More interesting than expected

A dry day with varying degrees of cloud cover. A fresh NW wind.

South shore - Malcolm 10:15 - 11:30

A walk along the sea wall on the rising tide.

Mediterranean gulls at least 15 - there were at least 8 on Red Nab, 3 between the outfalls and 4 on the feeding beach by the wooden jetty just before the tide covered it.

Mediterranean gull with a Black-Headed gull behind

Little Egret 3

Eider 1 looked to be a male out from the outfalls

Rock Pipit 3 on Red Nab

Rock Pipit

Linnet 6 came to drink from the freshwater runoff on Red Nab

Linnet taking a drink

Whimbrel 3

Whimbrel 

Heysham skear - Malcolm 17:00 - 18:30

Eider at least 6. 2 definite males 

Male Eider

I wasn't sure as to these four bobbing around, possibly 2 males and 2 females

Great Crested Grebe 1

Great Crested Grebe

c200 large gulls, mainly Herring gulls. Less than recent but they included a ringed one not seen since June and a bird ringed by a different scheme

This one is seen most visits. But this shot again demonstrates just how
thin the plastic is that the rings are formed from

This one, ringed at Bowland last year hasn't been seen since June

This yellow ringed bird is from a wider ranging scheme. Although the
range does include Walney and Bowland - details awaited

Mediterranean gull 1 - the bird with the very pale mask was high up the shore again.

These location shots show that it is easily visible from the promenade.
Thats the Grosvenor Apartments on the right 

Osprey 1 - for once I spotted it before the birds did. Or perhaps the birds did see it but it was too distant to bother them. As I pan out in this clip it shows how high it was over the sea. Their eyesight must be amazing!

A few minutes later everything lifted! A quick check showed that it was considerably closer.

It then flew high over the skear, and I lost it in the sun.

Oystercatcher c1500

Curlew 25

Redshank 30

Turnstone 40