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Archived Latest Sightings:
January and February 2017.

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

Feb 28
10 Waxwing by Boathouse Pub, Parkgate, this morning, also 1 Merlin, 1 Peregrine and 1 Hen Harrier (male).
300 Black-tailed Godwit and 8 Knot in Caldy Wildfowl Collection (next to A540) and adjacent field.
10 Waxwing along Station Road, Thurstaston (halfway between Church and Visitor Centre) at 1115am (these are in addition to the ones at Parkgate).
10 Purple Sandpiper, 140 Turnstone and 360 Redshank - pontoon on New Brighton Marine Lake before high tide.
1 Marsh Harrier, 1 grey male Hen Harrier, 1 Merlin, 1 Peregrine, 7 Brent Geese, 8 Red-breasted Merganser, 3 Stonechat (2m, 1f) - Riverbank Road, Heswall over high tide.
1 Short-eared Owl and 1 Great White Egret - Denhall Quay.

Feb 27
9 Waxwing by Boathouse Pub, Parkgate at 1030am, also 1 Hen Harrier (male) and 1 Short-eared Owl.
8 Waxwing in private garden briefly - Parkgate.
1 Great White Egret, 1 Marsh Harrier (fem), 2 Short-eared Owl and 3 Raven - Denhall Quay.
2,000 Dunlin on rocks, 30 Brent Geese flew past into estuary - West Kirby Marine Lake.
190 Brent Geese off West Kirby Marsh at high tide.
22 Brent Geese - Hoylake Shore at high tide.
3 Great White Egret, 2 Hen Harrier (male and ringtail) and 2 Short-eared Owl - Burton Marsh.
2 Water Pipit - Burton Mere Wetlands.
1 Water Pipit - Neston Sewage Works.

Feb 26
9 Waxwing by Boathouse Pub, Parkgate at 1130am and still there at 2pm when they flew off but still plenty of berries, also 1 Hen Harrier (male) and 2 Peregrine.
1 Goosander (redhead) - West Kirby Marine Lake.
1 Greenshank by groyne - Meols Shore.
50 Twite by West Hide, 4 Spotted Redshank and 1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) - Connah's Quay Reserve.
1 Crossbill (seen from second screen) and 1 Cattle Egret - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Feb 25
1 Eider (drake) - Point of Ayr.
30 Twite by West Hide, 3 Spotted Redshank - Connah's Quay Reserve.
1 Peregrine, 2000 Knot, 1300 Redshank, 430 Curlew, 470 Black-tailed Godwit - Heswall Shore as tide came in.
2 Water Pipit by Neston Sewage Works.
1 Short-eared Owl - Denhall Quay.
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) - Old Baths, Parkgate.
1 Great White Egret - Burton Marsh.

Feb 24
250 Redshank, 60 Turnstone and 2,000 Dunlin on rocks by West Kirby Marine Lake at high tide.
3 Short-eared Owl and 1 male Hen Harrier - Denhall Quay.
2 Marsh Harrier, 2 Hen Harrier (ringtail and male), 1 Merlin and 1 Short-eared Owl - Old Baths, Parkgate, this evening.
8,300 Common Scoter (5,000 in Hilbre Swash) - Hilbre.

Feb 22
8 Waxwing along Irby Road between Woodlands Road and Townsend Avenue, early morning - Irby.
1 Red Kite over Little Neston this morning (also seen over Easthem early afternoon).
1 Scaup (fem) - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Feb 21
8 Waxwing along Irby Road between Woodlands Road and Townsend Avenue, but flighty - Irby.
350 Pink-footed Geese in field between Pensby and Irby, next to footpath which heads NE from the end of Woodlands Road.
1imm Marsh Harrier, 1 Peregrine, 1000 Knot, 1 Greenshank, 1160 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Raven, early morning - Thurstaston Shore.
1 Hen Harrier (male) - Parkgate Old Baths.
1 Waxwing in tall tree by Heswall Marsh.

Feb 20
9 Waxwing in tree along Irby Road opposite Porto Hey Road, at 1130am - Irby.
170 Pink-footed Geese in field between Pensby and Irby, next to footpath which heads NE from the end of Woodlands Road.
265 Pintail, 275 Teal, 1100 Knot, 1030 Black-tailed Godwit early morning - Thurstaston Shore.

