|
|
Archived
Latest Sightings -
November and December 2002.
Back to Latest Sightings
|
December 31 |
1 Smew (drake) and 1 American
Wigeon (drake) - Inner Marsh Farm.
4,000 Oystercatcher and 470 Curlew -
West Kirby Shore as the tide went out this morning.
9 Brent Goose
(pale-bellied), 20 Purple Sandpiper, 2 Great Crested Grebe and 1
Peregrine - Hilbre Island.
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) and 1 Merlin seen mobbing each other for
about half an hour before dusk this evening -
Parkgate Old Baths. |
December 30 |
3 Snow Bunting -
Wallasey shore (west of coastguard
station), and 2,500 Bar-tailed Godwit on nearby Leasowe shore as
tide went out this morning.
1 Smew (drake), 1 Green-winged Teal (drake), 1 American Wigeon
(drake), 5 Ruff and 1 White-fronted Goose (European race) -
Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) flew into roost at dusk -
Parkgate Old Baths.
2 Bullfinch - Cubbins Green. |
December 29 |
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) flew into roost at dusk -
Parkgate Old Baths.
1 Woodcock over
West Kirby (near Gilroy pond).
3 Snow Bunting -
Wallasey shore (west of coastguard
station). |
December 28 |
1 Rock Pipit, 5+ Purple
Sandpiper and 21 Brent Goose (pale-bellied)
-
Hilbre Island.
57 Bewick's Swan -
Burton Marsh.
3 Snow Bunting -
Wallasey shore (west of coastguard
station).
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail), 1 Little Egret and 3 Grey Partridge (seen
at dusk) - Parkgate Old Baths.
|
December 27 |
Estimate of birds between
West Kirby and
Heswall this morning at low tide -
18,000 Oystercatcher, 10,000 Dunlin, 5,000 Knot, 200 Black-tailed
Godwit and several hundred Redshank, Curlew and Shelduck, nothing
out of the ordinary, just the usual magnificent spectacle! Biggest
concentration just off Caldy
steps.
35 Ruff and 2 Spotted
Redshank - Inner Marsh Farm.
21 Goldeneye and 3
Red-breasted Merganser - West Kirby
Marine Lake.
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail), 1 Marsh Harrier (probable), 1 Peregrine, 2
Little Egret and 3 Grey Partridge -
Parkgate Old Baths. |
December 26 |
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) and 3 Grey Partridge -
Parkgate Old Baths.
1 Green-winged Teal
(drake) and 1 Spotted Redshank - Inner
Marsh Farm.
4 Whooper Swan -
Shotwick Fields.
1 Woodcock over
West Kirby (near Gilroy pond). |
December 25 |
50 Bewick's Swan -
Burton Marsh. |
December 24 |
24 Brent Goose (pale-bellied), 88 Curlew, 9,000 Dunlin, 3,000
Oystercatcher, 250 Grey Plover, 500 Knot and 25 Sanderling -
West Kirby high tide roost, as
counted by DEVW, also 70 Wigeon flew past
into the estuary.
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail),
1 Marsh Harrier (imm.), 2 Merlin and 4 Little Egret -
Parkgate Old Baths. |
December 23 |
10,000 Dunlin, 10,000 Knot,
250 Sanderling, 1,000 Grey Plover and 1,000 Bar-tailed Godwit
roosting at Hoylake for high tide,
before all were disturbed by a Peregrine which caught a Dunlin with
a cockle attached to it's leg!
140 Curlew, 7,000 Dunlin,
1,000 Oystercatcher, 800 Grey Plover, 750 Knot, 250 Sanderling and
1,900 Bar-tailed Godwit - West Kirby
high tide roost, as counted by DEVW.
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail)
and 1 Marsh Harrier - Parkgate Old
Baths over high tide and again in the evening going to roost.
|
December 22 |
30,000 waders roosting at
Hoylake for high tide.
3 Snow Bunting -
Wallasey shore (west of coastguard
station).
1 Merlin, 2 Little Egret,
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) and 1 Marsh Harrier (imm.) -
Parkgate Old Baths , Harriers seen
flying to roost at dusk.
1 Water Pipit -
Neston Old Quay.
