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Archived Latest Sightings -
September and October 2002.

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October 31

4 Curlew Sandpiper and 2 Common Buzzard  - Inner Marsh Farm,

October 30

Several thousand Oystercatcher, 1,000 Shelduck and 550 Curlew - West Kirby Shore.
4 Scaup (male) and 2 Red-breasted Merganser (female) - West Kirby Marine Lake.
2 Swallow and 2 House Martin, swallows in particular are very late this year - Inner Marsh Farm,

October 28

1 Whinchat, 3 Stonechat and 6 Greater Spotted Woodpecker - Hoylake Langfields. 
1 Leach's Petrel, 1 Long-tailed Duck and 1 Mediterranean Gull - north Wirral shore (Leasowe/ New Brighton). 
2 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Bewick's Swan, 1 Water Rail, 1 Stonechat and 1 Common Buzzard - Inner Marsh Farm, also 30 Little Egret roosting (another record). 

October 27

2 Leach's Petrel seen flying towards the mouth of the estuary past Holywell.
7 Leach's Petrel, 1 Sabine's Gull (adult), 1 Little Gull (adult), 1 Grey Phalarope, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Arctic Skua, 1 probable dark-phased Long-tailed Skua, 1 Great Skua and many Kittiwake - north Wirral shore (Leasowe/ New Brighton).
1 Kingfisher by Meols Station.
1 Long-tailed Skua, 1 Sabine's Gull, 9 Little Gull, 5 Great Skua, 2 Arctic Skua and 2 Scaup - Point of Ayr.
1 Great Skua, 1 Storm Petrel and well over 100 Kittiwake - Hilbre Island.

October 26

8,500 Shelduck - Thurstaston Shore at low tide.
Estimated 15,000 Oystercatcher between Heswall and West Kirby at low tide. 
4 Little Egret - Parkgate Boathouse Flash.
1 Long-tailed Skua - Point of Ayr.
1 Swallow (a late migrant), 2 Great Crested Grebe and 2 Guillemot - Hilbre Island.
1 Swallow (another late migrant) over West Kirby.

October 25

2 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Ruff and 400 Black-tailed Godwit - Inner Marsh Farm.

October 24

1 Peregrine and 2 Brent Goose (dark-bellied) - Little Hilbre, at high tide.
1 Bean Goose (tundra, ssp. rossicus) reported on Warren fields, Point of Ayr.
1 Greenshank, 1 Peregrine, 2 Common Buzzard and 1 Water Rail - Inner Marsh Farm.

October 23

2 Whooper Swan - Shotwick Fields.
20 Turnstone and 100 Redshank roosting at high tide on site of old swimming baths, West Kirby Marine Lake.
1 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Merlin, 300 Black-tailed Godwit and 5 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm.
6 Little Egret - Burton Marsh.
2,000 Oystercatcher, 1,500 Dunlin, 750 Knot, 400 Sanderling, 300 Grey Plover and 50 Ringed Plover - Hoylake at high tide.

October 22

25 Bewick's Swan - Burton Marsh.
2,000 Oystercatcher, 160 Curlew and 280 Sanderling - West Kirby Shore at high tide as counted by DEVW
4 Common Scoter off Red Rocks.
5 Little Egret - Parkgate Boathouse Flash.

October 21

50 Turnstone and 50 Redshank on West Kirby Marine Lake wall before high tide, 250 - 300 Shelduck on the mud beyond the lake.
1,300 Oystercatcher, 130 Curlew, 263 Grey Plover (one still in summer plumage), 1,300 Dunlin and 400 Sanderling - West Kirby Shore at high tide as counted by DEVW

October 20

15 Bewick's Swan, 50 Golden Plover, 17 Little Egret and several Brambling and Fieldfare over - Burton Marsh.

October 19

3,000 Black-tailed Godwit, 400 Lapwing, 1,000 Oystercatcher, 50 Great Black-backed Gull, 300 Lesser Black-backed Gull and 2 Great Crested Grebe - Connah's Quay Reserve.
5 Whooper Swan, 5 Bewick's Swan, 5 Ruff and 4 Water Rail - Inner Marsh Farm.
6,000 Oystercatcher, 1 Peregrine, 550 Curlew and 150 Dunlin - West Kirby Shore as counted by DEVW
4 Brent Goose and 1 Peregrine - Little Eye.
15 Bewick's Swan - Burton Marsh.

October 18

21 Little Egret, 16 Bewick's Swan, Peregrine, 2 Brambling and 1 Water Rail - Burton Marsh early this morning.
1 Peregrine and 2 Common Buzzard - Hoylake Langfields.
2 Long-tailed Duck (pair, adult) - flew past Marine Lake and Red Rocks.
1 Little Stint and 5 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm.

