Lothian Birding (1 Viewer)

[G Anderson]

Managed a few hours up in the East Lothian Lammermuirs today, cos the weather was fine. Nothing too astounding, but I now see Ravens everytime I go up (not that often). Today had 3 birds calling away and flighing about like, well, Ravens!
I think I saw my first Ravens in Lothian as recently as 2004, on the coast at North Berwick, Barns Ness and on Fidra. I believe (and this is without looking in my LBRs, which are 1 metre away in the drawer!), that Ravens were more regular in the west, in the Moorfoots/Pentlands - but I never really went there.
Anyone who wants to see them should pick them up easily enough on a good weather day as they are so mobile and nosey. Great birds:t:
Also saw quite a lot of Bullfinch, a few small parties - more common up there - but perhaps rather commoner than usual? Similar to Long-tailed Tits and Goldfinches - benifitting from warmer winters?
Don't want to be too vague with locations but I suppose the area is quite sensitive and there are shooting parties around so care is needed.

Did not see any RL Buzzard, plenty of Common Buzzard - only 2 decades ago a rare bird in East Lothian! Rough-legs were once much more regular with big influxes in the eighteenth century, before my time!

Cheers Gordon

 

[Neil Grubb]

Gordon,

Ravens have bred in the North Esk Valley watershed (not in the Pentlands themselves) the last two years - with four young fledging this year.

Went owl spotting last night and had a fruitless hour trying to find the Barn Owl at Ewingston again. On my way home, no more than 3/4 mile from my house, I found another bird perched at the roadside, on the A6094 at Rosewell. This bird is much more flighty so the photo was taken from more of a distance. Will try to catch a flight shot tonight if the bird returns to the same area.

Neil

 

[G Anderson]

Gordon,

Ravens have bred in the North Esk Valley watershed (not in the Pentlands themselves) the last two years - with four young fledging this year.

Went owl spotting last night and had a fruitless hour trying to find the Barn Owl at Ewingston again. On my way home, no more than 3/4 mile from my house, I found another bird perched at the roadside, on the A6094 at Rosewell. This bird is much more flighty so the photo was taken from more of a distance. Will try to catch a flight shot tonight if the bird returns to the same area.

Neil

Thanks for the info Neil!

Good luck with the owl tonight, it's a full moon so I expect some 'Eric Hosking' shots!

 

[Neil Grubb]

Just realised my last reply reads a little ambiguously. What I mean is that there is a pair of breeding ravens in the N Esk Valley outwith the Pentlands. I don't know about their status in the Pentlands themselves. According to the 2006 Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme report there were 26 pairs in Lothian and Borders combined of which 24 laid eggs and 23 reared 'at least 74 young'.

I can't post my pics of the raven young on the nest because of the (quite appropriate) BF rules, but have attached a video of a raven conversation (similar to that shown on Autumnwatch recently) - turn the sound up!

Neil

 

[G Anderson]

Just realised my last reply reads a little ambiguously. What I mean is that there is a pair of breeding ravens in the N Esk Valley outwith the Pentlands. I don't know about their status in the Pentlands themselves. According to the 2006 Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme report there were 26 pairs in Lothian and Borders combined of which 24 laid eggs and 23 reared 'at least 74 young'.

I can't post my pics of the raven young on the nest because of the (quite appropriate) BF rules, but have attached a video of a raven conversation (similar to that shown on Autumnwatch recently) - turn the sound up!

Neil

Nice One!
I,ve got a wee bit of Lothian bird footage on video, maybe soon I'll suss out how to put it on the forum! Good one, too with your Nuthatch film in the last LBR! G

 

[Stuarty]

Visited Musselburgh on Monday and Wednesday, highlights were a few Red-Throated Divers, a pair of Slavonian Grebes and two lingering Swallows!

 

[G Anderson]

Visited Musselburgh on Monday and Wednesday, highlights were a few Red-Throated Divers, a pair of Slavonian Grebes and two lingering Swallows!

What's with these Swallows - its mid-November! Don't they know?

