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Archived Latest Sightings -
January and February 2004.

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February 29 At least 10,000 Knot, many close to the beach full of walkers - Thurstaston Shore, low tide.
2 Short-eared Owl, 1 Hen Harrier, 45 Pink-footed Goose and 10 Bewick's Swan - Burton Marsh, this morning.
February 28 5,700 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1,200 Grey Plover, 6,000 Dunlin and 10,000 Knot - Leasowe Shore.
38 Brent Goose - Hilbre Island, and 3,000 Herring Gull on West Hoyle Bank.
3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Tree Creeper, 1 Sparrowhawk and 50+ Redwing - Stapledon Wood.
1 Greenshank - Dove Point.
1 Smew (drake) and 4 Water Rail - Inner Marsh Farm.
February 27 40 Black-tailed Godwit - Hoylake Langfields.
February 26 1 Hen Harrier (ring tail) and 3 Little Egret - Parkgate Marsh.
1 Peregrine, 1 Little Egret and 2 Common Buzzard - Burton Marsh.
February 25 5,000 Dunlin and 2,000 Knot - West Kirby Shore at high tide, 1 Hen Harrier flew over the sand dunes towards Hilbre before high tide.
6,000 Knot, 2,000 Dunlin and 80 Sanderling - Hoylake Shore at high tide.
February 24 700 Oystercatcher, 200 Curlew and 1 Peregrine with prey - West Kirby Shore at high tide.
52 Black-tailed Godwit, 311 Curlew, 351 Lapwing, 7 Tree Sparrow, 19 Stock dove and 4 Bullfinch - Hoylake Langfields.
3 Common Buzzard over Bagillt.
February 23 1 Smew (drake) - Inner Marsh Farm.
400 Dunlin and 80 Redshank - West Kirby Marine Lake wall at high tide.
50 Black-tailed Godwit by Gilroy Nature Reserve.
February 22 2 Hen Harrier (ring tail), 2 Little Egret and 2 Stonechat - Parkgate Marsh this morning, 1 Little Owl and 7 Mistle Thrush in field behind Old Baths car park.
2 Peregrine, 984 Lapwing, 52 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Water Rail - Hoylake Langfields.
February 21 2 Peregrine (pair) over  Hoylake Langfields, and 47 Black-tailed Godwit and 3 Bullfinch in nearby Gilroy Nature Reserve.
2 Hen Harrier (ring tail), 1 Peregrine, 1 Merlin and 1 Little Egret - Parkgate Marsh over high tide, 3 Hen Harrier and 3 Short-eared Owl this evening.
85 Pinkfooted Goose, 3 Little Egret, 2 Hen Harrier (ring tail), 1 Peregrine and 1 Merlin (male) - Burton Marsh off Decca Pools.
1 Smew (drake) and 250 Golden Plover - Inner Marsh Farm.
February 20 2 Peregrine (pair), 2,000 Oystercatcher, 100 Shelduck and about 20 Brent Goose - Little Eye at high tide.
350 Curlew, 200 Oystercatcher, 200 Dunlin and 16 Ringed Plover - West Kirby Shore over high tide as counted by the Dee Estuary Voluntary Wardens.
2 Peregrine (pair) over Carr Lane, Hoylake.
1 Firecrest - Connah's Quay.
February 19 1 Smew (drake) and 1 Green-winged Teal (drake) - Inner Marsh Farm.
Estimate of 10,000 Knot, 2,000 Black-tailed Godwit and 3,000 Dunlin - Leasowe Shore at low tide this afternoon.
February 18 1 Black Redstart (fem.) - West Kirby, this morning, on top of Concourse building then flew towards Wirral Way.
1 Hen Harrier and 1 Peregrine - Gayton Sands, off Gayton Cottages, this morning - no sign of rough-legged Buzzard.
5,000 Knot - Heswall Shore.
2 Chiffchaff singing at Point of Ayr.
February 17 40 Brent Goose and 2 Purple Sandpiper - Hilbre Island.
