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   Archived Latest Sightings -
January and February 2002.

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February 28

7 Short-eared Owl, 2 Peregrine Falcon, 2 Merlin, 1 Hen Harrier, 1 Little Egret, 1 Jack Snipe, several Brambling and 2 Water Rail - Parkgate Marsh at high tide.
4 Spotted Redshank, 40 Black-tailed Godwit, 18 Ruff and 1 Peregrine - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Yellow-browed Warbler - In wood inland from Point of Ayr (SJ113833).

February 27

1 Little Egret and 4 Spotted Redshank - Inner Marsh Farm.
2 Short-eared Owl, 2 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Merlin, 1 Sparrowhawk - Parkgate Marsh at high tide.
1 Short-eared Owl - Heswall marsh off Riverbank Road.
1 Water Pipit and 1 Little Egret - Neston Old Quay.
1 Little Egret - Denhall Quay (near Harp Inn).
65 Twite, 600 Black-tailed Godwit and 50 Pink-footed Goose - Flint Castle.
1 Short-eared Owl - Gronant.
10 Little Gull, 2 Great Northern Diver, 1 Snow Bunting, 1 Spotted Redshank, 25 Brent Goose, 3 Merlin, 2 Peregrine and a probable Water Pipit - Point of Ayr.

February 26

1 Green-winged Teal (drake) - Inner Marsh Farm.
6 Great Northern Diver and 6 Scaup - Point of Ayr.

February 25

44 Ringed Plover - On sea wall at Moreton.

February 24

200+ Bar-tailed Godwit and 4 Stonechat - Leasowe Shore.

February 23

11 Spotted Redshank and 30 Black-tailed Godwit - Inner Marsh Farm.
2 Smew (1 drake) - Shotwick Boating Lake.
200 Bar-tailed Godwit - Leasowe Shore.

February 22

9 Spotted Redshank, 1 Little Egret and 8 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm.

February 21

1 Little Egret, 23 Bewick's Swan, 1 Barn Owl and 3 Smew (2 drake) - Inner Marsh Farm.
40 Black-tailed Godwit - Caldy Wildfowl collection (just across the A540 from Stapledon Wood).
35 Brent Goose (3 dark-bellied, 32 light-bellied) - Hilbre Island.

February 20

6 Spotted Redshank, 1 Little Egret, 6 Ruff and 3 Smew (2 drake) - Inner Marsh Farm, the Smew also seen on Shotwick Boating Lake.
58 Black-tailed Godwit - Caldy Wildfowl collection (just across the A540 from Stapledon Wood).
4 Little Gull - Leasowe Shore.

February 19

4 Little Egret - Neston Marsh.

February 18

4 Water Pipit, Little Egret and Brambling - Neston Old Quay.
4 Spotted Redshank and 3 Smew (2 drake) - Inner Marsh Farm.
140 ringed Plover high tide at Hoylake, Kings Gap.
15,000 mixed wader flock mainly Dunlin with some Oystercatcher, Redshank and Knot - 2 hours before and after high tide Hoylake/Meols Shore.

February 17

Estimate of numbers as tide came in: 300 Shelduck, 100 Black-tailed Godwit, 10,000 Oystercatcher, 2,000 Knot and 2,000 Redshank - Heswall Shore.
73 Great Crested Grebe and 29 Little Gull off shore, also 1 Stonechat (female) - Old Gunsite Leasowe.
3 Little Egret - Parkgate Marsh.
2 Little Egret - Burton Marsh, and 2 Stonechat Denhall Lane.
4 Water Pipit - Neston Old Quay.
11 Ruff, 1 Spotted Redshank, 3 Smew (2 drake), 2 Stonechat, 5 Goldneye and 1 Barn Owl - Inner Marsh Farm.

February 15

2 Scaup (male) -  West Kirby Marine Lake.
2 Short-eared Owl and 5 Tufted Duck - Moreton Clay Pit (near Leasowe Lighthouse).

February 14

220 Pink-footed Goose flying north over West Kirby, looking glorious against a clear blue sky.
85 Black-tailed Godwit, 250 Knot, 250 Dunlin, 350 Shelduck and 8,000 Oystercatcher - Thurstaston Shore at low tide.
7 Great Crested Grebe and 6 Common Scoter off Red Rocks.
2 Short-eared Owl - Talacre sand dunes.

February 13

3 Little Egret - Denhall Quay.

February 12

12 Brent Goose (pale bellied) and 2,000 Oystercatcher - Little Eye.

February 11

2 Peregrines dive bombed group of waders (Knot and Dunlin) just as they had settled down to roost on boulders West Kirby Marine Lake, 6 Turnstone stayed put. 
1 Common Scoter (male) came ashore at West Kirby shore at high tide, didn't fly but seemed uninjured, presumed exhausted, last seen walking out to Hilbre!
 3 Great-crested Grebe, 2 Little Gull and 1 Red-throated Diver - Red Rocks.
2 Smew (pair), 1 Spotted Redshank, 2 Ruff, 30 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Peregrine - Inner Marsh Farm.

