Connah's Quay Reserve on the Welsh side of the Dee estuary has an elevated observation hide which is the best place to view the RSPB Reserve of Oakenholt Marsh and the sandflats of the inner estuary. It also has two large pools (the "Bunded Pool" and the "Fly Ash Lagoon") which attract large numbers of wildfowl and waders, especially during winter and migration. Over 250 bird species have been recorded. Nesting birds include Avocet, Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Shelduck, Little Grebe, Moorhen and Coot. Access is restricted, but there are also free access observation points with free parking (for a more limited range of birds) on both sides of Flint Castle.
The Dee Estuary was scheduled as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1954 and re-notified in 1983 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It was notified under the EC Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds (79/409/EEC) and under the Ramsar Convention in 1985. In 1988, Oakenholt Marsh was purchased by the RSPB. The Deeside Naturalist's Society was started by the 20 people who attended a public meeting on April 26th, 1973, the driving force behind it being one Raymond A Roberts, who served as DNS Secretary for over 30 years. The idea for a Connah's Quay Nature Reserve came in 1974 when DNS was awarded a grant, under the UK government Quality of Life Experiment, to build a bird observation hide. In 1975, the manager of the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) Power Station at Connah's Quay (Mr KWF Steward) invited DNS to site the hide on their land and to assist in the development of a Nature Reserve. In 1978, CEGB and DNS were jointly awarded a Prince of Wales Award for Conservation. Construction of the Field Study Centre was begun shortly afterwards and the centre was opened by the Duke of Edinburgh in June 1983.
Connah's Quay Reserve on the Welsh side of the Dee estuary has an elevated observation hide which is the best place to view the RSPB Reserve of Oakenholt Marsh and the sandflats of the inner estuary. It also has two large pools (the "Bunded Pool" and the "Fly Ash Lagoon") which attract large numbers of wildfowl and waders, especially during winter and migration. Nesting birds include Avocet, Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Shelduck, Little Grebe, Moorhen and Coot. Access is restricted, but there are also free access observation points with free parking (for a more limited range of birds) on both sides of Flint Castle.
The Dee Estuary was scheduled as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1954 and re-notified in 1983 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It was notified under the EC Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds (79/409/EEC) and under the Ramsar Convention in 1985. In 1988, Oakenholt Marsh was purchased by the RSPB. The Deeside Naturalist's Society was started by the 20 people who attended a public meeting on April 26th, 1973, the driving force behind it being one Raymond A Roberts, who served as DNS Secretary for over 30 years. The idea for a Connah's Quay Nature Reserve came in 1974 when DNS was awarded a grant, under the UK government Quality of Life Experiment, to build a bird observation hide. In 1975, the manager of the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) Power Station at Connah's Quay (Mr KWF Steward) invited DNS to site the hide on their land and to assist in the development of a Nature Reserve. In 1978, CEGB and DNS were jointly awarded a Prince of Wales Award for Conservation. Construction of the Field Study Centre was begun shortly afterwards and the centre was opened by the Duke of Edinburgh in June 1983.
