First off, apologies to anyone trying to send comments etc over the last day or so to the blog - the ganglepin was broken apparently (or whatever the IT explanation is, so it was jammed) - all fixed now though.
Saturday was a write-off weatherwise, but I got to Marshside yesterday - where there were dizzying numbers of Wigeon.
Thousands grazing on Marshside Two, with good numbers of Lapwing and Golden Plover here and a few Pink Feet amongst them.
Five Little Egrets (and one later flying over the Sandplant car park).
There were long chains of Wigeon in the shallows off the outer marsh, and a single Great Crested Grebe on the sea.
Heavy rain has really pushed water levels up - even the Sandplant compound is flooding, much to the chagrin of the finches and Meadow Pipits.
Outer marsh held a Little Egret and about 500 Pink Feet.
Met Bazzo on top of Mount Baker and we walked round to the Sandgrounders Hide, where Neill joined us.
Even Ron Jackson popped in.
On his WeBs count Bazzo reckoned he'd had close to 1,000 Pintail on Marshside One - a very impressive total.
Equally muscular was his count of 2,050 Black Tailed Godwits (and a Ruff) on Marshside One.
At least 40 Pochard on the Sandplant Pool, but most were dozing while we were there.
One or two GBBs spooked the waders and wildfowl frequently on Marshside Two and there were three Little Grebes around the hide - they looked happy as pigs in poo with the raised water levels.
The Water Rail was doing its thang again today around the hide, but for once chose to fly round instead of run underneath Sandgrounders to get to the rushes to the north.
Corking young male Merlin perched up on the posts.
Got to Ainsdale beach in the afternoon - but more of that later....
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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How do I send some pix to you?..thanks
John Conway
John: I'll send you an e-mail address