2 Merlin (f. and m.), 2 Hen Harrier (ring tail), 1 Peregrine, 1 Barn Owl and 2 Stonechat (pair) - Parkgate Marsh.
1 Kingfisher behind Leasowe Lighthouse.
1 Rough-legged Buzzard - Gayton Sands, off Gayton Cottages, this morning.
February 16 42 Brent Goose (3 dark-bellied and 39 pale-bellied) and 8 Purple Sandpiper - Hilbre Island.
1 Mediterranean Gull on football pitch off Greenbank Road, West Kirby.
1,000 Lapwing - Moreton Shore, 300 Curlew off Leasowe Road and 2 Stonechat nearby.
5 Short-eared Owl - Burton Marsh.
1 Smew (drake), 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Peregrine and 9 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, 100 Redpoll, 30+ Yellowhammer, 2 Grey Partridge and 30+ Fieldfare - Dungeon Wood and nearby fields, 15 Tree Sparrow at nearby Wirral Country Park Visitor Centre.
7,000 Knot,  4,000 Oystercatcher and 1,000 Black-tailed Godwit - Thurstaston Shore, waders harassed by immature Peregrine.
February 15 51 Brent Goose, 3 Purple Sandpiper and 1 Great Crested Grebe - Hilbre Island.
3 Hen Harrier (ring tail), 3 Short-eared Owl, 1 Merlin, 1 Peregrine and 9 Little Egret - Parkgate Marsh, late afternoon during raptor watch.
February 14 1 Hen Harrier (ring tail), 4 Short-eared Owl, 3 Stonechat, 1 Peregrine (fem.), 1 Merlin (fem.) and 5 Little Egret - Neston Marsh, Hen Harrier seen catching a rat which was then stolen by the Peregrine!
120 Redwing, 4 Water Rail and 41 Black-tailed Godwit - Hoylake Langfields.
1 Green-winged Teal (drake) - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Merlin, 1 Hen Harrier (ring tail), 2 Stonechat and at least 2 Little Egret - Parkgate Marsh this evening.
54 Brent Goose (52 pale-bellied, 2 dark-bellied) - Hilbre Island, another record number!
February 13 1 Green-winged Teal (drake) - Inner Marsh Farm.
February 12 1 Peregrine and 270 Curlew - West Kirby Shore.
1 Peregrine and 3,000 Oystercatcher - Little Eye.
1 Peregrine - Bird Rock off Red Rocks.
47 Brent Goose (40 pale-bellied, 7 dark-bellied), 5+ Purple Sandpiper and 1 Peregrine - Hilbre Island.
2 Merlin and 1 Peregrine - Burton Marsh.
2 Hen Harrier, 3 Short-eared Owl and 3 Little Egret - Neston Marsh (by Harp Inn).
February 11 Early morning movement of Meadow Pipits over West Kirby (by Gilroy Nature Reserve), about 60 by 0930hrs.
93 Curlew, 28 Magpie, 70+ Linnet, 15 Yellowhammer and 2 Reed Bunting - all in one field by the Wirral Way, Thurstaston, by the Dungeon bridge.
2 Spotted Redshank and 1 Water Rail - Inner Marsh Farm.
February 10 27 Brent Goose, 24 Purple Sandpiper, 1 Peregrine and 1 Red-throated diver - Hilbre Island.
2 Raven - Burton Marsh.
2 Hen Harrier (ring tail) - Parkgate Marsh.
February 9 400 Curlew - West Kirby shore 1 hour before high tide.
27 Brent Goose - Little Eye at high tide.
1 Peregrine, 1 Hen Harrier, 400+ Teal, 250+ Wigeon and 1 Barn Owl - Inner Marsh Farm.
9 Short-eared Owl, 62 Bewick's Swan, 2 Stonechat and 1 Hen Harrier (ring tail) - Burton Marsh.
1 Little Gull (1st winter), 1 Guillemot and  2,500 Black-tailed Godwit - Oakenholt Marsh.
2 Velvet Scoter and 10 Twite - Point of Ayr.
4 Little Egret, 1 Raven and 59 Linnet - Neston Marsh.
February 8 1 Snow Bunting - Red Rocks (by Natterjack pool), no sign of Little Auk at West Kirby.
