) and 800+ Lapwing - Parkgate Marsh.
850 Bar-tailed Godwit and 6,500 Herring Gull - Leasowe Shore as tide went out.
47 Twite, 282 Wigeon, 1 Greenshank and c2,800 Canada Geese - Connah's Quay Reserve.

Jan 26
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road this morning - Burton Marsh.
1 Great White Egret - Parkgate Marsh.
1 Greenshank near groyne, 1 Mediterranean Gull near cafe - Leasowe Lighthouse.
1 Dipper reported but unconfirmed -  Burton Mere Wetlands.

Jan 25
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road this morning - Burton Marsh.
1 Shag (juv) - New Brighton Marine Lake.
1 Great White Egret and 2 Hen Harrier which disturbed a large flock of Lapwing - Parkgate Marsh.
c39 Whooper Swan, but distant - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Jan 24
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road this morning - Burton Marsh.
37 Whooper Swan amd 1 Bewick's Swan next to Shotwick Lake, also 1 Black Swan.

Jan 23
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road this morning - Burton Marsh.
1 Great White Egret, 1 Little Stint, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) and 1 Peregrine - Burton Mere Wetlands.
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) - Parkgate Marsh.

Jan 22
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road this morning - Burton Marsh.
1 Little Stint, 150 Golden Plover and 37 Whooper Swan (distant) - Burton Mere Wetlands.
1 Cetti's Warbler (heard) - Neston Sewage Works.
17 Snipe - Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.

Jan 21
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road this morning, also 2 Siberian Chiffchaff - Burton Marsh.

Jan 20
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road this morning, also 2 Siberian Chiffchaff and 2 Stonechat - Burton Marsh.
1 Greenshank - Heswall Shore as tide came in.
553 Great Crested Grebe - off North Wirral at high tide, most off Leasowe Lighthouse.
At least 1,000 Common Scoter flying west due north of Red Rocks, with 1,000+ on sea further west.
1 Great White Egret - Parkgate Marsh.
1 Little Stint - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Jan 19
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road this morning and 2 Siberian Chiffchaff reported - Burton Marsh.
3 Hen Harrier (ringtail) and 700 Pink-footed Geese - Parkgate Marsh this morning and the Harriers again this evening, also at least 1 Merlin.
430 Sanderling, 820 Grey Plover, 9,000 Dunlin and 11,000 Knot - Hoylake Shore at high tide.
2 Stonechat (pair) - Wallasey Golf course this afternoon.

Jan 18
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road this morning - Burton Marsh.
1 Little Stint, 1 Great White Egret and 2 Hen Harrier (ringtail) - Burton Mere Wetlands.
1 Slavonian Grebe, 1 Great Northern Diver, 230 Brent Geese and 15 Purple Sandpiper - Hilbre, also 12,000 Common Scoter out towards West Hoyle Wind Farm - easily the highest ever record on the Dee estuary, see the Hilbre Obs Blog for more details.
1 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 147 Golden Plover and 280 Bar-tailed Godwit - Heswall Shore as tide came in.
1 Snow Bunting on sea defence by Derby Pool, Wallasey Shore, also report of 1 Wheatear on golf course near by.

Jan 17
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road this morning - Burton Marsh.
14,000 Knot, 11,000 Dunlin, 540 Grey Plover, 180 Sanderling and 80 Bar-tailed Godwit - Hoylake Shore at high tide.
2 Great White Rgret and 2 Hen Harrier - Parkgate Marsh.
60+ Twite - Connah's Quay Reserve.

