The wind had a keen edge to it once the sun went in this afternoon and spring shut down again at Marshside. I huddled down to watch three second year Little Gulls on Crossens Inner as they swept up and down the main ditch, frustratingly distant in the poor light, but mesmerising to observe as they stalled and hovered, snatching morsels of food from the drain’s surface. They got plenty of hassle from Black headed Gulls and briefly a Med Gull had a go too (there were at least seven Meds in the gull colony this afternoon), and the Little Gulls landed only briefly a full zoom’s distance away fro ..read more

The monthly survey between Hall Road and Hightown was blighted by the apparently unending westerly winds of the past week – even in the sun it was bitter enough to turn a Whimbrel’s legs blue. Four humbug heads shivered in the teeth of the wind over the tide before moving up the coast to feed. Next stop North Moss Lane? If you are visiting this stretch of the coast over the tide never walk onto the rubble itself – you just flush roosting birds, and please don’t directly loom above the debris as you’re silhouetted and again either flush waders or stop them coming into roost. The fun fieldcraf ..read more

The loud “sweeet” call was audible above the constant traffic drone as the Yellow Wagtail bounded over the road by Crossens Outer before pitching back down on to the marsh amongst a carpet of White Wagtails. At least 70 White Wags there this afternoon, with Little Ringed Plover and a particularly fine and particularly pink Water Pipit. Thousands of Pink Feet are on Crossens Outer and Banks Marsh at the moment, and the equally colourful but slightly more dubious Red Breasted Goose hobbled about at long range amongst the Pinks. Shamefully, this is the first time I’ve caught up with Hopalong si ..read more

Seems to be one of those springs that creeps in gradually this year – Willow Warblers have been singing in the dunes for almost three weeks now, but they were finally starting to get showy today. No sense of a major arrival of a range of species yet, just a slow build of birds sneaking onto territory, and classic spring migrants lipping through. Plenty of Willow Warblers sitting up high on singing posts, and they have now been joined by scatty Whitethroats too. Thought I heard a Tree Pipit at lunchtime, but it wasn’t that close. A few Swallows trickling through today, and Wheatears tazzing ab ..read more

Me that is, not the Wheatears – the first ones came through the coast at about the average time earlier this month, but I only bumped into my initial five of the year as I went to check the cattle on Ainsdale LNR today. A fine party of three full adult males, one younger male and a female, darted about amongst the cowpats just beyond the access gate to the cattle enclosure behind the Pontins site. I sat down hidden behind a low dune for five minutes and let them come to me – superb things, light in a darkening world. My first Swallow through at Ainsdale yesterday, with a singing Willow Warbl ..read more

Still feeling bad about the “double drive-by” episode last week when I afforded Crossens’ Waxwing duo only the briefest of gear changes and glimpses as I motored past, I went back today to pay my respects properly. They were feeding in the same spot on Water Lane, generally low down in the shadows and oblivious to thundering traffic and pedestrians just a metre or so away from them. Lovely things, their trilling calls were occasionally audible above the engine roar, and once or twice they flitted up to the top of the bushes, when the afternoon breeze played havoc with their “wig in a windtun ..read more

A groundhog spiral brightened up by fresh spring sun, for a time anyway, justified a stroll at Marshside today. At least one Water Pipit was out, and had the decency to stand still for a minute or so quite close under the bank on Crossens Outer – shame it was looking a bit the worst for wear during its transition into summer plumage. Two Little Ringed Plovers – one under the pull-in at Crossens, the other down around Sandgrounders and across the road. Chiffchaff singing on Hesketh Road, at the Sandplant (Goldcrests there too) and along the bank at Crossens. I was hoping for a Wheatear as the ..read more

Fine big tide today – they’re good all week really, and a lunchtime seawatch was ok. No surprises, but plenty of activity. A few nice flotillas of Great Crested Grebes offshore, as is the way at this time of year, and plenty of winter plumage Red Throated Divers. Two Razorbills were the first auks I’ve seen offshore here since the horrors of last summer’s bird flu outbreak, and it felt like spring Wheatears were just a few hours away as parties of Mipits bounded north over the waves. Ainsdale, 1215-1315, 12.3.24 (S/SWly f2, tide high: 1211, 10.1m): Common Scoter 700+ RB Mergs 19 Great Crested ..read more

For once a Water Pipit wasn’t too concerned by my presence when I stopped off at Crossens for ten minutes today. Probably the mizzling seafret that brought poor visibility had something to do with it, but the bird happily fed just beneath me in the gloom for almost five minutes, long tail pumping away in celebration of its aspirations to wagtailness. Normally they scoot as soon as they clap eyes on me. This one wasn’t bothered by my proximity, but a spot of fieldcraft never goes amiss with these critters. A littoralis Rock Pipit was hardly a surprise after the recent high tide cycle, although ..read more

Impossible to ignore the behemoth that is the Rowan Norway (aka the Valaris Norway) that has been towed out to dominate the horizon at Ainsdale as decommissioning work in the Liverpool Bay gas field begins. Love it or hate it, the jack-up vessel dwarfs the Lennox rig, so long the most striking feature offshore, but it presents a handy new point of reference for seawatching. Gave it an hour over lunch today for the high tide – two nice adult winter Little Gulls at least, and reasonable views of the regulars in a gentle SEly that flattened the swell. 13.2.24, Ainsdale 1230-1330: Common Scoter a ..read more