6,000 Knot, 1,000 Dunlin, 480 Redshank and 50 Bar-tailed Godwit - Hoylake Shore, also 1 Swallow.
2 Goldeneye off Red Rocks.
1000 Meadow Pipit, 20 Pied Wagtail, 2 White Wagtail, 19 pale-bellied Brent Goose and 1 dark-bellied Brent Goose - Hilbre Island.

19 pale-bellied Brent Goose, 1 dark-bellied Brent Goose - Hilbre Island, 8 Purple Sandpiper on north end of island, others elsewhere not counted.
1 Swallow and singing Willow Warbler in bushes - Hoylake Shore.
2 Wheatears, 1 Merlin and 1 Goldcrest - Red Rocks.

5,000 Knot and 2,000 Dunlin - Hoylake Shore, some Kittiwakes on the shore late afternoon.
1 Little Egret - Parkgate Marsh.

3 Swallows *first of year*, 19 Wheatears and 1 Chiffchaff - Red Rocks.
19 pale-bellied Brent Goose, 1 dark-bellied Brent Goose - Hilbre Island.
50 Wheatears, 4 Chiffchaff and 2 Sand Martin - Meols.
2 Wheatears - West Kirby sand dunes, and 2 Goldeneye on the Marine Lake.
4 Wheatear - Parkgate Marsh.

1 Ring Ouzel (male) and 2 Chiffchaff - Hoylake.

19 pale-bellied Brent Goose, 1 dark-bellied Brent Goose,  35 Purple Sandpipers, 1 Iceland Gull (adult), 1 Ring Ouzel and 2 Sandwich Tern - Hilbre Island.
Red Kite - Caerwys (5 miles inland from Greenfield).
3 Peregrine Falcon (including one very large female) - Point of Ayr.

1 Merlin (female), 1 Peregrine Falcon (male), 1 Goldcrest, 1 Chiffchaff, 25 Sanderling, 400 Bar-tailed Godwit, 350 Grey Plover, 4,000 Knot and 3,000 Dunlin - Hoylake Shore.
19 pale-bellied Brent Goose, 1 dark-bellied Brent Goose,  3 Wheatear, 1 Sandwich Tern, 5 Great-crested Grebe, 3 Red-throated Diver, 4 Common Scoter and 10 Red-breasted Merganser - Hilbre Island.
2 Stonechat (pair), 1 Sand Martin, 3+ Chiffchaff, 2 Peregrine Falcon and 1 Merlin - Heswall Shore.

1 Wheatear, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Merlin, 1 Sparrowhawk, 320 Black-tailed Godwit, 5,000 Knot, pair of displaying Great-Crested Grebe and the usual large numbers of Redshank, Curlew and Oystercatcher - Heswall Shore High Tide Bird Watch.
1 Sand Martin and 1 Peregrine Falcon seen dragging it's prey ahead of the tide before getting it waterlogged and giving up - Hoylake Shore, another Peregrine dropped a headless Woodcock on the shore later on in the day!
17 pale-bellied Brent Goose, 18 Wheatear, 1 male Ring Ouzel, 35 Fieldfare, 18 Grey Wagtail, 30 White Wagtail, 1 Woodcock, 2 Rock Pipit and 2,000+ Meadow Pipit - Hilbre Island.
2 Little Egret - Burton Marsh.

3 Wheatear, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap and  195 Meadow Pipit in 2 hours heading SW, and 1,500 Bar-tailed Godwit - Hoylake Shore.
1 Wheatear and 1 Little Egret - Burton Marsh.
4 Wheatear - Heswall Shore (Gayton).
1 Sandwich Tern *First of Year* - Hilbre Island.

50 black-tailed Godwit and 1 Shovelor (unusual for Heswall) - Heswall Shore, many waders in the fields behind the beach, undisturbed because of Foot and Mouth restrictions.
1 Wheatear *First of Year*, 2 Stonechat and 4 Little Owl - Burton.
3 Little Egret and 1 Peregrine Falcon - off Denhall Quay.
1 Gannet, first of spring - Hoylake Shore.
8 Red-breated Merganser and 1 Goldeneye - West Kirby Marine Lake.

Escaped Eagle Owl last night at Gayton (near Heswall).

5 Red-breated Merganser and 1 Goldeneye - West Kirby Marine Lake.

120 Shelduck - Caldy Shore.

7,000 Knot - Thurstaston Shore.
1 Chiffchaff singing in Hawthorn scrub behind beach at Heswall.
19 pale-bellied Brent Goose, 1 dark-bellied Brent Goose and 6+ Purple Sandpiper - Hilbre Island.

35 Grey Plover, 19 pale-bellied Brent goose, 1 dark-bellied Brent goose and 6 Purple Sandpiper - Hilbre Island, more Purple Sandpipers on Hilbre not counted.
6,500 Dunlin - Tanskey Rocks (off West Kirby).
1 Osprey - Whitford (just inland from Mostyn Docks).
1 Dipper - Greenfield Valley.

19 pale-bellied Brent goose, 1 dark-bellied Brent goose, 30 Cormorant, 1 Peregrine Falcon and 1 Rock Pipit - Hilbre Island.