Had a quick look at Aberlady Bay yesterday and after a while saw the Black-necked Grebe from Killspindie at high tide. Watched the geese coming in (always a great experience).
Today, visiting my folks in Longniddry a flock of between 30 -40 Waxwings flew over while I was washing the car. You hear that familiar call and look up...Cool! G

 

[Stuarty]

What's with these Swallows - its mid-November! Don't they know?

Had a quick look at Aberlady Bay yesterday and after a while saw the Black-necked Grebe from Killspindie at high tide. Watched the geese coming in (always a great experience).
Today, visiting my folks in Longniddry a flock of between 30 -40 Waxwings flew over while I was washing the car. You hear that familiar call and look up...Cool! G

I know, saw five at Baron's Haugh at the beginning of the month!

Still not seen the Waxwings though :-C

 

[G Anderson]

I know, saw five at Baron's Haugh at the beginning of the month!

Still not seen the Waxwings though :-C

Took (is that the word?) me ages to see Waxwing - they were rare in the eighties when I started birding, now they are quite regular. Stuarty, if you don't see Waxwing this winter you are quite unlucky!

 

[Birdspotter]

I see that Thursday's Iceland Gull @ Skater's has been re id as a 2nd cal yr Kumlien's.

Hopefully it will be pinned down this weekend.

Pretty good shot of it on Birdguides, reminded me of very similar birds I saw @ Killybegs in Ireland a few years back.

 

[markgrubb]

Still not seen the Waxwings though :-C

Just keep looking, Stuart. You'll get em

They were the first 'exotic bird' I ever saw. 4 years ago as a novice birder a friend told me of a flock of 300 up at Currie and so up I went. A swarm of birds descending from tall trees to feast on rowans. I could sit 10 feet away and they would feed avariciously paying little attention-magical!!

Have seen them in Edinburgh about 5 times this month- normally they always seem to rest high up in bare branched trees, so keep looking up to the tops of trees when out and about. And look carefully around where any rowans are still on trees-they seem to be the favourite food.

ll of the last 4 years have been decent years in Lothian for waxwings and this year seems OK

It would be a sad late autumn if I did not get a fix of their contented trilling, boldness and raffish looks...

If Carlsberg did birds....

 

[G Anderson]

I see that Thursday's Iceland Gull @ Skater's has been re id as a 2nd cal yr Kumlien's.

Hopefully it will be pinned down this weekend.

Pretty good shot of it on Birdguides, reminded me of very similar birds I saw @ Killybegs in Ireland a few years back.

Seen the photo on birdguides - looks like a Kumlien's alright! Saw one in Thurso in 06 (possible), hope it sticks around - G

Correction! Just refered to my notes - always a good idea. Saw a very similar 2yr bird with at least 4 other Icelands at Thurso on 27 and 29 Jan 2005. Didn't find the bird and don't know if it was submitted.

 

[Stuarty]

Took (is that the word?) me ages to see Waxwing - they were rare in the eighties when I started birding, now they are quite regular. Stuarty, if you don't see Waxwing this winter you are quite unlucky!

Just keep looking, Stuart. You'll get em

They were the first 'exotic bird' I ever saw. 4 years ago as a novice birder a friend told me of a flock of 300 up at Currie and so up I went. A swarm of birds descending from tall trees to feast on rowans. I could sit 10 feet away and they would feed avariciously paying little attention-magical!!

Have seen them in Edinburgh about 5 times this month- normally they always seem to rest high up in bare branched trees, so keep looking up to the tops of trees when out and about. And look carefully around where any rowans are still on trees-they seem to be the favourite food.

ll of the last 4 years have been decent years in Lothian for waxwings and this year seems OK

It would be a sad late autumn if I did not get a fix of their contented trilling, boldness and raffish looks...

If Carlsberg did birds....

I have seen them before, however it was a few years ago when they invaded Kirkcaldy (where I'm originally from). Didn't really pay much attention back then, teenage years will do that to you.

