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Archived Latest Sightings:
July and August 2011.

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Click here to see list of Archived latest sightings from September 2000.

August 31:
1 White-rumped Sandpiper - Hoylake Shore, elusive. also 6 Curlew Sandpiper.
23 Ruff, 5 Curlew Sandpiper and 2 Spotted Redshank - Inner Marsh Farm.
13 Greenshank, 1 Ruff, 1 Spotted Redshank - Parkgate (Boathouse Flash).
3 Arctic Skua - Hilbre.

August 30:
6 Curlew Sandpiper - Hoylake Shore.

August 29:
12 Arctic Skua, 1 Pomarine Skua and 1 Great Skua - Hilbre.
1 Greenshank, 1 Yellow Wagtail and a good selection of small waders - Donkey Stand Flash, Parkgate.

August 28:
1 Cuckoo (juv) in horse paddock with jumps, 1 Spotted Flycatcher by River Birket bridge - Leasowe Lighthouse.
12,000 Oytstercatcher - West KirbyShore.
3 ad Mediterranean Gull and 2 Yellow-legged Gull - West Kirby playing fields.
1 Little Stint and 5 Greenshank - Donkey Stand Flash, Parkgate.
11 Curlew Sandpiper and 22 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm.
43 Greenshank - Boathouse Flash, Parkgate.
3 Curlew Sandpiper and 1 Little Stint - Hoylake Shore.

August 27:
1 Cuckoo (juv) in horse paddock, 1 Greenshank on groyne - Leasowe Lighthouse.
1 Little Stint, 1 Turnstone, 75 Ringed Plover and 35 Dunlin - Donkey Stand Flash, Parkgate, also 1 Yellow Wagtail and 1 Hen Harrier.
34 Greenshank and 2 Spotted Redshank - Boathouse Flash, Parkgate.
1 Osprey - Heswall Shore this morning, flew south.
15 Ruff, 1 Greenshank and 1 Hobby, 1 Hen Harrier flushed 30 Snipe - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Great Skua, 25 Gannet, 500 Sandwich Tern, 17 Common Scoter, 5 Great Crested Grebes and 55 Little Tern - highlights from Hilbre, for more details see http://www.hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/.

August 26:
2 Ruff, 1 Greenshank, 53 Black-tailed Godwit, 17 Teal and 5 Shoveler - Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.
1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Spotted Redshank, 7 Whimbrel, 30 Bar-tailed Godwit, 250 Knot and 6,000 Redshank - Heswall/Thurstaston Shore.
1 Hen Harrier, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 7 Greenshank, 6 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk  - Donkey Stand Flash, Parkgate.
15 Wheatear, 1 Curlew Sandpiper (juv), 1 Garden Warbler and 1,200 Ringed Plover - highlights from Hilbre, for more details see http://www.hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/.

August 25:
7 Greenshank - Parkgate Marsh, off Marsh Cat Restaurant, also 1 Hen Harrier (ringtail).
1 Ruff, 1 Greenshank and 63 Black-tailed Godwit (21 juv) - Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.
1 Black Kite (second record for Wirral), also 750 Ringed Plover, 240 Common Tern and 50 Little Tern - highlights from Hilbre, for more details see http://www.hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/.

August 24:
1 Wood Sandpiper, 5 Ruff, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Peregrine and 1 Hobby (juv) - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Ruff - Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.

August 23:
6 Greenshank - Parkgate Marsh, 3 on pool off Marsh Cat Restaurant, 1 flew into back of new wader scrape and 2 more seen flying.
2 Stonechat (pair) and 1 Ring-necked Parakeet - Cubbins Green, West Kirby.
50+ Little Tern - highlights from Hilbre, for more details see http://www.hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/.
1 Greenshank and c300 Black-tailed Godwit - Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.

August 22:
6 Spotted Flycatcher and 1 Redstart, 10 Willow Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 6 Whitethroat and 3 Reed Warbler - in hedge by horse paddock west of Leasowe Lighthouse.
2 Ruff (juv and ad) with c70 Black-tailed Godwit - Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.

August 21:
Wheatear in the horse paddocks, 1 Peregrine on the shore - Leasowe Lighthouse, 1 Cuckoo late morning.
1 Hobby over Neston sewage works.

