Despite the thick blanket of fog this morning, the day started well enough when I bumped into two Snow Buntings feeding on the tideline at the southern end of Ainsdale beach, between the two metal barriers.
Although flighty the birds were still there when I came back up the beach at the end of the day.
Remarkably hard to pick up against the dark tideline, but as usual approachable as long as you don't try to get too close. I just enjoyed them through the 'scope for a few minutes, as they whizzed about as normal, grabbing seeds and other food items.
This behaviour means the birds can be swine to try and digiscope - they're always moving, or their bills are unflatteringly covered in sand and seeds. 
One pale bird appeared to be a male, the other looked like a female, but interestingly neither bird much resembled the one I saw briefly on the beach down at Formby yesterday morning.
No sign of the latter today while I was planting marram, and annoyingly the fog lifted late morning, only to come down again when I took a lunchbreak.
So although the sea was flat calm and the tide was high, visibility was pants on a cosmic scale.
That said, I could see at least nine Red Throated Divers, including one bird in full summer plumage and about 20 Great Crests, but the scoters were just black blobs in the murk - you can't do anything with them when they're like that.
Such is the way of it.
Didn't get a chance to go thro' the gulls on Ainsdale beach this evening, but there looked to have been plenty of 'em, judging by the remains of the roost.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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Great shots John ;)
Common Seal 50yards off shore shortly after high tide this afternoon just north of the Hall Road Coastguard. Seen eating a Flounder(?)
Barn Owl on fencing on inland side of railway north of Hall Road playing fields at 3.30pm
Had Merlin and Short Eared Owl on the out marsh close to Marine Drive this afternoon and a nice Tawny Owl flying between two houses on Hesketh Rd on my way home
On Wednesday afternoon, the roosting gulls on Ainsdale beach included two Meds; both adults, one full-winter the other near full-summer plumage.
Finished off my remaining winter Atlas pentad for Barry (SD31G), east side of Ainsdale, including parts of the mosses.
Surprisingly, very good with highlights over two hours in the afternoon including:
Whooper Swan 75, Stock Dove 10, Teal 27, Greylag 15, Pinkfeet 2, Grey Partridge 2, Little Egret 3 (there were 6 just before the freeze), Grey Wag, Water Rail in a deep ditch and flushed a Green Sand from the main waterway.