You can't beat a good blow - just the job.

The first proper N W gale of the 'season' saw the Wirral seawatching triage of yours truly, Frank Duff and Allan Conlin joined by Marbury exiles Pod & Mark Payne for a spot of seawatching off the sea wall at leasowe. With winds gusting up to force 7 things were looking pretty good. As seasoned veterans of seawatching off the Wirral coast we had all the gear - the exiles had nowt!

Umbrellas were pegged into position, camp chairs (ooh they were awful) unfolded and flasks of tea placed close to hand - just like a British seaside holiday (which in effect it was as its not yet the end of July).

Me & Pod living it up - more tea Vicar? Good grief Sir - more wind!
Richard Smith who arrived late along with Allan & Frank.

Five hours later the crew had amassed a good selection of birds including Roseate Tern, 30+ Manx Shearwaters, 4+ Arctic Skuas, 2 Bonxies (seen together with an Arctic Skua), a handfull of Gannets, 4 adult Kittiwakes and a single Storm Petrel.

Contact with the Seaforth regulars who'd had a Leach's Petrel amongst their haul left us a bit deflated as not only did we miss that bird but we failed to get the number of Storm Petrels reported from the mouth of the Mersey. However there's always another day and tomorow looks just as promising weather wise...............................................

As usual members of the public were inquisitive as to what we were doing. This provoked some quality answers:

Woman walking dog: 'can I ask what you are doing?'

Frank: waiting for a bus'

Man: 'What are you watching?'

Pod: 'The golf'

Mark: 'You can see Birkdale from here'.

Me: 'We can see Greg Norman'.

Man: walks of bemused........................