flocks of birds

I was looking over the sea yesterday and i saw a big flock of birds about 100 yards out so i thought to myself they could be after sprats and that means theres mackeral! so i ran and got the spinning rod and feathers and i ran down to the beach but i could only get aout about fifty yards and i got nothing i've never seen so many birds diving on this beach and i've never caught a mackeral on this beach either so i was just wondering would it of been sprats out there? and would there of been mack out their to?

Sandeel i would think there everywhere i was fishing this morning and some guy was diving and he said there were clouds of them about

Sandeel alright seen them myself the other night all over the place.

ok thanks for the replys lads i'd love to get my hands on few of them there handy to bring down for a doggie or a ray sessoin. I was thinking of getting a 30ft net for them do you think that 10mm would be too big??