Archived Latest Sightings -
March and April 2005.

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April 30 5 Gannet and 8 Common Tern just off Red Rocks as the tide came in, also 1 Wheatear.
1 Grasshopper Warbler - Denhall Quay.
1 Grasshopper Warbler by Leasowe Lighthouse.
April 29 12 Whimbrel, 10 Wheatear, 2 Arctic Tern and 12 Common Tern, a few warblers passing through  - Hilbre Island, provided by Hilbre Bird Observatory.
1 Lesser Whitethroat -  Hoylake Langfields.
1 Lesser Whitethroat by path to Dungeon Wood, Thurstaston.
April 27 2 Grasshopper Warbler, 5 Common Whitethroat, 1 Garden Warbler, 2 Yellow Wagtail and 1 Greenland Wheatear -  Hoylake Langfields.
4 Wheatear and 5 Common Scoter - Red Rocks.
3 Swift, 11 House Martin and 20+ Swallow over Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.
1,600 Black-tailed Godwit, 8 Spotted Redshank and 50 Knot - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Short-eared Owl - Denhall Quay.
1 Short-eared Owl in fields next to Wirral Country Park Visitor Centre, Thurstaston.
April 26 1 Pied Flycatcher (male), 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 9 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Swift and 1 Merlin  - Hilbre Island, provided by Hilbre Bird Observatory.
1 Common Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawk and 1 Hobby over West Kirby.
1 Short-eared Owl, 20 Wheatear and 4 Grasshopper Warbler - Gronant.
1 Short-eared Owl - Neston Old Quay.
1 Avocet - Decca Pools, Burton.
2 Short-eared Owl and at least 5 Wheatear near Wirral Way, Thurstaston.
April 25 1 Common Sandpiper by pond Wirral Country Park Visitor Centre, Thurstaston.
3 Common Buzzard and 2 Sparrowhawk all soaring over Stapledon Wood together for about 20 minutes.
1 Ring Ouzel - Hilbre Island, provided by Hilbre Bird Observatory.
1 'Grey-headed' Yellow Wagtail reported, also 70 White Wagtail, 1 Short-eared Owl, 4 Little Tern and 1 Grasshopper Warbler - Gronant.
First Common Terns (4) back at Shotton, 23 days later than last year!
2 Yellow Wagtail - Shotwick Boating Lake.
2 Common Whitethroat, 3 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Short-eared Owl and 1 Merlin - Neston Reed Bed/Marsh.

See photo of Dartford Warbler caught and ringed on Hilbre Island April 22nd.
April 24 1 Common Sandpiper on West Kirby Marine Lake wall.
1 Tree Pipit, 2 Peregrine and 1 Merlin - Hilbre Island, sightings provided by Hilbre Bird Observatory.
1 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Common Whitethroat, 3 Whimbrel, 1 Peregrine and 1 Short-eared Owl - Heswall Shore/fields.
1 Garden Warbler and 2 Whimbrel - Wirral Country Park, Thurstaston.
2 Common Whitethroat and 1 or 2 Grasshopper Warbler - Leasowe Gunsite.
4 Yellow Wagtail -  Hoylake Langfields.
150+ Swallow, 15 House Martin and 55 Sand Martin - Hoylake Shore.
1 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Whimbrel and 6 Spotted Redshank - Inner Marsh Farm.
April 23 1 Whinchat, 2 Common Whitethroat and 5 Greenland Wheatear - Red Rocks.
1 Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Common Whitethroat and 1 Reed Warbler - Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.
2 Marsh Harrier (1 male), 1 Common Tern, 1 Tree Pipit and c12 Willow Warbler - Hilbre Island.
100 White Wagtail, 3 Tree Pipit, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 10 Whimbrel, 1 Spotted Redshank, 2 Little Tern, 25 Common Tern and 4 Arctic Tern - Hoylake Shore.
1 Whimbrel, 2 Peregrine and 1 Common Buzzard -  Point of Ayr.
April 22 A good morning for migrants!
1 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Ring Ouzel, 6 Wheatear (Greenland), 2 Common Whitethroat, 4 Tree Pipit, 1 Yellow Wagtail and c10 Willow Warbler - Red Rocks.
1 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Ring Ouzel, 1 Common Whitethroat, 5 Tree Pipit, 1 Yellow Wagtail and c10 Willow Warbler - Hoylake sea front.