February 10

15 Pintail (flying west), 8 Little Gull, 2 Stonechat, 3,000 Dunlin and 700 Oystercatcher - Leasowe Gunsite/ Groynes.
1,200 Lapwing and 700 Curlew - fields behind Leasowe Lighthouse.
2 Spotted Redshank and 1,500 Black-tailed Godwit - Connah's Quay reserve.

February 9

6 Spotted Redshank, 3 Ruff and 250 Black-tailed Godwit - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Slavonian Grebe, 75 Little Gull and 40 Red-throated Diver - Hoylake Shore.
4 Great Northern Diver and 5 Little Gull - Point of Ayr.

February 8

2 Spotted Redshank, pair of Stonechat, 6 Ruff, 1 Smew (red head) and a Wigeon x American Wigeon hybrid (or possible American Wigeon) - Inner Marsh Farm.
At Least 8 Brambling - Parkgate Marsh.
2 Peregrine - Heswall Shore.
95 Black-tailed Godwit with the usual thousands of Oystercatcher - Caldy Shore.
6 Goldeneye, 3 Red-breasted Merganser and 1 Peregrine - West Kirby Marine Lake.

February 6

1 drake Green-winged Teal, 4 Spotted Redshank and 5 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm.
3 Little Gull (1w) and 1 Great Northern Diver - Point of Ayr.
36 Brent Goose - Hilbre Island.

February 5

6 Snow Bunting - Point of Ayr by Lighthouse.
3 Little Egret - Parkgate Marsh.
Little Egret and 13 Bewick's Swan - Burton Marsh.

February 4

6 Brambling in mixed finch flock on feeders in gardens - West Kirby, Burlingham Avenue.

February 3

28 Brent Goose, 7 Purple Sandpiper, 40 Sanderling, 2 Little Gulls and 1 Mediterranean Gull - Hilbre Island.
100 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Green-winged Teal (drake), Spotted Redshank and 2 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm.
2 Short-eared Owl, 1 Peregrine, 1 Merlin and 5 Brambling - Parkgate at high tide.
1 Little Egret -  Neston Old Quay.

February 2

450 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Green-winged Teal (drake), 65 Shoveler and  9 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm.
2 Little Egret - Denhall Quay.
Small flock of Brambling still at Parkgate Old Baths and the Dark-bellied Brent Goose still coming to feed on the marsh at West Kirby at high tide, superb views.
4 Little Gull and 35 Pintail - Hoylake Shore.
3 Stonechat, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3+ Water Rail and 2 Rock Pipit - Red Rocks.

February 1

12 Short-eared Owl, 16 Water Rail and 1 Little Egret - Parkgate at high tide, tide came right up to, and almost over the wall.
1,600 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Green-winged Teal (drake), 49 Shoveler, 9 Spotted Redshank, 11 Ruff, 900 Dunlin and 1 Greenshank - Inner Marsh Farm.
20+ Brent Goose - Heswall Shore.

January 31

2 Short-eared Owl - Point of Ayr, Talacre sand dunes.
2 Little Egret - Harp Inn.
3 Short-eared Owl, 2 Peregrine, 2 Merlin, 2 Little Egret, 40+ Pink-footed Goose, 9 Bewick's Swan and 20 Brambling - Parkgate at high tide.
1,500 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Green-winged Teal (drake), 3 Spotted Redshank - Inner Marsh Farm.
10 Bewick's Swan and 2 Whooper Swan - Neston Old Quay.

January 30

1 Little Gull (1w), Spotted Redshank, Merlin and Scaup - Point of Ayr.
3+ Short-eared Owl and several Brambling in finch flock 80 strong - Heswall off golf course.
2 Little Egret - Harp Inn.
1 Brent Goose (dark-bellied) - West Kirby Shore.
12 (possibly as many as 15) Short-eared Owl, 1 Little Egret, 2 Merlin, 1 Peregrine and several Brambling - Parkgate at high tide.
22 Brent Goose (pale bellied) and 4,000 Oystercatcher - Little Eye, half the geese flew to Point of Ayr and other half towards Heswall an hour before high tide.
15+ Little Gull - Hoylake Shore, a long way out.
4 Little Egret - Burton Marsh Decca Pools.

January 29

390 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Peregrine - Heswall Shore.
2 Short-eared Owl - Point of Ayr.
1 Brent Goose - West Kirby Shore.
20 Brent Goose - Hilbre Island.

