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Lothian Birding (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter markgrubb
- Start date
Speaking of the field, I did these a while ago. Just from records I've made but I'm sure there are birds that I haven't seen yet in "The Field", such as the Wheatear and Grey Partridge. Hopefully add a few this year
Gus, I enjoyed reading that - nice patch description. I stay only a few streets further away, so I have also birded that area a fair amount over the years - although not much in that last 12 months to be honest...
The only additions that I could make to the species mentioned would be the Water Rail, which I've seen in the damp area on the N side of the river downstream of the Scout Bridge, and Woodcock, Snipe and Teal in that area in very bad weather. Lesser Whitethroat and Brambling are around occasionally as well and I assume you've seen those. One species that seems to have died out locally is the Green Woodpecker, unless anyone has had a recent sighting? From your vantage point it would be worth scanning for raptors - Peregrine is not too uncommon now but I've had 3 Merlins and an Osprey over Liberton in the last few years.
If I get back into the habit of walking to work I might start seeing a few birds in the Braids again. Despite walking the burn many times I have never seen a Kingfisher here and wonder when the last sighting was. I see it mentioned in the Hermitage of Braid LNR documents - but then so is Whimbrel! Mind you, waders were more regular when Alnwickhill Water Treatment works was open - I spent a lot of time checking the gulls and had a couple of Iceland and Meds over the years. I really miss that site... :-C
That's great to hear - I need to get back out birding close to home!
Very few sightings - since 1991: 1 on Braid Burn, nr Blackford Hill 3/1/05 (HEMD), and 1 Hermitage 31/3/94 (IMcL), a couple of other "Braid Burn" but likely lower down.
Very interested in the partridge info; we've seen a 62% net loss of range in SE Scotland since the 1988-94 local atlas, but a much greater decline in total numbers with generally poor numbers and breeding evidence. West Lothian is down to <10%, not quite as bad in the East but even here they will surely be all but gone in next 20 yrs at this rate. Edinburgh was always sparse but we have breeding season records (territory only) from Holyrood/Duddingston tetrads for the 2007-13, but as far as I know they are gone from there now, very well monitored but I think no reports since 2012? For Liberton we have only one atlas record, a winter covey of 16 at Gracemont 24/12/09 suggesting that they bred in 2009 and may be behind many of the more recent records in this general area.
NB, not too late to add supplementary records, we have just passed half of the drafts of the full accounts for the local atlas!
I haven't seen any of those you've mentioned the Hermitage! Except the Peregrine... Brambling I'm desperately looking for for my year list and now that I'm slightly more experienced than I was last year, I think I should be able to find a Lesser Whitethroat in the summer. Is the Scout Bridge the relatively new bridge that replaced the one that had the woodworm infestation?
Yes, that's the one - and I meant the S side now that I think about it... just look for a slightly wet area close to an iron railing fence. Of course it may not be in residence this winter...
Esk Watcher
Member
Water Rail
Despite the hubbub of a busy park (ice attracts schoolchildren!), the Water Rail currently inhabiting the reeds at the west end of Inverleith Pond seems quite comfortable foraging in the open only a few feet from onlookers. Certainly no need for binoculars today.
Despite the hubbub of a busy park (ice attracts schoolchildren!), the Water Rail currently inhabiting the reeds at the west end of Inverleith Pond seems quite comfortable foraging in the open only a few feet from onlookers. Certainly no need for binoculars today.
Round the Midlothian Reservoirs today (Edgelaw, Roseberry, Gladhouse). Lots of Fieldfare in the fields around Temple with quite a lot of Redwing and Mistle Thrushes. Walked past Edgelaw so not sure what's on/around it. Did see a couple of Nuthatch. Walk to Roseberry gave good views of three Great Spotted Woodpeckers and about 20 Geese sp flew over, probably Greylag. On Roseberry itself there were c30 Tufted Duck, 2 Goldeneye and a couple of Teal on the far side. Once at Gladhouse it became apparent how cold it gets overnight as almost the whole reservoir was frozen, with just a few bits of open water in the middle, cramming all the ducks in one place. Whilst walking around to get a better view a Woodcock flushed from the woods and more Geese flew over. Once able to see the wildfowl I saw there were 7 Cormorants in the water with quite a few Goldeneye. Lots of Wigeon and Mallard. Not many Teal. No swans, some Geese heard on the SW side in some fields. A Snipe flushed from some reeds on the west side whilst I was walking back around to the dam. Once at the dam I had clear views of the gulls, no Iceland gulls as far as I could see, just Herring, Common and a few Black-headed with 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the ice. Not many raptors, just 2 Buzzards and 1 Kestrel, I usually have more than that. I also possibly had a Nuthatch by the north side but not sure. A pretty good day all in all.
Edit: Also had a Dippernear the outlet of Gladhouse as well as another Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Edit: Also had a Dippernear the outlet of Gladhouse as well as another Great Spotted Woodpecker.