August 20:
1 Greenshank, 8 Whimbrel, 300 Sandwich Tern and 125 Common Tern - highlights from Hilbre, for more details see http://www.hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/.
12 Little Egret, 2 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Whimbrel and 1 Raven - Heswall Shore.
2, Hobby, 3 Green sandpiper, 2 Ruff, 2 Marsh Harrier fem/juv - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Greenshank and 120 Black-tailed Godwit - Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.
1 adult Yellow-legged Gull, 3 Wigeon, 13 Greenshank, 3 Spotted Redshank, 10 Whimbrel and 1 juvenile Marsh Harrier - Burton Outer Marsh (Clwyd).

August 19:
3 Greenshank - Parkgate Marsh.
1 female Marsh Harrier - Inner Marsh Farm.

August 18:
203 Black-tailed Godwit this morning, 1 Greenshank this afternoon, 6 Common Buzzard over the fields, one ******* powered kite frightening all the godwits!! - Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.
1 Great White Egret reported - Parkgate Marsh.
14 Greenshank and 5 Spotted Redshank - Connah's Quay Reserve.

August 17:
334 Black-tailed Godwit, also 1 Peregrine and an incredible 19 Common Buzzard which flew in from Greasby direction and headed towards Hoylake - Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.
1 Whimbrel on groyne, 63 Linnet in horse paddocks - Leasowe Lighthouse.
1 Raven over A540 near Neston.
1 Common Sandpiper - Heswall gutter by boat yard.

August 16:
385 Black-tailed Godwit - Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.
85 Goldfinch - Greenfield Dock.
2 Shag - Hilbre.

August 15:
354 Black-tailed Godwit and 4 Bullfinch - Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.
1 Hobby, 2 Green Sandpiper and 2 Pochard - Inner Marsh Farm.
2 Wheatear, 7 Whimbrel, 1 Greenshank, 3 juv Guillemot and c30 Little Tern - Hilbre.
3 Raven over Dungeon Wood, Heswall.
1 Wheatear - Burton village.

August 14:
1 Greenshank by groyne - Leasowe Lighthouse.
1 Common Sandpiper - Inner Marsh Farm.
4 Common Buzzard over Little Neston.
296 Black-tailed Godwit and 4 Bullfinch - Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.
2 Raven over Heswall Marsh this morning.
2 Goosander (pair) - highlight from Hilbre, for more details see http://www.hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/.
27 Greenshank and 5 Spotted Redshank - Connah's Quay Reserve.
2,000 Black-tailed Godwit - Oakenholt Marsh.

August 13:
1 Curlew Sandpiper (ad), 2 Arctic Skua, 2 Whimbrel, 50 Sanderling, 150 Ringed Plover, 500 Dunlin, 300 Sandwich Tern, 150 Common Tern and 10 Little Tern - Red Rocks over high tide.
1 Whimbrel - Heswall Shore.
238 Black-tailed Godwit - Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby, 1 Marsh Harrier over this afternoon.
1 Arctic Skua chasing terns, 1 Wheatear on the beach, 12 Grey Heron and 1 Greenshank by groyne - Leasowe Lighthouse.
5 Arctic Skua, 1520 Sandwich Tern and 120 Common Tern - highlights from Hilbre, for more details see http://www.hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/.

August 12:
350 Sandwich Tern, 300 Common Tern and 74 Little Tern - Red Rocks at high tide.
167 Black-tailed Godwit - Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.
Barn Owl sitting on post by Carr Lane - Hoylake Langfields.
1 Arctic Skua - highlight from Hilbre, for more details see http://www.hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/.
2 Garganey and 5 Snipe - Inner Marsh Farm.
3 Wheatear - Burton Point.

August 11:
14 Manx Shearwater, 3,000 Oystercatcher, 900 Dunlin, 750 Sandwich Tern, 100 Common Tern and 53 Little Tern - Red Rocks at high tide.

August 10:
1 male Ruff, 2 Garganey (1 male eclipse & 1 female), 1 Peregrine, 1 Green Sandpiper and 2 Greenshank - Inner Marsh Farm.
110 Little Tern, 1 Arctic Skua, 320 Curlew, 8 Whimbrel, 35 Turnstone - highlights from Hilbre, for more details see http://www.hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/.

August 9:
1 Yellow Wagtail (juv) - Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.
2 Wood Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper and 3 Green Sandpiper - Inner Marsh Farm, reserve closed but seen by the RSPB wardens, hopefully they will still be there on the 10th.
1 Pomarine Skua and 1 Arctic Skua - highlighst from Hilbre, for more details see http://www.hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/.

