Being an Easter Monday I didn't intend to venture out with the camera, as I know from experience how frustrating it is to try and take photographs when every family, their grandma and dogs are out and about. Especially with some springtime sunshine appearing. Anyway, late afternoon I got a text message telling me that a Velvet Scoter is very close to the shore at Leasowe. Having not photographed one before I made a quick decision to grab the gear and shoot straight up there.
A ten minute walk and I see the bird by the waters edge. Typically the sun was starting to disappear for the day and a black bird on grey water was never going to look great. I moved down to wait for the bird to come along towards me, which it did, as it started to move out around the groyne. As the tide was receding the sandbanks were starting to appear and it chose to go the other side of them. It was still there when I left an hour later, happily feeding on crabs, but it wouldn't come any closer with a dropping tide.
