16th September 2013

With the wind strengthening during Sunday and backing west overnight hopes were high that today would produce a reasonable seawatch and, after a slow start, Obs members and friends were not disappointed.

The highlights were the two juvenile Long-tailed Skuas (a dark intermediate and a pale bird) - the first of which came in from the East Hoyle tip and went down the east side before crossing the island behind the hide and heading off to the Point of Ayr; see photos below and short video on You Tube - http://youtu.be/JwJV_eIlGBI

26 Leach's Petrels past the North End during the day (in 8.5 hours) but mainly after the high tide; see below and short video at http://youtu.be/i9U6tezhJVA

The only other skuas were a single distant Arctic (and a distant Skua Spp) plus a Bonxie.

46 Manx Shearwaters were counted heading westwards during the day and good numbers of Sandwich and Common Terns were seen along with smaller numbers of Gannets and a solitary Kittiwake.

Observers in the hide were alerted late morning by mobile phone from Hoylake to two first winter Little Gulls being buffetted along the East Hoyle bank as they headed further up the estuary out of sight from the hide.  Later a juvenile Black Tern was seen first along the gutter on the ebbing tide then off the North End on a couple of occasions mid afternoon.

Other species noted during the seawatch included a single Peregrine and a Golden Plover.

With the wind still strong overnight hopes are high of a repeat tomorrow but perhaps with more petrels.

[DB, PSW, SRW + SR +1, RS & MT] photos by Scott Reid