Archived Latest Sightings -
July and August 2005.

Back to Latest Sightings

 
 
August 31 21 Little Egret, 3,100 Redshank and 1 Merlin - Heswall Shore at high tide, almost certainly a record number of egrets for Heswall, lots of other birds on the sandbank but too hazy for counts.
2 Bullfinch, 9 Grey Partridge and 4 Whimbrel - Thurstaston.
21 Greenshank, 6 Little Egret and 1 Little Owl - Parkgate.
2 Roseate Tern (ad and juv) sitting on buoys near slipway at Meols this morning.
1 Spotted Crake - Inner Marsh Farm.
August 30 8 Little Egret, 1964 Redshank, c200 Knot, c100 Dunlin, 1,080 Oystercatcher and 1227 Shelduck - Heswall Shore, also 1 Crossbill, 1 Wheatear (juv) and 2 Common Buzzard, and c300 Common Tern feeding out in the estuary.
3 Little Egret flew north then back south over West Kirby.
August 29 1 Spotted Crake, 1 Marsh Harrier (juv), 4 Wheatear, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 4 Ruff and 1 Spotted Redshank - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Barn Owl in fields by Dungeon Wood, Thurstaston, this evening.
August 28 1 Mediterranean Gull (2nd yr) on West Kirby Marine Lake, 3 Little Egret flying upriver.
1 Black Tern (juv) and 8 Greenshank - Parkgate Marsh, early morning.
1 Barn Owl and 23 Little Egret (possible Spoonbill) - Burton Marsh, early morning.
1 Spotted Crake - Inner Marsh Farm.
August 27 1 Spotted Crake - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Barn Owl, 1 Garden Warbler, 53 Collared Dove, 8 Grey Partridge (juv) - in fields, 22 Grey Plover on shore most in sum plumage - Leasowe Lighthouse.
August 26 7 Greenshank -  Boathouse Flash, Parkgate.
2 Wheatear and 2 Stonechat - Leasowe Lighthouse.
August 25 1 Spotted Crake, 1 Wood Sandpiper and 3 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm.
5 Whimbrel and 5 Little Egret - Heswall Shore.
1 Mediterranean Gull and 1 Storm Petrel - New Brighton.
500 Manx Shearwater - Hilbre, after high tide.
August 24 1 Peregrine - Hoylake Shore.
1 Mediterranean Gull and 1 Yellow-legged Gull off Leasowe Lighthouse.
2 Arctic Skua and 1 Kittiwake - Leasowe Gunsite.
2 Spotted Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 3 Water Rail and 1 Spotted Crake - Inner Marsh Farm.
August 23 1 Little Egret, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Greenshank and 1 Sand Martin - Hilbre Island.
August 21 1 Hobby - Cubbins Green,  West Kirby, also 200 Knot flew past.
119 Swallow and 23 house Martin on telephone wires by Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.
1 Curlew Sandpiper (juv), 600 Dunlin, 80 Knot, 19 Sanderling, 7 Grey Plover and 420 Oystercatcher - Bird Rock off Red Rocks at high tide.
2 Little Egret, 2 Peregrine, c3,000 Curlew and c4,000 Redshank - Heswall Shore.
1 Green Sandpiper - Decca Pools, Burton Marsh.
1 Kingfisher, 1 Wood Sandpiper and 1 Spotted Crake - Inner Marsh Farm, 87 Little Egret came in to roost last night - a record count!
August 20 1 Red Kite flying high and north over West Kirby.
17 Greenshank and 5 Little Egret - Boathouse Flash, Parkgate.
2 Curlew Sandpiper (juv), 550 Dunlin, 300 Ringed Plover, 60 Sanderling, 5 Grey Plover (1 sum plumage) and 800 Oystercatcher, also estimated 1,600 Herring Gull, 30 Great Black-backed Gull, 300 Lesser Black-backed, 200 Common Gull and 200 Black-headed Gull - Hoylake Shore at high tide.
