Handful of Pochards with the Tuftie flock under Nels Hide today - with water levels deeper than Lake Titicaca at present, it's hardly surprising Marshside One is attractive to 'em.
Not a lot else going on there though, with Lapwing and Golden Plover on one or two of the unsubmerged ridges and a small gull roost.
At least the Pochards looked placid, bobbing about on the swell out of the strengthening wind.
With more terra firma exposed on Marshside Two, there were far more birds, with hordes of Teal and Wigeon, and about 200 Golden Plover in with the Lapwing.
Hard to be sure, but it seemed like another 2,000 Goldies up on Crossens Inner to the north, amongst more wildfowl, Blackwits etc.
Grey and grim as the day was, the outer marsh was surprisingly quiet while I was there raptor-wise, given the good showing of Hen Harriers recently, with just Kestrel and Merlin on the wing.
A GBB seemed to be making up for the lack of "classic" predators by eating a Pink Foot on Crossens Outer.
Surely it was scavenging? Or have the marauding GBBs got so mean they're knocking Pink Feet down now?
Small numbers of Pinkies quite close to the road, with more out in the longer vegetation, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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1 female Smew and 10 Waxwings at Moore Nature Reserve today 29/12/12
Still 29 Twite on Ainsdale beach south of Shore Road this morning. Feeding under the frontal dunes.