Displaced.

A pleasant enough session from the Tobacco Dump at Formby this afternoon, although the main business of the seawatch occurred in the first hour before the weather began to improve, with my first Leach’s of the autumn and a close-in young Arctic Skua.
I gave it three hours and with so many Common Scoter strewn across the bay and frequently taking flight, there was always activity, even if variety and numbers away from the Black Puddings were somewhat lacking.

Pretty much the first bird I saw when I sat down at 11.30 was a young Arctic Skua resting on the swell just out past the scruffy breakers, dark with a tiny tiny peanut head.
It looked a bit bulkier when it first took flight, but hung around long enough to nail as a dishevelled and tired Arctic before it drifted off north.
The Leach’s Petrel went south just behind the surf just before midday, lovely ‘scope views as it plodded by – a good start and I was surprised not to see others.

Tobacco Dump, 5.9.20, 1130-1430:
Swly 4, easing, sunshine and cloud.

Arctic Skua 1
Razorbill 1
Common Scoter 1,500+
Sandwich Tern 16
Leach’s Petrel 1
Fulmar 3-7
Red Throated Diver 2
Gannet 9
Kittiwake 7 inc several juvs
Shelduck 18
Harbour Porpoise 1
Dunlin, Oycs, Cormorant, LBBs, Herring Gull, Knot etc.

At least three knackered Fulmars were resting on the waves, but I saw Fulmar seven times in the sesh – this would be a very good count for Formby these days, although I suspect all sightings involved the same three tired birds, gliding about the swell for short periods before pitching down again.

Low on Gannets and Manxies weirdly absent, but it may be worth another crack tomorrow.