Home Sightings Photos NewsletterTides etc. Site Guides Index

This site index includes a list of articles written in the monthly newsletters which have been ongoing since March 1998, see the past newsletters page for a full list.

The articles cover a large range of subjects but all have some connection with the birds of the Dee Estuary. Many have been written by people other then myself (Richard Smith) for which I am very grateful. Recurring themes include bird reports (two of which have been published complete on this website), Dee Estuary Voluntary Wardens (information and data), species spotlights and site guides. The dates in brackets refer to when each particular newsletter containing the article was published. Links without dates refer to web pages elsewhere within this website.

Accessible Sites in Wirral,  Martin Kelly.

Aliens!!

"An Outsiders View" , article by the late Victor Smith about the birds of the Dee Estuary (Jun '99).

"A String in the tale" , an amusing tale of birders by Mark Feltham (Oct '03).

The Cheshire and Wirral Atlas (Oct '08).

CAWOS (Feb '14).

Best time to go to the estuary.
    The right place at the right time .
    Time and tide wait for no man (Feb '99).

Bibliography.

Bird Cruise (Apr '03).

Birds in Abundance! (Apr '16).

Bird Races.
    Wirral Hundred Bird Race 1999 (Apr '99).
    Wirral RSPB Bird Race 2000 results (Jul '00).

Bird Reports
    Cheshire/Wirral Bird Report, reviews: 1999 , 2000 , 2002 , 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 
    2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
    Hilbre Bird Report, reviews: 1998 , 1999 , 2001 , 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007.
    Clwyd Bird Report, reviews: 1993 to 1995 , 1999 , 2001, 2002, 2003.
    North-East Wales Bird Report, reviews: 2004-2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2014.
    DEVW Annual Report 2000 , review, (Mar '01)
    Hoylake Bird Observatory Report 2000/2001 (Feb '02 and Apr '02) by Jane Turner, whole report.
    DEVW Bird Report 2001 (June '02 and July '02) by Chris Butterworth, whole report, covers West
    Kirby and Red Rocks.
    Merseyside Ringing Group 50th Anniversary Report - Review (Aug '05).

Birdwatching Walks
    A Curlew Walk (Jan '99)
    A Christmas Walk (Dec '98)

Boating on the Estuary (Aug '99).

Burton Mere Wetlands (Oct '11), First Birthday and year summary (Oct' 12).

The Dee and the 20th Century, physical and ornithological changes (Dec '99)

The Dee Estuary Strategy (Oct '00) by Dr A Jemmett .

Dee Estuary Video (Jan '14)

Colour Ringed Gulls - Part 1 (Jan '15), Part 2 (Feb '15).

Colour Ringed Waders (Jan '05).  

Conservation and Wildfowling (Sep '05)

Dee Estuary Voluntary Wardens
    Description of role and appeal for new wardens (Sep '99)
    West Kirby High Tide Roost Counts 1986 to 1999 (Dec '99)
    West Kirby High Tide Roost Counts 1999/2000 (May '00)
    The role of DEVW in stopping bird disturbances at West Kirby (Nov '00), by Karen Leeming.
    DEVW Annual Report 2000 (Mar '01)
    West Kirby High Tide Roost Counts 2000/2001 (May '01)
    History of the DEVW (September '01)
    The Wardening Year 2001 (May '02)
    DEVW Bird Report 2001 (June '02 and July '02), by Chris Butterworth - whole report.
    Lovebirds! (Dec '02) by John Pugh.
    Appeal for Wardens (Sep '03), and (Sep '04).
    West Kirby High Tide Roost Counts 2004/2005 (May '05), and July '05.
    West Kirby Review of season 2005/2006 (Sep '06)
    West Kirby Shore 2007/08 (Sep '08)
    West Kirby High Tide Roost 2010/11 (Sep '11)
    Wirral Wonderful Waders (Oct '11)
    DEVW and West Kirby High Tide Roost (Nov '12)
    Dee Estuary Voluntary Wardens (Jan '22)

Eleven Star Rarities (Aug '09).

Exceptional Numbers (Jan '24)

Fire at Neston Reedbed (Mar '22).

Following Colour Ringed Waders - Chasing Blackwits (Aug '12), Tangled Up in Knots (Sep '12)
Chasing Blackwits - Iceland 2013 (Nov '13).

