Lothian Birding (4 Viewers)

[ospreyscotbird]

Yes, Whoopers they are, I made it 52 of them including family 3 juvs. Glad you enjoyed the trip...

Thanks for confirmation - they did look to be holding themselves differently from mutes as I drove past but as it was on the corner - didn't let my eyes stray too long.
Not seen the Bass looking so 'unguanoed' in many a year!!
I see you are from the village I grew up in!!

 

[jambogaz]

Waxwings

Please post sightings of these fantastic birds seen in the Lothian area if you can, still to see my first one

 

[markgrubb]

Please post sightings of these fantastic birds seen in the Lothian area if you can, still to see my first one

Plenty of sightings posted here
http://www.birdinglothian.co.uk/#/recent-sightings/4537581602

 

[jambogaz]

Yeh I know Mark , I click on thr every night

 

[Kris Gibb]

661 Waxwings reported in Lothian on 07/11/12. Accurate totals are near impossible, with some flocks obviously highly mobile.

Edinburgh*150 along Colinton Road at 8.30am + c100 this morning still on Wester Broom Ave at 11:15am + 75 in Joppa this evening still on Joppa Terrace + nearby c40 at the cemetery on Milton Rd East late a.m + 50+ by Calder Rd (Sighthill) near roundabout at Evans Halshaw Renault Garage at 4pm + c30 on Annandale St (Bonnington) this a.m + 21 briefly on South Gyle Crescent this a.m + nearby c15 at South Gyle flew west over Morrisons at 10:30am + 20+ flew north over Grange Road from Seton Place (Newington) at 1.10pm + 15 on Essex Rd / Essex Brae (Barnton) late morning + c15 flew over Comiston Road from the Pavilion Bar towards Swanston at 4.05pm.
East Lothian*44 flew over Aberlady Bay this morning + 27 in Musselburgh this a'noon on Inveresk Rd + 20 off A1 near Dunbar by Cement Works this a'noon + in Tyninghame Village 16 on west side of village hall at 12pm + 13 at Yellowcraigs + 10 in Cockenzie & Port Seton.

Kris

 

[Kris Gibb]

Waxwings

661 Waxwings reported in Lothian on 07/11/12. Accurate totals are near impossible, with some flocks obviously highly mobile.

Edinburgh*150 along Colinton Road at 8.30am + c100 this morning still on Wester Broom Ave at 11:15am + 75 in Joppa this evening still on Joppa Terrace + nearby c40 at the cemetery on Milton Rd East late a.m + 50+ by Calder Rd (Sighthill) near roundabout at Evans Halshaw Renault Garage at 4pm + c30 on Annandale St (Bonnington) this a.m + 21 briefly on South Gyle Crescent this a.m + nearby c15 at South Gyle flew west over Morrisons at 10:30am + 20+ flew north over Grange Road from Seton Place (Newington) at 1.10pm + 15 on Essex Rd / Essex Brae (Barnton) late morning + c15 flew over Comiston Road from the Pavilion Bar towards Swanston at 4.05pm.
East Lothian*44 flew over Aberlady Bay this morning + 27 in Musselburgh this a'noon on Inveresk Rd + 20 off A1 near Dunbar by Cement Works this a'noon + in Tyninghame Village 16 on west side of village hall at 12pm + 13 at Yellowcraigs + 10 in Cockenzie & Port Seton.

Kris

+ in Edinburgh c90 Waxwings*went to roost on Shandwick Place (by Coates Crescent) late a'noon 07/11
751

 

[Kris Gibb]

Waxwing Reports 08/11/12

EDINBURGH*-100+ still on Wester Broom Ave (off Meadowfield Place Rd) this a.m but mobile + c40 in Oswald Terrace / Featherhall Ave (Corstorphine) at 3pm + 40+ flew north over W Approach Rd (Gorgie) towards Dalry prior to 9:15am + c30 in the Bank of Scotland car park on Bankhead Ave (Sighthill) at 11am + 17 in Royal Circus (New Town) at 1.30pm.
EAST LOTHIAN*- 45 c1km west of West Barns by Beltonford Roundabout at 2pm + c35 in Gullane at Gullane Primary School at 9:30am + 30+ SW of Aberlady by the A6137 at Aberlady Caravan Park at 11:30am + 20+ in Dunbar on wires by railway line near Hallhill + 10 east of Dunbar off the A1 by Barns Ness / White Sands junction at 10:30am + 11 between A199 & A1 east of Haddington at 8:30am but mobile + 2 flew NE over White Sands Bay at 12.10pm.

Kris

 

[david kelly]

Gavia hat trick

There were three species of diver at Musselburgh this afternoon.

Great Northern, Black-throated and Red-throated Divers were all easy top see at reasonably close range and in very calm water.

Also seen were Long-tailed Duck, Slavonian, Little and Red-necked Grebes, Common and Velvet Scoter and 10 Snipe on the Scrape.

Regards

David

 

[Kris Gibb]

There were three species of diver at Musselburgh this afternoon.

Great Northern, Black-throated and Red-throated Divers were all easy top see at reasonably close range and in very calm water.

Also seen were Long-tailed Duck, Slavonian, Little and Red-necked Grebes, Common and Velvet Scoter and 10 Snipe on the Scrape.

