24 Oct-Midlothian birding

In the interests of my sanity, I'm using as little thought in writing this post as possible. Just a list of birds and pics for a change...

Longniddry

• Several big skeins of Pink-footed Goose flew over, 1000+ overall
• waders on the rocky shore were approx. 15 Redshank and the same number of Curlew, 40 Oystercatcher, 40 Bar-tailed Godwit and 40 Turnstone (unbelievably, a yeartick!!)
• offshore were 20 Eider, 40 Common Scoter and a handful of Velvetines, and 2 redhead Red-breasted Mergansers

Oystercatchers and Curlew



a skein of Pink-footed Geese

Redshank

Curlew

Black-headed Gulls

and a few of my picks from the many Turnstone's I photographed

Next up was Aberlady Bay. Waders were the main feature here, with approx 300 Lapwing, 100 Golden Plover and Dunlin, 20 Redshank, Oystercatcherand Curlew and a single Grey Plover(yeartick 187 for Britain). The only wildfowl were 200 Pink-footed Geese, 100 Wigeon a few Shelduck and a single Common Scoter, picked out well flying well offshore...

Grey Plover and Redshank





scenic shots of Aberlady

The final stop was Mussleburgh Lagoons. Here, I had barely got out of the car when I saw a flock of 20 starlingesque birds, making a trilling call it took me a few seconds to recognise. The WAXWINGS gave us a flyby before landing by the lagoons. Out here were 400 Golden Plover, 50 Dunlin and a few Lapwing. As we went to check offshore, we saw a loose flock of 30 Velvet scoter in the distance, 5 Eider scattered accross the sea 3 female-type Goldeneye fairly close in, and 2 female LONG-TAILED DUCK flying west. Walking back, two more female Goldeneye were on the pond by the car park, along with 10 Tufted Duck.

As we drove back to Edinburgh, we saw 2 Roe Deer, in a field off the A720 near Tranent.

some of the Waxwings

various Golden Plover photos

6 August-Hope Gap undercliff

walking along the undercliff from Hope Gap 1/2 a mile west and back, a pair of Fulmars were feeding a chick on the cliff, six Rock Pipits, some recently fledged juveniles, were along the undercliff. three Little Egrets and a Grey Heron were on the rockpools, along with 8 Oystercatchers, a Whimbrel and a Common Sandpiper. a few Cormorants flew past offshore, and about 100 yards out a stream of Kittiwakes, mostly adults, were moving west. Also seen 2 Ravens 6 Whitethroats, 5 Willow Warblers, 2 Lesser Whitethroats and a Chiffchaff, all of this mid-afternoon. 3 Jays and 20+ Magpies were on Seaford Head Golf Course, including one gang of 10 maggies. a few Swifts and House Martins were overhead.

In Seaford, a Goldcrest in the garden, while a few days ago were 15 Long-tailed Tits, mostly juveniles, and the same number of Swifts still screaming overhead. A Whimbrel flew over two nights ago.

sightings 22-26 March

Monday 22nd-an Oystercatcher flew over the house calling at night, the first garden record

Tuesday 23rd-in glorious weather a Chiffchaff calling from the school grounds, and 6 Meadow Pipits flew North

Wedensday 24th-no Chiffchaffs today but 3 Meadow Pipits migrating onwards over my school

Thursday 25th-Sadly confined to bed for most of the day, but saw a Chiffchaff from my window, and there were several more (5-10) calling as they passed Northwards through the surrounding gardens

Friday 26th-2 Meadow Pipits moved North over Seaford

Goldfinch in Back garden-26 March 2010

7 Jan 2010-Seaford& Splash Point

Nothing of interest from last few days, but today with all the snow a Pied Wagtail in the garden was my first garden record for this species, and a Skylark and a Lapwing flew overhead. At Splash Point a Shag was fishing offshore, several Rock Pipits were on the boulders and Oystercatcher was on the rockpools. moving offshore were eight gannets and 27 Lapwing West, while overhead where 165 Redwing, 24 Fieldfare, 104 Skylark and 78 Meadow Pipit. Back in Seaford exceptional copunts of 340 Redwing and 270 Fieldfare