Friends of Hilbre (Aug '02), by Sue Craggs.

Four Windy Days in September (Oct '17).

Tribute to John Gittins (Jan '02) and John Gittins Plaque (Oct '02)

The Great Storm of December 2013 (Jan '14).

Gronant Little Tern Colony - 2008 Review and appeal for voluntary wardens 2009 (May '09)

Hilbre Bird Observatory 50 Years of Ringing and Recording (Feb '08).

Hilbre Bird Observatory Ringing Report (Jul-Sep 2021)(Dec '21).

Hoylake Beach (Vegetation) (July '21)

Hoylake Bird Observatory Article (Jun '01), by Jane Turner.

Irruptions, Influxes, Invasions and Large Passages (Oct '04)

Lies and Little Auks (Apr '99 ).

Little Terns and Sea Holly - Book Review (Jun '17).

Liverpool Bay SPA (Apr '18).

Low Tide Birdwatching (Feb '05 )

The Joy of Birds (20th Birthday) (Mar '18)

Madness at Red Rocks (Apr '14)

Migration
    Migration Watch '99, list of birds seen and map of migration routes (Nov '99)
    Spring migration 2000 (March '00)
    Spring migration 2000 (April '00)
    Migration Watch 2002 (Dec '02)
    Visible Migration (Oct '10).

Month by Month Guide to the Dee Estuary.

North Wales Breeding Bird Atlas, also May '10.

North Wales Little Tern Group (Jun '18).

North West Estuaries - Wildfowl  (Apr '10), Knot and Dunlin (Jul '10), Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit (Sep '10).

'Photographic Guide to Colour-marked Red Knot' (updated July 2023) - download the PDF file by clicking here.

Protection on the Estuary, Legislation and Reserves (Aug '01)

Ramsar 40th Anniversary (Feb '11)

Reflections on 5 years of Internet Birdwatching (Mar '03)
 

Rights and Wrongs (May '16)

Rotterdam on the Dee Estuary (sat tagged Blackwit) - Jul '14.

Rewilding the Hoylake Langfields (Apr '21).

Reviews
    Wirral Birding booklet (Aug '03).
    Rare Birds in Cheshire & Wirral (May '04) - also extract (June '04), second extract (Oct '05).
    Rare and Scarce Birds in C&W (Nov '17). Scarce and Rare Birds in North Wales (Aug '18.

RSPB 25 Years on the Estuary, (Jan '04), by John Harrison.

RSPB on the Dee Estuary - 40 years of conservation success, (Apr '19), by Graham Jones.

RSPB Makes Investment in Dee Wildlife, (Jan '07), by Colin Wells.

Site Guides
    Hilbre Island (Sep '98), Heswall Shore (Nov '98),
    North Wirral Shore (Oct '99), Greenfield Valley (Feb '01) by Brian Roberts, 
    Connah's Quay Reserve (Nov '02), High Tide at Parkgate (Dec '01) by Dave Jowitt,
    Point of Ayr sea watching (May '03) by Gareth Stamp,
    Lingham Lane and Leasowe Lighthouse (Nov '03) by Allan Conlin.
    The Magic of Parkgate (Oct '05) by David Esther, Liverpool Bay (Jan '06),
    Gilroy Nature Park and the Langfields (May '06), Point of Ayr (Jul '06),
    Heswall and Thurstaston (Aug '07), Gronant (Jun '09), West Kirby Marine Lake (Jan '10),
    Wirral Country Park (Feb '19), A Year at Meols - a Favourite Place (Feb '23).
    Also see Site Guides page. 

Sounds of the Estuary (Jul '01), article by W. Victor Smith.

Snowy Egrets, Pacific Swifts and other tall stories (July '22)