Jan 16
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road this morning - Burton Marsh.
8,000 Knot, 7,000 Dunlin, 300 Grey Plover and 380 Bar-tailed Godwit - Hoylake Shore at high tide.
110 Turnstone, 300 Redshank and 1,500 Dunlin - on rocks by the old baths - West Kirby Marine Lake at high tide.
1 Little Stint - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Jan 15
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road this morning - Burton Marsh.
1 Great Northern Diver and 3 Red-throated Diver off Red Rocks at high tide.
1 Little Stint showing well and 3 Goosander on 'fishing lake', also 1 Kingfisher and 1 Peregrine - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Jan 14
5 Hen Harrier (all ringtails) came into roost this afternoon - Parkgate Marsh.
52 Twite, 2 Greenshank and 3 Little Grebe plus good selection of the usual waders - Connah's Quay Reserve.
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road this morning, also 1 (poss 2) Siberian Chiffchaff - Burton Marsh.
1 Great White Egret - Parkgate Marsh.

Jan 13
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road this morning, also 1 Siberian Chiffchaff - Burton Marsh.
c500 Bar-tailed Godwit - Thurstaston Shore as tide went out, very few 'Blackwits'.

Jan 12
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road this morning, also 1 Siberian Chiffchaff - Burton Marsh.
1 Great White Egret and 1 Hen Harrier - Parkgate Marsh.
1 Greenshank and 250 Bar-tailed Godwit off Leasowe Lighthouse.
138 Golden Plover, 630 Lapwing, 1 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank plus good numbers of Black- and Bar-tailed Godwit but distant - Heswall Shore at low tide.

Jan 11
1 Buff-bellied Pipit bottom of Station Road earlier then 50 yards south of Nets Cafe at 3pm, also 1 (poss 2) Siberian Chiffchaff, 1+ Water Pipit, 2 Stonechat, 2 Merlin and 2 Hen Harrier (ringtail) - Burton Marsh.
1 Great White Egret, 3 Hen Harrier (ringtails, in view together) and 2 Merlin - Parkgate Marsh.

Jan 10
1 Great White Egret - Parkgate Marsh.
1 Little Stint and 1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) - Burton Mere Wetlands.
1,250 Bar-tailed Godwit - Leasowe Shore at low tide.

Jan 9
1 Buff-bellied Pipit, well seen through scope for 20 minutes at distance of 40 feet this morning - 50 yards south of Nets Cafe then flew back towards Station Road - Burton Marsh, also 1 Wheatear.
5 Chiffchaff by Neston Sewage Works, 2 Hen Harrier (ringtail) off Neston Reed Bed.
1 Great White Egret - Parkgate Marsh.

Jan 8
52 Twite - Connah's Quay Reserve.
1 Great White Egret and 24 Shoveler at Bevyl Road Flash, 1 Hen Harrier (imm male) flew north and a Sparrowhawk was mobbed by 20 Pied Wagtail - Parkgate Marsh.
1 Wheatear - bottom of Station Road, Burton Marsh.

Jan 7
1 Great White Egret and 2 Hen Harrier (ringtail) - Parkgate Marsh.
c200 Brent Geese flew over sea around Little Eye at high tide.
56 Twite - Connah's Quay Reserve.

Jan 6
1 Great White Egret, 350 Pink-footed Geese, 100 Skylark, 1 Hen Harrier, 1 Merlin and at least 2 Short-eared Owl - Parkgate Marsh.
1 Peregrine, 350 Sanderling, 220 Bar-tailed Godwit, 300 Grey Plover, 12,000 Knot and 4,000 Dunlin - Hoylake Shore at high tide.

Jan 5
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail), 1 Peregrine, 700 Teal, 120 Mallard and 29 Shoveler - Parkgate Marsh, early morning.
c57 Twite - Connah's Quay Reserve.
1 American Wigeon - Decca Pools, Burton Marsh.
1 Siberian Chiffchaff and 1 Wheatear - bottom of Station Road, Burton Marsh.
1 Short-eared Owl and 1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) - Parkgate Marsh.