29 Bewick's Swan -
Burton Marsh.
1 Green-winged Teal
(drake) and 1 Spotted Redshank - Inner
Marsh Farm. |
December 21 |
Spectacular views of a Peregrine attacking 1,000 Black-tailed
Godwit on three separate occasions at
Heswall Shore high tide birdwatch.
8 Little Egret -
Burton Marsh.
3 Ruff -
Inner Marsh Farm.
550 Curlew, 500 Dunlin,
2,000 Oystercatcher, 2 Golden Plover and 120 Grey Plover -
West Kirby high tide roost, as
counted by DEVW, 1 Stonechat in sand dunes.
2 Water Pipit -
Neston Old Quay.
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail)
and 1 Marsh Harrier flying to roost -
Parkgate Old Baths at dusk. |
December 20 |
600 Curlew, 4,000 Dunlin, 150
Oystercatcher, 130 Grey Plover, 39 Sanderling, 17 Ringed Plover,
1,420 Knot and 70 Bar-tailed Godwit -
West Kirby high tide roost, as
counted by DEVW, 1 Stonechat in sand dunes.
1 Long-eared Owl -
Caldy Golf Course in pine trees
by Wirral Way.
26 Goldeneye and 6
Red-breasted Merganser - West Kirby
Marine Lake.
12 Brent Goose -
Little Eye at high tide.
1,360 Black-tailed Godwit,
12,000 Oystercatcher, 5,000 Dunlin plus usual several hundred Curlew
and Redshank - Caldy Shore at
low tide.
2 Hen Harrier (or possibly
one was a Marsh Harrier seen in very poor light, see 21st Dec )
flying over marsh by Parkgate Old Baths
at dusk. |
December 19 |
600 Curlew, 3,000 Dunlin, 400
Oystercatcher, 30 Grey Plover, 30 Sanderling, 600 Knot and 30
Bar-tailed Godwit - West Kirby
high tide roost, as counted by DEVW, 1
Brambling in sand dunes.
960 Black-tailed Godwit,
8,000 Oystercatcher, 5,000 Dunlin plus usual several hundred Curlew
and Redshank - Caldy Shore at
low tide.
3 Snow Bunting -
Wallasey shore (west of coastguard
station).
3 Brambling and 23 Tree
Sparrow in 100+ finch flock - Gilroy
nature reserve, West Kirby. |
December 18 |
27 Goldeneye and 8
Red-breasted Merganser - West
Kirby Marine Lake, 500 Dunlin, 80 Redshank and 45 Turnstone
roosting on lake wall at high tide.
460 Curlew -
West Kirby high tide roost.
24 Brent Goose
(pale-bellied), 8 Purple Sandpiper, 1 Peregrine and 85 Sanderling -
Hilbre Island.
675 Black-tailed Godwit -
Caldy Shore at low tide.
15 Pink-footed Goose -
Burton Marsh. |
December 17 |
10,600 Oystercatcher and 300
Black-tailed Godwit which flew in from the north, quite high up -
Caldy Shore at low tide.
16 Goldeneye and 2
Red-breasted Merganser - West
Kirby Marine Lake.
2 Snow Bunting -
Wallasey shore (west of coastguard
station), 1 Snow Bunting came to a garden feeder at Capenhurst
today. |
December 16 |
14 Red-breasted Merganser
- West Kirby Marine Lake.
4 Snow Bunting -
Wallasey shore (west of coastguard
station).
2 Stonechat and 8
Sanderling - Leasowe Bay.
|
December 15 |
1 Long-tailed Duck (imm.) -
Shotwick rifle range pool.
7 White-fronted Geese
(probably European race), 300 Wigeon, 100 Teal, 1 Goldeneye and 3
Shoveler - Point of Ayr, Warren fields.
1 Hen Harrier observe
hunting off Parkgate Old Baths car
park this morning.
5 Water Pipit -
Neston Old Quay.
20 Bewick's Swan and 4
Little Egret - Burton Marsh.
|
December 14 |
1 Long-tailed Duck (imm.) -
Shotwick rifle range pool.
1,850 Black-tailed Godwit
(highest count on the English side this winter), plus 10,000+ mixed
flock of Dunlin, Knot, Oystercatcher and Curlew -
Caldy Shore.
