The freshening westerly saw me giving an Ainsdale seawatch a punt at lunchtime today (1240-1330), but it was mighty sunny which always makes things harder here.
It was predictably quiet in terms of passage, with 70-100 Sandwich Terns almost certainly local traffic, just a handful of Gannets, two auk sp and a Great Crested Grebe north.
Hard to say how many Common Scoter were offshore in the swell, but I’d guess at least 1,000 birds already, stretching down towards Freshfield and bobbing about as they slept.
I was joined by Pete Kinsella, and as we chatted a fine young Peregrine came cruising over the frontal dune ridge, only seeing us at the last second and shearing off.
Good close views – I even managed these two dodgy point and press shots with me box brownie.
Blurry, but better than a poke in the eye with a sharp (-ened) stick based on my usual standard.
Krusty the Caspian Gull still about and still hobbled, but far fewer hirundines on the move today.
John Dempsey Birdblog 
Lesser Whitethroat at Rimrose Valley, Crosby. Spotted Flycatcher a few days ago
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Quick look at Crosby Marine Park over lunch today produced 20+ alba wags, 1 Grey Wagtail and at least two Yellow Wagtails feeding near the small boating lake.
The reserve area south of Crosby Lakeside Adventure Centre held a Chiffchaff and a flycatching Whinchat, Common Darter, Speckled Wood and Migrant Hawker.
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FINALLY after years of waiting, this afternoon a calling Nuthatch managed to move its lazy ass the relatively short distance (even as the Nuthatch flies) from the Ainsdale NNR to Dempsey Towers – what took you so long????
Garden tickety tick….
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