Better

 A fresh WNW wind. Showers till mid afternoon then increasingly bright.

Pete managed an hour seawatch from the back of the harbour 0745-0845

kittiwake 158 inbound (largest flocks 40 and 45), 15 out

Gannet 1 out

Common scoter 1,1,1,5 inbound

red throated diver 2,1,1,1 inbound

Middleton Nature Reserve main pond - Janet

Still at least one Shoveler pair

The adult male Mute Swan is barely tolerating the immature bird

Heysham skear - Malcolm 13:30 - 14:00 (foreshortened by a shower) 18:00 - 19:30

Pale-bellied Brent goose 80 in the afternoon, I only managed to count 79 in the evening but that was probably down to my counting.

This evening's Brent geese with Warton Crag in the background 

Eider 8

This male Eider was just sat on the skear this evening 

I had to pass close by as the tide was coming in. He didn't move till I was almost
on top of him, then he flew off with no problem. Clearly resting there by choice.

Red-breasted Merganser 5

Female Red-breasted Merganser

Little Egret 1

Knot 500 in the afternoon including one new flagged bird. 120 in two groups flew north from the outer skear when moved on by the tide this evening.

Redshank 150. This clip are some of this evening's birds. As the tide moves back up the drains and recovering the mud. Small (no longer tiny) shrimps emerge from the mud where they buried themselves as the tide ebbed. The Redshank were waiting for them.

It was really nice to get out in the late evening sunshine again