Disappointment and relief are the usual responses when I learn a bird like the Brown Shrike has jiggered off - disappointment in that I didn't get a chance to get to grips with it, relief that I didn't make the journey in the early hours this morning and dip...
To take my mind off all things east coast, I went for a rummage around the scrub west of the Sands Lake, at Ainsdale, then had a butchers at the Green Beach.
Phenomenally quiet, a few Meadow Pipits, Reed Bunting and Skylarks were the best I could muster, with Kestrel and Carrion Crow, plenty of Common Darters and Migrant Hawkers and a single Snipe.
Doubtless habitat as great as the Green Beach will one day turn up a mega on a gorgeous sunny autumn day, but today wasn't that day...
The tide was so low, walking to the Isle of Man looked a possibility, and while there were clearly gulls and waders near the water's edge, I didn't get a chance to check 'em out - wonder if I missed anything?
One or two Chiffchaffs on the west of the Sands Lake and Goldcrest in the buckthorn there, with two Redwings over.
50+ Tufties, Little Grebe etc on the Sands Lake, but there'll be plenty of time to study their foibles in a month or two.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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There has been a notable influx of Black Darters (Sympetrum danae)along the coast.
A male at Freshfield on Wednesday was followed by up to six at Range Lane, Formby on Thursday.
Today, I saw a male and a pair ovipositing at a pond on Ainsdale NNR.
This is a peatland species which is known to disperse in late summer and can turn up in unusual places.
The results of the House Martin survey, launched by BTO as part of the World
on the Move series (BBC Radio 4), have just been made available and can be
viewed on the BTO website on:
http://www.bto.org/survey/special/house_martin/housemartinsurvey2008.htm
BTO experts have been proved wrong - this was not an awful spring for House Martins.
It looks as if there is very little difference between House Martin numbers
in 2007 and 2008. Numbers may be a little lower in southern England this
year and many birds arrived back late from Africa.