Winter Calm

Two days after New Year I was back down on the beach, the day had been unusually clear and calm, with some light cloud in the sky, perfect conditions for a possible good sunset.

A bank of cloud out to the west obscured the sun before actual sunset and the air was very still, not a breath of wind, every sound carrying a long distance in the tranquil air. The pools of water remaining on the beach were perfect mirrors, reflecting the silhouettes of the iron men and the colours of the sky.

Channels of water left from the last high tide offer perfect mirror reflections and the cries of distant seabirds echo in the completely still air as dusk falls on Crosby beach.

As I moved away I noticed groups of birds out over the sea, flying in formation low over the water, like murmurations of starlings but I suspect that they were Knots, the black formations looked almost like waves forms travelling across the surface of the sea at times.

Formations of Knots low over the flat surface of the sea appeared to be ripples on the surface at times as they flew low over the surface.