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  Archived Latest Sightings -
November and December  2002.

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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,
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