...you have to go to the seabirds.
And that's just what Rich Steel and co did last Thursday when they chartered a boat out of Liverpool and out into the bay for the day.
I've always wanted to try this myself, but unfortunately couldn't make it on their maiden voyage.
The pelagic resulted in the sort of pictures we've all come to expect from Mr Steel, and many thanks for sharing as usual Rich.
I'm a bit disappointed there are no pirate hats, cutlasses or unfortunate birders chundering in the pics, but you can't have everything.
And in a year when seawatching opportunities have been so few with suitable wind and tides barely coinciding, it's fascinating to get an idea of what really is lurking out beyond the horizon at the moment.
Rich explains: "We went out on the pelagic trip on Thursday. Not too bad but not as busy as I had expected. We had the following:
Gannet*
Fulmar*
Great Skua*
Greater Black Back Gull*
Lesser Black Back Gull*
Kittiwake*
Arctic Skua
Juvenile Med Gull
Common Tern
Sandwich Tern
Manx Shearwater (a lot out there and got close to a raft of birds)
Scoter (distant)
Gulliemots
*close to back of boat
No sign of any petrels although I think July might be better for Storm Petrels and a little too early for Leachs.
Enjoyable day out on the briney though".
Up to 20 Gannets fishing offshore at Ainsdale this evening when the rain stopped, but none looked as good as these....
Superb.
His Bonxie, LBB and GBB ain't bad either.
Wonder if we'll get any blows this week to make the high tide cycle (such as it is) worth a trip to the Tobacco Dump.
I surely hope so.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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The BTO is asking gardeners and garden birdwatchers to help with an exciting new study, which aims to discover how birds use garden berries and other fruits during the autumn and winter months. A free survey pack, which includes advice on improving your garden’s attractiveness to birds, is available from Birds and Garden Berries Study, BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU, or by calling 01842-750050.
Berries and other fruits provide an important resource for many birds during the autumn and winter, with those in gardens particularly well used by thrushes, Starlings and wintering warblers. Different berries and fruits become available at different times and there is evidence to suggest that birds favour some fruits over others, often using berry colour to make their selection.
Despite a lengthy list of berries and fruits that have been put forward as being attractive to birds, we lack hard scientific evidence of which plants and varieties of plants are favoured by which bird species. This new study, being organised by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), sets out to address this question.
3 Marsh Harrier, several Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Kestrel, Altcar Moss last couple of days.
Lots of Swallow, Sand Martin etc coming in to roost at the Hesketh Rd reed bed yesterday.
Approximately 700 Curlew and 20 Wheatear on the beach at Ravenmeols at lunchtime today.
John,
At last a bit of sun and the dragonflies are out and about along the coast.
I was lucky to bump into a female Southern Hawker roosting on heather at Freshfield Dune Heath. Ruddy Darters are relatively easy to find and photograph at slack 47, while Common Darters are abundant in the shelter of the Green Beach Alders, now being joined by Migrant Hawkers.
Phil.