October 17

1,750 Black-tailed Godwit - Connah's Quay Reserve.
1,500 Black-tailed Godwit - Flint.
1 Brambling on path, lots of Redwing and a few Fieldfare - Inner Marsh Farm.
6 Little Egret - Parkgate Boathouse Flash.
100+ Redwing, 30+ Fieldfare, 50+ Blackbird and 10+ Song Thrush - Hoylake Langfields early this morning.
Lots of Redwings about generally but far fewer Fieldfares.

October 16

8,600 Shelduck and an estimated 5,000 Oystercatcher, 3,000 Dunlin, 1,000 Knot and 200 Grey Plover at low tide - Thurstaston Shore, large numbers of Redshank and Curlew between Heswall and West Kirby not counted.
14 Bewick's Swan - Shotwick Fields.
1 Little Stint, 4 Ruff and 2 Water Rail - Inner Marsh Farm. 

October 14

4 Little Egret  and several Greenshank - Parkgate Boathouse Flash.

October 13

22 Little Egret early this morning over Burton Point, flying north-west from their roost.
4 Little Egret - Parkgate Boathouse Flash.

October 12

1 Red-throated Diver and 1 Iceland Gull (briefly) - Hoylake Shore

October 11

14 Pink-footed Goose - Parkgate, in field.
22 Bewick's Swan, 100+ Black-tailed Godwit and 2,000+ Teal - Inner Marsh Farm.
2,000 Oystercatcher, 6 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Peregrine, 400 Curlew and 200 Dunlin - West Kirby Shore
20+ Bewick's Swan - Burton Marsh (same as seen earlier at IMF). 

October 10

22 Bewick's Swan - Burton Marsh, first of the winter. 
4 Little Egret - Parkgate Marsh.
4,500 Oystercatcher, 394 Curlew, 16 Sanderling, 23 Ringed Plover, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Peregrine and 100+ Shelduck - West Kirby Shore as counted by DEVW
2 Spotted Redshank, 424 Redshank, 870 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Ruff and 21 Golden Plover - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Ring Ouzel - Hilbre Island.

October 9

2 Green Sandpiper - flew over  Ness this morning.
1,400 Pintail and 2 Little Stint - Inner Marsh Farm.
30 Common Scoter, 18 Guillemot, 3 Red-throated Diver, 1 Eider (male, 1w), 1 Merlin (female), 2 Rock Pipit, 1 Tree Pipit and 1 Brambling over - Hilbre Island, 5,000+ Oystercatcher on Middle Hilbre at high tide.

October 8

8 Little Egret, 1 Jack Snipe, 11 Greenshank, 3 Peregrine, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Mediterranean Gull (adults), 1 Whimbrel and 2 Merlin plus the usual great spectacle of thousands of waders and wildfowl - Parkgate, tide came in a bit closer than yesterday but not quite to the wall.
3 Scaup and 2 Yellow-legged Gull  - Point of Ayr.
1 Curlew Sandpiper, 600 Knot, 2 Little Stint, 4 Spotted Redshank, 9 Greenshank and 2,470 Black-tailed Godwit (record number for this site) - Inner Marsh Farm.

October 7

1 Peregrine, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Grey Wagtail, 100 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Little Egret and 1 Merlin plus the usual great spectacle of thousands of waders and wildfowl - Parkgate.

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October 6

3 Peregrine, 3 Common Buzzard, 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 Wheatear - Parkgate.
3,000 Black-tailed Godwit - Flint.
1 Yellow-browed Warbler - Leasowe  Common (near lighthouse).
1 Curlew Sandpiper - Gronant.

October 5

1 Curlew Sandpiper and 1 Peregrine (with the usual mass of waders and duck, but the migration watch suffered from the change in weather!) - Heswall Shore. 
1 Peregrine, 6,500 Oystercatcher, 168 Knot and 400 Curlew - West Kirby Shore at high tide, as counted by the DEVW.
3 Great Skua, 1 Little Gull, 3 Red-throated Diver, 14 Sandwich Tern and 3,000 Black-tailed Godwit - Point of Ayr.
3 Little Stint, 4 Greenshank, 3 Ruff, 1 Green Sandpiper and 300 Black-tailed Godwit - Inner Marsh Farm.
43 Gannet, 80 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Kestrel, 1 Rock Pipit, 3 Red-throated Diver, 38 Common Scoter, 75 Guillemot, 1 Purple Sandpiper - Hilbre Island.

