...Unfortunately there were very few birds either when I put in an hour and half seawatch over the tide from Ainsdale from 1200-1330.
Things weren't helped by the southerly wind, which had more than a touch of south easterly to it, flattening the sea, and acting as a barrier to any birds thinking about moving across the bay from off Blackpool down to North Wales.
Gannet 28
Common Scoter 18
Razorbill 1
Auk sp 4
Sandwich Tern 2
Common Tern 6
The Razorbill was quite close in, diving just behind the gentle surf. A fine adult, very dapper, but the other auks that whizzed past at horizon range were impossible to id, as is usually the way.
There were reasonable numbers of Gannets fishing fairly close in shore, or just resting on the swell, in between the ever present Cormorants and one or two small groups and singleton Common Scoter pelting by.
A rash attempt at digiscoping the Gannets didn't go so well, but if you don't try, you don't get.
The tern performance was as risible as it has been here all year, with just a handful of birds passing....hopefully we'll still get a few decent roosts on the beach in a month or so, but I'm not so sure, if current numbers are anything to go by.
Not the most inspirational seawatch - but the quiet ones all mean points in the kharmic seawatching bank for when the "big one" comes flying through.
Meanwhile thanks to Ieuan Evans from the BTO, who sent me the link to the BTO's site that tracks the progress of five Cuckoos tagged in the UK as they start to head back south.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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Martin Mere - Saturday 18th:
1 Green Sandpiper
60+ Black Tailed Godwit
1 Little Ringed Plover
plus Redshank, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Avocet, Linnet, Pied Wagtail, 1 Buzzard
Two Oystercatchers on Renacre Moss this afternoon (Saturday) plus about 50 Lapwings on Halsall Moss. Corn Buntings jangling away around Halsall, too.
3 female Sand Lizards on Queen's Jubilee Trail yesterday.
Hi John, This morning...4 Buzzards flying over Crossens Inner going inland. Mike.