7 White-fronted Geese -
Point of Ayr, Warren fields.
4 Snow Bunting -
Wallasey shore (west of coastguard
station).
20 Brent Goose
(pale-bellied) - Hilbre Island.
20 Bewick's Swan and 12
Pink-footed Goose - Burton Marsh.
Hen Harrier (ringtail,
probable adult female) seen going to roost in reed beds off
Parkgate Old Baths car park this
evening (and yesterday), also 4 Little Egret.
3 Spotted Redshank, 2 Ruff
and 2 Tree Sparrows - Inner Marsh Farm.
|
December 13 |
1 Dipper - Arrowe Park.
4 Snow Bunting -
Wallasey shore (west of coastguard
station).
1 Long-tailed Duck (imm.)
- Shotwick rifle range pool.
7 White-fronted Geese and
300 Wigeon - Point of Ayr, Warren fields.
|
December 12 |
18 Goldeneye and 3
Red-breasted Merganser - West
Kirby Marine Lake.
1 Long-tailed Duck (imm.)
- Shotwick rifle range pool.
860 Black-tailed Godwit
and 7,500 Knot - Thurstaston Shore,
close in two hours before high tide.
4 Snow Bunting -
Wallasey shore (west of coastguard
station). |
December 11 |
12,000 Dunlin, 8,000 Knot,
5,000 Oystercatcher and 80 Black-tailed Godwit -
Caldy Shore at low tide, then
two Peregrine came over and the whole lot erupted - wow!
26 Goldeneye -
West Kirby Marine Lake.
1 Long-tailed Duck (imm.)
and 1 Water Rail - Shotwick rifle
range pool.
1,270 Black-tailed Godwit
- Thurstaston Shore, close in two
hours before high tide.
8 Twite and 2 Raven -
Flint Castle.
1 Water Pipit and 2 Little
Egret - Neston Old Quay.
4 Snow Bunting -
Wallasey shore (west of coastguard
station).
2 Purple Sandpiper and 16
Brent Goose - Hilbre Island.
|
December 10 |
Estimated 25,000+ waders at
Leasowe at low tide, around 10,000
Knot and 10,000 Dunlin plus Grey Plover, Redshank and Bar-tailed
Godwit.
17 Goldeneye and 4
Red-breasted Merganser - West Kirby
Marine Lake, plus 7,500 waders on the shore, mainly Dunlin and
Knot.
5 Little Egret -
Parkgate Boathouse Flash.
|
December 9 |
150+ Woodpigeon, 100 Skylark
and 200 mixed finch flock, including 10 Brambling - in maize field,
Hoylake Langfields.
800 Lapwing -
Heswall shore. |
December 8 |
20,000 waders at high tide,
most a long way out but assumed to be mainly Knot and Dunlin, also
2,000 Dunlin, 300 Cormorant, 40 Bar-tailed Godwit, 100 Curlew and
400 Redshank closer in - Hoylake shore.
4 Snow Bunting -
Wallasey shore (west of coastguard
station).
1 Green-winged Teal
(drake) - Inner Marsh Farm.
|
December 7 |
3 Little Egret and 4 Bewick's
Swan - Burton Marsh.
4 Snow Bunting -
Wallasey shore (west of coastguard
station).
8,000 Dunlin, 2,000 Knot,
1,500 Grey Plover and 400 Sanderling -
Hoylake shore.
1 Common Buzzard - over
West Kirby.
1 Velvet Scoter -
Hilbre Island.
1 Common Buzzard next to
Moreton Spur of M53.
Latest
Newsletter published. |
December 6 |
15 Little Egret, 1 Peregrine,
1 Stonechat and 500 Golden Plover -
Burton Marsh. |
December 5 |
1 Crossbill - flew over
West Kirby Marine Lake.
|
December 4 |
3 Snow Bunting and 8 Purple
Sandpiper - Wallasey shore (west of
coastguard station).
1 Green-winged Teal
(drake), 1 Little Stint and 3 Spotted Redshank -
Inner Marsh Farm.
2 Peregrine and 1 Merlin -
Heswall, Riverbank road.