1 Hen Harrier (ring tail), 1 Peregrine, 9 Little Egret and 25 Bewick's Swan - Burton Marsh/Denhall Old Quay.
12 Bewick's Swan, 1 Little Egret and 3 Pink-footed Goose - Neston Marsh.
At least 2 Hen Harrier and 1 Barn Owl - Parkgate Marsh this evening.
1 Green-winged Teal and 1 Smew (drake) - Inner Marsh Farm.
February 7 1 Little Auk - West Kirby Marine Lake, south end, seen briefly at 11am but not since.
52 Dunlin, 36 Turnstone, 2 Purple Sandpiper and 18 Redshank on West Kirby Marine Lake wall before high tide.
1 Great Skua and 40 Kittiwake - Hoylake Shore.
1 Green-winged Teal and 1 Barn Owl - Inner Marsh Farm.
February 6 1 Little Auk - West Kirby Marine Lake, south end, close to roosting waders on the rocks - 2 Purple Sandpiper, 80 Turnstone and 200 Dunlin.
4 Hen Harrier (ring-tail) and 1 Peregrine - Parkgate Marsh this evening.
1 Short-eared Owl - Neston Marsh.
February 4 300 Curlew, 3,000 Knot and 2,000 Dunlin - West Kirby Shore at high tide, estimated from half a mile away!
3 Purple Sandpiper on West Kirby Marine Lake wall at high tide.
1 Snow Bunting, 2 Stonechat and 2 Water Rail - Red Rocks Marsh.
February 3 30 Pink-footed Goose, 21 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Water Rail, 57 Oystercatcher and 4 Bullfinch - Hoylake Langfields.
February 2 39 Brent Goose (2 dark-bellied and 37 pale-bellied) and 9 Purple Sandpiper - Hilbre Island.
1 Snow Bunting - West Kirby Shore.
1 Smew (drake), 1 Green-winged Teal and 2 Spotted Redshank - Inner Marsh Farm.
February 1 38 Brent Goose, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Red-throated Diver and 8 Purple Sandpiper - Hilbre Island.
4 Hen Harrier (ring-tail), 1 Merlin and 1 Peregrine - Parkgate Marsh this evening.
January 31 1 Smew (drake) - Inner Marsh Farm.
410 Black-tailed Godwit and about 5,000 Oystercatcher - Thurstaston Shore at low tide.
2 Raven and 2 Common Buzzard around Leasowe Lighthouse.
2 Stonechat (pair) - Burton Point.
January 30 1 Green-winged Teal - Inner Marsh Farm.
January 29 40 Brent Goose and 2+ Purple Sandpiper - Hilbre Island.
3 Common Buzzard over Bagillt.
1 Smew (drake) - Inner Marsh Farm.
January 28 750 Bar-tailed Godwit and 90 Sanderling - Hoylake Shore.
2 Spotted Redshank - Inner Marsh Farm.
284 Lapwing, 7 Golden Plover, 82 Curlew, 16 Magpie, mixed flock of 30 Meadow Pipits and Skylarks and another flock of 70 Linnets and finches, in one field just off the Wirral Way, Thurstaston.
January 27 39 Brent Goose (38 pale-bellied and 1 dark-bellied) and 7 Common Scoter - Hilbre Island.
1 Green-winged Teal (drake) - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Snow Bunting - West Kirby Shore.
January 26 At least 2,200 Pink-footed Goose over West Kirby this morning, heading north - skein after skein for about 2 hours!
January 25 54 Black-tailed Godwit in Caldy Wildfowl collection, at junction of Grange Cross Lane and column Road.
5 Hen Harrier (ring-tail), 1 Short-eared Owl, 5 Little Egret and 1 Peregrine - Parkgate Marsh this evening.
2,760 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Spotted Redshank and 8 Greenshank - Connah's Quay Reserve.
January 24 1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail), 1 Peregrine and approx 40 Brent Goose - Heswall Marsh at high tide.
