Torrential drizzle! But it may have helped, at least on the north side.

A gusty NW wind, it remained dry till lunchtime, then some heavy showers in the afternoon.

South shore

I just checked saltmarsh to Red Nab late morning (MD)

Linnet 70 on saltmarsh 

Shelduck 210 out from foreshore 

Rock Pipit 1 on foreshore rocks

Nature Park

Chiffchaff 1 calling

Goldcrest 1

Mark Jones had a walk along the wall at the same time, and took these nice shots.

Curlew 

Little Egret 

One of two Peregrine 

Pete checked the noon ferry:

Surprisingly nothing of note behind the ferry

Shag 1 immature, likely the juvenile, seen flying across the harbour mouth

Heysham skear - low water 13:00 (MD)

There had been a light shower over lunch and my weather app had forecast "drizzle". So I set off in the sunshine in just my showerproof gear - mistake! I had reached the tideline just beyond the inner skear, and had only seen

Knot c250

Red-Breasted Merganser 2

The skies were black to the west and when the rain started it was a downpour. I stashed my gear and sat the shower out on a rock. When the driving rain had eased and I could again look out to sea, there were:

Common Scoter 3 female/immature 

Common Scoter

Two of them showed their pale bellies, identifying them as immature 

I saw all three diving, but two were diving much more frequently than the third.

After a few minutes reprieve, the heavens opened again, so I did my gnome impression on a different rock. As it was easing I decided it was time to head for home, then I spotted a couple of geese flying in.

Pale-bellied Brent goose 2 - this is them coming in

Pale-bellied Brent geese

Both the Brent and the Scoters were still on the water as I left, but I'd had enough fun for one day. My showerproof coat had held out but it was sodden and heavy. Still, I suspect I would have seen a lot less without the heavy showers.