10 Little Egret - Heswall Shore.
1 Barn Owl hunting - Meols.
August 19 1,200 Oystercatcher and 60 Common Tern - Little Eye.
27 Greenshank and 3 Little Egret - Boathouse Flash, Parkgate, 1 Marsh Harrier on the edge of the marsh.
1 Wood Sandpiper, 1 Spotted Redshank and 3 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm.
August 18 3 Mediterranean Gull (1st sum, 2nd sum and ad), 3 Kittiwake, 1 Peregrine, 3 Common Buzzard and 170 Black-tailed Godwit were among 24 species seen from today's Mersey Ferry birdwatching cruise out in to Liverpool Bay.
1 Peregrine, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 5 Little Egret, 4 Spotted Redshank, 100+ Black-tailed Godwit and 3 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm, and a distant view of a Marsh Harrier.
August 17 260 Common Tern and 40 Sandwich Tern - West Kirby Shore at high tide.
2 Wood Sandpiper, 2 Marsh Harrier, 3 Green Sandpiper and 4 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Spotted Redshank, 2 Ruff, 500 Knot, 1,000 Black-tailed Godwit and 3 Little Egret - Oakenholt Marsh.
1 Dipper - Swinchard stream, Flint.
3 Whimbrel and 1 Guillemot - Hilbre Island.
10 Greenshank - Boathouse Flash, Parkgate.
August 15 3 Wheatear, 7 Willow Warbler, 19 Sanderling and 2 Whimbrel - Red Rocks early morning.
1 Spotted Crake, 1 Marsh Harrier (fem), 2 Ruff and 1 Wood Sandpiper - Inner Marsh Farm.
3 Curlew Sandpiper and 1 Little Egret - Hilbre Island.
1 Hobby - Shotwick fields.
August 14 1 Great Skua, 2 Arctic Skua, 1 Kittiwake (juv), 2 Fulmar, 30+ Gannet, 5 Common Scoter and 1 Whimbrel - Hilbre Island early morning.
1 Marsh Harrier and 2 Green Sandpiper -  Burton Marsh.
1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail) - Boathouse Flash, Parkgate.
1 Spotted Crake and 1 Wood Sandpiper - Inner Marsh Farm.
August 13 1 Spotted Crake, 1 Wood Sandpiper and 1 Marsh Harrier -  Inner Marsh Farm, 52 Little Egret at last night's roost.
1 Marsh Harrier - Decca Pools, Burton Marsh.
1 Hen Harrier - Parkgate Marsh.
August 12 31 Greenshank, 1 Wood Sandpiper,  and 7 Little Egret - Parkgate, Boathouse Flash, 1 Hen Harrier over marsh.
3 Greenshank, 2 Little Egret and 1 Black Swan - Decca Pools, Burton Marsh.
57 Black-tailed Godwit off Cubbins Green, West Kirby.
1 Spotted Crake and 1 Marsh Harrier (fem)  -  Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Marsh Harrier (fem), 1 Hen Harrier (ring tail) and 5 Little Egret - Neston Reed Bed.
August 11 1,000 Knot past shore, 2 Common Buzzard overhead - West Kirby.
1 Marsh Harrier, 3 Little Egret, 4 Greenshank, 3,210 Oystercatcher, 2,000 Curlew and 1,560 Redshank - Heswall Shore.
August 10 1 Black Redstart (imm) in back gardens Stanley  Road, Hoylake, on north side about 8 houses from Red Rocks (same place as in the spring).
6 Greenshank and 3 Little Egret - Parkgate, Boathouse Flash.
1 Greenshank, 2 Water Rail (1 juv), 2 Common Buzzard, 3 Little Egret, 1 Spotted Crake and 58 Black-tailed Godwit -  Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Red Kite and 1 Raven over Gronant.
1 Barn Owl showing very well this evening - Burton Marsh.
August 9 1 Hen Harrier (ring tail) - Neston Reed Bed.
2 Marsh Harrier -  Inner Marsh Farm, evening.
August 8 5 Common Buzzard soaring over fields between West Kirby and Greasby.