1 Dartford Warbler (first for the island!), 2 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Tree Pipit and 20 Little Gull - Hilbre Island - ** see photo of Dartford Warbler**.
1 Short-eared Owl in fields by Wirral Way, Thurstaston.
April 21 1 Iceland Gull (2nd sum.)* and 3,000 Knot on shore just off Leasowe Lighthouse, 6 Wheatear in field nearby.
2 Whimbrel and 1 House Martin - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Short-eared Owl and 1 Lesser Whitethroat - Heswall Fields.
4 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Common Whitethroat, 1 Short-eared Owl and 1 Hen Harrier - Neston Reed Bed.
3 Whimbrel, 1 Little Egret, 2 Common Buzzard and 1 Hen Harrier (ring tail) - Point of Ayr.
* some doubts have been expressed about this gull as it does not seem quite right for Iceland. I'm hoping for some more photos of the birds soon which will hopefully clarify the ID. One possibility is leucistic Herring Gull (i.e. partial albino).
April 20 1 Avocet and 10 Little Egret - Burton Marsh.
April 19 11 Whimbrel, 20+ Wheatear and 4 Brambling, in fields between Leasowe Lighthouse and Meols.
18 Gannet, 1 Whimbrel, 20 Little Gull, 19 Common Scoter and a good passage of Swallows - Hilbre Island
19 Willow Warbler, 7 Chiffchaff, 2 Garden Warbler and 12 Blackcap singing along Wirral Way between Thurstaston and Parkgate, also 1 Swift over.
2 Short-eared Owl and 1 Common Buzzard near Wirral Country Park, Thurstaston, * 1 Hooded Crow reported by WCP centre*.
12 Wheatear, 1 Spotted Redshank (sum. plum.) and 1 Little Egret - Point of Ayr.
April 18 1 Iceland Gull (2nd/3rd year) on sandbank off Leasowe Lighthouse, also 10+ Wheatear in fields nearby and 1 Whitethroat *first of spring*.
1 (poss 2) Grasshopper Warbler and 2 Short-eared Owl - Neston Reed Bed/Old Quay.
1 Garden Warbler, 7 Swift over and lots of Blackcaps - Thurstaston, Wirral Way.
April 17 1 Lapland bunting, 1 Woodlark, 2 Tree Pipit, 35 Little Gull, 1 Little Tern and 1 Yellow Wagtail - Hilbre Island provided by Hilbre Bird Observatory.
1 Swift *first of spring* over Willaston, 3 days earlier than last year.
1 Grasshopper Warbler *first of spring* - Heswall (near Wirral Way).
1 Brambling and 1 Garden Warbler - Thurstaston, by Wirral Country Park Visitor Centre.
1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail) and 1 Marsh Harrier (fem.) - Neston Reed Bed.
April 15 1 Avocet and 2 House Martin - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Brambling - Thurstaston, Wirral Country Park Visitor Centre.
1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail) and 5+ Little Egret - Neston Reed Bed.
April 14 2 Avocet - Inner Marsh Farm.
2 Whimbrel seen flying over West Kirby.
3 Common Buzzard between Thurstaston and Caldy.
1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail), 2 Short-eared Owl and 4 Little Egret - Neston Old Quay, Bearded Tits heard.

Matt Thomas © Avocets at Inner Marsh Farm, 14th April 2005.
April 13 1 Short-eared Owl in fields between Wirral Way and Shore, 2,500 Knot on the shore - Thurstaston.
82 Little Gull, 9 Sandwich Tern and 2 Common Tern - Hilbre Island, also 2 Porpoise.
April 12 1 Red Kite at Flint Castle, flew SE towards Corus steelworks.
1 Peregrine over Caldy Hill.
April 11 4 Tree Pipit - Hoylake Langfields.
3 Sandwich Tern and 1 Porpoise - Red Rocks.
1 Red Kite over Garth Wood.
1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail), 3 Whimbrel and 10+ Little Egret - Neston Old Quay.
April 10 2 Bullfinch, 4 Tree Sparrow and 6 Grey Partridge - Hoylake Langfields.
April 9 1 Whimbrel with 23 Curlew in field below - Stapledon Wood.
1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail), 1 Merlin and 6 Little Egret - Parkgate Marsh.
1 Osprey seen flying north over Barnston towards North Wirral, this morning.
3 Spotted Redshank and 1 Little Ringed Plover - Inner Marsh Farm.
April 8 4 Mandarin duck (2 pair) on garden pond next  to Stapledon Wood, Caldy.
