Storm Bella, barely provides

The strong overnight SW winds quickly eased and moved around to west. Very heavy showers, most with hail.

Pete managed to check the incoming lunchtime ferry. Unfortunately in the middle of a squall, so some birds my have been missed.

Mediterranean gull 1 adult

Kittiwake 3 adult plus 1 juvenile

Otherwise along the wall, there was nothing other than the regular birds mid morning, with just Black-Headed gulls on the outflows.

Great Black-Backed gull, in first winter plumage, in the harbour 

One thing about walking along the sea wall when there are heavy showers, you can always see them coming.

You don't need to be a metrologist to recognise this as a rain,
 or in this case hail, cloud!

Heysham skeer 

Pale-bellied Brent goose. 24 seen on the way out, on return there were 29. I didn't think the extra 5 had just come in, just overlooked first time as they were away from the others. These also included two red and blue ringed birds, almost certainly the regular Canadian birds.

Knot only about 250

Eider there were 12 close in but a distant flock were hard to estimate due to the choppy sea, but at least another 50.

These 6 were close in, and still not easy to count!

As ever, gulls are never far from them, hoping to pinch any crabs that they may surface with when feeding.

This, futile attempt was actually from Friday, when the sea was a bit calmer