3 Kingfisher on Arrowe Brook near Arrowe Park.
700 Black-tailed Godwit, 500 Knot, 200 Dunlin and 300+ Shelduck off Flint Point at low tide.
1 Spotted Crake - Inner Marsh Farm.
c2,000 Curlew, 1 Whimbrel heard, c1,000 Redshank, c100 Dunlin and 2 Little Egret - Heswall Shore.
1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling at bottom of Denhall Lane, Burton Marsh.
August 7 1 Merlin (m.) - West Kirby.

August Newsletter published.
August 6 4 Whimbrel, 1 Eider (f.) and 20 Little Tern -  Hilbre Island.
6 Wheatear - West Kirby Shore.
1 Spotted Crake and 4 Little Egret - Inner Marsh Farm.
August 5 1 Spotted Crake, 1 Water Rail, 80 - 100 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Little Ringed Plover (juv.) - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Hen Harrier (ring tail) - Burton Marsh.
August 4 3 Storm Petrel and 6 Kittiwake - Leasowe Gunsite.
80 Sanderling and 1 Peregrine - Red Rocks.
1 Spotted Crake, 3 Water Rail (2 juv) - Inner Marsh Farm.
August 3 16 Greenshank - Parkgate, Boathouse Flash.
2 Peregrine (1m and 1 juv) and 3 Little Egret - Point of Ayr.
2 Stonechat (pair) - West Kirby Shore.
1 Arctic Skua, 8 Gannet and loads of terns off Red Rocks this evening.
6 Little Egret, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Water Rail, 1 Spotted Crake (in front of hide) and 2 Common Buzzard - Inner Marsh Farm.
August 2 Huge numbers of gulls anting over  West Kirby this morning estimated to be - 9,000 Black-headed Gull, 700 Common Gull and 400 Common Gull, also 1 Cuckoo still in sand dunes.
August 1 240 Curlew, 1200 Oystercatcher and 60 Sandwich Tern  - West Kirby Shore at high tide, 1 Cuckoo in sand dunes.
8 Greenshank - Parkgate, Boathouse Flash.
1 Arctic Skua, 6 Gannet, 1 Eider (f.), 150 Sandwich Tern, 50 Common Tern and 10 Willow Warbler -  Hilbre Island.
July 31 1 Peregrine, 1 Arctic Skua, 10 Gannet, 4 Whimbrel, 1 Eider (f.) and 12 Little Tern -  Hilbre Island, high tide this morning.
1 Peregrine, 4 Little Egret, 10 Greenshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Ruff, 1 Spotted Crake and 1 Ruddy Shelduck - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Mediterranean Gull (juv) coming to bread at Ashton Park Lake, West Kirby.
1 Common Sandpiper on groyne at Leasowe.
July 30 1 Ruddy Shelduck, 2 Water Rail (juv) and 2 Common Tern (ad feeding juv) - Inner Marsh Farm.
14 Greenshank - Parkgate, Boathouse Flash.
2 Peregrine, 3 Whimbrel, 26 Sandwich Tern and 1 Sparrowhawk (m) - Red Rocks.
1 Whimbrel, 15 Knot, 25 Sanderling and 150 Sandwich Tern - Hoylake Shore.
July 29 225 Little Tern, 20 Common Tern, 5 Arctic Terns and 300+ Sandwich Tern - Gronant.
July 28 1 Ruddy Shelduck, 3 Water Rail (2 juv),  12 Little Egret and 1 Spotted Crake - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Cuckoo (juv.) by Leasowe Lighthouse.
July 27 350 Little Tern, 20 Common Tern and 330 Sandwich Tern - Gronant, also 100+ hirundine (Swallows/House Martins).
1 Ruddy Shelduck and 1 Spotted Crake - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Hobby caught Swift over West Kirby.
6 Whimbrel, 1 Eider (f.), 170 Sandwich Tern, 20 Common Tern and 6 Little Tern -  Hilbre Island.
July 26 c600 Black-tailed Godwit, c150 Knot, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Little Egret, 2 Raven and 1 Greenshank - Connah's Quay Reserve.
