Lothian Birding (1 Viewer)

[markgrubb]

Thats alright Gordon mate take as long as you need to get over it, theres always next year

Well with the mad submariner at the helm there might not even be a next year

 

[WelchS]

Will supply my records as always to our local recorder, perhaps including grid refs this time, don't do the atlas. :eek!:

OK, each to their own! On the grid refs, I just made myself a more complete Excel lookup so that these are automatically completed for all my regular sites. This is using the SOC sheet (soc site list lothian.xls), which has a basic list but not many that I found I actually used. Worth considering as it can save a lot of effort, and can be re-used each year...

 

[Birdspotter]

Hey Calum,

Where did you get that quote from, I didn't write it! It is as painful for me to say 108 years as it is for you to hear it! Living memory! But (****), Good Luck! (not)!

Whats the BOU list say? Haven't seen it.

Hi, Stephen,

Will supply my records as always to our local recorder, perhaps including grid refs this time, don't do the atlas. :eek!:

Cheers G

Hi M8,

Just avin a bit of fun, your comment on 108 yrs brought out a smile too.

As for the BOU check out Stephen's post above he gives a link, mind boggling is all I can say, I shall never look at a Long tailed Tit the same way ever again!

How is your 2010 find list going?

Cheers

 

[G Anderson]

How is your 2010 find list going?

Cheers

Hi Calum,
Actually got round to doing a year-list for this year, today. Well, in my diary, which, admittedly, is not very 'transparent'. First one I've kept in years! Anyway,not sure if I'll be in Lothian all year, but am on 90 now for self-found, Twite and LBB Gull at Musselburgh, (where it did not really get light at all), today. Will probably report any dodgy 'self-founds' here for scrutiny and will include recognized sites too (have counted Nuthatch at Gosford). I may put on the list thread when I know I'm going to be here all year. Might even do my Bubo lists soon, at last!

Cheers G

 

[WelchS]

I did an inland TTV today which just had the usual stuff in it, Tree Sparrow etc, a blueish-looking leucistic Chaffinch was the only "noteworthy" bird; ...

Mentioned this on LBN, but for completeness - this was a comment in passing back in post 434 from last Jan but it seems same aberrant Chaffinch, or one of its friends, may now have re-emerged as reported this week from Jim Wood's garden (12 km distant), BF ID thread. By happy coincidence Jim is a photographer of the highest calibre, i.e. my very opposite, and he's hoping to get a "better" photo - which ought to be worth looking at!

 

[Morg]

Thanks for the tip-off about the BOU list - quite a promotion for pipits, they have really made it now they are up among the later passerines - maybe it will be easier for the bird artists of the future - they can do all the streaky pips and bunts in one go. Also, did you notice wallcreeper and waxwings are side by side - that'll be an amazing plate in Collins Guide 3rd Edn!

You were discussing self-found lists and the grey area of what counts. I have been keeping a Lothian list for last couple of years and have felt that for a self-found year list the rules should be slightly more relaxed than a self-found Lothian life list. I know that this sounds weird, and that it doesn't really make sense, but here is an example:

say you refound the Aberlady yellowlegs once the snow disappeared in exactly the same place as it had been hanging around previously. Fair call for a self-found year list, in my opinion, but not quite enough for the self-found life list!

I like the punkbirder rules but they are pretty stringent for a county year listing thing. By those rules we should have all been out trying to get red grouse on our lists last week somewhere genuinely surprising!

Anyway, hope to bump into some of you in the field in 2010.

Geoff

(lists on Bubo - it is an easy to use site, but horribly addictive...)

 

[markgrubb]

Musselburgh was a strange mix of ice, frozen ground with lying water and real gloop round the lagoons. Pond and scrapes still 100% frozen.

Black throated diver at Prestongrange end and 6 twite amongst the usual suspects

Have been putting out apples for the last week or so in the back garden-the fieldfare love them-though one of them will not love me as it was being eaten by a male sparrowhawk on the back lawn when I arrived home

 

[G Anderson]

A report of Firecrest in Gosford today, in exactly the place I have always looked out for one, between the walled garden and pond! Wish I'd found it, but will twitch it anyway, great Gosford tick!

Lying low with a bad cold, anybody else seen much?

Cheers G

 

[Birdspotter]

A report of Firecrest in Gosford today, in exactly the place I have always looked out for one, between the walled garden and pond! Wish I'd found it, but will twitch it anyway, great Gosford tick!

Lying low with a bad cold, anybody else seen much?

Cheers G

Good luck with the Firecrest G

As for lying low are you sure its with the cold Then again your boys are on a 6 game unbeaten run so I will give you the benefit of the doubt.

Green Sand, Med Gull, Brambling and Red Grouse today, Red Grouse so what I hear you all say........it was at BROWNRIGG:eek!:

 

[markgrubb]

Green Sand, Med Gull, Brambling and Red Grouse today, Red Grouse so what I hear you all say........it was at BROWNRIGG:eek!:

Brownrigg? Is that near East Fortune, Calum?

Did an all day Lothian tour today with 2 BF members from Aberdeen, Tom and young Joseph-joined pm by my brother. First chance to have a decent day out this year-cracking weather. Smew at Linlithgow(real limb breaking conditions), 4 twite and the usual suspects at M'burgh, no sign of the Bairds at White Sands, water pipit at Barns Ness and best of all spending an hour or so watching at least 2 SEO's hunting just south of the dunes at Aberlady, lit up beautifully in the late afternoon sun. Attached is a pic courtesy of my brother Neil

 

[G Anderson]

Brownrigg? Is that near East Fortune, Calum?

