Lothian Birding (2 Viewers)

[Mike swims like a fish]

That was hardly a rant by anyone's standards Gordon, but by yours it was very tame

 

[Birdspotter]

That was hardly a rant by anyone's standards Gordon, but by yours it was very tame

Seemed I missed Gordon's rant, but considering the behavior of some photographers at work in Lothian I am not surprised.

One of which flushed the Torness Shorelark a couple of years back by trying to mug it by shoving his lens in it's face and then wandered around lost for ages as he was unable to find the bird himself, we did though and took great delight in watching him stroll around whilst we watched the bird.

You bastard I hear you say, yep but who gives a florence.

 

[mohawk71]

Was out at Kinneil on Monday and the ring billed gull 's turned up again . Off to try for black necked and firecrest tomorrow myself ;-)

 

[WelchS]

Was out at Kinneil on Monday and the ring billed gull 's turned up again

So presumably you saw it and it's the returning adult? It came throo on BirdGuides as a 1st-win, so I thought it was a new one.

 

[tupelo080135]

Enjoying this thread

I have just found this thread and I am enjoying it from Florida where I have been birding for the last two weeks. Good to see some interesting birds kicking around in Lothians. Will be back on the East coast of Scotland in three days. Until then I will keep reading.
Got a Masked Duck yesterday so feeling quite good today. B

 

[Stuarty]

Saw a Raven on that new stretch of road overlooking Kirkliston which runs from the M9 straight to the Forth Road Bridge - bit surprised to see one there? The size of these things never fails to impress me.

 

[markgrubb]

The firecrest was still present at 11.30 todayat Gosford-first time I've been there and a nice bit of woodland. A good supporting cast of nuthatch, jay, treecreeper and tawny owl

 

[Mike swims like a fish]

A fairly fruitless two hours searching for the Firecrest in Gosford this morning in the rain, to only hear that it was seen briefly mid afternoon - given I'd not managed to see the BN Grebe in Gosford bay earlier, not the best morning ever..........all there was to show for it was a G-c Grebe for my self found year list, plus SE Owl at Aberlady for the year as well. Mind had a great afternoon at the soft play with my 16 month old son, Wednesday won their third straight game for the first time since 2007 & nice meal with the family at Pizza Express this evening, so the day was by no means a wash out :t:

 

[G Anderson]

A fairly fruitless two hours searching for the Firecrest in Gosford this morning in the rain, to only hear that it was seen briefly mid afternoon - given I'd not managed to see the BN Grebe in Gosford bay earlier, not the best morning ever..........all there was to show for it was a G-c Grebe for my self found year list, plus SE Owl at Aberlady for the year as well. Mind had a great afternoon at the soft play with my 16 month old son, Wednesday won their third straight game for the first time since 2007 & nice meal with the family at Pizza Express this evening, so the day was by no means a wash out :t:

Nice one Mike,

Got yer priorities right there!:t:

Cheers G

(still with lurgie!)

 

[markgrubb]

& nice meal with the family at Pi;zza Express this evening, so the day was by no means a wash out :t:

Is that the current going rate to be let out for a mornings birding Mike?

Oh and a sublime first 55 minutes at Easter Road this pm

 

[G Anderson]

Oh and a sublime first 55 minutes at Easter Road this pm

Bet you can't remember when you last had five in a day, can you!

(know I can't)!

Cheers G

 

[markgrubb]

Bet you can't remember when you last had five in a day, can you!

(know I can't)!

Cheers G

Yup, it was when the wee team won the wee cup at Hampden in 2007

 

[Birdspotter]

Bet you can't remember when you last had five in a day, can you!

(know I can't)!

Cheers G

I myself cant remeber the last time we had five in a day G, but I can remember when we had 6 & 7

I was a wimp yesterday got my eyes tested this am (it's only took me 4 yrs so a bit of an achievment there), then got the car washed & settled down to some sublime footy action on-line from the Leith San Siro whilst I worked on the computer.

I didn't fancy the Crest myself, or rather the social event but the weather was guff so all in all some good choices made, that is untill my 7yr old nephew entered the fray as only he can:eek!:

Mike mate I hope you realise what youv'e let yourself in for

Still hopefully out and about today

 

[Morg]

I spent a few hours at the crest site yesterday morning. Not even one call out of the little skulker. Ah well, maybe next weekend...