July 25 1 Ruddy Shelduck, 1 Spotted Crake, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshank and 20+ Little Egret - Inner Marsh Farm.
2 Mediterranean Gull (adult)  - West Kirby Shore.
2 Yellow-legged Gull, 1 Arctic Skua, 20 Sanderling and 12 Whimbrel - Hilbre Island.
July 24 1 Ruddy Shelduck and 1 Spotted Crake - Inner Marsh Farm.
2 Little Egret on saltmarsh - West Kirby.
3 Stonechat and 1 Wheatear - Red Rocks.
1 Arctic Skua, 215 Little Tern and 300+ Sandwich Tern - Gronant.
July 23 3 Little Egret, 2 Peregrine, 1 Whimbrel and thousands of Curlew and Redshank  (1 leucistic Redshank) at high tide - Heswall Shore, Osprey seen earlier.
2 Storm Petrel - Hilbre Island.
13 Greenshank and 8 Little Egret - Parkgate, Boathouse Flash.
July 22 1 Storm Petrel, c150 Sandwich Tern and 5 Arctic Skua - Hilbre Island, this morning before high tide.
1 Ruddy Shelduck, 3 Little Egret and 2 Greenshank this morning, 1 Hen Harrier (ring tail) this afternoon - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Arctic Tern fishing West Kirby Marine Lake.
July 21 21 Greenshank - Parkgate, Boathouse Flash.
1,200 Black-headed Gull, 60+ Herring Gull, 300+ Lesser Black-backed Gull, 300+ Sandwich Tern, 19 Common Tern and 2 Little Tern - West Kirby Shore before high tide.
6 Storm Petrel, 3 Arctic Skua, c50 Common Scoter, 100 Sandwich Tern, 7 Arctic Tern, 61 Common Tern, 12 Little Tern, 2 Guillemot, 3 Kittiwake, 1 Fulmar, 21 Gannet and 47 Manx Shearwater - Dove Point, Meols.
30 Storm Petrel and 2 Arctic Skua - Hilbre Island.
1 Ruddy Shelduck, 14 Little Egret, 15 Greenshank and 5 Spotted Redshank - Inner Marsh Farm.
July 20 1 Arctic Skua and 1 Peregrine over Little Tern colony, at least 45 Gannet, 54 Common Scoter, 12 Manx Shearwater and 260 Sandwich Tern - Gronant this morning.
2 Great Skua, 5 Arctic Skua, c100 Sandwich Tern, c75 Common Tern, c10 Arctic Tern, 11 Little Tern, 7 Kittiwake, 2 Fulmar, 30+ Gannet and 18 Manx Shearwater - Dove Point, Meols.
3 Storm Petrel and 10 Kittiwake over high tide, 2 Storm Petrel this afternoon - New Brighton.
1 Gannet in field between Meols and Moreton.
23 Storm Petrel - Hilbre Island, we think that's a record!!!
1 Ruddy Shelduck, 20 Greenshank and 5 Spotted Redshank - Inner Marsh Farm.
2 Storm Petrel and 35 Manx Shearwater - Hoylake.
July 18 175 Sandwich Tern around Little Hilbre as tide went out this morning, 100 Curlew by Little Eye.
1 Mediterranean Gull (ad) - West Kirby by Marine Lake.
4 Whimbrel and 1 Little Egret - Heswall Shore.
1 Ruddy Shelduck, 1 Greenshank, 3 Spotted Redshank and 1 Water Rail (juv.) - Inner Marsh Farm.
July 17 1 Mediterranean Gull (ad) - West Kirby this morning, on shore next to Marine Lake.
1 Whimbrel, 20 Turnstone, 200 Sandwich Tern, 10 Common Tern and the first returning Willow Warbler - Hilbre Island.
July 16 1 Osprey seen flying across Liverpool Bay from Formby Point towards North Wirral and Red Rocks.