Feb 19
8 Waxwing along Irby Road by junction with Towshend Ave, present both early morning and late afternoon - Irby.
1 Short-eared Owl - Denhall Quay.
1 Greenshank by groyne - Leasowe Lighthouse.

Feb 18
2 Avocet, 1 Ruff and 1 Cetti's Warbler - Burton Mere Wetlands.
2 Hen Harrier (male and ringtail), 1 Merlin and 1 Peregrine - Heswall Marsh.
35+ Twite by West Hide - Connah's Quay Reserve.

Feb 17
420 Pink-footed Geese in field between Pensby and Irby.
360 Pink-footed Geese flew over heading north, 251 Brent Geese - Hilbre, for more details and photos see Hilbre Obs Blog.
2 Marsh Harrier (fem), 2 Raven and 6 Whooper Swan - Burton Mere Wetlands.
1 Great White Egret - Burton Point.

Feb 15
5 Snow Bunting - Point of Ayr.
1,600 Black-tailedGodwit - Thurstaston Shore.
250 Pink-footed Geese flew up from fields by Irby and over Pensby School on way back to the marshes this afternoon.
1 Short-eared Owl - Hilbre.
1 Hen Harrier (grey male) - great views of one flying over field next to Wirral Way - Thurstaston.

Feb 14
1,680 Black-tailedGodwit - Thurstaston Shore as tide came in.
1,800 Dunlin on rocks by West Kirby Marine Lake at high tide.
2 Water Pipit in field by Neston sewage works.

Feb 13
1 Long-tailed Duck (fem) - Shotwick Boating Lake.
2 Marsh Harrier and 1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) - Denhall Quay.
1 Great White Egret - Burton Marsh.
1,350 Black-tailed Godwit - Thurstaston Shore as tide came in.
2,750 Dunlin on rocks by West Kirby Marine Lake at high tide, a spectacular display and so good to see this important roost site undisturbed despite the birds being only a few feet from the prom, many passer-bys stopped to ask what the birds were including 'are they swallows?'!!!

Feb 12
1 Long-tailed Duck (fem) - Shotwick Boating Lake.
1 Goosander (redhead) - Gilroy Duck Pond, West Kirby.
1 Hen Harrier (male) - Parkgate.
3 Spotted Redshank and 60+ Twite - Connah's Quay Reserve.
2 Hen Harrier (male and ringtail) and 1 Marsh Harrier - Riverbank Road, Heswall.
1 Greenshank and 1 Peregrine by groyne - Meols Common.
1 Siberian Chiffchaff in private garden - Flint.
10 Purple Sandpiper on pontoon, 1 Kingfisher briefly - New Brighton Marine Lake.
36 Mandarin duck - Arrowe Park.
2 Snow Bunting - Red Rocks.
116 Brent Geese and 7,000 Dunlin - West Kirby Shore.

Feb 11
8 Waxwing and 2 Redwing in Rowan Tree junction of Thurstaston Road and A540 at 4pm -Heswall.
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) - Riverbank Road, Heswall.
1 Long-tailed Duck (fem) - Shotwick Boating Lake.
1 Hen Harrier and 1 Marsh Harrier - Parkgate.
2,500 Dunlin, 200 Redshank and 70 Turnstone on rocks by West Kirby Marine Lake at high tide.

Feb 10
3 Scaup, 3 Red-throated Diver, 550 Common Scoter and 50+ Great Crested Grebe - Hilbre, for more details see Hilbre Obs Blog.
3 Scaup off Dee SC causeway as tide went out - Thurstaston Shore.
1 Hen Harrier (grey male), 2 Dabchick, 174 Golden Plover, 730 Lapwing, 2 Greenshank, 720 Black-tailed Godwit, 245 Bar-tailed Godwit - Heswall Shore as tide came in.
2 Goosander, 3 Red-breasted Merganser and 1 Goldeneye - West Kirby Marine Lake.