Species Spotlight

   Curlew Sandpiper (Sep '00),   Knot (Apr '00),   Redshank (Aug '00), 
    Little Terns at Gronant (Aug '01), Leach's Petrel (Oct '01), Shelduck (Nov '01), 
    Wheatear (Mar '02) by Steve Williams, Sandwich Tern (Aug '02), The Godwits (Sep '02),
    Brent Geese (Oct '02) by Chris Butterworth, White-throated Sparrow (Jun '03),
    A Golden Age for Raptors (Jul '03), Dunlin (Dec '03),
    Colour ringed Godwits (Jan'04) by John Harrison, Little Egret (Apr' 04), Common Terns (May '04).
    Ruddy Shelduck (Jul '04), 'Sands and Shanks' on passage (Aug '04),
    Am. Golden Plover (Sep '04), Turnstone (Nov '04), Oystercatcher (Apr '05).
    Cetti's Warbler (Jun '05), Barn Owls (Dec '05), Migration - Ringed Plover, Little Gull and
    White Wagtail (Apr '06), Little Tern (Jun '06), Gannet (Oct '06),
    A Golden Age for Raptors Part 2 (Nov '06), Black-tailed Godwit (Dec '06),
    Leach's Petrel Wreck (Jan '06), WeBS and Waders (Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit) (May ''07).
    Manx Shearwater (Jun '07), Rare Shearwaters (Sep '07), Pintail (Oct '07).
    Radde's Warbler (Jan '08), Gronant Little Terns (May '08), Storm Petrel (Jun '08).
    Common Scoter, Liverpool Bay SPA and Windfarms (Jul '08).
    Colour-ringed Black-tailed Godwits (Dec '08), Short-toed Lark (Aug '09).
    Paddyfield Warbler on Hilbre (Sep '09), Hen Harrier (Oct '09).
    Short-eared Owl (Nov '09), Colour-ringed Knot (Jun '10), Leach's Petrels 2010 (Oct '10).
    Lapland Bunting Influx (Nov '10), Great Crested Grebes (Dec '10),
    Black-tailed Godwits Part 3 (Jan '11), Spring Migrants (Apr '11 and May '11).
    Curlew Sandpiper Influx (Oct '11), The Scaup (Dec '11),
    Geese on the Dee Estuary Part 1 (Jan '12), Geese on the Dee Estuary Part 2 (Feb '12)
    Mediterranean Gull (Jul '12), Sanderling (Apr '13), Waxwing (May '13),
    Manx Shearwaters 2013 (Jul '13), Black-tailed Godwits Spring 2013 (Aug '13).
    Water Pipits (Sep '13), Knots on the Dee Estuary 2012/13 (Oct '13).
    Great White Egret (Dec '13), Buff-bellied Pipit (Jan '14).
    Common Scoter (May '14), Ringed Plover (Aug '14), Grey Wagtail (Nov '14).
    Cetti's Warbler (Dec '14), Laughing Gull (Mar '15), Cormorant (Apr '15).
    "HOW Many Scoters??!!" (May '15), Liverpool Bay Common Terns (Jun '15).
    Arctic Terns (Jul '15), Godwits of Gilroy (Sep '15), Twite (Dec '15).
    The Mysterious Pallas's Warbler (Feb '16), Little Terns (Jun '16).
    Spoonbill (Jul '16), Observations of Black-tailed Godwits (Sep '16).
    Curlew Sandpiper Influx 2016 (Nov '16), Yellow-browed Warbler Influx 2016 (Dec '16).  
    Egret Galore! (Jan '17), Tracking Knots (Feb '17), Oystercatchers (Apr '17),
    Gronant Little Terns (May '17), Black Tern Spring Passage 2017 (Jul '17).
    Pallid Harrier (Dec '17), Marsh Harriers on the Dee Estuary (Jan '18).
    'Among Knots' (Feb '18), Rare Terns on the Dee Estuary and North Wirral (Jul '18).
    Little Ringed Plover (Aug '18), Bonaparte's Gull (Sep '18), Teal (Nov '18).
    A Pied Wheatear at Meols (Dec '18), Bearded Tit (Jan '18), Ring Ouzels in Spring (May '19).
    The Seven Whistler (July '19), Arctic and Great Skuas (Sep '19).
    Long-tailed and Pomarine Skuas (Oct '19), Altcar Red Knot Project (Nov '19).
    Species Spotlight - Siskin (Dec '19), Peregrine Falcon (Jan '20)
    Purple Sandpiper (Feb '20), Long-billed Dowitcher (Apr '20).
    Sandwich Terns (Jul '20), Goosanders (Aug '20).
    Sabine's Gull (Sep '20), Status of Rock Pipits (Oct '20).
    Dunlin (Nov '20), Dunlin - Rings, Races and Genes (Dec '20).
    Snow Buntings (Feb '21), Redpolls (Jun '21), Liverpool Bay Knots (Aug '21).
    Peleagic Seabirds in Liverpool Bay (Sep '21), Shelduck (Oct '21).
    Garganey (Jun '22), Following migrating Red Knot to Iceland (Aug '22).
    Curlew (Oct '22), Curlew Sandpiper Influx 2022 (Nov '22).
    Redwing Migration 2022 (Dec '22), A Day of Stonechats (Apr '23).
    Sandwich Terns and Colour Rings (July '23), Pink-footed Geese (Oct '23)
    Curlew Sandpipers 2023 (Nov '23), Barolo Shearwater (Dec '23).
    Ospreys (Feb '24)

Spring Migration (Apr '24).