October 4

9 Little Egret and 18 Greenshank - Parkgate Marsh, Boathouse Flash.
1 Little Egret and 14 Golden Plover - Burton Marsh, Decca Pools.
3 Little Stint, 1 Green Sandpiper and 380 Black-tailed Godwit - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Red Kite - Greenfield Valley.

October 3

3 Little Egret and 33 Greenshank - Parkgate Marsh, Boathouse Flash.
2,100 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Little Egret - Connah's Quay reserve.
2 Little Stint, 2 Spotted Redshank and 4 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm.

October 2

5 Little Egret, 1 Peregrine, 1 Sparrowhawk and 29 Greenshank - Parkgate Marsh, Boathouse Flash.
1 Common Buzzard, 2 Little Stint and 5 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm.

October 1

7,000+ Shelduck and 46 Grey Plover (2 still in summer plumage) - Thurstaston Shore.
1 Peregrine on it's usual post on Heswall Marsh.

September 30

4,800 Pintail, 3,000 Black-tailed Godwit, 2,500 Teal, 1,800 Shelduck and 1 Peregrine - Flint.
1 Barred Warbler and 1 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Point of Ayr, in the Warren.
2 Little Egret and 21 Greenshank - Parkgate Marsh, Boathouse Flash.

September 28

87 Cormorant, 6 Pintail, 6 Red-breasted Merganser, 2,000 Oystercatcher and 60 Meadow Pipit  - Hilbre early this morning.
1 Barred Warbler reported Point of Ayr, east end of the 'Warren'.
1 Little Stint and 7 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm.

September 27

1 Turtle Dove - West Kirby, in a garden by Safeways.

September 26

7,560 Shelduck - Thurstaston Shore, 1 Little Egret in the gutter. 
2 Little Stint, 7 Spotted Redshank, 11 Ruff, 1 Greenshank and 400 Black-tailed Godwit - Inner Marsh Farm.

September 25

1 Turtle Dove - West Kirby, in a garden by Safeways, 1 Common Buzzard over Grange Hill.

September 24

4,500 Oystercatcher - Little Eye two hours before high tide, also 12 Wigeon and 59 Shelduck.
7 Red-throated Diver, 16 Common Scoter, 5 Guillemot, 1 Puffin, 5 Great Crested Grebe, 8 Sandwich Tern, 18 Common Tern, 6 Chiffchaff and 1 Rock Pipit - Hilbre Island.

September 23

8 Greenshank - Parkgate Marsh, Boathouse Flash.
2 Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank and 9 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm.
4,000 Oystercatcher - West Kirby Shore/ Little Eye, also 1 Peregrine and 1 Sparrowhawk.

September 22

2 Curlew Sandpiper (juv.), 1 Marsh Harrier (f.), 4 Greenshank, 1 Peregrine, 1 Little Egret, 1 Mediterranean Gull and 2,000 Common Gull - Heswall Shore, plus the usual thousands of Shelduck, Redshank and Curlew.
Osprey over M53 at Bidston, heading west.
15+ Chiffchaff - Caldy Hill, one in full song.
8,000 Oystercatcher - West Kirby Shore at high tide.

September 21

1 Raven and 1 Spotted Redshank, a few Goldcrests, Willow Warblers, Hirundines and Grey Wagtails passing through early this morning - Hilbre Island.
10 Greenshank and 3 Little Egret - Parkgate Marsh, Boathouse Flash.
1 Raven and 1 Common Buzzard over West Kirby, 4,000 Oystercatcher on the beach over high tide.
5 Ruff, 3 Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank and 3 Water Rail - Inner Marsh Farm.
300 Cormorant, 50 Ringed Plover, 75 Sandwich Tern, 100 Linnet and 3 Gannet - Gronant.

September 20

45 Sandwich Tern, 11 Common Tern, 1 Arctic Skua, 21 Grey Wagtail, 12 Wheatear, 10 Guillemot and 6,000 Oystercatcher - Hilbre Island.
1 Spotted Crake, 1 Green Sandpiper and 1 Marsh Harrier (f.) - Inner Marsh Farm.

September 19

1 Osprey - Hilbre, fabulous views of Osprey catching and eating fish on East Hoyle Bank.
22 Greenshank and 5 Little Egret - Parkgate Marsh, Boathouse Flash.
1 Little Stint, 1 Green Sandpiper, 11 Ruff, 2 Spotted Redshank and 850 Black-tailed Godwit - Inner Marsh Farm.

September 18

1 Curlew Sandpiper (juv.),  2 Peregrine and 3 Little Egret - Heswall Shore.
36 Greenshank - Parkgate Marsh, Boathouse Flash.
1 Pectoral Sandpiper (juv.), 1 Spotted Crake, 1 Green Sandpiper, 8 Ruff, 3 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshank, 1 Crossbill and 1 Spotted Flycatcher - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Hobby and a passage of 200 House Martin - Hilbre.

