High Tide at Parkgate : 2nd February 2014

High Tide at Parkgate : 2nd February 2014

Whenever we can we try to get to Parkgate for a high tide. This was a Sunday, the highest tide of the period and also a nice day – a guarantee that the place would be heaving with people and indeed it was. Despite getting there two and a half hours before the high tide, we were still lucky to get a parking spot on the ramp leading up to the old baths. A rough and ready estimate would be around 500 people. They ran the entire length of the promenade and all along the old baths car park and continued along the coastal path ! They weren’t disappointed.

Each high tide at Parkgate seems to have its own personality and this one looked like it was going to be a poor one right up to the point where the tide was supposed to be at its highest. Only at that point did the water start to flow quickly up to the wall. Because of the plentiful rain recently the marsh was already waterlogged so when the sea came in it quickly filled the edges of the marsh and the water was all the way in all along the promenade as well.

All the usual birds that we have almost come to expect showed themselves. A Merlin was perched on the mast of the stranded boat (that they tried, again unsuccessfully, to refloat) as usual and several Short-eared Owls patrolled out by the wind farm and also across the Dee in front of us. We saw a couple but there were reportedly as many as eight. Hen Harriers, including a male, were present as well as a Peregrine Falcon, a Sparrowhawk, and a couple of Kestrels.

A small flock of Pink-footed Geese flew by and there were impressive numbers of Curlew,  Oystercatchers and Shelduck. As the water came all the way in the few remaining bits of wrack floating around were topped by dozens of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits.

Another fantastic high tide experience at Parkgate !

Bird Sightings : Parkgate