Wader Roosts (Dec '05).

Wader Quest (Oct '15).

Wader's Walk - Meols (Jan '23).

Wetland Bird Survey
    WeBS review - low tide counts '96/'97 (May '99)
    WeBS Counts - 97/98 to 01/02, tabulated counts month by month.
    Wetland Bird Survey Counts for 1999 (Dec '00)
    Dee Estuary WeBS Reports,  99/00, 00/01, 01/02, 03/04, 04/05, 05/06, 07/08  reviews.
    National WeBS Counts Reports - 96/97, 97/98, 98/99, 99/00, 00/01, 01 to 04, 04/05,
    06/07 Reviews  
    including discussions of trends relevant to the Dee Estuary.
   Wetland Bird Surveys (National 05/06 and Dee Estuary 06/07) (Apr '08).
   Wetland Bird Surveys (National 08/09 and Dee Estuary 09/10) (July '11).
   Wetland Bird Survey 2010/11 (Dec '12) and Part 2 (Jan '13).
   Wetland Bird Survey 2012/13 (Sep '14) and Part 2 (Oct' 14).
   Wetland Bird Survey 2013/14 (Aug '15).
   Wetland Bird Survey 2014/15 (Aug '16).
   Wetland Bird Survey 2015/16 (Aug '17).
   Wetland Bird Survey 2016/17 (Oct '18).
   Wetland Bird Survey 2017/18 (Aug '19).
   Wetland Bird Survey 2018/19 (May '20).
   Wetland Bird Survey 2019/20 (Jun '21).
   Wetland Bird Survey 2020/21 (Sep '22).
   Wetland Bird Survey 2021/22 (Aug '23).

The Dee from A Canadian Perspective (Dec '01).

Ten Years of deeestuary.co.uk (Mar '08)

The Hilbre Party - The days of Eric Hosking's et. al. visits to Hilbre (Nov '99)

Three Magical Spring Days and Weather and Migration Study (Jun '12).

Top Ten Photographs (Jan '21).

Underground Coal Gasification on the Dee Estuary (Mar '14).

Up on the roof (rooftop nesting gulls) (May '23).

Wingspan (Jan '10).

Wirral Birding - A Personal Perspective (Mar '10), by Tom Giles.

Wirral CP Recording Group (Jan '10).

Wirral Wader Festival Nov 2015 (Nov '15).

Year Highlights
    March 1998 to Feb 1999 ('Mar '99)    March 1999 to Feb 2000 ('Mar '00)
    March 2000 to Feb 2001 (Mar '01)     March 2001 to Feb 2002 (Mar '02)
    March 2002 to Feb 2003 (Mar '03)     March 2003 to Feb 2004 (Mar '04)
    March 2004 to Feb 2005 (Mar '05)     March 2005 to Feb 2006 (Mar '06)
    March 2006 to Feb 2007 (Mar '07)     March 2007 to Feb 2008 (Mar '08)   
    March 2008 to Feb 2009 (Mar '09)     March 2009 to Feb 2010 (Mar '10)     
    March 2010 to Feb 2011 (Mar '11)     March 2011 to Feb 2012 (Mar '12)
    March 2012 to Feb 2013 (Mar '13)     March 2013 to Feb 2014 (Mar '14)
    March 2014 to Feb 2015 (Mar '15)     March 2015 to Feb 2016 (Mar '16) 
    March 2016 to Feb 2017 (Mar '17)     March 2018 to Feb 2019 (Mar '19) 
    March 2019 to Feb 2020 (Mar '20)     March 2020 to Feb 2021 (Mar '21)   
    March 2021 to Feb 2022 (Mar '22)     March 2022 to Feb 2023 (Mar '23)    
    March 2023 to Feb 2024 (Mar '24)