The factors affecting which birds are likely to be found are the season, the time of day, the state of the tide and the weather. Most wintering wildfowl and wader species build up in numbers from August and decline rapidly in March. Late July to early October, and to a lesser extent April-May, are best for passage migrants. May and June are the best months for watching nesting birds. Early mornings and late evenings can be productive as birds move to and from roosting sites. High tides ("spring" tides) also bring waders that have been feeding on the estuary closer to the observation hides, though closest views are usually obtained 2-3 hours before the tide. Sea birds often come upstream with the tides, especially if NW gales bring autumn passage birds from the mouth of the estuary. Heavy snowfalls in the hills will sometimes bring unusual birds to the marsh and fields. The entrance to the Reserve can be productive [check the pylons (peregrine, raven), the treetops along the railway (thrushes) and the hedgerow downhill (jays, finches)]. The paved track to the new "gardener's compound" merits a slow walk, especially in the early morning (warblers, goldcrest, bullfinch). The three grazing fields are all worth a look (curlew, godwits, jackdaw) as is the road down to the marsh and helipad (winter thrushes,redstart, whitethroat). The two roads, left and right, from the helipad to the hides have wheatear and wagtails during migration and the occasional perched raptor, while the marsh below may have skylark, pipits and finches. The river ahead is well worth a scan with a telescope at low tide (wildfowl and waders) and the revetment beyond may have birds too. The road to the left leads to the West Hide from which the fly ash lagoon is best viewed (ducks, coot, moorhen, snipe, little ringed plover, nesting oystercatcher) and Oakenholt Marsh can be seen (roosting waders in large numbers, gulls, wildfowl and sea-birds on the river, peregrine on the pylons, extensive views (with a good telescope) of Parkgate and Burton marshes, "sea-watching" during NW gales). Most raptor records come from here. The barbed wire fences often have chats and finches (inc twite in winter) while rock pipits and kingfisher occur below the hide in winter. The side path that runs down to the meadow hide also leads to a path along the railway line (collared dove, warblers) to the edge of Oakenholt Marsh. The right -hand road leads towards the bunded pool and its 3 hides. The channel half-way along is well worth a look (grey heron, ducks and waders) and the first sluice gate may have kingfisher. Approach the first hide slowly to check out the feeders for woodpecker, finches and stock dove. The middle hide is usually the most productive and should be scanned carefully for greenshank, spotted redshank and snipe, plus large redshank flocks on migration. The banks on the right side of this pool will often have "hidden" waders. In 2018, the Reserve entrance was found to be a good location for visible passerine migration (following the railway line) in the very early morning.
1983.
Connah's Quay Reserve on the Welsh side of the Dee estuary has an elevated observation hide which is the best place to view the RSPB Reserve of Oakenholt Marsh and the sandflats of the inner estuary. It also has two large pools (the "Bunded Pool" and the "Fly Ash Lagoon") which attract large numbers of wildfowl and waders, especially during winter and migration. Nesting birds include Avocet, Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Shelduck, Little Grebe, Moorhen and Coot. Access is restricted, but there are also free access observation points with free parking (for a more limited range of birds) on both sides of Flint Castle.
The Dee Estuary was scheduled as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1954 and re-notified in 1983 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It was notified under the EC Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds (79/409/EEC) and under the Ramsar Convention in 1985. In 1988, Oakenholt Marsh was purchased by the RSPB. The Deeside Naturalist's Society was started by the 20 people who attended a public meeting on April 26th, 1973, the driving force behind it being one Raymond A Roberts, who served as DNS Secretary for over 30 years. The idea for a Connah's Quay Nature Reserve came in 1974 when DNS was awarded a grant, under the UK government Quality of Life Experiment, to build a bird observation hide. In 1975, the manager of the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) Power Station at Connah's Quay (Mr KWF Steward) invited DNS to site the hide on their land and to assist in the development of a Nature Reserve. In 1978, CEGB and DNS were jointly awarded a Prince of Wales Award for Conservation. Construction of the Field Study Centre was begun shortly afterwards and the centre was opened by the Duke of Edinburgh in June 1983.
The factors affecting which birds are likely to be found are the season, the time of day, the state of the tide and the weather. Most wintering wildfowl and wader species build up in numbers from August and decline rapidly in March. Late July to early October, and to a lesser extent April-May, are best for passage migrants. May and June are the best months for watching nesting birds. Early mornings and late evenings can be productive as birds move to and from roosting sites. High tides ("spring" tides) also bring waders that have been feeding on the estuary closer to the observation hides, though closest views are usually obtained 2-3 hours before the tide. Sea birds often come upstream with the tides, especially if NW gales bring autumn passage birds from the mouth of the estuary. Heavy snowfalls in the hills will sometimes bring unusual birds to the marsh and fields. The entrance to the Reserve can be productive [check the pylons (peregrine, raven), the treetops along the railway (thrushes) and the hedgerow downhill (jays, finches)]. The paved track to the new "gardener's compound" merits a slow walk, especially in the early morning (warblers, goldcrest, bullfinch). The three grazing fields are all worth a look (curlew, godwits, jackdaw) as is the road down to the marsh and helipad (winter thrushes,redstart, whitethroat). The two roads, left and right, from the helipad to the hides have wheatear and wagtails during migration and the occasional perched raptor, while the marsh below may have skylark, pipits and finches. The river ahead is well worth a scan with a telescope at low tide (wildfowl and waders) and the revetment beyond may have birds too. The road to the left leads to the West Hide from which the fly ash lagoon is best viewed (ducks, coot, moorhen, snipe, little ringed plover, nesting oystercatcher) and Oakenholt Marsh can be seen (roosting waders in large numbers, gulls, wildfowl and sea-birds on the river, peregrine on the pylons, extensive views (with a good telescope) of Parkgate and Burton marshes, "sea-watching" during NW gales). Most raptor records come from here. The barbed wire fences often have chats and finches (inc twite in winter) while rock pipits and kingfisher occur below the hide in winter. The side path that runs down to the meadow hide also leads to a path along the railway line (collared dove, warblers) to the edge of Oakenholt Marsh. The right -hand road leads towards the bunded pool and its 3 hides. The channel half-way along is well worth a look (grey heron, ducks and waders) and the first sluice gate may have kingfisher. Approach the first hide slowly to check out the feeders for woodpecker, finches and stock dove. The middle hide is usually the most productive and should be scanned carefully for greenshank, spotted redshank and snipe, plus large redshank flocks on migration. The banks on the right side of this pool will often have "hidden" waders. In 2018, the Reserve entrance was found to be a good location for visible passerine migration (following the railway line) in the very early morning.morning.