1 House Martin over West Kirby.
1 Avocet and 2 Sand Martin - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail), 8 Little Egret and 1 Little Owl - Neston Reed-bed.
April 7 1 Osprey over A55 going north - Queensferry,  another or same also seen over Deeside early afternoon.
11 Swallow heading south over West Kirby.
April 6 174 Black-tailed Godwit and 4 Spotted Redshank - Inner Marsh Farm.
870 Black-tailed Godwit on Oakenholt Marsh, high tide.
c10 pair Tufted Duck - Connah's Quay Reserve.
April 4 1 Sandwich Tern - Hoylake Shore.
April 3 16 Chiffchaff and 3 Willow Warbler on Wirral Way between West Kirby and Wirral Country Park, Thurstaston, 1 Short-eared Owl and 2 Common Buzzard at WCP.
6 Whimbrel - Thurstaston Shore.
April 2 1 Sedge Warbler (early!), 7 Willow Warbler, 1 Redstart (m) and 6 Sand Martin - Red Rocks.
1 House Martin *first of spring* - Wirral Country Park, Thurstaston.
5 Willow Warbler, 1 Swallow, 1 Short-eared Owl and 350 Meadow Pipit - Hoylake by sea front.
350 Grey Plover climbing and flying out of estuary, Chiffchaffs have increased significantly today, 4 Grey Partridge and 2 Yellowhammer - Thurstaston/Wirral Way.
1 Avocet and 7 Spotted Redshank - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Ring Ouzel - Leasowe Gunsite.

April Newsletter.
April 1 1 Black Redstart (f) - Hoylake, Stanley Road seen at 11.15am but not since. Best to park Red Rocks end of Stanley Road and walking round to shore on north side.
1 Common Buzzard, 3,000 Redshank and a small but steady passage of Meadow Pipits - Heswall Shore.
March 31 1 Black Redstart (f) - Hoylake, Stanley Road. Best to park Red Rocks end of Stanley Road and walking round to shore on north side, bird usually in back gardens of first eight houses, showing well behind 'lighthouse' at 9.30am.
1 Avocet and 1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail) - Inner Marsh Farm.
4 Sand Martin and 2 Wheatear at Burton Point.
March 30 1 Black Redstart (f) - Hoylake, Stanley Road. Bird has been at this location for a few days in back gardens, best seen from beach about halfway between Kings Gap and Red Rocks.
March 29 3,000 Herring Gull roosting on sea at high tide - Hoylake Shore.
1 Avocet - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Whooper Swan - Burton Marsh.
March 28 2 Sand Martin and 1 Wheatear - Hilbre Island.
5 Swallow and 1 singing Willow Warbler - Hoylake Langfields.
10 Wheatear - Leasowe Lighthouse.  
10 Chiffchaff singing along Wirral way between West Kirby and Thurstaston.
March 26 2 Woodcock, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Greenshank and 2 Common Scoter, also good view of 2 Porpoises - Hilbre Island.
1 Short-eared Owl quartering fields between Wirral Way and Thurstaston Shore, also 1 Common Buzzard and about 2,000 Redshank on the shore.
Seems to have been an influx of porpoises in to the region with numerous sightings from Mersey Ferry together with ones seen on the Dee Estuary at Connah's Quay and Hilbre.  
March 25 4 Swallow *first of spring* over Stanley Road, Hoylake.
2 Water Rail and 4 Wheatear - Red Rocks.
1 Willow Warbler *first of spring* and 1 Iceland Gull (adult) - Hilbre Island.
4 Wheatear - Thurstaston, Country Park.
2 Wheatear and 1 Little Egret - Hoylake Langfields.
2 Cetti's Warbler, 14 Little Egret and 1 Water Rail - Neston reed-bed. Cetti's Warblers are on the RSPB reserve at Neston reed bed, best seen approaching from Neston Old Quay. Please watch from the public footpath only and do not go onto the marsh or reed bed to look for them.
11 Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Raven, 2 Sand Martin and 1 Little Egret - Point of Ayr.
3,000 Black-tailed Godwit, 600 Knot, 6 Gadwall and 1 Porpoise! - Connah's Quay Reserve.
2 Avocet and 3 Spotted Redshank - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Osprey over Buckley (near Queensferry) heading towards the estuary.
March 24 2 Avocet - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Jack Snipe, 5 Wheatear, 2 Stonechat, 7 White Wagtail and 2 Water Rail between West Kirby and Red Rocks..
