Funny sort of day today, but first the pic above is by colleague Colin Lane, award-winning photographer on the Echo and Post, who took it in his back garden awhile ago - but as Wrens are just about the only things singing around Dempsey Towers in the early hours at present (apart from Robins), I couldn't resist using it.
I also used it because no sooner had I sat down to scan the high tide at Ainsdale this afternoon, than Mrs D texted me to remind me of duties elsewhere, involving new specs, beer and takeaway pizza.
Non-seawatchers will breath a hefty sigh of relief to learn that I only had ten minutes looking at the sea then, but as expected it was very, very quiet - two small strings of Common Scoters scudding along the horizon, Sandwich Terns and one or two Common Terns fishing offshore and about five Gannets in total.
No terns on the beach (not surprising as the tide was so high), but there were three respectable roosts of LBBs north of Shore Road, and further up a good-sized wader roost of Barwits and Oystercatchers.
Didn't have time to work 'em, which was a shame.
Red Admiral in a front garden in Ainsdale, and at Dempsey Towers, 3 Peacocks, a Holly Blue, a Speckled Wood and two Migrant Hawkers.
Just as interesting were four Swifts heading south at 8.20pm, won't be seeing too many more of those this year.
Warmer, calmer weather on the cards, so it's back to wader checking and bush bashing until the next big tides in a week or so.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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22/08 Seawatch, Formby Point, 1245-1615:
Manx Shearwater 2,500+
Gannet 325
Common Scoter 850
Arctic Skua 4
Great Skua 1
Kittiwake 3
Sandwich Tern 72
Common Tern 60
Arctic Tern 45
Little Tern 11
Guillemot 1