Ah well - back to duck counting

The wind was back SSE first thing, then worked round to SW. showers in the morning, becoming more prolonged in the afternoon.

South Shore

A first light check to see if Black Redstarts could be relocated, didn't even manage to find a Rock Pipit. The only small birds seen were just 3 Linnet. A brief glimpse of a small brown raptor, almost certainly a Merlin, was probably a contributory factor.

This is actually one of yesterday's Linnet,
when the weather was a bit more suited to photography.

Lapwing 175 took flight briefly, and there were still some scattered around the beach.

Woodpigeon 26 east 08:30

A second check in the afternoon did manage to locate 2 Rock Pipit, but little else.

Hopefully the Black Redstarts are still around somewhere.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

This was also very quiet, the tit feeding flock not found, it is very mobile.

Mute 3 adult 3 + 1 cygnet

Coot 11 (7 on "no swimming" pond)

Moorhen 10

Gadwall 14

Teal 4

No Shoveller or Little grebe seen/heard. Also the second visit without hearing a Water Rail.