3 Wheatear, 5 White Wagtail, 2 Common Scoter, 6 Purple Sandpiper and 2 Great Crested Grebe - Hilbre Island over high tide.
March 23 1 Wheatear, 9 Chiffchaff and 40 Golden Plover - Heswall Fields/Shore and Wirral Way.
1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail) and 6 Little Egret - Burton Marsh.
March 22 1 Short-eared Owl - Heswall Fields.
1 Green-winged Teal (drake) and 1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail) - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Water Pipit and 1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail) - Neston Old Quay.
March 21 1 Ring Ouzel flying east Hoylake Shore.
3 Chiffchaff singing on Caldy Hill.
1 Short-eared Owl over Point of Ayr.
No news of Dartford Warbler by 11am.
Bird yesterday was seen in hedge at end of lane which goes past Decca Pools from Denhall Lane towards Harp Inn, just near clump of gorse and flag pole, SJ294754.
March 20 Dartford Warbler in hedge near gorse bushes opposite Decca Pools Burton Marsh, downgraded to a 'probable'! Will try and get more precise location.
2 Chiffchaff singing, 2 White Wagtail overhead, 2 Yellowhammer, 200 Linnet and 12 Brown Hares seen during 'Mad March Hares' walk this morning, Thurstaston/Wirral Way.
20 Wheatear, 12 White Wagtail, 1 Sand Martin, 70 Fieldfare and 800+ Meadow Pipit - Hilbre Island, provided by the Hilbre Bird Observatory.
6 Wheatear, 2 Sand Martin and 2 Stonechat - Leasowe Bay.
4 Wheatear, 3 Stonechat and 11 White Wagtail - Red Rocks.
1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail) and 15 Bewick's Swan - Burton Marsh.
March 19 Very good passage of spring migrants this morning including 7 White Wagtail, 6 Grey Wagtail, 7 Wheatear, 3 Stonechat and 500 Meadow Pipit, also 40 Brent Geese (38 pale-bellied, 2 dark-bellied) - Hilbre Island, provided by the Hilbre bird Observatory.
2 Wheatear and 2 Stonechat - Leasowe by the Gunsite.
2 Wheatear - West Kirby Shore.
2 Wheatear - Little Eye.
2 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail), 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Water Pipit (over) and 10 Little Egret flying to roost - Neston reed-bed. Cetti's Warblers are on the RSPB reserve at Neston reed bed, best seen approaching from Neston Old Quay. Please watch from the public footpath only and do not go onto the marsh or reed bed to look for them.
March 18 1 White Wagtail on the golf course at Hoylake.
2 Sand Martin - West Kirby, near Gilroy Nature Park.
6 Stonechat - Burton Marsh.
1 White Wagtail, 1 Wheatear, 1 Sand Martin and 40 Brent Geese - Hilbre Island, provided by the Hilbre bird Observatory.
2 Common Buzzard - Royden Park.
March 17 Good movement of Meadow Pipits through the Hoylake Langfields, flocks of 30 - 100, also possible Sand Martin.
1 White Wagtail *first of spring* - West Kirby Shore, 3 days later than last year, also 1 Jack snipe in marsh.
4 Wheatear - Denhall Lane, Burton Marsh.
1 Water Rail - Red Rocks Marsh.
1 Spotted Redshank and large movement of Meadow Pipits - Point of Ayr.
1 Green-winged Teal (drake) - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Sand Martin *first of spring*, 1 White Wagtail, 2 Wheatear and 20 Purple Sandpiper - Hilbre Island, provided by the Hilbre bird Observatory.
March 16 1 Chiffchaff singing by Heswall Shore, Goldcrests calling all along the nearby Wirral Way.
1 Wheatear *first of spring* - Caldy Shore.
March 15 120 Redshank, 250 Grey Plover, 1,800 Knot and 350 Dunlin -  West Kirby Shore at high tide, as counted by the Dee Estuary Voluntary Wardens.
25 Brent Geese - Little Eye.
6 Stonechat and flock of 50 Meadow Pipit - Leasowe Lighthouse.
March 14 Cetti's Warbler, one was seen and heard briefly - Neston Reed bed. Cetti's Warblers are on the RSPB reserve at Neston reed bed, best seen approaching from Neston Old Quay. Please watch from the public footpath only and do not go onto the marsh or reed bed to look for them.
