With that nice fat south westerly blowing this morning it was worth a look from Ainsdale before work – nothing startling, and not the best place to seawatch from on the coast of course, but still 72 Manxies between 0830 and 0900, with more later in the morning.
Birds going north and south, so probably a bit of overcounting going on there.
One Fulmar and 23 Gannets, with at least 800 Common Scoters strung out along the coast in the swell.
Wall and Grayling on the frontal dunes and the tern numbers building up nicely.
Phil Smith had about 800 Sandwich Tern roosting off Albert Road/Cabin Hill last week, which is probably a Sefton coast record, with 300+ Common Terns to boot.
Sarnies and Commons commuting all over the place at Ainsdale at the mo, which bodes well for the survey that’s ongoing between us (Sefton Coast Landscape Partnership) and the Lancashire Wildlife Trust’s Biodiverse Society programme and wader numbers picking up too when they’re not being flushed by all and sundry.
Grrrr…..
John Dempsey Birdblog 
Enjoyable seawatch from Formby Point, 0950-1210, with Neill and Troppo. Constant movements, mainly south, and my highest count of Arctic Skuas here for many a year.
Common Scoter c.200
Great Crested Grebe 2
Manx Shearwater 57 all south
Gannet 185 almost all south
Arctic Skua at least 15, probably 20, all ages and phases, all moving south but working in pairs to harass the numerous terns
Kittiwake 1
Sandwich Tern c.200, north and south
Common Tern 47 most south
Arctic Tern 42 all south
Little Tern 2 south
LikeLiked by 1 person
There should be quite a decent number of darvic rings to be read on the
Sandwich Terns with, if Chris Batty’s results from Knott End are replicated, some very interesting movements.
Thanks
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fingers crossed Pete – will keep you updated as the survey progresses…
LikeLike
Kingfisher at Pinfold Pond, Ainsdale NNR yesterday.
LikeLiked by 1 person