Although the wind had dropped overnight, I decided to go for another seawatch off Formby Point anyway today, from 11.15am to 3pm.
There were still a few birds offshore, and later in the day, Sandwich Tern numbers began to build up, but compared to yesterday it was decidedly quiet.
Best bird was probably a single Bonxie, which spent some time resting on the sea close in, before flying off towards Wirral looking for something to pull the wings off of.
It had a few gos at Lesser Black Backs before it disappeared to the left.
Red Throated Diver 3
Great Crested Grebe 2
Common Scoter 350+
Guillemot 2
Little Tern 1
Sandwich Tern 223
Common Tern 39
Arctic Tern 6
Kittiwake 14
Bonxie 1
Arctic Skua 1
Fulmar 1
LBB 45
Whimbrel 1
Good views of the vast strung out scoter flock today - frequently flushed by passing dinghies, but no sign of any white wing panels on 'em yet....
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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Was also at Formby today from 1315 to 1715. Thought it was pretty good, though nearly everything is just a speck in the distance and ident is more often by jizz than by any plumage features. Wish the things would come closer. List as follows:
Shelduck 36; est. at least 500 scoters right out on the horizon; Sandwich Tern 253 (a conservative figure - many terns were simply too far out to indentify with safety); Common Tern 10 (comments as for previous - probably missed quite a few of these; Gannet 26; Grey Plover 20; Kittiwake 16; Great Crested Grebe 1 on sea; Little Tern 1; Arctic Skua 3; Great Skua 1 fairly close in chasing a kittiwake at 1630 before disappearing out to sea; Manx Shearwater 4. I also saw a skua heading south on the horizon at 1615 which I think was probably a Pomarine, judging by it's bulky structure, largish size and steady direct flight, but it was simply too far out to be sure.
Further to my comment yesterday, there were 24 Little Egrets at Freckleton Naze when 14 were still being reported from Marshside tonight.
It would seem there are in fact 40 or so birds on the Ribble marshes.
Stephen.
Interesting figures Stephen, I wonder where the Ribble birds are coming from?
Spill overs from colonies to the south of us on the Dee and North Wales maybe?
Anyway, the wind is blowing, so I gotta go seawatching again today - as Derek says hopefully things willbe a bit closer in today.
Tide high at Formby at 15.12pm today.
Maybe the Litte Egrets heading to Marshside? :)
http://www.drumimages.co.uk/birds/egretlittle.html