As for spotting them, I continually scan all the treetops on my many drives through Musselburgh and along that coast, however I think I'll stand more chance on foot, plus the amount of times I've almost crashed by swan-necking is getting a bit scary... o

 

[Neil Grubb]

Mount Lothian and Vogrie Nov 15th

I went back to Mount Lothian at sunrise again. The finch flock is still very large, probably more than 1000 birds, and I took some wider angle photos to capture the scale of the numbers. I saw one linnet in the flock! Also enjoyed watching a flock of starlings wheeling around in tight formation despite the strong wind. Around 150 pink footed geese flew overhead at one point and perhaps 50 fieldfare worked the berries. Also saw one raven flying low and southwest.

I then went to Vogrie, which is usually good for redwing at this time of year. A small flock of around 40 birds was feeding near the car park. Not much else doing there.

Neil

 

[Moraybirdlover]

I took a spin out to East Lothian this evening, with the idea of trying out the low light ISO modes on my new camera. I regularly see barn owls when I visit friends near Garvald so I set off in that direction. An hours stake out was fruitless so I took the back road home via Bolton and Humbie (the B6368). Just after I passed the sign to Ewingston heading east, I saw a barn owl out of the corner of my eye quartering the field. I drove on until I could turn, drove back and there it was, sat on a post at the roadside. Fortunately (i) there was no traffic, and (ii) I had taken some test shots to get the exposure right and focus set for a 'road width' shot when I was at Garvald. Preparation is everything when you have ten seconds to get your shots in! Here are the results

Neil

Beautiful photos , amazing!
Tried to get my husband to turn the car round and go back, twice today,without success !!
Another two lots of birds that got away!! :-C
p.s. Hope you don't mind a Moray birder reading your thread!

 

[Stuarty]

I went back to Mount Lothian at sunrise again. The finch flock is still very large, probably more than 1000 birds, and I took some wider angle photos to capture the scale of the numbers. I saw one linnet in the flock! Also enjoyed watching a flock of starlings wheeling around in tight formation despite the strong wind. Around 150 pink footed geese flew overhead at one point and perhaps 50 fieldfare worked the berries. Also saw one raven flying low and southwest.

I then went to Vogrie, which is usually good for redwing at this time of year. A small flock of around 40 birds was feeding near the car park. Not much else doing there.

Neil

Excellent photos, really need to get up there soon.

 

[Lui di-Pallas]

I see that Thursday's Iceland Gull @ Skater's has been re id as a 2nd cal yr Kumlien's.

Hopefully it will be pinned down this weekend.

Pretty good shot of it on Birdguides, reminded me of very similar birds I saw @ Killybegs in Ireland a few years back.

What's the script then Cal? I see it was reported again on Birdguides today. Did you see it? (Kumlien's Schumilien's I say)

cheers, Lui

 

[Birdspotter]

What's the script then Cal? I see it was reported again on Birdguides today. Did you see it? (Kumlien's Schumilien's I say)

cheers, Lui

Hi Brendano,

Went and dipped in the morning only to learn of an Iceland Gull that was also seen at Skateraw in the morning!
I then shot back from Tyninghame in the late afternoon after receiving a tip off that it had just reapeared and was sitting on the sea off Chapel Point, Skateraw.
Despite being 10 or so minutes away from the bird I failed to see it as by then it had took off and headed towrds the dump.

Will try again tomorrow, after a crack of the Fife Hooded Merg

cheers buddy

 

[Birdspotter]

Deeply dippy day with both the Merg and Kumlien's Gull dipped, although one of the lads did see a young Iceland Gull sp go over my head!:eek!:

Good to see this and other Scottish threads back in their rightful place.:t:

 

[Mike swims like a fish]

Sounds like a pretty frustrating weekend for you all round Cal - at least I managed to the see the Merg yesterday ;-)

What's the crack with an Iceland being seen yesterday morning and again today? Two bird theory, or perhaps just not seen well enough to be sure? I got the impression from Mark last night that he wasn't certain the bird he saw was definitely the Kumlien's anyway, but it does seem unlikely that there are two similar aged Iceland's in Lothian at the moment.....they aren't exactly regular these days.

Cheers

MSLAF