August 8:
8 Little Tern and 2 Manx Shearwater - Red Rocks this evening.
29 Manx Shearwater and 6 Gannet out to sea, 1 Spotted Redshank in gutter by spit - Point of Ayr before high tide.

 August 7:
1 Water Rail spotted on marsh path - Riverbank Road, Heswall.

August 6:
1 Wheatear in horse paddocks by Leasowe Lighthouse, 1 Greenshank by groyne.
1 Wheatear - Thurstaston cliffs.
1 Peregrine (fem) and 1 Greenshank - Heswall shore.
2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshank and 2 Yellow Wagtail (juv) - Connah's Quay Reserve.
2 Green Sandpiper - Shotton Pools.

August 5:
2 Water Rail heard in marsh, 2 Barn Owl in field behind car park - Old Baths, Parkgate.
1 adult female Marsh Harrier and 2 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm.
5 juv Wheatear, 3 Whinchat (one adult and 2 juvs) and c30 Yellow Wagtail on the Denhall Lane to Burton Point road (Burton Marsh). 
1 Peregrine sat on sand bank before flying inland, very few terns today but about 50 Great Black-backed Gulls in the gull flock - Hoylake Shore.
1 Greenshank - Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.

August 4:
175 Great Crested Grebe and c50 Gannet off shore, not so many terns today on the beach, many terns out to sea but distant - Hoylake Shore.
17 Greenshank - Connah's Quay Reserve.

August 3:
1 Kingfisher flew south down the newly dug gutter - Parkgate Marsh.
3 Arctic Skua - Red Rocks at high tide.
420 Common Tern amongst large gull and tern roost at Hoylake Shore.
c1,500 Sandwich Tern between Hoylake, Red Rocks, Hilbre and West Kirby at high tide with most in the air.
1 Greenshank - Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.
5,000 Oystercatcher - West Kirby Shore.

August 2:
2 Whimbrel over Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.
At least 3 Greenshank - Parkgate Marsh.

August 1:
1 Arctic skua (distant), 540 Sandwich Tern and 52 Little Tern - Red Rocks at high tide.
1 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Yellow-legged Gull, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 240 Common Tern, 3,100 Dunlin, 52 Great Black-backed Gull, 3,150 Herring Gull and 400 Lesser Black-backed Gull - Hoylake Shore at high tide.
1 Black Tern (off west side but distant) - Hilbre.

July 31:
3 Mediterranean Gull, 9,000 Black-headed Gull, 750 Common Gull, 114 Herring Gull, 56 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 408 Sandwich Tern, 127 Common Tern, 9 Arctic Tern and 14 Little Tern as tide came in, plus 1,500 Oystercatcher, 500 Dunlin and 6 s/pl Grey Plover - West Kirby Shore.
1 Spotted Redshank, 3 Greenshank, 3700 Redshank, 920 Curlew, 1 Whimbrel, 36 Grey Plover - Heswall Shore as tide came in.
2 Crossbill flew over east calling, 1 juvenile Peregrine, 1 Greenshank and 1 Whimbrel - Burton Outer Marsh (Clwyd).
1 Great White Egret flew west at 8.30 am - Burton Marsh. 
1 sum/pl ad Curlew Sandpiper, 280 Common Tern, 8 Whimbrel and 3,000 Dunlin - highlights from Hilbre, for more details see http://www.hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/.

July 30:
1 Kingfisher along River Birket, 15+ Gannet off shore - Leasowe Lighthouse.
560 Sandwich Tern, 181 Common Tern and 2 Little Tern on shore, 12 Great Crested Grebe flew west - Red Rocks at high tide, much disturbance on shore.
35 Little Tern and 2 Arctic Skua - Hilbre.
2 Mediterranean Gull - Hoylake Shore.

July 29:
860 Sandwich Tern, 2,000 Dunlin (roosted between the islands at high tide), 275 Curlew, 14 Grey Heron, 2,700 Black-headed Gull, 200 Common Gull, 1,330 Oystercatcher, 2 Knot (s/pl) and 1 Grey Plover (s/pl) on sand banks between West Kirby Marine Lake, Hilbre and Red Rocks at high tide.
1 Arctic Skua, 11 Gannet, 25 Common Scoter and and at least another 100 Sandwich Tern off shore at Red Rocks at high tide.
3 Mediterranean Gull (2ad, 1 2nd summer), 2 Greenshank, 2 Common Sandpiper, 34 Grey Plover, 11 Little Egret and 2 Raven - Heswall Shore as the tide came in.
c35 Willow Warbler by early afternoon, 2 Arctic Skua and 1 Common Sandpiper -  highlights from Hilbre, for more details see http://www.hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/.
20+ Pied Wagtail - Deeside Industrial Estate.

