Poor weather had kept us from birding in February but a drier day and a highish tide on the Wirral (9.13m at 11:33am) got us out again and it turned out to be a pretty good day with visits to Hoylake, West Kirby, Burton Mere Wetlands and Connah’s Quay.
Category: High Tide
Feb 16 2018
High-ish Tide on the Wirral 16th February 2018
Feb 02 2018
High Tide of The Wirral 2nd February 2018
The first high tide of the year that we were able to get to was a 10 metre tide at 12.21pm. We drove up to Burton Mere Wetlands to stop off for a coffee and comfort break and had a quick look around first. As soon as we entered the reception hide we could see a Marsh Harrier flying low over the reeds just by the Marsh Covert Hide. We only had about half an hour so we took a walk up to the barn hoping that the recorded sighting of Little Owl was going to work for us – it didn’t. However there were some nice birds.
Dec 05 2017
Burton Mere Wetlands etc 5th December 2018
On the 5th December the birding group headed up to the Wirral for a high tide of 9.9 metres at 11:55am. We started out with a quick stop at Burton Mere Wetlands where we just looked around the main scrape and walked down to the barn. On the walk we got Great Spotted Woodpecker but there were not the large numbers of winter thrushes we had seen on our last visit.
Nov 05 2017
High Tide on the Wirral – 5th November 2016
A high tide of 9.9 metres at 11:27am took us up to the Wirral where we dropped in at Hoylake, Rivebank Road, Denhall Old Quay and Burton Mere Wetlands. There haven’t been many high proper tides this year so this was a good chance to see what we could see in the way of waders and sea birds.
May 28 2017
High Tide at Hoylake 28th May 2017
We went up to the Wirral on the 28th for a high tide of 9.7 metres at 1:47pm. It wasn’t one of the “spectaculars” that are possible there but it was a nice day and there were small numbers of Dunlin, Sanderling and Ringed Plover around and a single, breeding plumage, Grey Plover. Our viewing was spoiled again by frequent dog walkers with dogs off their leashes and running at the roosting birds. As if that wasn’t enough, there were three girls racing their horses along the beach, almost trampling the birds. All very poor. I recently was photos from the Hilbre Island web site showing jet skiers between Hilbre and the mainland. What chance do these birds have for a bit of peace ! – Not to mention us.
Mar 28 2017
Birding Group Visit to the Wirral for a low high tide 28th March 2017
The so-called high tide was supposed to be 9.7metres at 12:12pm which wasn’t particularly high but we thought it might be OK for Riverbank Road. We were a bit early so we dropped in to Burton Mere Wetlands where we just looked from and around the reception hide. The highpoint must surely have been the eighty-two Avocet right outisde the reception hide.
Feb 28 2017
Hoylake, Parkgate, Neston and Burton : 28th February 2017
With a high tide of 9.8 metres at 12.15pm we thought it was a good day for the birding group to go to Hoylake. There was a bit of a surprise in store, though, when we woke up to heavy snow falling. We waited a bit though, to see if it would ease off, and eventually we decided to give it a go.
Dec 16 2016
Wales Break : Waxwings and Winter Thrushes : 14 – 16 December 2016
Wales Break : Waxwings and Winter Thrushes : 14 – 16 December 2016
Waxwing St Asaph
Nov 15 2016
Riverbank Road, Neston Old Quay and Burton : 15th November 2016
Riverbank Road, Neston Old Quay and Burton : 15th November 2016
A high tide of 10.1 metres at 11:10am took us to the Wirral again on a birding group morning out. We started out at Riverbank Road which was moderately busy but we managed to get a parking place facing on to the marsh. As it happened we did not need it as the weather managed to stay fairly dry for most of the time. The tide, however, was a bit of a disappointment. It did come in but not all the way. We still got some good birds though.
Nov 01 2016
High Tide on The Wirral : 1st November 2016
High Tide on The Wirral : 1st November 2016
A high-ish tide on the Wirral took the birding group up there for the first session of November. At 9.2m at 11.48am it wasn’t ever going to be a great high tide but we thought it would be good enough for Hoylake and then we thought that we go to the Harp Inn at Neston Old Quay and then finish up at Burton Mere Wetlands. The end result of this plan, if you were one of the ones who stuck with it all the way, was a great array of birds and especially birds of prey.