Fine fare but fuzzy focus

The Safari gazed over a flat calm sea this morning barely a ripple made it to the beach. To the south was a herd of 18 Whooper Swans (P2 #48) ‘grounded’ on the sea if you can have such a thing.

3 Scaup flew past going south but then turned and went north as far as the eye could see – no, but wait; the two males had black rather than grey backs – Tufted Ducks (P2 #49); Patch 2 tick – get in!!!

There wasn't a lot on the beach besides a bait digger, a few gulls and a handful of Oystercatchers but nothing noteworthy.

By lunchtime the tide had just hit the wall and it was gloriously sunny which meant it was seriously hazy out to sea.

At least 3000 Common Scoters sat at the far side of the unfocusable middle distance while a bit nearer but just as fuzzy was one of the larger divers – but which one?

Try as we might we couldn’t find a mammal although a dark coloured Turtle gagging ballon looked very much like a seal's head at a glance. It was all was a bit ‘samey’ until two male and a female Eider flew past. This encouraged us to stick it out a little longer in the hope of a Red Breasted Merganser... not a merganser but the Fylde’s second, our first, Sandwich Tern (137, 50) came by – deffo worth hanging around a few more minutes.

Behind us we thought we heard a Mistle Thrush which would have been pretty good for here but it turned out to be  a Starling doing a very passable impression, it, or another - there were several on the wires, also did a good rendition of a Grey Wagtail.

Shame to waste such a bright sunny day without getting the camera out but nothing of significant interest within range :-(
Where to next? Rockpooling tomorrow – what exciting goodies will the kiddies find?

In the meantime let us know what's shimmering in the distance in your outback.

BTW Sunday's 'Wainscot' wasn't, it was a very worn Noctuid of some other species but deffo not a Wainscot sp.