After work I nipped down to Ainsdale beach to see if I could sniff the front end of the raging hooley heading our way tonight (if the forecasts are right, the next two days at least are going to be brilliant for seawatching).
Wind was still in the south, but it should shift soon.
It was sluicing it down, and I didn't really have time to head up to Marshside (I want to steer well clear of "Crakegate" thank you).
Small numbers of Ringed Plovers (two or three flocks of five or six birds) and a similar number of Sanderling fed along the tideline, as did a handful of soaked Dunlins (see above).
One migrating Swallow bombed past, heading direct south, only a foot or so over the sand, oozing determination - may its long journey be an easy one.
A handful of gulls were still roosting on the upper beach, mainly BHGs, and a single Sandwich Tern was roosting, or rather soaking, with them.
The tern was ringed (right leg) - the second ringed individual I've seen on the beach recently.
As I squelched back to the baby black death, parked up by the Ainsdale Discovery Centre, a single Snipe dropped out of the rain and into the dunes.
Earlier this afternoon I had six Swifts overhead at the junction of Knowsley Road and Derby Road in Litherland, they cleared out around Dempsey Towers in Ainsdale two days ago.
Wet clothes, wet boots, wet bins, wet camera, wet scope.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies....
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Ian H wrote...
Hobby, 2 Marsh Harrier, Merlin and the usual Buzzard today (14th) at Martin Mere, Lesser Whitethroat and singing Chiff Chaff at Formby Old Tip along with 3 Buzzards and many, many horseflies.
One distant Swift seen from Nel's Hide at Marshside but no luck with the Spotted Crake.
Posted by: Ian H | August 14, 2007 6:56 PM