Connah's Quay Reserve on the Welsh side of the Dee estuary has an elevated observation hide which is the best place to view the RSPB Reserve of Oakenholt Marsh and the sandflats of the inner estuary. It also has two large pools (the "Bunded Pool" and the "Fly Ash Lagoon") which attract large numbers of wildfowl and waders, especially during winter and migration. Nesting birds include Avocet, Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Shelduck, Little Grebe, Moorhen and Coot. Access is restricted, but there are also free access observation points with free parking (for a more limited range of birds) on both sides of Flint Castle.
The factors affecting which birds are likely to be found are the season, the time of day, the state of the tide and the weather. Most wintering wildfowl and wader species build up in numbers from August and decline rapidly in March. Late July to early October, and to a lesser extent April-May, are best for passage migrants. May and June are the best months for watching nesting birds. Early mornings and late evenings can be productive as birds move to and from roosting sites. High tides ("spring" tides) also bring waders that have been feeding on the estuary closer to the observation hides, though closest views are usually obtained 2-3 hours before the tide. Sea birds often come upstream with the tides, especially if NW gales bring autumn passage birds from the mouth of the estuary. Heavy snowfalls in the hills will sometimes bring unusual birds to the marsh and fields. The entrance to the Reserve can be productive [check the pylons (peregrine, raven), the treetops along the railway (thrushes) and the hedgerow downhill (jays, finches)]. The paved track to the new "gardener's compound" merits a slow walk, especially in the early morning (warblers, goldcrest, bullfinch). The three grazing fields are all worth a look (curlew, godwits, jackdaw) as is the road down to the marsh and helipad (winter thrushes,redstart, whitethroat). The two roads, left and right, from the helipad to the hides have wheatear and wagtails during migration and the occasional perched raptor, while the marsh below may have skylark, pipits and finches. The river ahead is well worth a scan with a telescope at low tide (wildfowl and waders) and the revetment beyond may have birds too. The road to the left leads to the West Hide from which the fly ash lagoon is best viewed (ducks, coot, moorhen, snipe, little ringed plover, nesting oystercatcher) and Oakenholt Marsh can be seen (roosting waders in large numbers, gulls, wildfowl and sea-birds on the river, peregrine on the pylons, extensive views (with a good telescope) of Parkgate and Burton marshes, "sea-watching" during NW gales). Most raptor records come from here. The barbed wire fences often have chats and finches (inc twite in winter) while rock pipits and kingfisher occur below the hide in winter. The side path that runs down to the meadow hide also leads to a path along the railway line (collared dove, warblers) to the edge of Oakenholt Marsh. The right -hand road leads towards the bunded pool and its 3 hides. The channel half-way along is well worth a look (grey heron, ducks and waders) and the first sluice gate may have kingfisher. Approach the first hide slowly to check out the feeders for woodpecker, finches and stock dove. The middle hide is usually the most productive and should be scanned carefully for greenshank, spotted redshank and snipe, plus large redshank flocks on migration. The banks on the right side of this pool will often have "hidden" waders. In 2018, the Reserve entrance was found to be a good location for visible passerine migration (following the railway line) in the very early morning.
