The plan was to head over the mosses to look for Fieldfare this afternoon - I'd seen about 20 in the hedge alongside the Formby by-pass, just before the Hightown turning, on the way home, and fancied a crack at them out on Plex.
That was the plan, but as soon as I got onto Plex Moss I came across a big feeding flock of Pink Feet in fields by the first layby coming from the Woodvale end.
There were about 1,000 birds, with more over on Carr Moss, but I'd never have had enough light to get over to check them.
A single Barnacle Goose was grazing with them, and in front of the flock, 74 Curlews probing away in the damp grass.
Surprisingly a Black Tailed Godwit was feeding away with them.
I don't keep a Plex Moss list (I'm not that sad yet), but if I did, I'm pretty sure that would be a Plex Moss tick for me!
Light faded fast, so I got no further onto the mosses, however while enjoying a crafty smoke out back at Dempsey Towers at 4.30pm, the perfect silhouettte of a Woodcock came batting over the hedge and headed off to the east.
Superb.
Thanks by the way to Ron Jackson for sending me loads of details about the Twite ringing programme, courtesy of Dave Sowter, when I've got my head round it, I'll stick it on the blog - probably tomorrow, as judging by the lack of comments at present, there doesn't seem to be many folk out birding!
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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Small Little Egret roost on Southport Marine Lake island again this evening, approx 6 birds in the trees.
Talking of Pink Feet, about 10.20 on Saturday night, a lot of Pink Feet went over, north towards the Ribble.
It was hard to tell in the dark how many, I could see odd skeins silhouetted by the stars, but judging by the sound there were several hundred at least.
Surely they hadn't been feeding on the mosses until this time of night?
If not, then where were they coming from?
Could they be ones returning north west from Norfolk driven by colder weather in the east?
Or are they just very late into the roost?
Anyone any ideas?