A short but productive visit today on my mrning out on the Dee Estuary. At West Hide 2 Twite showed really well, I know there are more in flocks elsewhere in the NW but as a permit holder it's nice to see them on 'our' reserve! From Middle Hide a couple of Redshanks were seen first followed by a smart Greenshank. A Sparrowhawk allowed incredibly close views on the fenceposts by the entrance road as I drove in ultra-slowly. Otherwise the usual ducks and waders here.
Doc Brewster said
Thu Oct 25 9:50 PM, 2018
This members only site is open 10am-4pm this Saturday for the Annual Open Day, so a timely appearance by the harrier
I'll be there representing Focalpoint Optics, hope to see lots of you down there
Hazel Rothwell said
Thu Oct 25 8:09 PM, 2018
Thursday 25th October, 2018
Approx. three hour visit from 10.00am - 1.00pm
Highlight of the morning was a juvenile male Hen Harrier hunting across the Middle/Dee bund pools towards West Hide; also male Kingfisher showing for more than 20 mins outside Dee Hide. Other birds include Curlew, L.Egret, Lapwing, Wigeon, Teal, Redshank, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Little Grebe, Kestrel, Black tailed Godwit, Snipe, Cormorant
Photos of juvenile male Hen Harrier attached
-- Edited by Hazel Rothwell on Thursday 25th of October 2018 08:44:01 PM
Greenshank 5 Spotted Redshank 5 Curlews Redshanks Little Egret 16 Great White Egret 1 Grey Heron 3 Avocet 8 Shelducks Cormorants Dunlin Turnstone 1...also 30+ on New Brighton Pontoon. Black-tailed Godwits Oystercatchers Lapwings etc.
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Fri Mar 10 5:15 PM, 2017
Morning visit just after the high tide.
Spotted Redshank 1 Greenshank 4 Common Sandpiper 1 Chiffchaff 1 Twite 2 only. Raven 1 Fieldfare 1 Buzzard 1 Curlews Oystercatchers Dunlin Redshanks Black-tailed Godwits Wigeon Teal Shelducks Barnacle Geese 2 Little Egret 3 Pink footed Geese 2000+ across the river on the Wirral side. etc.etc.etc.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 10th of March 2017 05:19:57 PM
Doc Brewster said
Tue Jan 3 11:07 PM, 2017
Dropped in as Carys and I were having a day out in the general area.
Despite a lack of sightings recently we had 25 Twite in the bushes near West Hide, scoped and showing very well. Lots of Pink-footed Geese were on the saltmarsh along with a single Barnacle Goose. At Middle Hide on the lagoon were 3 Spotted Redshanks and a Greenshank showed from East Hide.
Doc Brewster said
Thu Sep 22 10:00 PM, 2016
Not quite Connahs Quay NR but the town itself:
A female Goshawk was over Connahs Quay town at 3.30-3.45pm then headed off in a SW direction (phoned in to me by a reliable birding pal who lives here).
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Wed Sep 21 5:34 PM, 2016
Tuesday afternoon visit after Burton. Certainly a good place for Greenshank, 12+ and Spotted Redshank, 10+, amongst the hoards of Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit. Also Dunlin, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Shelduck seen. Also 3 Wigeon and good numbers of Teal,Pintail and Little Egret.
Well worth paying for a permit and key.
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Fri Jul 22 8:07 PM, 2016
Redshanks Greenshank 2 Common Tern 2 Oystercatchers Curlews Whimbrel 1 Ruff 1 male. Spotted Redshank 1 Black-tailed Godwits Great Crested Grebe 1 Wigeon 1 Teal Shelducks Little Grebe 1 Cormorants Little Egrets Lapwings
etc.etc.etc.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 22nd of July 2016 11:39:12 PM
Hazel Rothwell said
Thu May 5 11:33 PM, 2016
Wednesday 4th May 2016
Main highlights: 1 Whinchat (m), 6 Wheatears, Blackcap (m), Bullfinch (m), Common Whitethroat, 3 Common Buzzards
Main highlights being a Hen Harrier (looked like adult) quartering pool/grassed area by West Hide 120+ Twite Kestrel (m) L.Egret
good number of Curlews, Wigeon, Teal plus usual huge flock of Canada Geese Mute Swan, Great black backed Gull.....
Hazel Rothwell said
Sat Jan 30 7:55 PM, 2016
Saturday 30th January 2016 8.50am - 12.35pm
Twite x 50+ Greenshank x 3 Spotted Redshank x 3 Redshank c300 Marsh Harrier (most likely female) Rock Pipit x 1 Common Snipe x 6 Dunlin x 5 Common Buzzard Bewick Swan x 10 (in flight) Reed Bunting (m) Long tailed tit flock Usual Tits, Robins, Wren, etc.
Doc Brewster said
Tue Jan 19 9:44 PM, 2016
This is a private reserve for which a permit & key are needed but I recommend it highly and it doesn't cost too much to become a member. You have the reserve virtually to your self and can pop in on Wales trips to use the 'bathroom' facilities and have a peek at the bird lfe on the reserve.
Just recently a Little Auk spent an afternoon on the pools from the hides, an amazing record for the NW region as a whole.
