Glorious wall to wall sunshine does not make for a good day's Vis Mig at Marshside, so an Easter egg eating marathon may have been a wiser idea, but there were still a few bits and bobs around.
A Reed Warbler was singing from the SSSI ditch (Bazzo and John Bannon had heard it earlier on) as I scanned Marshside One from the Hesketh Road platform, and a Green Veined White and Small Tortoiseshell fluttered by.
Egrets, nice spangly Ruffs moulting into summer plumage, Goldies, Blackwits and Dunlin on Marshside One, but I couldn't see yesterday's Garganey anywhere.
Few Swallows bombed through north, but doubtless most passage was taking place several zillion miles above in the blue, blue sky.
At ground level a vicious shimmer made things pretty difficult.
Singing Sedge Warbler just north of Sandgrounders Hide in the brambles, was presumably the same one heard by the Marshside Road junction earlier in the day.
Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff singing in the bushes on the southside of the Sandplant, before Scrote-boy and his chums turned up to razz their motorbike everywhere - how encouraging to see the site is of some use to someone, God forbid it could have been transformed into a valuable wildlife area.
Up at Crossens Inner about 50 Mipits with at least 10 White Wags, but not a great deal else.
Avocets everywhere of course, but here's hoping for cloudier conditions tomorrow.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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Grasshopper Warbler singing this afternoon at the northern end of Hightown sand-dunes.
4 Crossbill over Birkdale Dunes today.
Downholland Moss, Apr 1st-7th:
1.4.09: 3 Shelduck, 6 Teal, 68 Mallard, 1 fem Merlin, 10 Oystercatcher, 5 Wheatears.
2.4.09: 1 Mute Swan, 11 Shelduck, 3 Teal, 68 Mallard, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 fem/imm Marsh Harrier, 6 Buzzards, 1 Merlin, 15 Oystercatchers, 1 Little Owl, 1 Greater Pecker, 1 Wheatear, 52 Fieldfare, 3 Long Tailed Tits, 4 Yellowhammer.
3.4.09: 12 Shelduck, 6 Teal, 62 Mallard, 8 Oystercatchers, 24 Curlew, 25 Fieldfare.
Osprey reported from irrigation lake on Plex.
4.4.09: 7 Shelduck, 2 Teal, 52 Mallard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 11 Oystercatcher, 24 Curlew, 25 Fieldfare. Osprey reported from irrigation lake on Plex.
5.4.09: 2 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Cormorant, 2 Canada Geese, 5 Shelduck, 65 Mallard, 1 Shoveler, 15 Oystercatcher, 14 Curlew - later in morning 122 Curlew.
6.4.09: 2 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Cormorant, 1 Canada Goose, 21 Shelduck, 4 Teal, 77 Mallard, 20 Oystercatcher, c50 Golden Plover, 20 Curlew, 2 Greater Peckers, 1 House Martin, 69 Fieldfare. Plex: 1 fem Sparrowhawk, 1 Chiffchaff.