Another day and the south westerly hooley was still holding, so with Poms reported to the south and north of us, I gave Ainsdale another chance over the high tide this morning.
Conditions were impressive - mountainous sea, reasonable visibility (apart from the murk on the horizon) and a screaming south westerly, force 6 plus.
Sadly, no one told the birds.
But that's seawatching for you.
Gannet 17
Arctic Tern 7
Sandwich Tern 2
Guillemot 1
Fulmar 2
Common Scoter 3
I've gotta be honest, I'd have hoped for better - there was one skua out on the horizon for about three seconds before it was lost forever in the swell...some you've just got to let go.
A few Lesser Black Backs tracking through the waves offshore, plus the usual Cormorants (including one with bright white wing patches!), Grey Plover etc.
And apart from two groups of ArcticTern heading south, the ladyboys of the sea were nowhere to be seen (where do all the Sandwich Terns go when it blows hard like this? they weren't roosting on the beach).
The Fulmars were good though - especially as we get fewer and fewer off the coast each year.
Wind drops a bit tomorrow, so another go scanning the swell may reap rewards.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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Wales, especially Anglesey, needs to sink into the sea for your place to be any good in spring! You'd probably be seawatching from Parbold Hill (island?) though with the subsequent 'seatake'.
I suspect the easterlies on Monday might be more productive for both Formby and Heysham - its been really hard work up here=Heysham/JB Point during this WSW hooley despite flattering to deceive daily species lists. I watched for one hour yesterday without seeing a single seabird (and the usually jammy Mr Jones spent I think 1.5 hours with the same result the previous day). Not enough really spicy squalls for this wind direction.
I hear what you're saying Pete, but when the wind blows and the tide's high, you've got to give it a bash...
9.5.09: Formby Point seawatch, 9.40-12.40:
Red Throated Diver 2
Gannet 376
Common Scoter 21
Kittiwake 66
Sandwich Tern 32
Common Tern 10
Arctic Tern 73
Little Tern 1
Guillemot 8
Puffin 1
Sparrowhawk 1 south
Merlin 1 north
Both raptors about half a mile out.