Three Wheatears way down at the south end of Ainsdale beach this morning, with a Yellow Wagtail calling overhead, and later in the day 76 Sandwich Terns roosting on the shore.
Wheatears at Marshside at lunchtime too, with two Migrant Hawkers around Sandgrounders Hide, and plenty of Swallows moving through.
I popped back to the marsh in the early evening, and spent a bit of time looking over Crossens Outer, pondering what type of hoodoo voodoo would be necessary to will the Wilson's Phal back from the mere and into Marshside's clutches again.
A few Golden Plover out there, with numerous Kestrels, two Merlins, and three Marsh Harriers - a female and two juvs - which were cruising about putting the fear of God into everything, apart from the cows.
Three more Wheatears around the Sandplant, with a few Mipits and more Swallows and two Little Egrets out on the mud.
No less than 18 Painted Lady around the remaining vegetation on the sheltered northern side, and a nice Peregrine tanking inland at about 6pm.
Snipe dropping in from high joining the increasing numbers on the reserve, and the first Pintail are back. All it'll take is a bit of NWly and the first Pinkies will be in quicker than you can say "ohgodnotwinteragain".
Good to see the scraggy left overs of Hurricane BIll have a bit of punch in them at last - if the wind keeps up WSW like it is at present, it could be worth a quick seawatch, despite the poor tide, tomorrow evening.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
- Post to:
del.icio.us
Digg
Newsvine
Nowpublic
Reddit
« Previous | Home | Next »
Found a dead Gannet on Birkdale beach with ring on on June 25th last year.
BTO have sent me the following details:
Ringed as a nestling 5.7.97 at Scares, Luce Bay, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.