Ruby Tuesday

Another trek down to the clifftops to finish what I started yesterday. At 05:30 it was a beautiful morning... by 05:40 the haar had rolled in and visibility was more or less nil. At least the things I saw were nice and close!

Sometimes you have to admit you're beaten. That white surf is about 50 m offshore

Wasn't a total washout... but only 28 Northern Gannets north, and 27 south, 5 Sandwich Terns north, then 16 south, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers north in a pack, then 3 south, a Sand Martin (Bank Swallow) heading north along the coast - do you ever get the feeling that it's just birds blundering about in the fog like I was? 4 Arctic Terns went north, and then 2 Common Terns, and towards 06:40 a Little Tern north. Patch Tick! How many hours of seawatching over 5 years has that one taken? That's a rhetorical question, btw. Except the answer is 'a lot'. See, even in the fog it was worth staying out.
Also, 2 Red-throated Divers (Loons) north, 4 Common Scoters, 1 Manx Shearwater, 3 Great Skuas - I've had worse hours.

One adult Guillemot (Common Murre) on the water with its 'Little Auk' chick. All others childless as yet.

Some abstract lichens.