around Edinburgh, 25-26 Oct

After a day out birding on the coast east of Edinburgh on the 24th, the nest few days were somewhat quieter, though with a great bird thrown in...

on 25 Oct, we spent part of the day in the Pentland Hills. First stop, with all the family, was Threpmuir Reservoir, where I can list all the species of note on one hand. 50+ Siskin, 4 Bullfinch and a few Goldcrest. The reservoir held only four species of bird, two of which were gulls.

Next stop was Leith Water. Here we had one particular bird in mind. We almost had a false alarm when a Grey Wagtail was seen on the stream, and then, we picked it up by its song, a scratchy tune oddly reminiscent of a Reed Warbler. This DIPPER stayed on show for 10 minutes, perched on rocks and doing the 'dipping' it is so famed for. Luckily, my camera has a video function, so I caught it 'in the action'

We also saw a few Redwings and Goldcrests along here, and a single juvenile Grey Heron

P.S unless you want my annoying voice ruining the peaceful tranquility of this video, I suggest turning your volume down right this instant...  Or sometime before you play the video. You know. Whatever...

26 Oct was a wet and drizzly day. We visited Straition Pond, a little reserve on the outskirts of Edinbugh. The fact we saw more pieces of litter than birds tells you what kind of 'reserve' this is. A few Redwing was as good as it got. Sometimes, you just gotta love the city birding...

Blatchington Gof Course and The Downs, 8/4/2010

on the 8th Apri, a family walk on the downs above Seaford wasn't hugely productive, but did produce four species of warblers and a few Butterflies.

On the Golf Course between Seaford and Denton, singing Chiffchaffs were in abundance, with at least 20 singing males. There were also a few greyer coloured Warblers with different calls, Willow Warblers, and four of them, and I heard a singing Whitethroat and a Bullfinch. Among the butterflies, both Comma and Peacock were common and I got a few photos of each.

In Greenway Bottom, on the south downs, 5 singing Chiffchaffs, 2 more migrant Willow Warblers and a singing Blackcap finished off a good walk, in which I got one year tick (Whitethroat)

*note-I also heard a Coal Tit on Firle Road, Seaford, my first record from in town, and perhaps a continental bird

23rd Jan-The Cuckmere Valley

birding with Jon Curson and Nick Pope. To start off we headed down to the Cuckmere. Here, the Scaup was still showing, now on the pond visible from the path in the first bend of the meanders. It was accompanied by a male Tufted Duck, 2 Teal and a Redshank, although most of the wildfowl and wader present six days ago appear to have moved on with the total thaw. A Mistle Thrush was also seen. At Arlington Reservoir, sveral newbies for the year that took my list up to 89, these were Greylag Goose, Pintail(9), Gadwall(1), Great Crested Grebe and Coot, also a very showy Bullfinch and 40+ Redwings around the farm paths to the right of the feeding area and car park. Sadly however no Goosander, which had been reported regularly over the past few days, and which were seen later on today. Back in Seaford, I saw a Goldcrest performing well in a conifer on Blatchington Hill, and the wonderful male Black Redstart again put on a show around Seaford Primary School, seen flying from one rooftop onto a suitable bush in a garden, then onto the rooftop of that property where it had a well-deserved feed.