View from Burton Point by Helen B

Tawny owl - 1 in tree by Mere pool

Marsh harrier - 1 hunting over reed bed

Hobby - 1 flew over Reception hide

Ruff - 2 on scrape

Snipe - 2 at back of scrape

Common sandpiper - 1 in front of reception hide

Garganey - 1 on scrape

Pintail - 8 on scrape

Cormorant - 2 fishing reception pool

Kingfisher - 2 over reception pool

Meadow pipit - 1 on barn roof

Yellow wagtail -…

Water lily by Helen B

Ruff - 1 on scrape

Greenshank - 1 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Common sandpiper - 1 on scrape

Green sandpiper - 1 in front of reception hide

Little ringed plover - 1 on scrape

Water rail - 1 by Marsh Covert hide

Marsh harrier - 2 hunting behind scrape

Sparrowhawk - 1 flew over reserve

Spotted flycatcher - 4 around Mere pools

Kingfisher - 1 over Mere pools

Cormorant - 1 fishing …

Mere path by Helen B

Ruff - 6  in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Spotted redshank - 1 on scrape

Redshank - 1 on scrape

Greenshank - 6 on scrape

Green sandpiper - 1 on scrape

Dunlin - 16 flew over scrape

Ringed plover - 1 on scrape

Snipe - 10 on scrape

Water rail - 1 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Garganey - 1 on scrape

Marsh harrier - 1 hunting behind scrape

Cormorant - 2 on reception pool

Kingfisher…

Buzzard by John Hewitt

Marsh harrier - 1 hunting over reed bed

Sparrowhawk - 1 flew over reserve

Peregrine - 1 hunting behind scrape

Teal - 1000+ around scrape

Pintail - 1 on scrape

Little ringed plover - 3 on scrape

Ringed plover - 22 on scrape

Dunlin - 20+ on scrape

Ruff - 2 on scrape

Green sandpiper - 2 by Marsh Covert hide

Common sandpiper - 1 in front of reception hide

Snipe - 3 on scrape

Cormorant…

Cormorant by John Hewitt

Marsh harrier - 3 together hunting behind scrape

Sparrowhawk - 1 on island on scrape

Ruff - 20+ on scrape

Spotted redshank - 1 on scrape

Greenshank - 4 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Black-tailed godwit - 100+ in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Common sandpiper - 1 in front of reception hide

Green sandpiper - 1 by Marsh covert hide

Dunlin - 15+ in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Parasol mushroom by Keith Duckers

Curlew sandpiper - 1 on scrape

Spotted redshank - 2 on scrape

Ruff - 10 on scrape

Dunlin - 3 on scrape

Snipe - 1 on scrape

Little ringed plover - 3 at back of scrape

Common sandpiper - 1 in front of reception hide

Water rail - 1 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Marsh harrier - 1 hunting over reed bed

Hobby - 1 flew over scrape

Cormorant - 2 fishing reception pool

Green…

Sunshine over the reserve by Helen B

Marsh harrier - 1 hunting over reed bed

Hobby - 1 over Inner Marsh Farm pathway

Spotted redshank - 3 in front of Inner Marsh farm hide

Ruff - 15+ on scrape

Yellow wagtail - 5 on scrape

Curlew sandpiper - 1 on scrape

Little stint - 1 on scrape

Barnacle goose - 1 on scrape

Kingfisher - 2 on reception pool

Sparrowhawk - 1 hunting over scrape

Spotted flycatcher - 1 by boardwalk…

Painted lady butterfly by John Hewitt

Swift - 1 flying high over reserve

Peregrine - 1 hunting over scrape

Hobby - 1 over Inner Marsh Farm hide

Ruff - 14 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Curlew sandpiper - 1 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Dunlin - 2 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Little ringed plover - 3 on scrape

Kingfisher - 2 on Mere pools

Snipe - 7 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Marsh harrier…

Grey heron with fish by Anthony Lovatt

Snipe - 2 on scrape

Barnacle goose - 1 on scrape

Ruff - 30 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Redshank - 1 on scrape

