Moulty Med Gulls I’d expect on the beach at Crosby this morning – or indeed on most other beaches along the coast, but they’re still great to see, and put me firmly in a generation when those snow wingtips were the sign of a “buzz bird”, before they moved in everywhere (have you been to Dover recently?)
Working down at the Crosby end for the last few days, where a trickle of Mipits and one or two Willow Warblers joined alba wags, linnets and the squadrons of Common Terns from over the wire at Seaforth.
However I was surprised (and pleased) by a Raven calling away on the Seaforth fenceline this morning, before it flapped north over Crosby beach, calling away – these things will always be “buzz birds” to me, no matter how many of ’em I see (or how many times I cock up the point and press flyby shot of them for that matter).
Cronk, cronk.
John Dempsey Birdblog 
680+ roosted at Breydon Water couple of days ago!!!!!😵
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God’s holy trousers!
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Hi John,
Have had Ravens flying over my Crosby back garden regularly this week. Most days at about 2:00 pm, could almost set my watch by them.
Ian H
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Superb stuff Ian – looking around last night, I see Seaforth has been having a group on and off for awhile now – just marvellous.
Cronk cronk.
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Found a Greenshank on our estate in St Helens this morning as I walked our dog in the rain.
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I too saw a Raven yesterday (Wednesday) on the beach as the tide came in just south of the lifeguard station at Formby point. Spent a happy hour scanning the terns – mainly Commons, but with a liberal sprinkling of Sandwiches, and at least one Arctic. I think. It just looked and acted differently, especially when in flight. High spot though was watching a juvenile Peregrine harassing all and sundry in a series of unsuccessful but very determined attempts to grab a meal. It tried the terns, the oystercatchers, the waders and even a group a crows until it was evidently so shattered it crash-landed in a heap on the beach. The crows then surrounded it and gave it no peace until it struggled into the air and slowly disappeared northwards.
John, can you indicate just where this “tobacco dump” is? Any where near Nicotine Wood?
Cheers
Tony
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Hi Tony,
The stretch of dunes in front of the remains of the Tobacco Dump site (now a very large area of nettles since tobacco waste dumping stopped in the 1970s) lies to the south west of “Nicotine Wood”.
See link and scroll down to see site map here:
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/formby/trails/formby-red-squirrel-walk
The position of these dunes, on the north west side of Formby Point, makes them the best spot for seawatching between Southport and the Alt, although sandblow on dry days can be an issue.
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Gotcha. Thanks John. Given the remarkable changes in the dune system and paths that have been evident over the past three or four years, especially in this area, it seems amusing – and helpfully optimistic – that a map is even available. Cheers.
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Highlight of a session at Marshside this morning 0940-1120 with Trops and Duncan Rothwell, a Temminck’s Stint briefly at Polly’s Pool, fairly distant but confirmed by pale legs and pure white outer tail when it flew, which it did all too soon. Also 20+ Ruffs on M2, 2 Willow Warblers in bushes on the Knoll.
HOM 1200-1300 produced a Greenshank and 3 Marsh Harriers
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Nice one Bazzo!
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juvenile, i think, with the full mousy-brown breast-band, overall brownish tone. It’ll still be out there somewhere on M2…but with oodles of creeks to skulk in?
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