1 Snow Bunting - West Kirby Shore, 2 Raven flew over West Kirby.
5 Hen Harrier (ring-tail), 1 Short-eared Owl, 5 Little Egret and 1 Peregrine - Parkgate Marsh this evening.
January 23 3 Hen Harrier (ring-tail), 3 Little Egret and 1 Peregrine - Parkgate Marsh at high tide.
January 22 1 Snow Bunting (fem.) - West Kirby Shore, 3 Common Scoter out to sea.
370 Teal, 4 Shoveler, 30 Wigeon, 130 Black-tailed Godwit, 160 Curlew and 760 Lapwing on Warren Farm fields, Point of Ayr, Richard's Pipit also reported from Point of Ayr.
January 21 8 Little Egret and 1 Peregrine - Parkgate Marsh.
8 Brent Goose - Little Eye at high tide.
2 Sparrowhawk, 30+ Magpie and 20+ Pinkfooted Goose - Hoylake Langfields.
January 20 3,000 Knot, 3,000 Dunlin, 200 Grey Plover, 200 Bar-tailed Godwit, 220 Curlew, 65 Redshank and 134 Oystercatcher - West Kirby Shore, as counted by the Dee Estuary Voluntary Wardens.
45 - 50 Brent Geese flew south from Little Eye just before high tide.
1 Smew (drake) and 1 Green-winged Teal (drake) - Inner Marsh Farm.
January 19 1 Smew (drake) and 1 Peregrine - Inner Marsh Farm.
January 18 47 Brent Goose (pale-bellied) - Hilbre Island.
1 Smew (drake), 5 Ruff and 18 Black-tailed Godwit - Inner Marsh Farm.
2 Hen Harrier, 1 Short-eared Owl and 5 Little Egret  - Parkgate Old Baths.
January 17 50 Brent Goose (47 pale-bellied and 3 Dark-bellied), 2 Peregrine and 20 Purple Sandpiper - Hilbre Island, yet another record number of Brent Geese.
2,000 Bar-tailed Godwit, 5,000 Knot and 2,000 Herring Gull - Leasowe Shore.
2 Hen Harrier and 2 Short-eared Owl  - Parkgate Old Baths this evening, Merlin and Peregrine seen earlier.
January 16 1 Merlin (male) - West Kirby, Gilroy Nature Reserve.
43 Brent Goose (pale-bellied) - Caldy Shore, on Caldy Blacks.
January 15 4,000 Knot, 600 Black-tailed Godwit, 9,000 Oystercatcher, 1,200 Shelduck and 1,000 Lapwing - Thurstaston/ Heswall Shore at low tide, Knot and 'Blackwits' roosting in the channel.
1 Stonechat - West Kirby Shore.
1 Smew (drake) - Inner Marsh Farm.
40 Bewick's Swan - Shotwick Fields.
January 14 1 Smew (drake) and 1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail) - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail) - Burton Marsh.
January 13 97 Black-tailed Godwit, 100 Redshank, 215 Teal, 85 Wigeon, 230+ Curlew and 1 Smew (female) - Warren Farm, Point of Ayr, on flooded fields, wader numbers approximate.
150 Curlew and 250 Lapwing in field and common at end of Pasture Road, near  Leasowe Lighthouse, 2 Purple Sandpiper at Leasowe Gunsite.
200+ Pinkfooted Goose over West Kirby, flying SE.
January 12 41 Black-tailed Godwit, 300 Curlew, 17 Oystercatcher, 26 Redshank, 29 Greylag Goose, 4 Pink-footed Goose and at least 7 Water Rail - Hoylake Langfields, 4 Bullfinch and 7 siskin at nearby Gilroy Nature Reserve.
At least 16 Brent Goose on Little Eye at high tide.
1 Barn Owl - Parkgate Old Baths this morning, 3 Hen Harrier, 1 Peregrine, 1 Merlin and 1 Short-eared Owl this evening.
1 Little Egret and 800 Redshank - Point of Ayr.
2 Hen Harrier, 2 Raven and 1 Water Rail - Neston Old Quay.
8 Purple Sandpiper and 20+ Turnstone on breakwater at Wallasey Shore.
January 11 3 Hen Harrier (ring-tail) - Parkgate Old Baths this evening.
