Lothian

[david kelly]

Hi there,

Anyone else out there from this part of the world?

David

[tarves57]

Just me as far as I know!

Susan

[thebirdcam]

And I'm here now too, Whitecraig East Lothian.....not far from you David.

thebirdcam
http://thebirdcam.co.uk

[Acanthis]

Hi David

I'm in Pencaitland...not to far away.

[david kelly]

Pencaitland's not too far away at all. I always think of Whitecraig as being in Midlothian, rather than East Lothian.

[thebirdcam]

Pencaitland's not too far away at all. I always think of Whitecraig as being in Midlothian, rather than East Lothian.

Well the funny thing is David, as you drive away from Dalkeith towards Whitecraig/Wallyford you pass a sign saying Welcome to East Lothian. Then you look at my post code and it comes under Midlothian but even stranger is that we are under East Lothian council and that is where our council tax goes. I have given up trying to work it out :h?:

thebirdcam
http://thebirdcam.co.uk

[ian1962]

Hi there,

Anyone else out there from this part of the world?

David
hi ian from west lothian here livingston in fact bit further away but still lothian

[thebirdcam]

hi ian from west lothian here livingston in fact bit further away but still lothian

Hi Ian,
Not been long in these forums myself but very interesting. Yes Not too far away....20 mins if the traffic is good to me ;) See you are into your fishing too...I need to get back to Beecraigs, its been a while now. I fish closer to home most of the time...errr getting off the subject a bit now ;) Welcome anyway.

[Eileen]

Hi there,

I'm from Livingston Village in West lothian. Funnily enough my husband's name is also Ian!!

[checklg]

I'm based in Edinburgh. I spend most of my birding time at Musselburgh, Dudingston, Arthur's seat and Lochend Park.

Regards,
Graham.

[david kelly]

If you guys want to join a good group for birding info in the Lothians go to

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lothianbirdnews/

It's a pretty active group and ptobably the best source of birdnews in south-east Scotland.

David

[Gaz Shilton]

Hi everyone in the Lothian/Midlothian area. I spent 2 years in Edinburgh 2000-2002. Musselburgh was great, as was Ruddon's Point for Surf Scoters. Spent almost every weekend from April onwards up at loch Garten, and that trout farm near Aviemore(for the Ospreys, not the fishing). Good birding to you all....wish I was back.

[Charles Harper]

Anyone else out there from this part of the world?

... well actually, most all of the membership is...

[david kelly]

... well actually, most all of the membership is...

And to think I there are only 170+ members on Lothian Bird News when there must be thousands of birders there if most of the membership is from this part of the world. Edinburgh must have the highest density of birders in the world!
;)

David

[Charles Harper]

... your part of the world is northwest Europe, isn't it, David?..

[Acanthis]

... your part of the world is northwest Europe, isn't it, David?..
Hi Charles,
Its part of the Scottish psyche, not small-mindedness in that we have a strong sense of belonging to whatever little district we're from or have lived in for a while. So when David wrote "part of the World" those of us in Lothian knew exactly what he was refering to. The 'district' itself is not a set of lines arbitrarily drawn on a map by local government(though they do tend to mess about with some of the boundaries) but a concept over a millenium and a half old. Scotland's full of little regions each slightly different from its neighbours - its something of a microcosm of diversity perhaps not really noticeable to English or American visitors, but very obvious to us.

Charles, Lang may your lum reek! ;)

[david kelly]

And I'm certainly a native of this "part of the world", I was born in Edinburgh and brought up mainly in Prestonpans. I attended Preston Lodge High School and played rugby (badly) at School and afterwards. I have now emigrated to Tranent.

I have birded at Musselburgh since I was a schoolboy. When I got to seminars etc and the facilitator asks "what's your claim to fame?" I invariably say that I am one of the only two people alive to have seen a Black-throated Thrush on mainland Scotland (25 December 1989 Prestongrange - on the way to Musselburgh from my old flat in the Pans).

I have edited the Lothian Bird Report and I am now the local recorder. My mother's family can trace it's Prestonpans roots back to the 18th Century, my father's arrived from Kildare and Mayo rather more recently, 100-150 years ago.

I certainly feel that I belong to this little green part of the world between the heather clad hills of the Lammermuirs and the cold greenish blue waters of the Firth of Forth.

David

[Steve G]

Aye, and lets not forget about the best thing of all with respect to Lothian........ -its only a short trip across the water to Fife! ;)

[Acanthis]

Aye, and lets not forget about the best thing of all with respect to Lothian........ -its only a short trip across the water to Fife! ;)
Hi Steve,
Thats fighting talk! ;) I wonder which would come out on top Lothian or the Kingdom, if we were to compare rarities, birdlists etc. I'm from Falkirk though so I can remain strictly neutral.

[Acanthis]

I have birded at Musselburgh since I was a schoolboy. When I got to seminars etc and the facilitator asks "what's your claim to fame?" I invariably say that I am one of the only two people alive to have seen a Black-throated Thrush on mainland Scotland (25 December 1989 Prestongrange - on the way to Musselburgh from my old flat in the Pans).

David
Hi David,
We've met a few times over the years and you would probably recognise my face. The other person to see the thrush was Ian Gordon whom I knew from college. He was probably the first serious birder I'd ever met and he introduced me to twitching, which I have to say I gave up several years ago.
How does it feel you being a Pans man living amongst all those belters?

[david kelly]

Hi Sandy,

I do recall meeting you, with Ian.

As for being a Panner in Turnent, it's best to make like a Tim in Larkhall;) .

I'm still in touch with Ian, I'll let him know you're still around.

Cheers

David

[Toots]

Hi all,I live now in West Lothian,East Calder,have lived in Fife too,originally from Glasgow.Love the East coast sites,as well as the far West.just looking round in here for the first time.Toots

[Toots]

Hi there,

I'm from Livingston Village in West lothian. Funnily enough my husband's name is also Ian!!

Hello Eileen,great to meet a weel kent name! I've just started here.Still in a bit of awe finding my way around.how are you?Hope you are keeping well.

Its a big place isn't it? Feel everything echoing around me!!

How are all your garden birds?Mine are breeding furiously,steps covered in starling shit yet again!Toots

[Eileen]

Hi Toots,

Nice to hear from you - wondered where you'd got to!!!! Collared doves are at 'it' all over the place as are the Woodies. Laid stepping stones at the week-end and they've been well christened by all the little feathered visitors.
I'm doing fine - how about you? Didn't realise you were quite so near at hand, only a few miles between us eh?
Garden is looking good at the moment but it's hard work keeping it that way! No low maintenance around here.

Eileen.

[fledgling]

yes i know this thread is over a year old, but thought i'd say hello from Pathhead Midlothian,so HELLO to you lothians out there!!

:gh: