Spring passage is of course, absolutely brilliant, especially as the months of April and May have been such stonkers this year, but really, you can’t beat a good seawatch.
So I was delighted to walk out into a freshening westerly early doors this morning and decided to give Ainsdale a quick hour on the rising tide before work, and more importantly, before the shimmer started on the horizon.
A clear southerly movement of birds was taking place offshore – nothing major, but steady.
It was enough to put a smile on my face and give me my first Manxies of the year.
Sand, salt, seabirds – bring it on.
20/5/16, Ainsdale 0800-0900, W’ly f4:
Gannet 80+
Manx Shearwater 32
Fulmar 5
Razorbill 7
auk sp 24
Kittiwake 9
Common Scoter 6
Great Crested Grebe 2
If anyone is free today – the tide is high at about 1120 (depending on where you’re sitting), and the birds are still moving….
John Dempsey Birdblog 
Formby Point, 0915-1200
Stonking seawatch with El Troppo, continuous southward movements, many birds close inshore although light westerlies had only begun to blow after dawn.
Common Scoter c.60
Red-throated Diver 1
Great Crested Grebe 1
Fulmar 6
Manx Shearwater 70
Gannet 152
Little Gull 2
Kittiwake 229
Sandwich Tern 5
Arctic Tern 8
Little Tern 2
Razorbill 113
Guillemot 4
Black Guillemot 2
Gannets, Kittiwakes and Razorbills almost certainly under-counted…too much passing to keep track of it all!
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That’s a tasty sesh Baz – it looked good first thing….well done!
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Interesting Common Scoter observation….anyone an expert on this enigmatic species? Every one of the 40-odd fly-by birds was male, every one of the raft of c.20 on the sea was female!
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Do females moult later? More to the point, how come they’re never sea-sick?
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Dunno about females’ moult, but one of my wives would get seasick if she stood on wet grass
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Where is the Glossy Ibis at Marshside? I’ve been told it is at Hesketh Road but I also read it was at the viewing screen inbetween Nel’s and Junction Pool.
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It moves about Jack, and despite it’s size, it can be surprisingly elusive. Another good spot to try is the shallow flash of water about 100 metres down the footpath at the back of the marsh, walking south from Marshside Road.
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