Nothingness

This word, if indeed it is a word, probably sums up this morning and also the past week. It was yet again one of those in-between grey days when the conditions aren't right for anything. We don't half like to moan, us birders, don't we?

It was the usual pack drill this morning; Rossall Point for first light and it was dire, even worse than yesterday. Definitely no Leach's today. It was that bad that I am struggling to say what I did have. There were very few waders on the shore other than 30 Oystercatchers and a nice flock of 19 Sanderlings. I like Sanderlings and would probably go as far to say that theye are one of my favourite waders. They are always so active and are interesting to watch.

If it wasn't for the Common Scoter there would hardly be anything in my notebook at all. I had 112 this morning in various flock sizes. I noticed that there is a 'domino' effect in Common Scoter flocks because you will get a group flying low over the sea that will put up another flock, this flock will then put up another flock and so on.

There were very few Eider on the sea this morning with only 3 counted. I had an auk sp., 4 Shelducks, a close in Red-throated Diver, 2 Gannets and 24 Cormorants and that was it after one and half hours of watching. It was very nearly literally 'sea watching'!

Shelduck courtesy of Simon Hawtin

I won't even mention the vis, or should I say lack of it, other than to say that I had Grey Wagtail over and although it has been a crap autumn so far for vis, Grey Wagtails have still featured.

Let's hope the weather improves although I am not holding out any hopes after just looking at the met office website. More grey and more 'not so strong' westerlies I'm afraid.

Mid-morning Update

I have just received a phone call from my mate Ian to tell me that he was at Rossall School and the first bird he saw was an adult Pomarine Skua flying towards him. Jammy bastard! Mind you I say jammy, but Ian puts in an awful lot of time birding around Fleetwood and deserves everything he finds. He told me that the Pom then 'twatted' (his words) a Herring Gull and dragged it down on to the sea and continued to put the boot in, before flying off north and dropping on to the sea out of sight!

It just goes to show, like yesterday, that a grey nothing day can be lightened up with a good bird or two. I suppose the moral of the story is just to get out there and you will get your rewards!