Jan 4
5 Scaup at high tide, 1 Greenshank and 28 Ringed Plover on groyne, 1 Kingfisher along River Birket - Leasowe Lighthouse.
1 Great White Egret - off Bevyl Road, Parkgate Marsh, at 10am, later seen off Neston before returning to Parkgate, also 4 Short-eared Owl, 1 Merlin, 2 Hen Harrier (ringtail), 1 Peregrine,  20 Pied Wagtail, 30 Little Egret, 1,500+ Pink-footed Geese (on sea) and 500 Teal.
5 Whooper Swan (flew north), 1 Greenshank and 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Chiffchaff by sewage works - Target Road, Heswall Shore, before high tide.
7 Red-breasted Merganser, 3 Peregrine, 4 Merlin, 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Hen Harrier (distant ringtail), 6 Short-eared Owl, 1 Rock Pipit, 2 Twite and 100+ Skylark - Riverbank Road, Heswall/Cottage Lane, Gayton, at high tide.
220+ Brent Geese (pale-bellied) between Red Rocks and Hilbre at high tide.
1 Siberian Chiffchaff, 1 Wheatear and 2 Stonechat bottom of Station Road, also 2 Bewick's Swan, 1 Short-eared Owl and 1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) - Burton Marsh.
51 Red throated Diver, 1 Great Northern Diver and 1 Slavonian Grebe - Hoylake Shore.
1 Spotted Redshank and 40+ Twite - Connah's Quay Reserve.
1 Snow Bunting, 1 Jack Snipe landed near boardwalk - Red Rocks.
1 Siberian Chiffchaff on tidewrack between Decca Pools and Denhall Quay, also 1 Spotted Redshank near Harp Inn.
84 Red-throated Diver, 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Slavonian Grebe and 3 Shag - highlights from Hilbre, for more details see
http://www.hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/. 

Jan 3
8 Short-eared Owl, 4+ Water Rail, 2 Hen Harrier (ringtail), 1 Great White Egret, 1 Jack Snipe, 1 Peregrine and 1 Merlin - Parkgate Marsh/Gayton at high tide, owls were off Cottage Lane, Gayton.
1 ad w/pl Little Gull flew west past Wallasey Shore at high tide.
c1000 Pintail, c850 Teal, 3 Shoveler, 10 Red-breasted Merganser, 18 Pink-footed Geese, 12 Brent Geese, c3200 Redshank, 1 Greenshank, c825 Curlew, 13 Snipe, 2 Hen Harrier (both imm males), 2 Peregrine, 1 Merlin, 1 Kestrel, 2 Short-eared Owl, c260 Skylark - Riverbank Road, Heswall.
4 Short-eared Owl, c500 Pink-footed Geese and 1,200 Canada Geese - Burton Marsh at high tide, marsh was completely covered by the tide but still at least 0.5m lower than Dec 5th.
2 Hen Harrier (ringtail) and 3 Short-eared Owl - Burton Mere Wetlands.
6 Rock Pipit, 1 Water Pipit, c1,000 Black-tailed Godwit, c700 Pink-footed Geese and 5 Brent Geese - Neston Marsh off Moorside Road.
1 Snow Bunting - Red Rocks.
1 Hen Harrier, 1 Merlin, 1 Spotted Redshank, 2 Jack Snipe, around 200 Skylark, 30 Rock Pipit, 3 Water Pipit, 1 Lapland Bunting (possibly 2) and 2 Twite - Neston Old Quay.

Jan 2
1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Hen Harrier, 2 Peregrine, 1 Merlin, 1 Raven, 4 Brent Geese, 8 Red-breasted Merganser, c500 Teal and c1,000 Pintail - Riverbank Road, Heswall.
1 Great White Egret, 2 Hen Harrier, 3 Short-eared owl , 1 Peregrine, 2 Water Rail, 1 Jack Snipe, 1 Raven and 2,500+ Pink-footed Geese - Parkgate Marsh at high tide.
2 Wheatear, 1 Siberian Chiffchaff - bottom of Station Road, Burton Marsh.
c90 Twite by West Hide - Connah's Quay Reserve.

Jan 1
90+ Twite by West Hide - Connah's Quay Reserve.
1 Siberian Chiffchaff (report of 2 but see latest newsletter), 2 Wheatear and 4 Stonechat, no sign of Buff-bellied Pipit - bottom of Station Road, Burton Marsh.

Click here to see Archived latest sightings from September 2000.