Regards

David

Seems to have been quite a good winter so far for Divers, no huge numbers but not bad given how scarce they have become in the Forth over recent years. Could the year for a White-billed Diver, it has been a while... although most of the older boys have it on their Lothian List

Out of interest how many Little Grebes did you see David? Any on the sea or was this from the boating pond? Are Red-necked Grebes rare this winter in Gosford Bay, haven't heard any good counts for a bit.

Kris

 

[david kelly]

Seems to have been quite a good winter so far for Divers, no huge numbers but not bad given how scarce they have become in the Forth over recent years. Could the year for a White-billed Diver, it has been a while... although most of the older boys have it on their Lothian List

Out of interest how many Little Grebes did you see David? Any on the sea or was this from the boating pond? Are Red-necked Grebes rare this winter in Gosford Bay, haven't heard any good counts for a bit.

Kris

The single Little was on the river below the weir.

As one of the "older boys" I have seen White-billed in Lothian, twice, and for the ageist comment I hope that there isn't one this winter.

Actually I do, and a Pacific would be nice!

Regards

David

 

[david kelly]

If you are interested in bird news from Lothian there is a Yahoo E mail Group called Lothian Bird News which can be subscribed to by going to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lothianbirdnews/ and there is a Twitter account now too, follow @LTNBirdNews to get twitter updates from the area.

Oviously we should try and keep this thread active too, seems to have died down a bit recently.

Regards

David

 

[Esk Watcher]

Single Pintail (male) swimming eastwards just off the Fisherrow mussel beds at noon today. Haven't seen one on the coast here for quite some time.

 

[malkoa]

Goosander Water of Leith

Just been watching 6 male goosander just upstream from weir at Fords Road at junction with Gorgie Road. Views down to 4 metres. (1 bird missing from pic which was taken on my iPhone )
Brian

 

[malkoa]

Goosander Update

On way back there were 7 males and 1 female. Guy was feeding them bread and 3 were on banking with 1 almost eating out his hand!
Brian

 

[markgrubb]

For anyone wanting to see the juvenile common crane in East Lothian here's the directions. Take the A1 out of Edinburgh and then the A199 from the second Haddington junction. Follow this until just past East Linton when you will see a sign on your left for Knowes farm shop. Drive up and park at the farm shop. The bird is generally in the field behind the shop. Walk up the right hand side of the big stone house to the left of the shop and scan the field. If not seen its probably out of sight at the bottom of the field. Walk down the road past the left hand side of the big stone house to the river. You should see the bird from here

Rather embarrasingly this becomes the second crane species I've seen in Scotland after the Sandhill crane on a BF trip to Aberdeen

Waxwings and a good selection of seabirds at various points on the coast. Just good to get out for a full morning after torn ankle ligaments and a slipped disc

 

[bongofury]

Thanks for the directions, Mark. When I got there at around 12 there was no sign of it near the shop, so I headed down to the ford and a short walk along the field edges soon got me the Crane. Great bird, but can't help wishing it was an adult.

Afterwards I went to Barns Ness and saw some Rock Pipits. And some more Rock Pipits. And a few more. One day I'll get that Water Pipit! Also a small flock of Linnets there and a pair of Sonechats showing really well in the sunshine near the car park.

On the way back I stopped at Whitesands and got my first SEO, plus 3 displaying Skylarks.

Great day.

 

[david kelly]

Good day's birding in East Lothian yesterday: Crane Tyninghame, Little Egret Aberlady, Short-eared Owl Whitesands, 10 Crossbills & Greenshank John Muir Coutry Park.

David

 

[Birdspotter]

A couple of my mates dipped the Egyptian Goose today, both keen to add it to their Scottish lists. One of these guys had come over from Fife. However I hear they dipped as some photographer had previously flushed it..they are best not pleased!!

This is not the first instance lately of this behaviour occurring in Lothian, I hear the Crane was also flushed at the weekend.

All I can say is if this level of disturbance continues then a few locals will just stop reporting their finds. This would be detremental to all so please just think about it and dont be fuds all of your life!!

 

[gus guthrie]

A couple of my mates dipped the Egyptian Goose today, both keen to add it to their Scottish lists. One of these guys had come over from Fife. However I hear they dipped as some photographer had previously flushed it..they are best not pleased!!

This is not the first instance lately of this behaviour occurring in Lothian, I hear the Crane was also flushed at the weekend.

All I can say is if this level of disturbance continues then a few locals will just stop reporting their finds. This would be detremental to all so please just think about it and dont be fuds all of your life!!

i've had this happen twice when i've come down to Lothian to see birds...both times by a photographer.
Last time was with the Icterine warbler last year.

 

[Birdspotter]

i've had this happen twice when i've come down to Lothian to see birds...both times by a photographer.
Last time was with the Icterine warbler last year.

One name seems to be cropping up a lot, another said photographer seems to have left the area (or at least I havent heard any stories about him).

As I said I know a few locals are miffed by these people's actions so I wont be surprised if any news is not forthcoming in the future should this continue!

A few years ago I arrived at Torness to see two Shorelark that had been present in a small enclosed field only to be told that some guy with a camera had marched right up to them only for them to be flushed! we soon refound them but didnt tell the bloke as he passed us and the birds a few times as he tried unsucessfully to refind them:-O