Bird Counts

Wetland Bird Survey Count for Heswall Shore - (Kindly provided by the Wirral Ranger Service). 16th October.
Great-crested Grebe 9, Cormorant 27, Grey Heron 5, Shelduck 9620, Wigeon 190, Teal 268, Mallard 58, Pintail 5, Red-breasted Merganser 3, Oystercatcher 870, Golden Plover 74, Lapwing 236, Knot 100, Dunlin 30, Snipe 8, Black-tailed Godwit 110, Curlew 1380, Redshank 3400, Peregrine Falcon.

West Kirby high tide roost, highest count for October carried out by Dee Estuary Volunteer Wardens - 28th October.
Ringed Plover 16, Grey Plover 36, Sanderling 6, Dunlin 3750, Bar-tailed Godwit 77 and 4500 Knot. 

It was a very good month for Skuas, the best day being the 2nd with 9 Long-tailed, 7 Great and 86 Arctic all at the Point of Ayr. A Pomarine Skua and another 3 Great Skua were seen off Red Rocks on the 10th. The strong west winds also brought in 5 Leach's Petrel, 4 Black Tern and 130 Razorbill at Hoylake/ Red Rocks, plus an excellent passage of 2400 Guillemot an hour on the 23rd.

A wonderful sight was the record number of Shelduck at Heswall - a total of 9620, best seen when pushed up by the incoming tide. Other wildfowl have included 4 Eider, 98 Common Scoter, Long-tailed Duck and Velvet Scoter all at Hoylake and 2 Garganey and a Ruddy Shelduck at Inner Marsh Farm. 

Nineteen Spotted Redshank was a  good count for Parkgate Marsh and the same number of Greenshank were present early in the month. Sixteen Purple Sandpipers are at Hilbre, a high number for October. Rarer  waders included a Grey Phalarope at Hoylake and a Pectoral Sandpiper on Burton Marsh. Large flocks of the more common waders were seen with 9000 Dunlin and 12000 Knot at the high tide roost off Hoylake beach. The first of this winter's Water Pipits have returned to the Old quay at Neston, a Richard's Pipit was seen briefly at Red Rocks and a Lapland Bunting on Hilbre Island.

What to expect in November: Little Egrets are continuing to expand their range north-westwards and we should see about five birds on the estuary - usually seen at Parkgate, Burton or Flint. One or two Spoonbill may turn up, the Mauritanian Spoonbill (ship assisted vagrant) usually spends most of the winter at Inner Marsh Farm - last seen here in May. 

Black-tailed Godwits numbers peaked last year in November (2543). One of the easiest to see flocks is usually off Thurstaston and Heswall, best seen about half tide feeding on the mud just off the beach. Purple Sandpipers should increase to about 30 birds on Hilbre Island. Large flocks of Dunlin and Knot (10000+) should be seen, either at low water off Thurstaston or Leasowe or on their high tide roosts at Hoylake, West Kirby or Point of Ayr. 

A small flock of Bewick's Swan return to the estuary in November, usually about 30 to 40 birds on Burton Marsh. Teal numbers will build up with numbers possibly as high as 5000, although the floods this autumn may keep many inland. 

Many thanks go to Jane Turner, Steve Williams, Cathy McGrath, Alison Tyrer, Francis Kelly, Peter Wilson, Jeff Clarke, Mark Smith, Peter Colley, Brian Roberts, Julia Fox, Howard Morgan  and Martyn Jaimeson for their sightings during October. I rely on the goodwill of people like this, unlike some commercial sites I cannot offer financial inducements!

Note that the marsh at Parkgate is covered when tide height is 9.8m or over, dependent on weather conditions. Low pressure with strong north-west wind will create higher than expected tide, high pressure with southerly wind means lower than expected tide.