Psychiatrists would doubtless have a field day - race home from work, tear around the house getting my kit together (bins - check, 'scope - check, trousers - check), then razz down to Ainsdale for an end of the day wind-battering and squall-soaking hour-long seawatch between 4.30 and 5.30pm.
The wind was still blowing in from the west/south west force 5, and the sea was good and rough with plenty of birds out there - trouble was they were all Common Scoters and Cormorants.
Apart from two Gannets at interplanetary range.
I don't have anything against scoters - but a flash of white amongst the wave-riding tubby black critters would have been nice.
Hard to say how many are off Ainsdale at the moment - they kept disappearing in the swell, but several flocks of 20-50 birds were dotted all the way down towards Formby, about 200 yards out.
A few GBBs have joined the LBBs offshore now, swooping down to check out if the scoters or Cormorants have anything worth stealing, but otherwise it was pretty quiet.
Not many waders on the beach either this afternoon - probably sheltering from the wind further up towards Taggs Island.
Anyone seeing anything else?
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies.
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"Ere be monsters", on the Ribble anyway.
I saw that huge falcon sp. again last week, long range as always out on Banks marsh. At first I thought harrier because of long and fairly narrow wings but then it stooped at and knocked down a Shelduck into a pool, and I could see it was a falcon, with maybe a bigger wing span than the Sheldie.
The duck splashed around with the falcon grappling it.
The latter packed in (didn't like the wet?) and flew off, to be pursued by a Peregrine, female I think, which was considerably smaller than the "monster".
Generally greyish with pale underparts, couldn't get anything on the head/face but big and lanky.
Saw same bird earlier in the year stooping at (terrified) Greylags.
The Banks Peregrines from what I see normally go for waders, Redshanks, Goldies, Lapwings plus pigeons when they hunt the fields.
Never come across a Peregrine with a penchant for Shelducks.
A couple of Goosanders in a gutter near the sea-wall with the usual Green Sand in residence.
Little Stints and Curlew Sands with the Dunlin/Ringed Plover flocks but really only discernable when pushed in by the tides.
Last Sunday's WeBS had "only" 20k Wigeons , 30/35K expected this time of year. 2k plus 'Shanks and 3k Lapwings was good.
Pinkfeet flocks very mobile - here today gone tomorrow sort of thing.
They don't like low flying aircraft of which plenty. Takes until late in the winter before "resident" flocks become accustomed.
Cape Shelduck type thing around like last winter.
Maybe a product of "Janet Kear's Duck Brothel" as Eric Hardy used to call MMWWT.
Twites should be making an appearance soon.
Some flocks already on the move down coasts and Pennines per Dave Sowter,
Ron