1 Merlin and 1 Greenshank
- Parkgate marsh, also 17 Little
Egret seen flying in to roost at nearby Ness this evening.
|
December 3 |
1 Stonechat -
West Kirby Shore, later a large
number of Pink-footed Geese flew over West Kirby after dusk,
identified by their calls.
1 Snow Bunting and 6
Purple Sandpiper - Wallasey shore (by
coastguard station).
2 Water Pipit -
Neston Old Quay.
350 Knot, 500 Bar-tailed
Godwit, 150 Redshank and 6 Sanderling -
Hoylake shore.
195 Black-tailed Godwit -
Thurstaston Shore. |
December 2 |
8,000 Knot, 1,500 Bar-tailed
Godwit and 100 Sanderling - Hoylake
shore, at high tide, birds very close in to the promenade,
fabulous views, about 5,000 Knot later went round to West Kirby
shore.
1 Green-winged Teal
(drake) and 8 Whooper Swan -
Inner Marsh Farm.
50 Twite -
Flint Castle. |
December 1 |
22 Little Egret counted
leaving roost this morning - Burton
Marsh.
3 Snow Bunting and 8
Purple Sandpiper - Wallasey shore.
|
November 30 |
11 Brent Goose (pale-bellied)
and 2 Peregrine - Hilbre Island.
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail),
1 Merlin, 1 Peregrine and 6 Bewick's Swan -
Burton Marsh.
4 Snow Bunting -
Wallasey shore. |
November 29 |
18 Goldeneye and 7
Red-breasted Merganser - West Kirby
Marine Lake.
1 Black-throated Diver off
Leasowe.
1 Water Pipit and 1 Rock
Pipit - Neston Old Quay.
|
November 28 |
2 Snow Bunting -
West Kirby Shore, by Pinfold steps.
1 Merlin, 1 Sparrowhawk
and several Little Egret - Neston Old
Quay. |
November 27 |
14 Goldeneye and 4
Red-breasted Merganser - West Kirby
Marine Lake. |
November 26 |
3 Snow Bunting -
Wallasey shore (near coast guard
station).
14 Goldeneye -
West Kirby Marine Lake.
170 Black-tailed Godwit, 1
Peregrine and estimated 10,000 Oystercatcher -
Caldy Shore, at low tide.
24 Little Egret and 2
Peregrine - Denhall Quay.
3 Water Pipit -
Neston Old Quay. |
November 25 |
1 Raven in garden (briefly) -
near Gilroy Pond, West Kirby.
1 Short-eared Owl and 10
Twite - Gronant beach.
|
November 24 |
1,000 Black-tailed Godwit -
Oakenholt Marsh.
2 Water Pipit and 2 Little
Egret - Neston Old Quay.
1 Green-winged Teal
(drake) and 1 Water Rail - Inner Marsh
Farm. |
November 23 |
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) -
Hilbre Island.
17 Little Egret -
Denhall Quay.
1 Green-winged Teal
(drake) and 1 Spotted Redshank - Inner
Marsh Farm.
8 Whooper Swan -
Shotwick Fields.
2 Snow Bunting (pair), 2
Stonechat and 5,000 Knot - Leasowe Shore.
1 Turtle Dove -
West Kirby, an exceptionally late
sighting. |
November 22 |
10,000 Dunlin, 5,000 Knot and
1,000 Grey Plover - Leasowe Shore at
half tide off the Lighthouse.
5,000 Dunlin, 5,000 Knot,
500 Grey Plover and 330 Sanderling -
Hoylake at high tide.
1 Snow Bunting, 1 Purple
Sandpiper and 2 Stonechat - Leasowe
Shore. Note that I have detailed (and convincing) description of
yesterday's Lapland Bunting from the observer, he will also be
sending it to the county recorder.
14 Little Egret -
Denhall Quay, and 26 Bewick's Swan
and 3 Whooper Swan on the outer marsh.
1 Green-winged Teal
(drake) and 4 Spotted Redshank - Inner
Marsh Farm.
1 Water Pipit, 1 Merlin, 1
Peregrine and 2 Chiffchaff - Point of Ayr.
|
November 21 |
560 Curlew -
West Kirby Shore, as counted by the
DEVW, 14 Goldeneye and 4 Red-breasted
Merganser on the nearby Marine Lake.