1 Great Northern Diver over Red Rocks, unconfirmed report of about 10 Snow Bunting.
January 10 700 Black-tailed Godwit, 2,000 Knot, 6 Water Rail, 1 Merlin and 1 Peregrine - Heswall Shore at high tide, 3 of the Godwits were colour ringed.
1 Green-winged Teal (drake) and 1 Smew (drake) - Inner Marsh Farm, 2 Whooper Swan flew over.
At least 30 Bewick's Swans on Shotwick Fields.
2 Hen Harrier (ring-tail), 2 Peregrine and 7 Little Egret - Neston Marsh.
5 Water Rail - Hoylake Langfields.
2 Water Rail - Red Rocks Marsh, 2 Common Scoter off shore.
January 9 26 Black-tailed Godwit, 300 Curlew, 1,500 Lapwing, 7 Tree Sparrow, 2 Brambling and at least 7 Water Rail - Hoylake Langfields.
1 Smew (drake), 1 Green-winged Teal (drake) and 2 Raven - Inner Marsh Farm.
4 Hen Harrier (ring-tail), 1 Short-eared Owl and 1 Peregrine - Parkgate Old Baths this evening.
January 8 1 Snow Bunting (female) - West Kirby shore by Pinfold steps.
1 Smew (drake), 1 Green-winged Teal (drake), 1 Hen Harrier, 2 Raven and 10 Goldeneye - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Hen Harrier and 4 Little Egret - Parkgate Old Baths
January 7 2 Crossbill - Burton Woods.
30 Brent Goose (pale-bellied) - Point of Ayr.
1 Smew (drake) - Inner Marsh Farm.
January 6 1,000 Black-tailed Godwit - Oakenholt Marsh, 3 colour ringed Black-tailed Godwits at Thurstaston.
January 5 1 Green Sandpiper - Shotwick Fields.
1 Snow Bunting (female) - West Kirby shore by Pinfold steps.
1 Smew (drake) and 1 Green-winged Teal (drake) - Inner Marsh Farm.
January 4 32 Bewick's Swan, 4 Little Egret and 2 Hen Harrier - Burton Marsh, Decca Pools.
2 Hen Harrier (ring-tail), 3 Little Egret, 1 Short-eared Owl and 1 Barn Owl - Parkgate Old Baths.
1 Snow Bunting (female) - West Kirby shore between West Kirby and Red Rocks.
1 Smew (drake) - Inner Marsh Farm.
January 3 19 Purple Sandpiper - Hilbre Island, just heard from the Hilbre Bird Observatory that they had a record count of Brent Geese on Hilbre on 29th December, 45 in total, 42 pale-bellied and 3 dark-bellied.
10,000 Knot and 1,200 Black-tailed Godwit - Thurstaston Shore at low tide, 3 Godwits were colour ringed.
1 Snow Bunting - West Kirby shore by Pinfold steps, 1030am.
1 Green-winged Teal (drake), 1 Smew (drake) and 1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail) - Inner Marsh Farm.
2 Little Egret, 2 Hen Harrier and 1 Peregrine - Neston Old Quay.
January 2 43 Brent Goose (42 pale-bellied and 1 dark-bellied), 11 Purple Sandpiper, 1 Peregrine, 3,000 Herring Gull and 160 Black-tailed Godwit flying north - Hilbre Island, Brent Geese at record numbers.
1 Green-winged Teal and 2 Chiffchaff - Inner Marsh Farm.
2 Short-eared Owl and 1 Hen Harrier - Burton Marsh.
2 Hen Harrier (ring-tail), 1 Merlin, 1 Barn Owl and 7 Little Egret - Parkgate Old Baths.
5,000 Knot and 1,200 Black-tailed Godwit - Thurstaston Shore at low tide, 2 Godwits were colour ringed.
36 Bewick's Swan, 4 Whooper Swan, 2 Black Swan and 1 Mute Swan - Shotwick Fields.
January 1 4 Hen Harrier (ring-tail), 2 Short-eared Owl, 1 Peregrine and 1 Merlin - Parkgate Old Baths.
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