July 15 2 Kingfisher on Arrowe Brook, near Arrowe Park.
450 Black-tailed Godwit, 500 Knot and 1 Spotted Redshank - Inner Marsh Farm.
852 Curlew, 400 Oystercatcher, 974 Redshank, 177 Shelduck, c500 Dunlin, 927 Black-headed Gull and 1 Mediterranean Gull (ad.) - Heswall Shore.
July 14 500 Knot flew south over West Kirby this morning.
1 Garganey - Inner Marsh Farm.
137 Sandwich Tern (ad and juv) on sand bank - Hilbre Island.
July 13 190 Sandwich Tern (lots of juv.) - Gronant.
500 Knot, 240 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Water Rail (juv.) - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Red-breasted Goose - Oakenholt, presumed escape.
1 Hobby chasing Swifts - West Kirby.
July 12 120 Sandwich Tern on sand bank with approx same again out to sea, 1 Peregrine and 1 Wheatear - Hilbre Island.
1 Arctic Skua and estimated 1,400 Herring Gull and 200 Lesser Black-backed Gull - West Hoyle Bank.
875 Curlew, 150 Oystercatcher, 320 Redshank, 740 Shelduck, 530 Black-headed Gull and 1 Mediterranean Gull (ad.) - Heswall Shore.
July 11 790 Curlew and about 2,000 Gulls, mostly Black-headed, seen through heat haze - Heswall Shore.
1 Peregrine over West Kirby, about 500 Black-headed Gull anting overhead this morning, quite early for flying ants but at least one nest of red ants was seen to be 'exploding' with them!
7 Little Egret, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Common Buzzard, 500+ Knot, 300+ Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Spotted Redshank and 2 Greenshank - Inner Marsh Farm.
July 10 1 Mediterranean Gull (2nd sum.) - Moreton brick pit.
265 Little Tern and approx. 100 Sandwich Tern - Gronant.
July 8 1 Mediterranean Gull,  14 Sandwich Tern (inc 2 juv.) and 10 Common Tern with about 300 Black-headed Gull - West Kirby Shore at high tide.
3 Gannet, 2 Great Crested Grebe and 1 Common Scoter, 30 or so Sandwich  and Common Terns a long way out - Red Rocks at high tide.
July 7 1 Mediterranean Gull,  730 Black-headed Gull, 1 Little Egret, 893 Curlew and 1,144 Shelduck - Heswall Shore.
4 Manx Shearwater, 2 Gannet, 27 Sandwich Tern, 30+ Common Tern and 2 Little Tern - Red Rocks at high tide.

July Newsletter published.
July 6 1 Green-winged Teal (drake), 1 Peregrine, 750 Knot, 450 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Spotted Redshank and 4 Greenshank, 4 Sandwich Tern flew over early - Inner Marsh Farm.
July 5 1 Mediterranean Gull (ad.), 3 Whimbrel, 230 Redshank, 400 Oystercatcher, 530 Curlew and 650 Shelduck at high tide - Heswall Shore.
July 4 3 Spotted Redshank, 3 Greenshank, 1 Sandwich Tern, 1 Green-winged Teal (drake), 300+ Black-tailed Godwit and 400+ Knot - Inner Marsh Farm.
July 3 1 Green-winged Teal (drake), 6 Spotted Redshank and 1 Greenshank - Inner Marsh Farm.
8 Gannet, 1 Fulmar, 2 Kittiwake, 3 Guillemot, 10 Sandwich Tern, c 100 Common Tern and 1 Common Sandpiper - Hilbre Island.
1 Yellow-legged Gull (moulting adult) - Leasowe.
July 2 1 Peregrine sitting on sand bank, plus the usual 20+ Common Tern out to sea - Red Rocks.
2 Common Buzzard and 5 Stonechat - Thurstaston by Wirral Way.
July 1 3 Spotted Redshank, 900+ Knot and 150 Black-tailed Godwit - Inner Marsh Farm.
  Back to Latest Sightings.