Plans for a quick seawatch from Ainsdale beach this morning at high tide were quickly scuppered, as heavy rain closed in and a thick grey curtain descended on the waves - even the rig disappeared in the murk.
A few terns were scooting past, but on the beach itself there was a roost of 136 Sandwich Terns and 7 Common Terns - which wasn't bad, and just about justifed the morning's drenching.
I decided to cut my losses and drove up to Marshside, where I met Jellyhead, Tropical, Si Glinn, Tony Baker and later Bazzo.
Last night's rain meant water levels were back up, so not so much chance of a good wader today - the muddy edges have all disappeared again.
However a few Little Egrets were flapping about and Si saw two Greenshanks dropping on to Polly's Creek, so we went up for a quick look.
Just one on display there, and a small gull roost, but an adult Common Tern flew over heading south.
Two Common Sands on Marshside Two again, and a few Dunlins.
Lots of Snipe everywhere - Bazzo counted at least 70 on the WeBs Count on Marshside One.
Checked Mount Baker (still two Wheatears in the compound), where dog walkers flushed two Grey Partidges.
A quick seawatch from the top of Baker brought me a Marshside tick - as Bazzo called two Manx Shearwaters heading south.
I managed to scope 'em as they arched over the waves about a mile and a half out - nice one!
Bazzo and I walked down to Nels, where the large Blackwit flock was roosting again, with Lapwing and three Ruff.
The Glossy Ibis flew past high, headed over the golf course and then switched north again to head back up to Polly's Creek.
It may have landed at Nels, if certain birders hadn't kept shouting (you know who you are) in the hide. Why people assume birds can't hear is a continuing mystery to me.
Still, a Greenshank was roosting on the edge of the lagoon, and on the newly mown grass at the back of Marshside One, two Golden Plovers fed alongside Curlew and Lapwings.
Finally a note of caution to all DIY digiscopers - if you're going to fashion a scope mounting for your camera using a plastic bottle top (surprisingly effective - Neill H swore by it for a year or two), whatever you do, DO NOT use the top from a bottle of weedkiller.
Unless you want to end up like Jellyhead Jackson that is.
Eyes to the skies everyone (or in Jellyhead's case, eye), eyes to the skies...
- Post to:
del.icio.us
Digg
Newsvine
Nowpublic
Reddit
« Previous | Home | Next »
john wrote...
PS Forgot to mention - juv LBB on Ainsdale beach with a dark colour ring, and yesterday, colour ringed Lapwing at Nels, Marshside (yellow ring, right leg).
ttfn
Posted by: john | August 12, 2007 3:43 PM