Cheshire & Wirral Bird Sightings–18th September 2026

 

Today's round-up of the latest bird sightings from across Cheshire and Wirral

This page will be updated with any significant additional sightings as they become available.

18th September 2026

Storm Petrel and 2 - 3 Leach's Petrels early morning in the Mersey mouth - New Brighton.

Curlew Sandpiper-West Kirby Marine Lake- one at the south end

Cheshire & Wirral Bird Sightings–17th September 2026

Today's round-up of the latest bird sightings from across Cheshire and Wirral

This page will be updated with any significant additional sightings as they become available.

16th September 2026

Manx Shearwater-Mouth of the Mersey-Wallasey

Leach's Storm Petrel-Leasowe-20 flew west past Leasowe Gunsite (CH46 2RH) between 14:25 and 17:25

Eurasian Spoonbill-Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB15:15-One still at Boathouse Flash

Leach's Storm Petrel-Leasowe-Two flew west past Leasowe Gunsite (CH46 2RH)

Leach's Storm Petrel-Leasowe-11 flew west past Leasowe Castle Hotel by 13:50

Grey Phalarope-Leasowe-One flew west past Leasowe Castle Hotel

Leach's Storm Petrel-Leasowe-One flew west past Leasowe Gunsite (CH46 2RH)

Leach's Storm Petrel-Hilbre Island--One flew past

Leach's Storm Petrel-Wallasey--One flew south past coastguards; park at King's Parade (CH45 3PZ)

Leach's Storm Petrel-Leasowe-Another flew west past Leasowe Gunsite (CH46 2RH)

Leach's Storm Petrel-Leasowe-One flew west past Leasowe Gunsite (CH46 2RH)

Leach's Storm Petrel-Wallasey-One flew south past coastguards; park at King's Parade (CH45 3PZ)

Leach's Storm Petrel-Leasowe-One flew west over the beach at Leasowe Castle Hotel

Cheshire & Wirral Bird Sightings–16th September 2026

 

Today's round-up of the latest bird sightings from across Cheshire and Wirral

This page will be updated with any significant additional sightings as they become available.

16th September 2026

Arctic Skua flew west from Mersey mouth this morning - New Brighton.

5 Wheatears along the embankment by Leasowe Lighthouse.

2 Leach's Petrels and a Manx Shearwater flew west - Leasowe Gunsite.

2 Leach's Petrels and a Grey Phalarope (briefly) - Wallasey Shore.

Leach's Petrel

(c) Pete Sutton

3 Juvenile Curlew Sandpipers this afternoon - Hoylake Shore.

Ruddy Shelduck and 2 Little Stint-Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB

Slavonian Grebe-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Adult still this evening

Tamarisk Peacock Moth-Eastbourne-East Sussex

A very successful trip to Sussex tonight, thanks to my good friend Alan Lewis, who had visited the site the previous evening.

I finished work and made my way down to Eastbourne at dusk, and it didn’t take long to find the Tamarisk Peacock. A few hours of searching produced many adults and larvae.

The Tamarisk Peacock is a recent colonist, and its caterpillars feed exclusively on Tamarisk (Tamarix) shrubs, which are commonly planted along coastal gardens and promenades as windbreaks. These plantings provide plenty of suitable habitat for the moth to establish itself.

Historically a very rare immigrant, it was first recorded in Kent in 2004 and has since been recorded increasingly along the south coast. Warmer summers and milder winters may also be helping this Mediterranean species survive and breed successfully in Britain.

While searching for moths, I also came across a few Southern Oak Bush-crickets, which are small, nocturnal creatures that have been spreading across southern England since their first records in Britain in 2001. Additionally, I encountered several Green-fanged Tube-web Spiders, a large Mediterranean species that is now well established in southern Britain, particularly in coastal areas. These spiders create distinctive tubular retreats in cracks and holes in walls, with several silk trip-lines radiating from the entrance. Since I'm not particularly keen on spiders, I quickly took a photo of one and moved on!

Southern Oak Bush-cricket

Green-fanged Tube-web Spider

Another very enjoyable evening of moth hunting, and a big thanks to Alan Lewis for sharing the location.

Cheshire & Wirral Bird Sightings–15th September 2026

Today's round-up of the latest bird sightings from across Cheshire and Wirral

This page will be updated with any significant additional sightings as they become available.

15 September 2026

Slavonian Grebe-Acre Nook Sand Quarry-Adult still

Sabine's Gull- Juvenile on beach, then flew inland; also 3 Black Tern, 7 Arctic Tern and 10 Little Tern - Hoylake Shore

Sabine's Gull

(c) Pete Sutton

2 Black Tern and Black Guillemot flying west, 1 Garganey flew north, 1 possible Long-tailed Skua, also hundreds of terns (mainly Sandwich) - Hilbre.

Black Guillemot

(c) Steve Williams

Garganey, Hen Harrier (ringtail) and 20 Spoonbills - Parkgate.

 

 

BIRDGUIDES REVIEW OF THE WEEK:7TH-13TH SEPTEMBER 2026

An active Jetstream and Atlantic-driven conditions delivered a mixed spell of wet, windy weather and calm, blue skies. Avian arrivals from the west were the order of the day: more rare seabirds, a bundle of Nearctic shorebirds and even the first New World passerine of autumn 2026. Read more>