Feb 9
1 Hen Harrier (grey male) - Parkgate, near Old Baths just 50m from road.
1,500 Dunlin on rocks by West Kirby Marine Lake at high tide.
50+ Twite (by West Hide at high tide), 1 Commoon Sandpiper and 1 Greenshank - Connah's Quay Reserve.

Feb 8
9 Waxwing by junction of A540 and Thurstaston Road, Heswall, this morning.
1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Short-eared Owl and 1 Merlin - Denhall Quay.
285 Bar-tailed Godwit and 1,100 Black-tailed Godwit - Heswall Shore, at high tide.

Feb 7
1 Snow Bunting by slipway - Red Rocks.
10 Waxwing in private garden - Parkgate.
2 Spotted Redshank, 4 Greenshank and 1 Common Sandpiper - Connah's Quay Reserve.
18 Little Grebe, 1 Green Sandpiper and 5 Whooper Swan - Shotwick Boating Lake and fields.
1 Greenshank feeding on mud south of West Kirby Marine Lake.
4 Scaup and 4 Purple Sandpiper - Hilbre.
1 Short-eard Owl - Decca Pools.

Feb 6
5 Snow Bunting on beach - Gronant (near site of Little Tern colony).
2 Great White Egret and 3 Marsh Harrier (2 fem and 1 juv) - Burton Marsh.
1 Snow Bunting by slipway - Red Rocks.
306 Brent Geese - Hilbre, another record high for the island.

Feb 5
7 Black-necked Grebe (on the Dee pools next to wooden framework just south of the reserve), 22 Twite, 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Spotted Redshank - Connah's Quay Reserve.
3 Great White Egret off Burton Point.
21 Waxwing by junction of A540 and Thurstaston Road, Heswall at 1015am.
4 Scaup, 1 Red-throated Diver, 1 Great Northern Diver and c80 Common Scoter - Hilbre.
1 Snow Bunting by slipway - Red Rocks.
617 Common Scoter off Leasowe Lighthouse this morning.
1 Merlin, 820 Lapwing, 132 Golden Plover, 4000 Knot, 2 Greenshank, 365 Black-tailed Godwit - Thurstaston Shore early morning.
1  ringtail Hen Harrier, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Peregrine (one on post far side - while one flew overhead) and 2 Stonechat (pair) - Old Baths, Parkgate.

Feb 4
25 Waxwing by junction of A540 and Thurstaston Road, Heswall, this afternoon.
300 Pink-footed Geese in field inland of Denhall Lane (escaped Harris Hawk also seen) - Burton Marsh.
5 Scaup - Hilbre.

Feb 3
2 Great White Egret - Burton Marsh.
5 Scaup and 173 Brent Geese - Hilbre.

Feb 2
1 Brambling in finch flock - private garden, Heswall.
2 Hen Harrier (ringtail), 2 Marsh Harrier (fem and juv) and 1 Peregrine - Old Baths, Parkgate.
1 Snow Bunting - Red Rocks.
1 Peregrine, 155 Golden Plover and 250 Pintail - Heswall Shore.
2,200 Black-tailed Godwit, 5,000 Dunlin and 2,000 Lapwing - Oakenholt Marsh.
50+ Twite, 1 Common Sandpiper, 5 Greenshank, 2 Spotted Redshank and 21 Common Snipe - Connah's Quay Reserve.
5,000 Pintail and 3,000+ Wigeon in River Dee channel off Oakenholt/Connah's Quay.

Feb 1
850 Wigeon, 300 Pintail and 8 pale bellied Brent Geese - Point of Ayr.
1 Hen Harrier (male) and 2 Stonechat (pair) - Denhall Quay.
1 Woodcock along Lingham Lane, 150 Great Crested Grebe off shore - Leasowe Lighthouse, see  Lighthouse birding blog for further details.

Jan 31
21 Waxwing by junction of A540 and Thurstaston Road, Heswall, at 2.20pm.
2 Goldeneye and 5 Red-breasted Merganser - West Kirby Marine Lake.
1 Great White Egret, 2 ringtail Hen Harrier and 1 Peregrine, report of 40+ Twite - Old Baths, Parkgate.
1 Marsh Harrier - Burton Marsh this evening.
1 Marsh Harrier - Burton Mere Wetlands.
1 Water Pipit - Neston Sewage Works.
6+ Purple Sandpipers - New Brighton Marine Lake.

