The Hilbre Islands Local Nature Reserve is contained within the Dee Estuary on the north west coast of England.

Gilroy Nature Park area consists of woodland, meadows and a large pond. Once a rubbish tip, since 1984, it has been restored by volunteer residents, local schools, Scouts and Guides, Conservation Volunteers from Liverpool University and Polytechnic, Wirral Wildlife, Wirral Ranger Service.

To reach the Nature Park walk down the path from Gilroy Road, on the right, opposite the Nature Park, is a field which is flooded in winter and attracts a good number of duck and waders including Teal, Mallard, Snipe, Black-tailed Godwits and Curlew. Little Ringed Plovers are seen here occasionally. On both sides of the path is a thick overgrown hedge and ditch, attracting large finch flocks and Water Rails. Carry on down this path towards Hoylake where you will see fields of  damp grassland and ditches, these are the Hoylake Langfields - also known as the 'Carr Fields', or just 'the Carrs'.

Both the Langfields and Gilroy NP are on a flight path between the Dee Estuary and north Wirral shore with birds cutting the corner off north-west Wirral , either flying along the valley between Thurstaston and Caldy hills, or round the West Kirby side of Grange Hill. This means they tend to get more than their fair share of birds with almost anything turning up. Raptors include the occasional Hen Harrier and Osprey (one or two a year) with Peregrines, Common Buzzards, Kestrels and Sparrowhawks regular. A couple of years ago 11 Sparrowhawks and five Common Buzzards were in the air together, an amazing sight! In winter between 200 and 300 Curlew can be seen busily feeding in the fields and sometimes large flocks of Lapwings join them. If there has been heavy rain the open water can attract a good number of wildfowl including Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Pintail and Pink-footed Geese, even White-fronted Geese and Whooper Swans have turned up in the past. Snipe enjoy the damp grassland and 50 were counted in one field on Jan 29th this year. Black-tailed Godwits are often seen but Wood, Green and Common Sandpipers are much rarer and only occur during migration. Many other birds pass through on migration; 3,000 Swallow passed through early morning on Sep 13th last year, 1,100 Fieldfare on Nov 22nd with 37 White Wagtails and 21 Wheatears on Apr 10th this year. Like any good birding site early morning is the best time to see the most birds, but at any time of day the walk between West Kirby and Hoylake through the fields makes for a pleasant birdwatching stroll.

These fields would make a great nature reserve and may be we should try and encourage either the Cheshire Wildlife Trust or RSPB to buy them! As well as migrants and wintering birds surveys have shown that this area has a good number of breeding birds with 40 species breeding annually, another 13 species occasionally and eight species have possibly bred in the last few years. Regular breeders include Grey Partridge, Lapwing, Tawny Owl, Skylark, Grasshopper Warbler, Reed Warbler, Common and Lesser Whitethroat and Reed Bunting. Occasional breeders include Tufted Duck, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Redpoll. Teal, Snipe and Water Rail are all possible breeders and a pair of Black-tailed Godwit were seen to be displaying and copulating a few years ago.

For directions to Gilroy Nature Park and Hoylake Langfields  from the West Kirby side click here, and from the Hoylake side click here.

Richard Smith

Acknowledgements:
Thanks to Edwin Jones for letting me use the info in his Gilroy file, and to Chris Butterworth who supplied most of the bird details.