January 28

8,000 Dunlin - West Kirby at high tide, stormy!
12 Spotted Redshank and 7 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Merlin - Heswall Shore.

January 27

1,020 Black-tailed Godwit - Flint Castle, with another 300 at Connah's Quay.
2 Smew (pair), 1 Green-winged Teal (drake), 2 Stonechat and 30+ Pink-footed Goose (flying over) - Inner Marsh Farm.
Water Pipit -  Neston Old Quay.

January 26

3 Smew (2 drake), 1 Green-winged Teal (drake), 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Merlin and 6 Common Buzzard - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Little Egret - Denhall Quay.
3 Little Egret, 9 Brambling and several Twite -  Parkgate Marsh.
20 Bewick's Swan and a Black Swan - Burton Marsh.

January 25

15 Bewick's Swan - Denhall Quay.
1 Smew (red head) and 1 Brambling - Inner Marsh Farm.
8 Brambling by  Parkgate Golf Course.

January 24

3 Little Egret and 6 Bewick's Swan - Burton Marsh.
1 Smew (red head), 9 Spotted Redshank, 5 Ruff and 25 Black-tailed Godwit - Inner Marsh Farm.

January 23

4 Twite and 2 Reed Bunting - Flint Castle.
2 Smew (pair) and 28 Pochard - Inner Marsh Farm.

January 22

3 Little Egret, 7 Whooper Swan and 35 Bewick's Swan -  Denhall Quay.
2 Water Pipit -  Neston Old Quay.
15 Brent Goose (pale-bellied) and 2 Purple Sandpiper - Hilbre Island.
25 Brambling -  Parkgate Golf Course.

January 21

57 Scaup off Leasowe

January 20

1 Green-winged Teal (drake), 3 Spotted Redshank, 8 Bewick's Swan and 1 Smew (red head)  - Inner Marsh Farm.
3 Water Pipit, 14 Bewick's Swan, 1 Peregrine and 4 Little Egret -  Neston Old Quay.
15 Brent Goose (pale-bellied) and 2 Purple Sandpiper - Hilbre Island.

January 19

1 Peregrine, 10,000+ Knot, 600 Black-tailed Godwit and 12 pale-bellied Brent Geese which flew in from Hilbre - Heswall Shore.
25 Bewick's Swan, 1 Spotted Redshank and Smew  - Inner Marsh Farm.
15 Brent Goose (pale-bellied), 30 Turnstone, 40 Redshank, 2 Little Gull and 4 Red-breasted Meganser  - Hilbre Island.

January 18

2 Smew (pair) - Inner Marsh Farm.
2 Little Egret, 7 Whooper Swan and 17 Bewick's Swan -  Denhall Quay.
1 Merlin, 2 Peregrine, 1 Spotted Redshank, 2,670 Shelduck and 1,350 Black-tailed Godwit - Heswall Shore.

January 17

1 Woodcock flew over Montgomery Hill road towards Royden Park.
40 Redshank, 30 Ringed Plover, 30 Sanderling, 2,000 Dunlin and 240 Grey Plover - West Kirby Shore, counted by DEVW.
10 Brent Goose - Hilbre Island.
900 Pintail and 50 Black-tailed Godwit between Mostyn and Point of Ayr.

January 16

4,700 Bar-tailed Godwit, 29,000 Knot and 24,500 Dunlin  - Hoylake Shore (Kings Gap). 
2 Smew (drakes), 4 Great-crested Grebe and 1 Little Grebe  - Shotwick boating lake.
2 Stonechat - Shotwick fields.
6 Ruff and 11 Pochard - Inner Marsh Farm.

January 15

'Vast numbers' of Knot an hour before high tide - Hoylake Shore (Kings Gap). 
80 Turnstone and 10 Purple Sandpiper - West Kirby Marine Lake wall, 22 Red-breasted Merganser and 14 Goldeneye on the lake. 
12 Brent Goose - Little Eye.
1,250 Black-tailed Godwit - Heswall and Thurstaston Shore, moving north as the tide went out.

January 14

1,100 Oystercatcher, 232 Ringed Plover, 560 Grey Plover, 35,000 Knot, 21,000 Dunlin, 4,500 Bar-tailed Godwit, 197 Sanderling, 711 Curlew and 384 Redshank - Hoylake Shore (Kings Gap). 
120 Turnstone - West Kirby Marine Lake wall.
2 Water Pipit and 2 Little Egret -  Neston Old Quay.

January 13

260 Shelduck - Little Eye.
500 Lapwing on the Groynes at  Leasowe at high tide.
1 Smew (red-head), 1 Merlin and 12 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm.
6 Great Crested Grebe, 10 Gadwall, 520 Teal, 1370 Lapwing, 3350 Dunlin, 1500
Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Spotted Redshank - Connah's Quay Reserve.