On a gentle day out in N.Wales we popped in as our first port of call and caught up with the flock of Twite that are feeding in the West Hide car park this winter as they did last year. At least 55 birds were present, a fabulous sight, and they can be photographed very easily by using your car as a hide. Other birds today were nothing out of the ordinary but included Little Egret, Redshank, Shelduch, Curlew, Dunlin and over 1000 Pink-footed Geese in flight over the Dee marshes.
A short but productive visit today on my mrning out on the Dee Estuary. At West Hide 2 Twite showed really well, I know there are more in flocks elsewhere in the NW but as a permit holder it's nice to see them on 'our' reserve! From Middle Hide a couple of Redshanks were seen first followed by a smart Greenshank. A Sparrowhawk allowed incredibly close views on the fenceposts by the entrance road as I drove in ultra-slowly. Otherwise the usual ducks and waders here.
This members only site is open 10am-4pm this Saturday for the Annual Open Day, so a timely appearance by the harrier
I'll be there representing Focalpoint Optics, hope to see lots of you down there
Approx. three hour visit from 10.00am - 1.00pm
Highlight of the morning was a juvenile male Hen Harrier hunting across the Middle/Dee bund pools towards West Hide; also male Kingfisher showing for more than 20 mins outside Dee Hide.
Other birds include Curlew, L.Egret, Lapwing, Wigeon, Teal, Redshank, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Little Grebe, Kestrel, Black tailed Godwit, Snipe, Cormorant
Photos of juvenile male Hen Harrier attached
-- Edited by Hazel Rothwell on Thursday 25th of October 2018 08:44:01 PM
Spotted Redshank 5
Curlews
Redshanks
Little Egret 16
Great White Egret 1
Grey Heron 3
Avocet 8
Shelducks
Cormorants
Dunlin
Turnstone 1...also 30+ on New Brighton Pontoon.
Black-tailed Godwits
Oystercatchers
Lapwings
etc.
Morning visit just after the high tide.
Spotted Redshank 1
Greenshank 4
Common Sandpiper 1
Chiffchaff 1
Twite 2 only.
Raven 1
Fieldfare 1
Buzzard 1
Curlews
Oystercatchers
Dunlin
Redshanks
Black-tailed Godwits
Wigeon
Teal
Shelducks
Barnacle Geese 2
Little Egret 3
Pink footed Geese 2000+ across the river on the Wirral side.
etc.etc.etc.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 10th of March 2017 05:19:57 PM
Dropped in as Carys and I were having a day out in the general area.
Despite a lack of sightings recently we had 25 Twite in the bushes near West Hide, scoped and showing very well. Lots of Pink-footed Geese were on the saltmarsh along with a single Barnacle Goose. At Middle Hide on the lagoon were 3 Spotted Redshanks and a Greenshank showed from East Hide.
Not quite Connahs Quay NR but the town itself:
A female Goshawk was over Connahs Quay town at 3.30-3.45pm then headed off in a SW direction (phoned in to me by a reliable birding pal who lives here).
Certainly a good place for Greenshank, 12+ and Spotted Redshank, 10+, amongst the hoards of Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit.
Also Dunlin, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Shelduck seen. Also 3 Wigeon and good numbers of Teal,Pintail and Little Egret.
Well worth paying for a permit and key.
Greenshank 2
Common Tern 2
Oystercatchers
Curlews
Whimbrel 1
Ruff 1 male.
Spotted Redshank 1
Black-tailed Godwits
Great Crested Grebe 1
Wigeon 1
Teal
Shelducks
Little Grebe 1
Cormorants
Little Egrets
Lapwings
etc.etc.etc.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 22nd of July 2016 11:39:12 PM
Main highlights: 1 Whinchat (m), 6 Wheatears, Blackcap (m), Bullfinch (m), Common Whitethroat, 3 Common Buzzards
Main highlights being a Hen Harrier (looked like adult) quartering pool/grassed area by West Hide
120+ Twite
Kestrel (m)
L.Egret
good number of Curlews, Wigeon, Teal
plus usual huge flock of Canada Geese
Mute Swan, Great black backed Gull.....
Twite x 50+
Greenshank x 3
Spotted Redshank x 3
Redshank c300
Marsh Harrier (most likely female)
Rock Pipit x 1
Common Snipe x 6
Dunlin x 5
Common Buzzard
Bewick Swan x 10 (in flight)
Reed Bunting (m)
Long tailed tit flock
Usual Tits, Robins, Wren, etc.
This is a private reserve for which a permit & key are needed but I recommend it highly and it doesn't cost too much to become a member. You have the reserve virtually to your self and can pop in on Wales trips to use the 'bathroom' facilities and have a peek at the bird lfe on the reserve.
Just recently a Little Auk spent an afternoon on the pools from the hides, an amazing record for the NW region as a whole.
On a gentle day out in N.Wales we popped in as our first port of call and caught up with the flock of Twite that are feeding in the West Hide car park this winter as they did last year. At least 55 birds were present, a fabulous sight, and they can be photographed very easily by using your car as a hide. Other birds today were nothing out of the ordinary but included Little Egret, Redshank, Shelduch, Curlew, Dunlin and over 1000 Pink-footed Geese in flight over the Dee marshes.