Jan 30
20 Waxwing by junction of A540 and Thurstaston Road, Heswall, this morning.
2 Goosander, 11 Red-breasted Merganser and 3 drake Goldeneye - West Kirby Marine Lake, after high tide.
21 Waxwing by junction of A540 and Thurstaston Road, Heswall, at 2pm.
5 Scaup and 3 Purple Sandpiper - Hilbre.
60+ Twite - Connah's Quay Nature Reserve.
3 Hen Harrier (2 male, 1 ringtail) and 3 Marsh Harrier - Parkgate Marsh.

Jan 29
1 Snow Bunting on tide line near Lifeboat Station - Hoylake before high tide.
20 Waxwing by junction of A540 and Thurstaston Road, Heswall, late morning.
1 Greenshank on groyne - Leasowe Lighthouse.
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) off Cottage Lane, Heswall.
1 Marsh Harrier (fem) - Parkgate Marsh.
8 Brent Geese, 2 Goosander (fem), 6 Red-breasted Merganser (4m, 2f) and 1 Goldeneye - West Kirby Marine Lake.
4 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 30-40 Twite, 1 Peregrine, 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Merlin - Connah's Quay Nature Reserve.

Jan 28
29 Waxwing in Rowan tree by junction of A540 and Thurstaston Road, Heswall, at 4pm.
11 Waxwing top of Thurstaston Road, Heswall, at first light then flew towards Heswall Dales at 0840am.
3 Hen Harrier (2 males together in flight and 1 ringtail briefly seen), 3 Marsh Harrier (all females) and 4 Peregrine (2 perched together, 1 perched on its own, 1 flying) seen from Donkey Stand, Parkgate.

Jan 27
2,200 Black-tailed Godwit - Thurstaston shore, great views of them feeding close to the beach before and after high tide, 17 colour-ringed.
17 Waxwing - topend of Thurstaston Road by junction with A540, Heswall this afternoon.
4 Waxwing briefly at bottom of Black Horse Hill, West Kirby around mid-day, flew south.
1 Hen Harrier (grey male) flying over fields below Dungeon Wood, Thurstaston.

Jan 26
40+ Twite by West Hide, also 3 Spotted Redshank - Connah's Quay Nature Reserve.

Jan 25
2 Marsh Harrier, 2 ringtail Hen Harrier, 1 Merlin, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Greenshank, 40 Skylark and 6 Rock Pipit on or over salt marsh, 4 Water Pipit (2 by stream and 2 feeding in field with Meadow Pipits) - Neston Old Quay, see  Lighthouse birding blog for further details.
1 Cattle Egret - Burton Mere Wetlands, seen earlier on Burton Marsh.
2 Long-tailed Duck, 3 Red-throated Diver and 283 Great Crested Grebe off Hoylake Shore.

Jan 24
2,875 Black-tailed Godwit, 190 Bar-tailed Godwit and 870 Redshank, 360 Pink-footed Geese over heading south - Thurstaston shore.
1 Hen Harrier (male) - Burton Mere Wetlands.
40+ Twite and 2 Greenshank this morning at Connah's Quay Nature Reserve.

Jan 23
1 Brambling - Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.
1 Mediterranean Gull - Leasowe Lighthouse.
1 Hen Harrier (male) - Parkgate.

Jan 22
1 Scaup and 262 Brent Geese - Hilbre.
13 Waxwing by Wirral Way at Heswall Golf Club, 3.45pm.
3 Great White Egret - Burton Marsh.
5+ Bewick's Swan - Shotwick Fields.
1,600+ Black-tailed Godwit, 520 Pintail and 340 Teal - Thurstaston shore.
1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Kingfisher, large numbers of Wigeon - Connah's Quay Reserve.
1 Goosander (fem) - West Kirby Marine Lake.
10+ Marsh Harrier coming into roost in the reed beds Neston/Parkgate, also 3 Hen Harrier (2 ringtail and 1 male).

