The Dee Estuary, on the North Wales / North-West England border, is one of the United Kingdom's premier birding locations for wetland and shorebirds. This Website describes the best Dee Estuary birdwatching areas with detailed maps and latest bird news for dedicated twitchers and casual birdwatchers alike.
Please send any
sightings to: 
Newsletters going back to March 1998 can be read, they are indexed both month by month and by subject matter.
Latest Sightings.... (more)
Aug 7
1 Common Redstart and 1 Willow Tit on fence line in field near Burton Point.
3 Pintail, 79 Grey Plover, 24 Whimbrel, 21 Mediterranean Gull, 950 Black-headed Gull, 480 Common Gull on rising tide - Thurstaston Shore.
1 Hobby hunting over Lower Heswall.
Aug 6
26 Avocet and 11 Spoonbill (3 juvs) - Parkgate.
Aug 5
1 Storm Petrel in R Mersey mouth at 0930, also 1 Little Gull (ad) - New Brighton.
6,640 Black-tailed Godwit (a site record and highest ever single site count for Dee estuary area) - Caldy Wildfowl Collection.
Wheatears at the sheep pens, Burton Point, August 6th
Left © John Hewitt, Right © Les Hall
Green Sandpiper at Burton Mere Wetlands, August 1st © Frank Burns
The Black-tailed Godwits were keeping a safe distance from this Grey Heron at the Caldy Wildfowl Collection
August 1st © Richard Smith
Sand Martin by Neston Old Quay, July 30th © John Crook
Avocet at dusk, Parkgate, July 23rd © John Kane
Turnstones on Hilbre, July 20th © Alan Hitchmough (Hilbre Bird Observatory)
Manx Shearwaters past Hilbre, July 20th © Alan Hitchmough (Hilbre Bird Observatory)
Spoonbills with a nice mix of waders, Parkgate, July 18th © John Kane
Plenty of young Sandwich Terns at Hilbre this morning, July 16th © Richard Smith
Sandwich Terns on East Hoyle Bank by Hilbre, July 14th © Richard Smith
This afternoon the Black-tailed Godwits at Caldy looked like they were suffering from the heat, standing with their beaks in the air and panting, July 12th © Richard Smith
One of a line of young Swallows sitting on a wire fence waiting to be fed
Leasowe Lighthouse, July 7th © Jeremy Bradshaw
Great White Egret and Grey Heron at Burton Mere Wetlands, July 3rd © Steve Harrison
Little Tern with chick, Gronant, July 2nd © Les Hall
Black-tailed Godwits landing after being disturbed by a Buzzard, Caldy Wilfowl Collection, June 30th © Richard Smith
Sedge Warbler, Burton Marsh, June 29th © Sasha Quentin
Black-tailed Godwits at Caldy Wildfowl Collection, June 26th © Richard Smith
S/pl Spotted Redshank at Burton Mere Wetlands, June 23rd © Allan Conlin
Male Ruff (with Redshank) at Burton Mere Wetlands, June 23rd © Steve Hinde
Dunlins at Hilbre, June 22nd © Alan Hitchmough (Hilbre Bird Observatory)
A good selection of different plumaged Knots at Burton Mere Wetlands, June 14th © Richard Smith
Spoonbill at Burton Mere Wetlands, June 11th © Les Hall
Curlew Sandpiper at Burton Mere Wetlands, June 10th © Richard Smith
Great White Egret at Burton Mere Wetlands, May 30th © Les Hall
Knots (mainly imms) at Burton Mere Wetlands, May 25th © Carole Killikelly
Manx Shearwaters off the north end of Hilbre, May 25th © Alan Hitchmough (Hilbre Bird Observatory)
Common Whitetroat near Neston Reedbed, May 17th © John Crook
Curlew Sandpiper at Hilbre, May 15th © Steve Williams (Hilbre Bird Observatory)
Gannets flying into the estuary, May 10th © Alan Hitchmough
White Wagtail on Hilbre, May 10th © Alan Hitchmough
Reed Warbler on Burton Marsh, May 6th © Frank Burns
Wood Sandpiper, Burton Mere Wetlands, May 3rd © Carole Killikelly
Curlew Sandpiper at Burton Mere Wetlands, May 3rd © Richard Whitby
Whimbrel at Hilbre, May 3rd © Alan Hitchmough
This
is a wholly
independent
web
site and unless
where specifically stated has been written and maintained by myself,
Richard Smith. I do receive articles for the newsletter from time to
time for which I am very grateful, and also various people kindly
donate photographs and sketches. l rely to a large extent on people
keeping me informed about the birds they have seen - this, more than
anything, is what keeps the website going. Note that everything on this
website is subject to © copyright although some material may be
available for non-commercial use - but please ask first! Lastly, 'Dee
Estuary Birding' is just the name of this web site - it is not the name
of an organisation or society.
Copyright © 2020 Richard Smith | Header Photograph of Black-tailed Godwits © Steve Round.
Copyright © 2020 Richard Smith | Header Photograph of Black-tailed Godwits © Steve Round.