Two many assumptions

The Safari wrongly assumed that the much forecast rain would appear over night - it didn't. And we also assumed one very fast Osprey when in fact the two bird theory really did come into play - the one at Rossall Point was still there enjoying a tasty fish lunch when the other was sailing over Seaforth! So there you have it; never assume nuffin unless told to in a maths exam.

Again we didn't start vis migging until after nine. 

We had a stiff ESE breeze @ 15mph

8 oktas of low cloud to the east & 7 to the west.

Temperature was 14C @ 09.15

Don't know what we missed but the hour to 10.15 was dead slow with just 10 Meadow Pipits recoded most of those heard only and the ones seen were heading SE this morning.

Fortunately the rampant direness was short lived as CR had very kindly offered to take us out for an hour or so again and we went to the nature reserve again.

There we had the following - please excuse the list our good hand, which is actually worse than the current bad hand is playing up today.

A Snipe probably flushed by the male Sparrowhawk that landed on the recently cut reeds

then 3 more flying around

A hovering Kestrel wasn't eaten by either of the two Buzzards in the same field - an unlikely turn of events if you believe the Countryside Alliance's ludicrous view of why Kestrel populations have declined so quickly in recent years. Another Buzzard passed over.

Nine Wigeon flew round possibly fresh arrivals

The Cetti's Warbler sang but didn't show - again!

A Water Rail made a dart across the cut gap in the reeds giving CR an opportunity to fire a few shoots off.

A small number of Meadow Pipits passed south-eastwards as did a solitary 'alba' Wagtail.

Outside the hide the yellow Buddliea hosted  a very fresh looking Comma which sadly avoided our phone-cam, a Small Tortoiseshell was enjoying the remaining flowers too and a Peacock flew round above the reeds to the front with the numerous Migrant Hawkers.

Back at Base Camp after lunch we settled into our sky watching seat and hoped for a few raptors to drift over.

The warmth, almost 20C, brought a few butterflies cruising past, namely a Peacock, two Small Whites, and a couple of Small Tortoiseshells.

'Interesting' birds were restricted to a lone Meadow Pipit and two 'alba' Wagtails going SE. Three Starlings N and later one SE, a real rarity over here discounting the enormous flocks going to and from their roost. A Swallow zooted north and eventually we found a really high raptor which was 'only' a Sparrowhawk heading south. A few minutes later all the gulls got up but we couln't find what spooked them.

A few brief looks between the houses eastwards gave us nothing more than a single very distant local? Buzzard.

That's enough for the old hand...

Where to next? CR has offered to take us out again tomorrow morning; what a nice man he is!

In the meantime let us know what's panicking the lookouts in your outback