Jan 21
370 Pink-footed Geese in field below Dungeon Wood, Thurstaston.
230 Skylark flew west over Riverbank Road, Heswall, over a period of an hour at first light.

Jan 20
1 Snow Bunting, 1 Long-tailed Duck and 3 Scaup - Hilbre.
2 Goosander (fem) - West Kirby Marine Lake.
2 Short-eared Owl and 1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) - Denhall Quay.

Jan 19
1 Goosander and 8 Red-breasted Merganser - West Kirby Marine Lake.
600 Pintail, 360 Teal, 192 Golden Plover, 970 Lapwing, 3000 Knot, 4000 Dunlin, 1 Greenshank, 2330 Black-tailed Godwit - Thurstaston shore on rising tide.

Jan 18
2 Short-eared Owl and 2 Stonechat (pair) - Denhall Quay (in front of Harp Inn).
1,750 Black-tailed Godwit, 5,000 Knot and 4,000 Dunlin - Thurstaston shore on rising tide.
1 Water Rail heard - Red Rocks Marsh.
1 Goosander and 5 Red-breasted Merganser - West Kirby Marine Lake.

Jan 17
2 Marsh Harrier, 2 Ruff and c5,000 Lapwing - Burton Mere Wetlands.
3 Scaup (males) off Hilbre.
1 Snow Bunting - by Pinfold steps, West Kirby Shore.
c500 Pink-footed Geese headed north over Gilroy Scrape, West Kirby, this morning.
11 Purple Sandpiper - New Brighton Marine Lake.

Jan 16
1 Hen Harrier (male) - Burton Mere Wetlands.
3,000 Black-tailed Godwit - Thurstaston Shore before high tide.
290 Brent Geese along the edge of West Kirby saltmarsh at high tide.

Jan 15
10 Spotted Redshank (middle hide) and 50+ Twite (west hide) - Connah's Quay Reserve.
1 Great White Egret and 2 Hen Harrier - Parkgate.
1 Snow Bunting - Red Rocks.
201 Brent Geese along the edge of West Kirby saltmarsh at high tide.
1 drake Common Scoter,  290 Teal, 1 male Hen Harrier, 188 Golden Plover, 690 Lapwing, 700 Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 2800 Black-tailed Godwit - Thurstaston/Heswall Shore before high tide.
1 Goosander (redhead) and 2 Shoveler - Gilroy duck pond (not the scrape!), West Kirby.
10 Purple Sandpiper, 700 Redshank, 100 Turnstone, 10 Knot and 10 Dunlin on the pontoon, New Brighton Marine Lake.

Jan 14
298 Brent Geese - Hilbre, record count for the island although there has been one higher count for the estuary this winter.
18 Purple Sandpiper, 170 Turnstone, 960 Redshank and 140 Dunlin on pontoon, New Brighton Marine Lake before high tide.
1 Green-winged Teal (drake) - Burton Mere Wetlands.
1 Snow Bunting, 58 Brent Geese and 2,000 Dunlin roosting at high tide - Red Rocks.
2 Great White Egret, 3 Marsh Harrier, 3 Peregrine, 1 Merlin, 3 Hen Harrier (incl grey male) which came in at dusk and 1 Yellowhammer which flew over - Parkgate.
1 Goosander and 3 Red-breasted Merganser - West Kirby Marine Lake.

Jan 13
1 Short-eared Owl, 2 Peregrine, 3 Marsh Harrier and 1 Merlin  off Cottage Lane, Heswall at high tide.
4,000 Knot, 2,000 Dunlin, 200 Grey Plover, 2,000 Oystercatcher and a large gull roost including 3,500 Herring Gull - Hoylake Shore at high tide.
1 Goosander - West Kirby Marine Lake.
3 Marsh Harrier (1 fem and 2 juvs), 1 Hen Harrier (ringtail), 1 Merlin and 1 Peregrine - Parkgate.
2 Peregrine and 1 Water Rail - Riverbank Road, Heswall.
3 Spotted Redshank and 30+ Twite - Connah's Quay Reserve.
1 Great White Egret, 2 Whooper Swan (Marsh Covert lagoon) and 6 Bewick's Swan (from IMF hide) - Burton Mere Wetlands.
The expected tidal surge didn't appear here on the Dee Estuary so tide didn't reach Parkgate and barely reached Riverbank Road, but it did mean there was some beach left at Hoylake for roosting waders.

