Dee Estuary Birding

Tides and Weather...

Safe Crossing Information for Hilbre can be read on the Friends of Hilbre Website.

Note that the Liverpool Tides(both times and heights) are the same as published by Laver's in their Liverpool Tide Table booklet. NOTE times are always GMT so add one hour for BST. The time and height of each month's spring tides (i.e. highest tides) are published in the Dee Estuary Birding monthly newsletter.
Also see the Tideschart.com Website which has tide times for the next seven days for Hilbre, Mostyn Docks, Heswall and Flint.

Tide times on the Dee Estuary are the same as for Liverpool except that the high tide at the mouth of the estuary (e.g. Hoylake, West Kirby, Hilbre, Mostyn and Point of Ayr) are about 15 minutes earlier. High tides further in to the estuary at Thurstaston, Flint and Connah's Quay are about the same as Liverpool whereas at Parkgate and Burton they are about 20 minutes later for the former and at least 30 minutes at the latter. Note that tide times are often printed as GMT even during the British Summer time period. 

It is strongly advised:
1. Never venture away from the foreshore unless you know exactly the time of the next high tide.
2. Always be back on dry land at least two hours before high tide.

The tide can come in with frightening speed - so be warned!

Remember that the height of the tides can vary from that predicted depending on the prevailing weather conditions. In particular a strong wind from the south west, west or north west can result in a much higher tide than predicted (see Tidal Surge web page above).