5 Twite and 3 Brambling - Burton Marsh.
March 13 1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail), 1 Merlin, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Spotted Redshank, 6 Stonechat and 50 Bewick's Swan - Burton Marsh.
11 Red-breasted Merganser and 2 Rock Pipit - Point of Ayr.
1 Hen Harrier (full adult male displaying) and 1 Short-eared Owl - Parkgate Old Baths.
1 Spotted Redshank, 8 Bewick's Swan and 1 Green-winged Teal (drake) - Inner Marsh Farm.
March 12 2 Short-eared Owl, 1 Jack Snipe, 1 Merlin and 2 Peregrine - Parkgate Old Baths, tide came all the way in, 19 Little Egret and 1 Spotted Redshank (sum. plumage) at south end of Parkgate.
March 11 1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail), 4+ Short-eared Owl, 2 Jack Snipe, 4 Greenshank and a very wet fox - Parkgate Old Baths, tide roared in to the wall with a strong NW wind behind it, 12 Little Egrets off south end of Parkgate Marsh.
March 10 8 Ruff, 2 Spotted Redshank, 1 Smew (drake) and 1 Green-winged Teal (drake) - Inner Marsh Farm.
3 Kingfisher - Arrowe Brook (near Arrowe Park).
2 Peregrine, 2 Merlin and 1 Hen Harrier - Heswall, Riverbank road.
March 9 17 Brent Geese (16 pale-bellied, 1 dark-bellied) - Little Eye.
450 Redshank, 5,000 Knot, 4,000 Dunlin, 1,000 Grey Plover, 50 Sanderling and 200 Bar-tailed Godwit - West Kirby Shore at high tide.
29 Brent Geese - Red Rocks, Bird Rock.
470 Grey Plover, 75 Sanderling, 3,200 Dunlin and 4,400 Knot - Hoylake Shore at high tide.
1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail) and 1 Short-eared Owl - Neston Marsh, no sign of Cetti's Warbler or Water Pipit.
3 Short-eared Owl - Gronant, over sand dunes.
30 Bewick's Swan, 1 Smew (drake) and 1 Green-winged Teal (drake) - Inner Marsh Farm.
March 8 1 Spotted Redshank - Point of Ayr.
3 Great Crested Grebe off Leasowe.
35 Wigeon on Benty Farm fields, Thurstaston Hill.
March 7 1 Long-tailed Duck (drake), 8 Goldeneye and 1 Red-breasted Merganser - West Kirby Marine Lake.
256 Golden Plover - Heswall Shore, a few in summer plumage, no sign of the large Knot flock there last week.
1 Green-winged Teal (drake), 1 Goosander (female), 26 Bewick's Swan, 6 Ruff and 24 Tufted Duck - Inner Marsh Farm.

March Newsletter has just been published.
March 6 1 Long-tailed Duck (drake) - West Kirby Marine Lake.
1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail), 7 Little Egret, 3 Short-eared Owl and 1 Common Buzzard - Parkgate Marsh, 2 Little Owl in the field behind Old Baths car park.
1 Barn Owl seen flying over fields between Moreton and Bidston.
March 5 1 Long-tailed Duck (drake) still on West Kirby Marine Lake, at 10am in middle of lake.
1 Cetti's Warbler - Neston Reed bed. Cetti's Warblers are on the RSPB reserve at Neston reed bed, best seen approaching from Neston Old Quay. Please watch from the public footpath only and do not go onto the marsh or reed bed to look for them.
March 3 1 Smew (drake), 2 Little Grebe, 1 Hen Harrier (ring-tail), 3 Ruff and 3 Bewick's Swan - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Long-tailed Duck (drake) - West Kirby Marine Lake.
1 Cetti's Warbler seen and heard, also 2 Short-eared Owl and 1 Hen Harrier (male) - Neston Reed bed. Cetti's Warblers are on the RSPB reserve at Neston reed bed, best seen approaching from Neston Old Quay. Please watch from the public footpath only and do not go onto the marsh or reed bed to look for them.
March 2 1 Long-tailed Duck (drake) - West Kirby Marine Lake.
1 Water Pipit - Neston Old Quay.
March 1 1 Long-tailed Duck (drake) and 2 Great Crested Grebe - West Kirby Marine Lake.
7,000 Dunlin, 10,000 Knot, 2,000 Grey Plover and 230 Redshank -  West Kirby Shore at high tide, as counted by the Dee Estuary Voluntary Wardens.
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