The two-day event Parkgate and Hoylake to witness the exceptional high spring tides event proved popular once again.
Parkgate, on the Wirral coast of the Dee estuary is a favourite spot for photographers to capture some graphic images. The Dee estuary at Parkgate is now salt marsh. Hidden channels fill up with the tide but when these channels are full the incoming water overflows at speed.
As we witnessed, especially on the higher tide on Monday, where it does spill over, it travels at a very fast walking pace and in volume. Rodents, in our case shrews, voles, mice, moles and even rats frantically swim to the safety of higher higher ground, the sandstone promenade, only to be picked off by their natural predators. Gulls, crows, egrets as well as raptors have a field day.
(Images: John Plant, Claire Pettingale, Bruce Kendrick, Greg Lovett, Margaret Beardsmore, Ann Miles)
Hoylake, on the other hand, 20 minutes away from Parkgate lies on the north Wirral shore and offers refuge for waders from all over Liverpool Bay.
High tide hits these shores a good 45 minutes before Parkgate. Large mixed wader flocks, up to 10,000 birds have been recorded, of knot, sanderling, dunlin and grey plover twist and turn before settling on what's left of the mud banks. When these are finally covered by these exceptional spring tides the flock will wait patiently, waiting for the tide to ebb, very close to the promenade at Hoylake. Unfortunately this grassy area is often used by dog-walkers though most heed the many notices along the promenade requesting them to let the birds settle and rest.
(Images: Ann Miles, Margaret Beardsmore, Bruce Kendrick, Greg Lovett)
Final Image: Panorama showing the large number of birds at Parkgate
For more events to attend
go to RPSNature - Public Home Page
