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Seawatch 2.09.07

Posted by on September 2, 2007 4:21 PM | 

sea209.jpg

Sandblasted, then soaked to the skin, Formby Point was taking no prisoners today.
Wind blowing south westerly, force 5, but decreasing, I was down from 11.30am to 3.30pm.
Tide high at 3.12pm.

Leach's Petrel 1
Gannet 24
Manx Shearwater 2
Shearwater sp 1
Arctic Skua 7
Kittiwake 9
Sandwich Tern 164
Common Tern 19
Arctic Tern 9
Common Scoter 250+
LBB 35

plus the usual waders, Shelduck, Cormorants etc.
The Leach's was a peach, heading south just behind the surf at 1.20pm. Always great to see them each autumn. What a bird!
May have overcounted the Arctic Skuas - they were doing a lot of lurking on the swell before flying up at terns, although one young bird that tried its hand with an LBB was pushing its luck.
Most stuff was a fair way out today again, including a shearwater which came by in the murk at about 11.50am - quite big, all dark, with what appeared to be pale patches on the underwing.
It sheared high constantly, and was a powerful looking beastie, with pointed wings.
Hmm, you need to see 'em better than that before I put a name this one, (especially with a bird so rare in the north west) - some always get away seawatching, but that's the name of the game.
Off to dry out.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...

Comments (5)

Ted Preece wrote...

The Peregrine was back by the Cheshire Lines track Saturday at 10a.m. - about a mile south of the location of the Red
Kite.

Posted by: Ted Preece  | September 3, 2007 6:15 AM

Bazzo wrote...

Formby Point seawatch, 3.09.07:
13.05-15.15:
Bonxie 1
Red Throated Diver 2
Gannet 32
Guillemot 2
Kittiwake 1
Sandwich Tern 37
Common Tern 66
Arctic Tern 7
plus loadsa titmice and crests in the woods.

Posted by: Bazzo  | September 3, 2007 4:33 PM

Jim Irvine wrote...

Went for a walk down Lifeboat Road, Formby on Wednesday (29th Aug).
I saw, in the conifers near the road, what I thought might have been a Crossbill.
I didn't get a good look at it but it was reddish and seemed to 'dance' around in the tops of the trees.
Is it likely?

Posted by: Jim Irvine  | September 3, 2007 4:45 PM

john wrote...

Yeah, it's quite likely Jim.
The odd pair breeds in the Formby-Ainsdale pinebelt each year, and this is a good time of year to bump into wandering birds.
Don't know too much about the treetop "dancing" tho.
The harsh "jip" call is usually the first clue you've got that a few are around you in the pines.

Posted by: john  | September 3, 2007 9:50 PM

Jim Irvine wrote...

Yes sorry. I should have mentioned that it was the 'jip' that started me looking since it was a sound I didn't recognise.
As to the 'dancing' it just seemed that he was quite fast and moving around a lot.
Thanks for the reply.

Posted by: Jim Irvine  | September 4, 2007 12:32 AM

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