Did an all day Lothian tour today with 2 BF members from Aberdeen, Tom and young Joseph-joined pm by my brother. First chance to have a decent day out this year-cracking weather. Smew at Linlithgow(real limb breaking conditions), 4 twite and the usual suspects at M'burgh, no sign of the Bairds at White Sands, water pipit at Barns Ness and best of all spending an hour or so watching at least 2 SEO's hunting just south of the dunes at Aberlady, lit up beautifully in the late afternoon sun. Attached is a pic courtesy of my brother Neil

Sounds good Mark,
Wonder whats happened to the Bairds, no sign for a bit, haven't looked yet myself this year.

Gordon.

 

[Morg]

I was also out and about in East Lothian today - best bird a nice male brambling near Gilmerton in with a little flock of chaffs, linnets and greenfinches.

Had a look in Newlands Walk (Oak Wood - NS5979): woodcock, lots of siskin. Haven't been there before but thought it looked good for kingfisher...

Was trying to get a whooper on my year list but made the mistake of reading Stephen Welch's blog beforehand - he's nailed pretty much every WS in E Lothian by the sounds of it so don't know how I'll get a self-found one at this rate...:-O

Birdspotter - I'm enjoyed reading your year list entries and wish it was possible to on that thread as well. Could start a parallel one? Why not put your up on Bubo - there are 4 of us listing there already for 2010 - Bubo has quite a few Lothian lists on already and the more the merrier!

All the best

Geoff

 

[Mike swims like a fish]

Thankfully I managed to see 4 Whoopers in Dunbar Quarry on the 1st so haven't had the problem of Stephen stealing my thunder - to be fair though with something as common as Whooper Swan there really does need to be a relaxation of the Punks rules, as with a host of other species (as you have mentioned before Geoff).

I too have been following Cal's posts, and would have contributed with my own, but I'm not sure I can justify starting my own list on here being a newish Dad and not getting as much chance to get out there as many others no doubt will. Maybe you should get it moved into the main local forums section Cal, so we can all use it to add updates?

Mind I still seem to be at the top of the 2010 Bubo list after adding the three additions from today - managed to slip up to a still frozen Gladhouse, bagging Red Grouse, Lesser Redpoll & a nice r/t Hen Harrier (also 5 Crossbills, but had 2 last w/e in Gosford estate so they weren't a year tick). So that's me on 106 for the year, with I reckon 102-3 of them self found (Water Pipit, Baird's, Smew and I suppose Red Grouse in a known location not countable.......though as above, surely any Red Grouse, whether at Brownrigg or in the Lammermuirs should be countable )

Best of luck with the Firecrest G

Mike

 

[Birdspotter]

HI Guys

Might see if I can get my thread moved to here as Mike suggests, as for BUBO sorry Geoff I cant be arsed adding it all on!
Unless someone wants to do it for me
Glad your enjoying my posts though and hope we meet up sometime, i.m the chump with the bright orange bin strap (don't ask it's a long story).:-O

As for the lost Grouse yes mark it is near there, although I tried looking for a map ref for you but failed........cant bloody see the thing, need to go to specsavers:-C

Had a brief look for the Bairds today, no joy although met a punter who said that a walker flushed all the waders and they all promptly headed off round the corner and never came back, although it didnt help with firstly a Buzzard over and then a Perg.

See ya all out there

 

[Mike swims like a fish]

A report of Firecrest in Gosford today, in exactly the place I have always looked out for one, between the walled garden and pond! Wish I'd found it, but will twitch it anyway, great Gosford tick!

It's just come on my pager as still being present this morning - not sure if that's you been to see it already Gordon, but if not at least you know it's still there now

Mike

 

[markgrubb]

I was working in Currie this morning so went up for an hour to Harperrig at lunchtime. The reservoir had only a tiny unfrozen patch and was birdless. The trees by the road along past West Cairns had plenty of cones so it looked promising for crossbills. Sure enough, there were 10-15 feeding and tooping in the tops. The trees higher up on the hillside looked bare of cones so I did not venture any further.

It's good to see that they have built a new fishery hut and car park and left the old car park for the public-I've had a good barny with the fishery guy last year about where you can park

 

[Joseph N]

Brownrigg? Is that near East Fortune, Calum?

Did an all day Lothian tour today with 2 BF members from Aberdeen, Tom and young Joseph-joined pm by my brother. First chance to have a decent day out this year-cracking weather. Smew at Linlithgow(real limb breaking conditions), 4 twite and the usual suspects at M'burgh, no sign of the Bairds at White Sands, water pipit at Barns Ness and best of all spending an hour or so watching at least 2 SEO's hunting just south of the dunes at Aberlady, lit up beautifully in the late afternoon sun. Attached is a pic courtesy of my brother Neil

Hi Mark,

Thanks very much for a great day. It was nice to go birding with you and your brother, and we saw some lovely birds. It couldn't have been more perfect really, apart from the fact there was no Baird's Sand at Barns Ness. Particularly enjoyed seeing those Short-eared Owls. Thanks so much for timing our visits to each place with perfection and for the day out.

Joseph

 

[Morg]

Sounds like the firecrest is still around.

I'm hoping it hangs around until the weekend. I have had a real soft spot for them as a pair nested in my garden in North Wales in the 1980s. I remember the torture of having to go to school after having just found a singing firecrest on a May morning... don't think I got much work done that day!

Geoff

 

[Mike swims like a fish]

I know that Mike Thrower spent several hours there yesterday with no sign, but it was seen at some stage of the day and again this afternoon, so sounds not that easy. Will hopefully give it a try myself on Saturday, though not too early me thinks after works night out through in Glasgow on Friday B . Obviously it wouldn't be a self found tick, as wouldn't the BN Grebe which seems to have re-surfaced in Gosford Bay after going missing for several weeks, but nice to see all the same.

Might see you there Geoff - I'll be the one looking like death warmed up

Mike

 

[G Anderson]

Deleted rant on photographers.

G