Jan 12
17 Brent Geese - Hoylake Shore.
1 Peregrine - Leasowe Lighthouse.
5 Bewick's Swan, 30 Whooper Swan and 3 Black Swan - Shotwick Fields.
60+ Twite by West Hide - Connah's Quay Reserve.

Jan 11
5 Great White Egret - Burton Mere Wetlands at dawn before flying off.
50+ Twite by West Hide, 9 Spotted Redshank by Middle Hide - Connah's Quay Reserve.
17 Brent Geese - West Kirby Shore after high tide, which later moved around the corner to Hoylake shore in the afternoon.
470 Pink-footed Geese in field north of Thurstaston Visitor Centre.
1 male Hen Harrier, 1 Peregrine and 21 Brent Geese - Riverbank Road, Heswall.
1 Jack Snipe, 17 Common Snipe and 4 Rock Pipit flushed by incoming tide - Heswall Shore by Target Road.

Jan 10
5 Brent Geese - West Kirby Marine Lake.
5 Scaup - Hilbre.

Jan 9
610 Pink-footed Geese in field next to over-flow car park - Thurstaston Visitor Centre.
1 Short-eared Owl, 1 male Merlin and 1 Male Hen Harrier (gave great close views) - Denhall Quay.

Jan 8
11 Brent Geese and 2 Scaup - West Kirby Marine Lake.
3 Waxwing Grange Cross Lane, Newton, briefly this afternoon 'very flighty' - West Kirby.

Jan 7
6 Waxwing Grange Cross Lane, Newton, briefly this morning before flying NW - West Kirby.
45 Brent Geese - West Kirby Marine Lake this morning, the highest ever number for the site, also 3 Goosander and 3 Red-breasted Merganser this afternoon.
c30 Mandarin Duck - Arrowe Park Lake.

Jan 6
1 Marsh Harrier, 163 Golden Plover, 1 Greenshank, 60+ Skylark flew south, 2 Twite (150m south of Sheldrakes with small finch flock) - Heswall Marsh this morning.
2,600 Black-tailed Godwit - Thurstaston Shore.

Jan 5
3 Marsh Harrier - Burton Marsh.
1 Water Pipit, 1 Marsh Harrier and 20 Siskin - Burton Mere Wetlands.
4 Waxwing briefly in Greasby garden this morning.
2,550 Black-tailed Godwit - Thurstaston Shore.
1 Snow Bunting and 2 Scaup (drake) - Hilbre.
4 Hen Harrier (incl 1 grey male) - Parkgate.

Jan 4
2 Marsh Harrier - Denhall Quay.
2 Scaup and 1 Velvet Scoter - Hilbre.
47 Wigeon in wildfowl collection by Column Road - West Kirby.
1 Goldeneye, 1 Goosander (redhead) and 3 Red-breasted Merganser - West Kirby Marine Lake.
1 Hen Harrier (male) - Parkgate.
1 Short-eared Owl - Burton Marsh.
400+ Pink-footed Geese in field adjacent to overflow car park - Thurstaston Visitor Centre.

Jan 3
45 Brent Geese - Red Rocks Marsh.

Jan 2
2 Scaup (males) - Hilbre.
1 Grey Wagtail, 8+ Common Snipe and 24 Black-tailed Godwit - Gilroy Scrape.
1 Green Sandpiper on stream and 2 Water Pipit (one on sprinklers and one over, 6 Chiffchaff in area - Neston Sewage Works.
2 Marsh Harrier and 1 Hen Harrier - Neston Old Quay.

Jan 1
1 Short-eared Owl, 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Hen Harrier, 1 Merlin and 1 Water Rail (seen and heard) Decca Pools.
370 Bar-tailed Godwit and 2,650 Black-tailed Godwit - Thurstaston Shore.

Click here to see Archived latest sightings from September 2000.