Inspired by Graham's excellent morning at Marshside today (see comment on previous entry), I went for a walk on the Green Beach for an hour or so this afternoon.
Plenty of singing Willow Warblers and a female Blackcap around the Sands Lake as I walked down towards the beach.
More striking was the heavy passage of hirundines skimming north - mainly Swallows, with fewer Sand and House Martins, the little beauties were whizzing through in small groups all the time I was on the coast - great to see.
Aside from the usual Skylarks, Mipits and Reed Buntings, at least eight Wheatears along the track, with many conveniently perching up in the hazel scrub as I walked along.
All males apart from one single female.
Sparrowhawk circling over the dunes, and about halfway between Ainsdale and Birkdale, a Grasshopper Warbler reeling away from the slacks just inland.
I got some good, but brief views of him, before he switched into Locustella mode and went all anti-social.
Lovely male Stonechat nearby and a few Siskins passing overhead amongst the pipits and hirundines.
I left the Gropper in peace - presumably the one Phil Smith reported earlier this week?
Cuckoo Flower blooming in patches down there now, and on the way back, at least 17 alba wags feeding and resting along the tideline as the Swallows zoomed by.
If this weather system continues, there could be even more birds about tomorrow.
Really good to see things moving in numbers at last.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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Thanks to Mike Stocker, I had a superb male Blue-headed Wagtail on Curlew Lane with about 20 White Wagtails, on the ploughed field about 100 metres from the farm buildings.
The afternoon shift continued in good form, with prolonged views of a perched male Kingfisher, near their nesting bank from the Kingfisher Hide at Martin Mere. The bank was constructed 31 years ago specifically for them, which is why the hide is called what it is - but this is the first time they have used it!!
Photographers are being discouraged from taking over the hide by screwing the flaps shut. Good !!
At the Leisure Lakes hundreds of hirundines were feeding over the jet-ski lake and perching up on the trees on the islands. Mostly Swallows of the non-red rumped variety, plus 20> House Martins and a few Sand martins.
Ears to the meres!
Common Sandpiper at the Sands Lake this morning and Little Gull at the Seaforth Lagoons this afternoon - both firsts for me.
Grasshopper Warbler, 4 Reed Warblers, 4 Willow Warblers, Little Ringed Plover, 11 Ruff, 22 Avocet, 85 Black-tailed Godwits and loads of ducks, on Rimmer's marsh at RSPB Marshside from 6.30 a.m.
Two Common Sandpipers and billions of Avocets from Sandgrounders hide at 10 a.m. limbs to the bins, limbs to the bins everyone. Get those alarm clocks fixed!