105 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Merlin - Caldy Shore.

1 Sand Martin, first of the year - Hoylake, one day earlier than last year, no sign of any Wheatears yet. 
Blackcap heard singing on the 12th at West Kirby, both it and the Chiffchaff reported singing on the 11th are probably overwintering birds.
5,000 Knot - Thurstaston Shore.

1 Common Buzzard - Stapledon Woods Caldy. Not that surprising knowing their rapid spread but first one I've seen in West Kirby/Caldy area.

16 Brent Geese, 1200 Oystercatcher and 250 Curlew - Little Eye.
Firecrest - Heswall, by Tesco.
20 Waxwings - roosting Arrowe Park Golf Course at dusk.

1 Merlin, 1 Peregrine Falcon and 25 Black-tailed Godwit - Heswall shore. 
2 Peregrine Falcon (immature birds), 2 Short-eared Owl, 22 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Water Rail - Parkgate at High Tide.
3 Little Egret - Denhall Quay.

1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Jack Snipe, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Short-eared Owl, 2 Little Egret, 1 Merlin and 4 Water Rail - Parkgate at High Tide.
9 Waxwing - Heswall, opposite Tesco.
20 Brent Geese, 50 Turnstone, 25 Purple Sandpiper and 90 Great-crested Grebe - Hilbre Island, and about 5,000 Oystercatcher on Little Hilbre.
The 20 Brent Geese later flew down to Heswall shore where 1 Merlin and 2 Peregrine were seen, also the first Chiffchaff of spring heard singing. 

2 Peregrine Falcon, 5 Short-eared Owl, 1 Merlin, 17+ Water Rail, 8+ Jack Snipe, Pintail 100+, Common Snipe 100+, 2 Whooper Swan and 25 Black-tailed Godwit - Parkgate at High Tide, also many shrews and voles including 2 Water Shrew and 2 Pygmy Shrew.

200 Black-tailed Godwit - Caldy Shore.
Caldy Woods "full of Redwings" during the past few days. 
Pergerine Falcon - Red Rocks, flying towards Hilbre.
Peregrine Falcon and Merlin - Heswall Shore.
17 pale-bellied Brent Geese - Little Eye.

*** FIRST*** Willow Warbler both seen and heard - West Kirby Sand Dunes, very early!
3 Water Rail and 6 Goldcrests - Red Rocks Marsh.
42 Ringed Plover, 300 Grey Plover, 1,000 Knot, 9 Sanderling, 7,000 Dunlin, 4 Bar-tailed Godwit and 420 Redshank - West Kirby High Tide Roost, counted by DEVW.
17 pale-bellied Brent Geese - Hilbre Island

620 Black-tailed Godwit - Caldy Shore.
170 Black-tailed Godwit flying north along Thurstaston Shore.
31 Waxwing - Dale Club car park Upton (Wirral).

500 Black-tailed Godwit - Caldy Shore.
10 pale-bellied Brent Geese and 10+ Purple Sanpiper - Hilbre Island.

2 pair Stonechat - West Kirby sand dunes.
990 Black-tailed Godwit - Caldy Shore, highest count of the winter for the English side of the estuary.
Estimated 3,000 Bar-tailed Godwit and 500 Grey Plover off Leasowe Bay, birds very tolerant of nearby walkers and dogs.

Both locations counted at low tide, numbers of Knot lower than last week.

540 Black-tailed Godwit - Caldy Shore.

580 Black-tailed Godwit - Caldy Shore.
Estimated 15,000 Knot on Dawpool Bank off Caldy and Thurstaston.
2000 Bar-tailed Godwit - Meols Shore.
2 pale-bellied Brent Geese - Little Eye.
1 Red-breasted Merganser - West Kirby Marine Lake.

440 Black-tailed Godwit and 5,000+ Knot - Caldy Shore.
5,000 Knot, 3,000 Dunlin and 380 Redshank - West Kirby High Tide roost.
1,000 Bar-tailed Godwit and rough estimate of 5,000 each of Knot and Dunlin - Hoylake Shore.

3 Great-crested Grebe, 2 Goldeneye and 10 Red-breasted Merganser - West Kirby Marine Lake.
15,000 Knot and 260 Black-tailed Godwit - Caldy Shore.
10,000 Knot - West Kirby High Tide roost.

4 Little Egret - Burton Marsh.
2 Water Pipit and Merlin - Neston Old Quay.
3 Great-crested Grebe, 1 Goldeneye and 1 Red-breasted Merganser - West Kirby Marine Lake.
10 Brent Geese - Little Eye.
10,000 Knot, 5,000 Knot and 200 Redshank - West Kirby High Tide roost, counted by DEVW.

390 Black-tailed Godwit and estimate of 4,000 Knot -  Caldy Shore.
2 Water Pipit and 4 Little Egret - Neston Old Quay.
1 Great-crested Grebe and 2 pair Red-breasted Merganser - West Kirby Marine Lake.

10 pair of Tufted Duck - Ashton park lake in West Kirby.
1 Water Pipit, 1 Little Egret, 1Merlin and 1 Peregrine Falcon - Neston Old Quay.

