Three Observatories

It was crystal clear in the next to useless 25 mph north-northwesterly wind as I looked across the Bay, and I realised that I could see the location of three bird observatories; two unofficial and one official. Starting at Fleetwood, where I was, I could clearly see Heysham and looking straight across the Bay was Walney. It was so clear that I could even tell the time on Barrow's town hall clock!

 The Lakeland fells as viewed from the Obs this morning.

It was very quiet on the sea this morning, as it usually is with a northerly component, although Ian and I speculated that it could be okay after a week of northerlies next week and it might just displace something interesting from further north.

Walking to the Point I had the male and female Stonechat, and the male is starting to come in to summer plumage and is looking rather stunning. The Shore Lark wasn't around first thing near the car park, but was when Ian arrived, and on our way back it was still there giving good views. Just two twitchers at this time in the morning, but there was bound to be a few more as the morning progressed. I would have thought that it's novelty value would have worn off by now, but some birders do seem to like a target bird as a focus to there day's birding; each to their own I suppose!

On the shore were 166 Oystercatchers, 13 Turnstones, 16 Ringed Plovers and 31 Sanderlings. The flock of 16 Linnets were roaming along the dunes and some visiting birders are reporting these as Twite!!!

As stated earlier the sea was quiet with just 44 Eiders, four Red-breasted Mergansers, a Kittiwake, 18 Pink-footed Geese (heading NNW across the Bay) and two Auk sp.

It's forecast for a cold NW wind tomorrow, but as there's a morning tide I'll probably be out having a look on the sea and moaning about the wind direction!