Sparrowhawk - 1 flew in front of reception hide

Dunlin - 2 on scrape

Kingfisher - 2 in front of reception hide

Hobby - 1 seen from Inner Marsh Farm hide

Curlew sandpiper - 1 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Marsh harrier - 1 hunting over reed bed

Peregrine…

Common blue butterfly by John Hewitt

Goosander - 1 on scrape

Sparrowhawk - 1 hunting over reserve

Snipe - 4 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Little stint - 1 on scrape

Greenshank - 3 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Curlew sandpiper - 1 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Lapwing - 220+ in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Water rail - 1 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Ruff - 20+ in front of Inner Marsh Farm …

Green sandpiper by John Hewitt

Garganey - 1 on scrape

Little stint - 1 on scrape

Green sandpiper - 5 by Marsh Covert hide

Ruff - 14 by Marsh Covert hide

Barnacle goose - 1 by Bridge screen

Hen harrier (ringtail) - 1 hunting over reed bed

Curlew sandpiper - 1 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Greenshank - 5 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Dunlin - 2 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Water rail - 1 in front…

Spotted flycatcher by Anthony Lovatt

Hen harrier (ringtail) - 1 hunting over reed bed

Little stint - 1 on scrape

Green sandpiper - 2 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Ruff - 17 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Greenshank - 4 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Cormorant - 2 on reception hide pool

Spotted flycatcher - 5 in trees by reception hide (3 juvenile)

Common sandpiper - 1 on scrape

Sparrowhawk - 1 on island…

Barnacle goose by John Hewitt

Little stint - 1 on scrape

Dunlin - 2 on scrape

Ruff - 11 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Greenshank - 1 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Snipe - 2 on scrape

Barnacle goose - 1 by Bridge screen

Kingfisher - 1 on Mere pools

Lapwing - 200+ in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Yellow wagtail - 1 on scrape

Cormorant - 1 over scrape

Hobby - 1 hunting over reserve

Water rail - 3…

Hen harrier by John Hewitt

Little stint - 1 on scrape

Hen harrier (ringtail) - 1 over Burton Point

Ruff - 13 on scrape

Dunlin - 2 on scrape

Snipe - 1 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Spotted flycatcher - 2 on path to Bunker hide

Greenshank - 2 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Water rail - 2 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Pintail - 2 by Marsh Covert hide

Marsh harrier - 1 hunting over Inner Marsh Farm…

Burton Mere pathway by Paula Rees

Little stint - 1 on scrape

Green sandpiper - 3 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Snipe - 10+ on scrape

Ruff - 7 on scrape

Cormorant - 1 fishing on reception pool

Common sandpiper - 1 on scrape

Raven - 1 on path to Inner Marsh Farm hide

Mute swan - 29 on scrape

Peregrine - 1 hunting over scrape

Dunlin - 4 on scrape

Hobby - 1 over Inner Marsh Farm hide

Greenshank - 1 in front…

Kestrel by John Hewitt

Greenshank - 3 on scrape

Ruff - 9 on scrape

Snipe - 2 at back of scrape

Sparrowhawk - 1 flew over reserve

Water rail - 1 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Meadow pipit - 2 on Burton Point

Peregrine - 1 flew over reserve

Greenfinch - 1 on bird feeder

Green woodpecker - 1 around Mere pools

Kingfisher - 3 on Mere pools

Marsh harrier - 1 hunting over reed bed

Green sandpiper - 2 on s…

We recently appointed a new Warden here at the Dee Estuary reserve, who's kindly written a blog about the work he and Assistant Warden, Geoff, have been doing over the past couple of days. If you visited the reserve in midweek, you'll no doubt have heard the buzzing of brushcutters, if not seen the pair wading around the wetlands. Here, Al explains the reasons behind this essential brief disturbance.