10 Little Egret -
Denhall Quay.
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) -
Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Lapland Bunting (grid
ref. SJ 274925), 97 Great-crested Grebe, 2 Purple Sandpiper and 1
Mediterranean Gull (adult) - Leasowe
Shore, grebes out to sea.
10,000 waders at
Hoylake at high tide, mainly Dunlin
but with Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover etc, and including
approx. 400 Sanderling. |
November 20 |
2 Whooper Swan (adults) -
Hoylake Langfields.
325 Black-tailed Godwit -
Caldy Shore.
2,400 Knot, 1,670 Dunlin,
340 Pintail and 1 Peregrine - Point of
Ayr.
7,500 Knot, 4,000 Dunlin
and 100 Sanderling - Hoylake Shore.
2 Whooper Swan -
Inner Marsh Farm.
7,700 Dunlin -
West Kirby Shore, as counted by the
DEVW. |
November 19 |
4,500 Dunlin, 650 Curlew, 30
Bar-tailed Godwit, 25 Sanderling and 80 Grey Plover -
West Kirby Shore, as counted by the
DEVW.
580 Black-tailed Godwit -
Thurstaston Shore. |
November 18 |
2 Purple Sandpiper -
Hilbre Island.
10,000 Knot, 2,000 Dunlin
and 1,000 Bar-tailed Godwit - Hoylake
Shore, at high tide - estimates as main roosting flock a long
way out.
4 Whooper Swan -
Inner Marsh Farm.
2,000 Black-tailed Godwit
- Oakenholt Marsh.
15 Twite -
Gronant.
10 Twite and 250
Black-tailed Godwit - Point of Ayr.
|
November 17 |
5 White-fronted Goose
(European race, birds not ringed), 7 Water Rail, 4 Ruff, 1 Raven, 28
Yellowhammer and 23 Tree Sparrow -
Hoylake Langfields, at first light.
12,500 Dunlin, 252 Grey
Plover, 1,200 Redshank and 25 Sanderling -
Leasowe shore, on the breakwater at
high tide.
1 Green-winged Teal
(drake), 1 Ruff, 3 Common Buzzard, 1 Water Rail and 2 Curlew
Sandpiper - Inner Marsh Farm.
2 Shag (plus 1 dead) and 2
Purple Sandpiper - Hilbre Island.
|
November 16 |
10 Goldeneye and 10
Red-breasted Merganser - West Kirby
Marine Lake.
6 Purple Sandpiper -
Hilbre Island.
1 Green-winged Teal
(drake) and 1 Curlew Sandpiper -
Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Woodcock over
West Kirby near Gilroy pond.
|
November 15 |
14 Little Egret -
Denhall Quay. |
November 14 |
17 Goldeneye and 15
Red-breasted Merganser - West Kirby
Marine Lake.
5 Little Egret -
Parkgate Marsh. |
November 13 |
10 Goldeneye and 3
Red-breasted Merganser - West Kirby
Marine Lake.
2,100 Bar-tailed Godwit
and an estimated 12,000 Knot and 6,000 Dunlin -
Leasowe shore at low tide.
1 Green-winged Teal
(drake), 4 Goldeneye and 1 Curlew Sandpiper -
Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Guillemot, 1 Grey
Wagtail and 12 Turnstone - Meols shore.
2 Egyptian Goose -
Shotwick boating lake.
|
November 12 |
8 Little Egret -
Parkgate Marsh.
7 Little Egret -
Burton Marsh. |
November 11 |
1 Green-winged Teal (drake)
and 1 Curlew Sandpiper - Inner
Marsh Farm.
1,200 Lapwing, 200 Curlew,
18 Shoveler, 6 Water Rail, 300 Mallard and 50 Wigeon -
Hoylake Langfields.
|
November 10 |
5 Shoveler, 9 Siskin, 5
Redpoll and 5 newly hatched Mallard -
Gilroy Pond, West Kirby.
450 Lapwing, 11 Shoveler,
4 Water Rail, 200 Mallard, 21 Teal, 34 Pintail, 100+ Wigeon and
2,000 mixed gulls - Hoylake
Langfields.
1 Village Weaver (escape)
- Red Rocks.
