Picked up Bazzo and after bumping into Pete Allen at Marshside Road junction, the three of us gave the Sandplant compound a good look.
Not ideal in the brisk northerly wind, but at least six Wheatears in there was encouraging, as was a Whitethroat mooching around a bit of fly-tippage.
Pulses quickened with news of the Black Skimmer in Mayo, but we were a long way from Mayo baby, and had to make do with scratching Little Egrets, a few Migrant Hawkers and a Common Sandpiper from the Sandgrounders hide.
Water levels on the marsh are resolutely refusing to drop, while the outer marsh, coated in Sea Aster, had female Marsh Harrier, Peregrine and Kestrel.
A look at Old Hollows Farm produced 200 odd Wigeon on the flashes, with Golden Plover, Lapwing etc, and in the scrub on the landward side of the seawall, Willow Warbler and Goldcrest.
Drove up to Hesketh Out Marsh, but the gate across the track was padlocked - they must have known we were coming.
The cloud/sun/could/sun weather system of the last few days has been pretty good for Sand Lizards on the coast, with at least two beasties near Shore Road emerging to bask and recharge their batteries.
This one refused to emerge from the marram shadow for a decent pic, which was annoying - they'll all be off to bed for the winter soon.
Fair numbers of young Common Lizard about too.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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I heard the first of the returning geese the other evening which contrasted nicely with the last sighting of Swallows in our area. They were buzzing around the tarmac roads of suburbia: I've never seen them do that before. They usually give the houses a wide berth. Possibly hoovering up the last of the flies before leaving these shores.
Formby Point seawatch, 0945-1200
Common Scoter 220
Gannet 16
Red-throated Diver 1
Great Crested Grebe 6
Arctic Skua 1
Kittiwake 2
Sandwich Tern 72
Common Tern 19
Arctic Tern 13
Guillemot 1
Highlight a female/imm Redstart at edge of the woods, en route
Hi John, 32 Pinkfeet on Marshside 2 this evening.
Could well be more but with the grass being longer than usual they were difficult to see.
Mike.
The drake Mandarin is back on Southport Hospital Lake.
30 Little Egrets feeding on marsh between Fairways and Hesketh Rd this morning.
46 Little Egrets this morning between Fairways and Hesketh Road.