January 12

496 Redshank, 675 Shelduck, 25 Brent Goose, 1,600 Dunlin and 53 Grey Plover - West Kirby Shore / Little Eye.
10,000 Knot, 150 Sanderling, 3,000 Dunlin, 10 Purple Sandpiper and 8,000 Bar-tailed Godwit - Hilbre Island.
3 Water Pipit, 9 Bewick's Swan, 5 Whooper Swan and 1 Little Egret -  Neston Old Quay.
2,175 Bar-tailed Godwit, 25,000 Knot and 48 Scaup - Hoylake Shore.
56 Bewick's Swan and 2 Whooper Swan - Inner Marsh Farm.

January 11

6 Red-breasted Merganser and 6 Goldeneye - West Kirby Marine Lake this afternoon, about 20 Red-breasted Merganser this morning.
1,000 Oystercatcher and 50 Shelduck - Hoylake Shore.
27 Brent Goose - Hilbre Island.

January 10

700 Black-tailed Godwit  Thurstaston Shore, disturbed by a Peregrine Falcon.
200 Black-tailed Godwit - Heswall Shore.
Several Brambling behind Old Baths and 1 Little Egret nearby - Parkgate.

January 9

Plenty of Bramblings with the finch flock by the golf course - Parkgate. 
34 Red-breasted Merganser and 8 Goldeneye - West Kirby Marine Lake
57 Bewick's Swan - Burton Marsh.
7 Brent Goose (pale-bellied) and 5 Twite - Flint Castle.
1 Red-crested Pochard (female) - Greenfield Valley.
2 Smew (pair) - Shotwick boating lake.

January 8

700 Black-tailed Godwit  - Thurstaston Shore. 
23 Red-breasted Merganser and 8 Goldeneye - West Kirby Marine Lake
1 Bittern - Northop Country Park (west of Connah's Quay). 
1 Water Pipit and 1 Little Egret -  Neston Old Quay.
5 Bewick's Swan -  Denhall Quay.

January 6

700 Black-tailed Godwit and 900 Shelduck - Thurstaston Shore, Tree Sparrows at the feeder next to the Visitors Centre.
1 Stonechat (female) - Red Rocks.
1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Water Rail and 25+ Fieldfare - Sealand rifle ranges.
2 Smew (drake), plus Gadwall and Goldeneye - Shotwick boating lake.
2 Stonechat - Leasowe Lighthouse.

January 5

110 Black-tailed Godwit, flew south after being disturbed by a high flying Peregrine Falcon - Caldy Shore.
At least 20,000 Oystercatcher between Heswall and West Kirby.
40 Black-tailed Godwit off Cubbins Green.
1 Short-eared Owl, 50 Teal, 400 Shelduck and 1 Velvet Scoter - Hilbre Island.
8 Shoveler and 1 pair Tufted Duck - Ashton Park, West Kirby.
1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Stonechat and 1 Jack Snipe - Leasowe Lighthouse.
1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Merlin and 4 Brambling - Parkgate marsh.
2 Smew (drake) - Shotwick boating lake.
1 Red-crested Pochard (female) - Greenfield Valley.
24 Red-breasted Merganser - West Kirby Marine Lake

January 4

22 Red-breasted Merganser and 5 Goldeneye - West Kirby Marine Lake
3,000 Dunlin and 2,000 Knot - West Kirby Shore high tide roost, as counted by the Dee Estuary Voluntary Wardens. 
1 Smew (drake) - Shotwick boating lake.
1 Red-crested Pochard (female), 2 Goldeneye and 1 Dipper - Greenfield Valley.
2 Water Pipit, 1 Jack Snipe and 1 Common Buzzard -  Neston Old Quay.

January 3

20 Red-breasted Merganser and a pair of Scaup - West Kirby Marine Lake
12 Brent Geese flying over Little Eye towards Heswall.
2 Short-eared Owl - Leasowe Lighthouse.
3 Little Egret, 1 Barn Owl and 1 Stonechat, 10 Swans (either Bewick's or Whooper) flying in the distance - Burton Marsh.
4 Water Pipit, 1 Little Egret and 1 Water Rail - Neston Old Quay.
3 to 5,000 Bar-tailed Godwit - Hoylake Shore.

January 2

8 Red-breasted Merganser, 7 Goldeneye, 2 Tufted Duck and a pair of Scaup - West Kirby Marine Lake
1 Smew (drake) - Shotwick boating lake.

January 1

5,250 Dunlin, 470 Redshank and 1 Stonechat (female) - West Kirby Shore
5 Brent Goose and 3,000 Oystercatcher - Little Eye, 26 Brent Geese have been around Hilbre area for past 2 weeks or so.

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