July 28:
2 Arctic Skua, 730 Sandwich Tern (on sand bank and out to sea) and 20 Gannet (some close in) - Red Rocks at high tide.
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) - Parkgate Marsh.

July 27:
3 Arctic Skua, 1 Pomarine Skua, 100+ Sandwich Tern and c30 Gannet off Red Rocks at high tide in hazy conditions, also at least 400 Sandwich Tern on the sand banks by Hilbre.
75+ Swift over West Kirby, by Marine Park.

July 26:
6 Arctic Skua (2 pale, 4 dark) roosted in mid-estuary off Heswall Shore  at high tide this morning, also 1 Whimbrel calling.
2 Raven - Deeside Industrial Estate.
1 Hobby (juv) - Neston Old Quay (by sewage works), this morning.
5 Arctic Skua on the reefs between the islands, also 5 Whimbrel -  highlights from Hilbre, for more details see http://www.hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/.

July 25:
3 dark phase Arctic Skua flew west, 200+Gannet - Leasowe Lighthouse.
2 Greenshank, 1,060 Redshank (inc 1 leucistic bird), 1 Mediterranean Gull (ad), 15 Little Egret and 1 Peregrine - Heswall Shore over high tide, 4 Raven and 1 Barn Owl over Heswall Fields.
Several hundred terns and at least 3 Arctic Skua on the evening tide - Hoylake Shore.

July 24:

1 Greenshank by the groyne, 115+ Gannet out by the windfarm - Leasowe Lighthouse.
1 Hen Harrier (fem/ringtail), c500 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm.
9 Arctic Skua east of Hilbre.

July 23:
1 Greenshank by the groyne, 2 Lesser Whitethroat down Lingham Lane and 1 Mediterranean Gull (ad) after chips - Leasowe Lighthouse, 1 Roseate Tern reported off Leasowe Castle plus 1 Yellow-legged Gull.
1 Hobby in front of hide - Inner Marsh Farm. 
80 Gannet, 2 Manx Shearwater, 1 Shag and up to 1,500 Sandwich Tern - Hilbre, for more details see http://www.hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/.

July 22:
1 Hobby over horse paddocks, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, passage of at least 225 hirundines flying south  - Leasowe Lighthouse.
1 Cuckoo in sand dunes by the golf course - West Kirby Shore.
260 Black-tailed Godwit, 580 Lapwing and 3 Dunlin - Inner Marsh Farm.
1 Redstart (juv) in Pensby garden.

July 21:
1 Mediterranean Gull (ad) on shore, 1 Greenshank on groyne  - Leasowe Lighthouse.
1 Cuckoo on marsh - West Kirby Shore.

July 20:
1 Hobby flew east, 1 Greenshank on groyne  - Leasowe Lighthouse.
1 Green Sandpiper and 1 Mediterranean Gull - Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.
110 Sandwich Tern and 2,800 Black-headed Gull - West Kirby Shore at high tide.
500+ Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Dunlin, 1 Ruff and 1 Peregrine - Inner Marsh Farm.
391 Sandwich Tern between Red Rocks and Middle Eye at high tide.

July 19:
1 Storm Petrel and 7 Manx Shearwater, 1 Greenshank on groyne  - Leasowe Lighthouse.

July 18:
4 Storm Petrel, 1 Roseate Tern, 12+ Manx Shearwater, 7 Kittiwake and 1 Arctic Skua - New Brighton at high tide.  
2 Storm Petrel - Hilbre.
2 Storm Petrel - Leasowe, also 4 Manx Shearwater, 5 Gannet, 17 Sandwich Tern and 1 Greenshank (on groyne).
2 Yellow-legged Gull, 4 Common Redstart (1 male,1 female,2 Juvs) and 17 Greenshank - Connah's Quay Reserve.
27 Manx Shearwater, 3 Gannet, 1 Fulmar, 7 Kittiwake and 1 Storm Petrel - Hoylake Shore, also seen from Hoylake but out towards West Hoyle Wind Farm after high tide were up to 700 Manx Shearwater, c200 Gannet and 1 Arctic Skua.