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Out again today, this time into the Moorfoots in the early morning. Large finch flock in one of the fields before reaching the hills themselves. I think mainly Linnet but didn't stop to check. Once up in the hills first bird was a Red Grouse on a fence post. Continued seeing a lot of these birds throughout the day. Had a pair of Kestrels fly over the car and one land nearby in the grass. Then went on a walk across the tops of the hills. Skylarks have arrived, lots of them singing away, plus a couple of Meadow Pipits. A Buzzard flew over as well adding to the raptors. Then back in the car for a wee bit of a drive.added another 4 Buzzards and a couple of Fieldfare. Then heading back home I got what I came for. 4 Black Grouse flew over the car and then one landed not far from the car. Great views of a great bird. In the afternoon went for a wee walk to see if I could add Grey Wagtail or Yellowhammer to my year list by walking along a section of the River South Esk and by a bit of woodland near Temple. No luck but did hear 1 Yellowhammer however couldn't find it amongst the branches. Oh well, another day. Did get a couple of Dipper flying up and down the river together, hopefully going to breed nearby.
david kelly
Drive-by Birder
WeBS count at Blindwells, pool almost completely frozen but still 23 Teal despite someone flying a large drone up and down the shore of the pool.
David
David
Glad to hear you got the BGs - and in good numbers. I had a first aid training course all weekend and even though I did try for them at first light on Sunday I had no luck. Did see 2 Teal in burn along Blackford Glen Road near golf course pond on Friday. Only my second record here. Think they headed over to Blackford Pond.
I had 1 Teal there last week whilst searching for Water Rail as well as Sparrowhawk and GSW. Today saw pair of Treecreepers defending a small area in the Hermitage, being uncharacteristically noisy. Also two of Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Nuthatch and Moorhen. And two Dippers along the Burn, one singing at me for a couple of minutes.
as well as Sparrowhawk and GSW. Today saw pair of Treecreepers defending a small area in the Hermitage, being uncharacteristically noisy. Also two of Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Nuthatch and Moorhen. And two Dippers along the Burn, one singing at me for a couple of minutes.
I think that you are right to assume that, although I'm not sure. Adult male Black Grouse do have a post-breeding plumage in the summer that is duller...
Anyone know more?
Mount Lothian, Moorfoots, Lammermuirs
Managed my first proper birding trip for a couple of weeks today. Started relatively late at 9am and headed up to Cauldhall Moor first. Nothing of note there apart from some Skylarks in song - the first of many hints today that spring is on its way.
Past Mount Lothian I decided to scan a few gulls that are often in the area. One of the first birds turned out to be a nice adult Mediterranean Gull. Not the first I've seen in this general area, but the first of the year for me and by no means expected! It floated about in the distance and then disappeared behind a ridge. I headed up to Cockmuir, where all I could find were a couple of Roe Deer and a party of 5 Ravens croaking around. I headed back to relocate the Med and watched it striding around in a sheep field. As I fiddled around with phone and scope it decided to hunker down and get some rest. Anyway, here is one of the shots that I got with the camera before that happened.
At Gladhouse the finch flock was back in the same field W of the reservoir as previously. I'd estimate that there were around 300 Linnets present - along with about 40 Twite, 10 Chaffinches and 5 Skylark. The numbers are estimated from pics as they were constantly on the move flighting around, landing and then erupting again. At times though they were feeding relatively close to the road and the light was good.
Other new birds for the year between here, Middleton Pond and the Moorfoots were Lapwing, Oystercatcher and Golden Plover - all potentially returning to potential breeding areas. There were also 4 Shelduck on the little pool to the E of Gladhouse. This seems quite early to me... Middleton Pond also had 25 Teal and at least 5 (but probably many more Common Snipe. I scoped the margins from the car for 40 minutes but no Jack Snipe popped into view.
I finished the day on the tops of the Lammermuirs where there was a singleton Golden Plover sitting in the heather.
Also, at an unspecified location a female Goshawk provided the raptor highlight of the day. :t:
Managed my first proper birding trip for a couple of weeks today. Started relatively late at 9am and headed up to Cauldhall Moor first. Nothing of note there apart from some Skylarks in song - the first of many hints today that spring is on its way.
Past Mount Lothian I decided to scan a few gulls that are often in the area. One of the first birds turned out to be a nice adult Mediterranean Gull. Not the first I've seen in this general area, but the first of the year for me and by no means expected! It floated about in the distance and then disappeared behind a ridge. I headed up to Cockmuir, where all I could find were a couple of Roe Deer and a party of 5 Ravens croaking around. I headed back to relocate the Med and watched it striding around in a sheep field. As I fiddled around with phone and scope it decided to hunker down and get some rest. Anyway, here is one of the shots that I got with the camera before that happened.
At Gladhouse the finch flock was back in the same field W of the reservoir as previously. I'd estimate that there were around 300 Linnets present - along with about 40 Twite, 10 Chaffinches and 5 Skylark. The numbers are estimated from pics as they were constantly on the move flighting around, landing and then erupting again. At times though they were feeding relatively close to the road and the light was good.
Other new birds for the year between here, Middleton Pond and the Moorfoots were Lapwing, Oystercatcher and Golden Plover - all potentially returning to potential breeding areas. There were also 4 Shelduck on the little pool to the E of Gladhouse. This seems quite early to me... Middleton Pond also had 25 Teal and at least 5 (but probably many more Common Snipe. I scoped the margins from the car for 40 minutes but no Jack Snipe popped into view.
I finished the day on the tops of the Lammermuirs where there was a singleton Golden Plover sitting in the heather.
Also, at an unspecified location a female Goshawk provided the raptor highlight of the day. :t:
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