1 Long-billed Dowitcher
(am, then flew to the estuary) and 1 Curlew Sandpiper -
Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Black Redstart near
Wallasey coastguard station.
Had reports last two days
of large numbers of waders at Hoylake
at high tide, but so far no accurate count. |
November 9 |
1 Firecrest -
Hilbre Island.
6 Little Egret -
Parkgate Marsh.
5 Little Egret -
Burton Marsh.
20 Twite, 2 Raven and
3,000 Black-tailed Godwit - Flint Castle.
|
November 8 |
28 Turnstone and 140 Redshank
- West Kirby Marine Lake wall
before high tide. |
November 7 |
20 Snipe -
Hoylake Langfields.
195 Black-tailed Godwit -
Caldy Shore.
3,000 Black-tailed Godwit
and 6,000 Pintail - Oakenholt Marsh.
2 Short-eared Owl, 1
Merlin and 15 Little Egret - Parkgate
over high tide.
1 Curlew Sandpiper
and 7 Spotted Redshank - Inner Marsh
Farm.
6,000 Pintail -
Burton Marsh, Denhall gutter at
high tide.
2 Black Redstart -
Point of Ayr, near car park at end of
Station road.
Latest
newsletter published. |
November 6 |
1 Spotted Crake, 1 Jack
Snipe, 4 Short-eared Owl, 6 Little Egret, 1 Merlin, 1 Peregrine and
1 Water Rail - Parkgate over high tide,
another great day as the tide came right in, we all had fabulous
views of the Spotted Crake as it was swept in by the tide then
sheltered just below the wall. I've revised yesterday's duck
numbers, the number of Wigeon was a record for Gayton Sands.
90 Turnstone,
West Kirby Marine Lake wall
before high tide.
1 Curlew Sandpiper, 2
Spotted Redshank, 1 Little Stint, 650 Knot and 2,000 Black-tailed
Godwit - Inner Marsh Farm.
|
November 5 |
4 (poss. 6) Short-eared Owl,
2 Whooper Swan, 1 Bewick's Swan, 12 Little Egret, 2 Merlin, 1
Peregrine, 2 Jack Snipe, 78 Snipe, 2 Water Rail and large numbers of
duck including 3,000 Teal and 6,500 Wigeon -
Parkgate over high tide, a good day
even though tide didn't come all the way in, tomorrow's forecast
looks good for a higher tide. 1 Marsh Harrier (juv.) seen in the
afternoon.
1 Short-eared Owl, 1
Merlin, 1 Peregrine, 2 Jack Snipe and 3 Water Rail -
Heswall Marsh. |
November 4 |
1 Water Pipit, 1 Water Rail
and 1 Little Egret - Neston Old Quay.
3 Water Rail, 3 Swallow, 1
Little Stint and 1 Curlew Sandpiper -
Inner Marsh Farm. |
November 3 |
4+ Water Rail, 12 Siskin and
1 Stonechat - Hoylake Langfields.
2,945 Black-tailed Godwit,
2,190 Knot, 2 Peregrine, 50 Twite and 20 Linnet -
Flint/Oakenholt.
1 Marsh Harrier (juv) and
2 Curlew Sandpiper - Inner Marsh Farm.
|
November 2 |
7 Goldeneye and 7
Red-breasted Merganser - West Kirby
Marine Lake.
1 Peregrine -
Little Eye.
3,500 Oystercatcher, 400
Curlew and 190 Shelduck - West Kirby
shore, also 1 Great Crested Grebe off Cubbins Green.
445 Black-tailed Godwit -
Caldy Shore.
7 Little Egret -
Parkgate Marsh.
1 Green-winged Teal, 1
Marsh Harrier (f), 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Bewick's Swan and 9 Little
Egret - Inner Marsh Farm.
|
November 1 |
6 Goldeneye, 2 Scaup (male)
and 11 Red-breasted Merganser - West
Kirby Marine Lake.
1,200 Shelduck and 500
Curlew off Little Eye as tide went
out.
90 Black-tailed Godwit -
West Kirby shore, off Cubbins
Green.
2 Curlew Sandpiper and 1
Common Buzzard - Inner Marsh Farm,
|
|