I did get a Scottish tick myself - nuthatch - I have been generally avoiding nuthatch sites for the last couple of years so that I could get a self-found Scottish tick in the Hermitage or some other spot. Oh well, at least I can now visit all of these other sites!

On 106 for the year, lagging behind Mike as usual.

Geoff

 

[Mike swims like a fish]

I spent a few hours at the crest site yesterday morning. Not even one call out of the little skulker. Ah well, maybe next weekend...

I did get a Scottish tick myself - nuthatch - I have been generally avoiding nuthatch sites for the last couple of years so that I could get a self-found Scottish tick in the Hermitage or some other spot. Oh well, at least I can now visit all of these other sites!

On 106 for the year, lagging behind Mike as usual.

Geoff

I suspect that it was you & I Geoff there 'together' looking for it yesterday morning - I showed you were to look, but unfortunately not the bird :C

I'm not sure I'd call one bird in late January 'lagging behind' (BUBO says 108 to 107). Given I will need to spend as much time in the soft play and Pizza Express as out birding now precedent has been set, I don't think anyone has anything to worry about with me, even with my competitive nature.

It's also good to see another Lothian list appear on BUBO as well - our current regional recorder, who is on here I'm fairly sure as well.

Mike

 

[Mike swims like a fish]

Mike mate I hope you realise what youv'e let yourself in for

I was born a Wednesdayite - nothing I can do about that. Having endured 40 years of yo-yoing up and down the Football League, I think I've got used to it by now. Alex on the other hand will simply have to just get used to it

Hope you don't get too wet today!

Mike

 

[Morg]

Ah... nice to put a face to a name Mike. Let's hope we are more successful next time we meet. Also nice to meet Sandy Rae - don't know if he reads this thread?

My plan had been to head on down to Musselburgh but the no-show-crest ate up the time I had and then I had to go and pick the kids up from their music lessons... only just made it on time after taking a wrong turn on the way out of the wood and finding myself back at the site!

Today was worse - nipped to Duddingstone before breakfast - gather a med gull was seen there later in the morning but not on the ice when I was there. Then up to Tayside to see family but stopped at Vane Farm for lunch with wife and kids. I am always anticipating some good birding at VF though in reality I have never had much success, maybe because most of my trips there are planned as lunchstops at the cafe en route elsewhere. Today was a typical visit: on arrival large falcon glimpsed before disappearing behind ridge not to be seen again; WTE not showing; GW Teal not seen; Smew not around. My kids (10 and 8) can hardly be persuaded to walk beyond the first hide at VF any more - whenever they have done so, the birds just seemed to get further away. It would be so much easier to encourage kids to enjoy watching birds if there was a reserve like Slimbridge or Minsmere nearby...

Moan over... Scotland does have other advantages after all...

Geoff

 

[markgrubb]

A lapland bunting was present for the third day this morning at Musselburgh. It was just to the west of where the path from the wader scrapes meets the sea wall path. Seed had been laid so it may stick to this area. 5 twite were also present

 

[WelchS]

Bit of a bombshell on LBN - Yelkouan Shearwater off Leith on 23/12/09, submitted to BBRC!!! OK, not on the British list but lots of claims last year and I see a precedent for a winter record with 2 off St Ives (Cornwall) 18/1/09. Balearic are wintering in increasing numbers by all accounts, off the English south coast, but to whoever put this in must be a top observer - it's not something you would ever think of claiming without being aware of the fairly challenging ID features.

Course, the Lothian Little Shearwater (Macaronesian) was found in December too, though dead...

 

[Morg]

Bit of a bombshell on LBN - Yelkouan Shearwater off Leith on 23/12/09, submitted to BBRC!!!

Nice seasonal present for someone:king:

Shame this news didn't surface a bit earlier eh? Maybe identified after the event... or seen late in the day. Or dead? As that group of brents showed the other day, it is quite possible for coasting birds to be seen at multiple sites in Lothian.

Maybe some winter seawatching is in order...

Geoff