10 Brent Geese - Hilbre Island.
50 Twite and 55 Pink-footed Geese - Flint Marsh.
4 Little Egret and 1 Spotted Redshank - Burton Marsh.
Good numbers of waders on Hoylake shore - thousands of Dunlin, many Knot, Grey Plover, Curlew, Ringed Plover and Bar-tailed Godwit.

1 Merlin, 270 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Scaup - Heswall Shore. 
1,000+ Black-tailed Godwit - Connah's Quay reserve.
4 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Goldeneye and 1 Great-crested Grebe - West Kirby Marine Lake

7 Brent Geese - Little Eye. 
Mediterranean Gull - Inner Marsh Farm.

1 Little Egret and 1 Merlin - Parkgate Marsh.
7 Brent Geese - Hilbre Island.
30 Bewick's Swan and 4 Spotted Redshank - Inner Marsh Farm.
400 Bar-tailed godwit, 2,000 Dunlin and 200 Knot - West Kirby High tide Roost, counted by DEVW.
14 Bewick's Swan - Shotwick Fields.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - Greenfield Valley.

4 Red-breasted Merganser and 3 Great-crested Grebe - West Kirby Marine Lake, also Peregrine Falcon seen chasing a Dunlin over the lake (unsuccessfully).

48 Bewick's Swan and 1 Water Pipit - Neston Marsh.

10 Waxwing - Upton (on Wirral), Loretto Drive. 

220 Black-tailed Godwit - Caldy Shore, difficult to count looking into the sun but at least 10,000 Knot also off Caldy.

Estimate of 30,000 Knot on Dawpool Bank off Caldy and Thurstaston.
1 Smew (drake) and Sparrowhawk - Inner Marsh Farm.
2 Twite - Burton Marsh.
2 Little Egret, 17 Bewick's Swan and 1 Water Pipit - Neston Marsh.

120 Black-tailed Godwit - Caldy Shore.
1 Smew (drake), 21 Bewick's Swan, 1 Stonechat, 1 Spotted Redshank, 2 Common Buzzard and 2 Sparrowhawk - Inner Marsh Farm.

220 Black-tailed Godwit - Caldy Shore, also many thousands of Knot, Dunlin and Oystercatcher, a glorious spectacle of sight and sound on a lovely sunny morning.
2 Lapland Bunting - Burton Marsh.

4 Little Egret, 45 Pink-footed Geese and 121 Bewick's Swan - Burton Marsh.
2 Water Pipit and 2 Whooper Swan - Neston Old Quay.
12 Waxwings - Thurstaston Hill (inside NT farm land).

25 Brent Geese, 10 Purple Sandpiper, 130 Turnstone and 6 Kittiwake - Hilbre Island,  also excellent view of Peregrine Falcon chasing a Merlin.
4 Short-eared Owl, 2 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Merlin, 56 Pinkfooted Geese and 2 Water Rail - Parkgate Marsh.

**11** Short-eared Owl, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 2 Merlin, 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Stonechat, 6 Brent Geese, 320 Pinkfooted Geese, 6 Jack Snipe, 200+ Black-tailed Godwit and several Water Rail including 3 being eaten! - Parkgate Marsh, a super high tide birdwatch.
Pair of Smew, 2 Spotted Redshank, 2 Peregrine Falcon, 100 Pink-footed Geese, 3 Common Buzzard and 1 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm.

34 pale-bellied Brent Geese and 5 dark-bellied Brent Geese - flew from Point of Ayr to Little Eye and back.
160 Black-tailed Godwit -  Caldy Shore.
2 Short-eared Owl, 1 Peregrine Falcon and 1 Merlin - Heswall Shore.
6 Short-eared Owl, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Peregrine Falcon, 2 Merlin, 1 Little Egret, 1 Common buzzard and about 10,000 Oystercatcher - Parkgate Marsh.
2 Little Egret - Denhall quay.
Pair of Smew, 1 Water Rail, 53 Bewick's Swan and 1 Ruddy Shelduck - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Scaup (female) and 3 Peregrine Falcon - Point of Ayr.

12 Brent Geese - Little Eye, 24 pale-bellied Brent seen later on Hilbre Island.
220 Redshank, 22 Turnstone and 10 Dunlin roosting on wall of West Kirby Marine Lake.
360 Black-tailed Godwit -  Caldy Shore.
5 Little Egret, 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 5 Bewick's Swan, 2 Common Buzzard and 1 Merlin - Burton Marsh.
1 Smew (drake), 1 Common Buzzard and 1 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm

1,000 Oystercatcher and 3 dark-bellied Brent Geese - Little Eye.
120 Redshank, 30 Turnstone and 10 Dunlin roosting on wall of West Kirby Marine Lake.
34 pale-bellied Brent Geese flew from Hilbre Island past Red Rocks and back again.

The Birdwatchers Diary 2001 is now available free either from the Thurstaston Visitor Centre or myself by (1.8mb Zip file). The Diary covers the whole of the Mersey and Dee region.

NOTE: Late addition to forthcoming events -  Hoylake Birdwatch 27th January - see newsletter for details.

Strictly speaking both these locations are outside the coverage of this web site - but only just!