September 17

3 Curlew Sandpiper (juv.), 1 Ruff (juv.), 3 Greenshank, 2 Peregrine, 16 Grey Heron, 3 Little Egret and estimate of 5,000 Shelduck - Heswall Shore.
14 Greenshank - Parkgate Marsh, Boathouse Flash.
1 Pectoral Sandpiper and 4 Curlew Sandpiper - Inner Marsh Farm.

September 16

4 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Little Stint, 1 Green Sandpiper, 4 Spotted Redshank and 600 Black-tailed Godwit and 6 Greenshank - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Hobby - Point of Ayr over Warren fields.

September 15

1 Spotted Redshank and 2 Greenshank in gutter halfway between Heswall and Thurstaston. 
2 Spotted Flycatcher and 1 Common Buzzard - Hilbre Island.

September 14

3 Great Crested Grebe, 12 Common Scoter, 360 Sanderling and 230 Grey Plover (many in summer plumage), along with the usual Oystercatchers, Dunlin and Knot - Leasowe Shore, also 30 Wheatear on the embankment by the lighthouse. 
2 Redstart, 20 White Wagtail, 500 Meadow Pipit, 35 Willow Warbler, 30 Wheatear, 2 Whinchat, 20 Whitethroat and 2 Garden Warbler - Hilbre Island.
1 Spotted Crake, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 2 Little Ringed Plover and 5 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm.

September 13

1 Osprey over New Brighton promenade (just outside this website's area, but it was heading towards the Dee Estuary.)

September 12

1 Garganey, 1 Green Sandpiper and 1 Ruff - Burton Marsh.
1 Spotted Crake, 3 Curlew Sandpiper, 600 Black-tailed Godwit and 2,500 Teal - Inner Marsh Farm.

September 11

12 Little Egret  - Parkgate Marsh.
1 Spotted Crake, 5 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Little Stint and 1,380 Black-tailed Godwit - Inner Marsh Farm.

September 9

1 Spotted Crake, 4 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Little Stint, 3 Spotted Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper and 15 Greenshank - Inner Marsh Farm.

September 8

3,500 Black-headed Gull, 750 Common Gull and 1 Mediterranean Gull - West Kirby Shore.
1,150 Oystercatcher and 5 Common Scoter -  Red Rocks.
3,300 Oystercatcher, 12 Little Egret, 2,000 Black-tailed Godwit, 14 Spotted Redshank, 11 Greenshank and 1 Curlew Sandpiper - Connah's Quay Reserve.

September 7

30 Greenshank  - Parkgate Marsh, Boathouse Flash.
2 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Little Gull and 1 Peregrine - Hoylake Shore.
4 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Little Stint, 1 Green Sandpiper and 10 Greenshank - Inner Marsh Farm.

September 6

2 Arctic Skua, 1 Great Skua, 15 Sandwich Tern and 30 Common Tern - Hilbre Island.
4 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Little Stint and 10 Greenshank - Inner Marsh Farm.

September 5

1 Marsh Harrier and 3 Little Egret  - Heswall Shore.
5 Gannet, 29 Common Scoter, 10 Kittiwake, 3 Arctic Skua and 1 Great Skua - Red Rocks.
5 Arctic Skua, 1 Red-throated Diver, 1 Pomarine Skua and 2 Peregrine - Hilbre Island.
3 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Little Stint and 5 Greenshank - Inner Marsh Farm.

September 4

55 Greenshank  - Parkgate Marsh, Boathouse Flash.
17 Yellow Wagtail - Hoylake Langfields.
1 Osprey, 1 Spotted Crake, 4 Curlew Sandpiper (juv.), 1 Garganey, 1 Kingfisher and 1 Peregrine - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Common Buzzard - Stapledon Wood.
1 Hobby - Gronant.

September 3

24 Greenshank  - Parkgate Marsh, Boathouse Flash.

September 2

1 Marsh Harrier (juv.) - Burton Marsh.
3 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Spotted Redshank, 300 Black-tailed Godwit, 8 Greenshank, 1 Green Sandpiper and 1 Hobby - Inner Marsh Farm.
3 Little Egret - Heswall Marsh.

September 1

1 Greenshank heard by West Kirby Marine Lake. 
10 Grey Wagtail, 1 White Wagtail and 1 Yellow Wagtail - Hilbre Island.
2 Curlew Sandpiper and 1 Water Rail (juv.) - Inner Marsh Farm.

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