July 17:
1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling by Nature Pond - Leasowe Lighthouse.
3 Kittiwake and 37 Common Tern, also one possible Storm Petrel but conditions appalling - Perch Rock, New Brighton.
3 Mediterranean Gull (2 ad, 1 juv), 1,968 Black-headed Gull and 10 Common Gull - West Kirby Fields/Hoylake Langfields.
5 Manx Shearwater and a possible Storm Petrel - Red Rocks, 700 Sandwich Tern and 800 Oystercatcher on the beach.
84 Manx Shearwater (57 over high tide), 3 Kittiwake and 1 Mediterranean Gull - highlights from Hilbre, for more details see http://www.hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/.

July 16:
8 Heron on groyne, 1 Mediterranean Gull flew west, 3 Reed Warbler singing - Leasowe Lighthouse.
880 Sandwich Tern and 290 Oystercatcher - Red Rocks/West Kirby Shore.
1 Mediterranean Gull (ad) with 910 Black-headed Gull - playing field, Greenbank Road, West Kirby.
1 Pomarine Skua (ad) and 2 Arctic Skua - Hilbre.
c2,000 Black-headed Gull and 50 Common Gull flew over east to west after high tide - Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby.

July 15:
1 Mediterranean Gull (juv) in playing field with 278 Black-headed Gull - West Kirby football pitch.
27 Little Egret in marsh - Heswall Shore at high tide.
73 Sandwich Tern, 10 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Stonechat (fem) and 1 Yellow hammer (a scarce bird here) - Leasowe Lighthouse.

July 14:
394 Sandwich Tern and 11 Common Tern - Red Rocks, another 42 Common Tern with the flock at West Kirby.

July 13:
1 Mediterranean Gull, 325 Sandwich Tern and 1,500 Black-headed Gull - West Kirby Shore at high tide, an additional 265 Sandwich Tern off Red Rocks.
1 Redstart (fem), 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Grasshopper Warbler (2 heard and 1 seen) and 1 Peregrine - Denhall Lane between Harp Inn and Burton.

There may be some disturbance around the pools at RSPB Inner Marsh Farm over the next couple of days as contractors cut back some of the more dense rush areas. This is part of the ongoing management work to improve both the breeding habitat for waders and to improve the area for wintering wildfowl. The upmost care is been taken to reduce the impact on the wildlife and to visitors.

July 12:
363 Sandwich Tern (c30% juvs), 1,480 Black-headed Gull and 8 Grey Heron - West Kirby Shore at high tide.
273 Sandwich Tern, 11 Common Tern, 11 Gannet, 5 Common Scoter and 3 Great-crested Grebe - Leasowe Lighthouse.

July 11:
1 Hobby flew south over Parkgate Parade this morning.

July 10:
1 Hobby chasing hirundines along the River Birket, 13 Grey Heron on the groyne - Leasowe Lighthouse.

July 9:
176 Little Tern and 35 Gannet - Gronant.1 Mediterranean Gull - Hilbre.

July 8:
1 Greenshank - Parkgate, Boathouse Flash.
195 Black-tailed Godwit - Inner Marsh Farm.

July 7:
2 Spotted Redshank (s/pl) - Parkgate, Boathouse Flash.
1 Whimbrel - Leasowe Lighthouse.
384 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Ruff - Inner Marsh Farm.
325 Sandwich Tern -  West Kirby Shore at high tide.
2 Peregrine, one with prey - Hoylake Shore.

July 6:
218 Sandwich Tern including many juveniles - highlights from Hilbre, for more details see http://www.hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/.
1 Whimbrel - Dove Point, Meols.
1 Cuckoo - Gilroy NP, West Kirby.

July 5:
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail) and 1 Barn Owl showing well off the Old Baths, Parkgate.

July 4:
200 Sand Martin in reed-bed - Gronant.

July 3:
4 Raven over Thurstaston.
19 Little Egret, c800 Curlew, c80 Grey Plover, 9 Grey Heron and c1,000 Black-headed Gull - Heswall Shore at high tide.

July 1:
3 Dunlin, 4 Common Buzzard, 40+ Little Egret, 1 Common Tern and 30+ Black tailed Godwit - Inner Marsh Farm.
5 Eider and 2 Wheatear - highlights from Hilbre, for more details see http://www.hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/.

Click here to see Archived latest sightings from September 2000.