"Hi, I'm…

Green sandpiper by John Hewitt

Ruff - 1 on scrape

Dunlin - 2 on scrape

Kingfisher - 1 over Mere pools

Black-tailed godwit - 50+ on scrape

Green sandpiper - 1 on scrape

Yellow wagtail - 1 on scrape

Spotted redshank - 1 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Green woodpecker - 1 around Mere pools

Spotted flycatcher - 1 by pathway along Marsh Covert

Hen harrier (ringtail) - 2 over Burton Marsh near Denhall Quay…

Return of the cattle by Helen B

Marsh harrier - 1 hunting over reserve

Spotted redshank - 2 on scrape

Green sandpiper - 2 on scrape

Yellowhammer - 1 juvenile on wire by barn

Black-tailed godwit - 100+ on scrape

Sparrowhawk - 1 sat on island on scrape

Ruff - 5 on scrape

Water rail - 1 at back of scrape

Green woodpecker - 1 by car park

Dunlin - 2 on scrape

Snipe - 2 on scrape

Also seen around the reserve…

Common lizard by John Hewitt

Snipe - 6 at back of scrape

Green sandpiper - 1 on scrape

Water rail - 1 on scrape

Peregrine - 1 over Burton Point

Kingfisher - 1 flew past reception hide

Hen harrier - 1 towards Inner Marsh Farm

Marsh harrier - 1 hunting behind scrape

Ruff - 5 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Dunlin - 3 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Little ringed plover - 1 on scrape

Hobby - 1 hunting…

Tawny owl by Anthony Lovatt

Tawny owl - 1 in tree around Mere pools

Sparrowhawk - 1 sat on island on scrape

Dunlin - 3 on scrape

Black-tailed godwit - 100+ on scrape

Little ringed plover - 1 on scrape

Yellow wagtail - 1 on scrape

Hobby - 1 hunting over Mere pools

Kingfisher - 1 over Mere pools

Ruff - 2 on scrape

Snipe - 3 on scrape

Water rail - 1 at back of scrape

Also seen around the reserve -

Painted…

Green woodpecker by John Hewitt

Common sandpiper - 1 on scrape

Quail - 1 heard by the barn

Hobby - 1 hunting by the barn

Black-tailed godwit - 100+ on scrape

Dunlin - 25 on scrape

Whimbrel - 1 on scrape

Yellow wagtail - 2 juvenile on scrape

Ruff - 5 on scrape

Little ringed plover - 2 on scrape

Green woodpecker - 1 on Burton Point

Kingfisher - 1 flew past reception hide

Sparrowhawk - 1 by Marsh Covert …

Here we are already in August, and so far summer has not lived up to the heights of last year, at least in terms of the weather. The birds however, have been as pleasing as ever, with a true highlight of the breeding season being 29 pairs of avocets fledging 20 young at Burton Mere Wetlands, and a further two pairs raising three young on Burton Marsh near Denhall Quay. Lapwing pairs reached a new high of 65 on the wet…

Peacock butterfly by John Hewitt

Green sandpiper - 1 on scrape

Ruff - 3 on scrape

Little ringed plover - 2 on scrape

Snipe - 3 on scrape

Dunlin - 25 on scrape

Common sandpiper - 2 on scrape

Green woodpecker - 2 around Mere pools

Spotted redshank - 3 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Kingfisher - 1 around Mere pools

Cormorant - 3 on scrape

Quail - heard calling by Bunker hide

Also seen around the reserve…

Black-tailed godwits by John Hewitt

Marsh harrier - 1 hunting at back of scrape

Green sandpiper - 1 by Bridge Screen

Ruff - 4 on scrape

Little ringed plover - 4 on scrape

Kingfisher - 1 on Mere pools

Dunlin - 21 on scrape

Snipe - 5 at back of scrape

Spotted redshank - 1 in front of Inner Marsh Farm hide

Common sandpiper - 1 on scrape

Yellow wagtail - 2 juveniles on scrape

Green woodpecker - 1 in field by car…