Birding East Lothian

Egrets, I've had a few...

2006-11-18T09:46:00.000Z

It's all over! Fourteen years as Warden of Aberlady Bay Local Nature Reserve have come to an end and I am off to a new job.

I have loved this place. From the age of 9 or 10, visiting wonderful reserves in the NE of Scotland, this was the kind of job I always wanted, and to end up at such a great spot has been a birder's papradise!

Ok, there's been a few negatives. Folk who insist on letting their dogs charge about all over the place; strange men who insist on waving their bits around as soon as the sun comes out; the constant buzz of microlites and poor little rich kids in their little planes on a quiet spring day; people wandering through nesting waders or terns; a***holes who break into people's cars just so they can get their next fix....

But enough ranting! My colleagues have been really good friends, I've met some great folk out on site, and as for the birds....

White-billed Diver, Little Egret, Spoonbill, Snow Goose, American Wigeon, King Eider, Surf Scoter, Honey Buzzard, Black Kite, Montagu's Harrier, Red-footed Falcon, Crane, Kentish Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, White-rumped Sandpiper, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Buff-breated Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Sabine's Gull, Forster's Tern, Short-toed Lark, Tawny Pipit, Marsh Warbler, Barred Warbler, Firecrest, Great Grey Shrike and Arctic Redpoll among others. 221 species in all.

Watching 20,000 Pink-footed Geese coming in to roost in October; hoping those Ringed Plover chicks will fledge; the chaos that ensues when the Osprey drifts north overhead in May; the Snipe dropping out of the clouds during an August rainstorm; trying to see that first Lesser Whitethroat of the year....

I hope my successor is the right person for the job, and enjoys similar wonderful experiences as I have had. As for Aberlady Bay, thank you. I will miss this place.

Back again

2006-11-01T21:43:00.000Z

Sorry! It's been a while...

October didn't really deliver for me this year. Missed a few birds down the East Lothian coast, although I enjoyed Suffolk. On the Reserve, plenty birds, including 18,000 Pink-feet last week, as well as 2,700 Golden Plover, loads of duck and plenty other waders.

Suddenly though, it's got really cold. Maximum of 7C today, down ten degrees on two days ago. Guess I must be getting old?

However, I've not been out much recently. The end of an era approaches, as I'm about to leave the Reserve after 14 years working here, and start a new job! The paperwork I've got to cram in over the next couple of weeks is horrific, but I want to make sure that whoever inherits this place doesn't have an administrative nightmare to sort out!

Away days

2006-10-24T09:13:00.000+01:00

Just back from a week in Suffolk, a long slog (450 miles) from East Lothian.

Not long into the drive south, stopped off in Northumbria to see a Roller, only the second I've seen in Britain, which was a good start. Then a week based at Dunwich on the east coast of Suffolk - not as flat as I expected and with a really good network of footpaths, large areas of forest, heathland and lots of coastal lagoons and marshes, including Minsmere RSPB reserve.

In the first couple of days re-aquainted myself with a few southern species (such as Dartford Warbler) that we don't get too many of in Scotland. I also saw loads of Jays and Green Woodpeckers, both of which are pretty scarce up here.

On 17th, decided to go and twitch a Red-flanked Bluetail about 10 miles down the coast. I got there at dawn, and there was only a couple of other folk there, but within half an hour there were 50+ birders there, shouting and yelling, charging through the bushes and basically only allowing very brief views of the bird before it was flushed deeper into cover. What a bunch of idiots. No concept of a patient sit and wait....

18th at Minsmere was more enjoyable, even though the Reserve was pretty quiet. Excellent views of Marsh Harriers, a very brief Bittern and a late Swallow were the highlights (although Reserve staff were more interested in 2 fly-by Velvet Scoters I had offshore!).

"No I can't see it! Just off to crash through the undergrowth to get a better look..."

On 19th, about 30 Avocets on the Alde estuary were a pleasant surprise - there were none elsewhere.

Back home, and out at the Reserve on 22nd and I found two drake Surf Scoters offshore. Ordinarily bird of the day, but that accolade went to a pair of Gadwall that were the first for the year here - I had a Surfie in January! Yesterday, 17,000 Pink-footed Geese came in to roost at dusk. Magic!

Just goes to show that you don't have to go too far to have good birding!

Out for a duck

2006-10-11T22:15:00.000+01:00

Nipped down the coast for a couple of hours this morning - south-easterly winds, mist and rain, so it looked promising. Loads of Redwings and Song Thrushes piling in off the sea, plus a distant owl sp. that was either Long- or Short-eared. A few Bramblings as well, and luckily I was at Torness just after a Yellow-browed Warbler was found. Good views as well!

Back at ther reserve this afternoon - hoaching in wildfowl! 350 Wigeon, 180+ Teal, 90 Mallard, 3 Pintail, 3 Shoveler, 24 Barnacle Geese and a good few Pink-feet around. Gosford Bay had a few Slavonian and Red-necked Grebes as well as 30 Long-tailed Ducks.

Not bad for a manky day!

Highs and lows

2006-10-06T22:36:00.000+01:00

Wednesday morning was very pleasant - mild and calm with a cracking adult Mediterranean Gull on the beach, only the third time I've seen these here and a goood bird to bring up 160 for the site this year.

Then back to the car park to discover some dirty f****r had decided to break into my car and rip out the stereo. Love to get a hold of them....

Tonight, one fixed window (but no music yet!) later and the dusk goose count gave 10,170 Pink-feet - a bit more like it. Keep 'em coming!

Quiet autumn

2006-10-03T20:10:00.000+01:00

Despite this allegedly being the peak autumn migration period, it's pretty dead. Barnacle Goose numbers have dropped, Pink-feet numbers are rubbish and there's no thrushes here yet. Did add Yellowhammer to the year's list though - now 159. Crap! A few lingering summer migrants remain, including Swallow & Sandwich tern today. Also, 4 Little Gulls offshore...

So, in order to spice things up, thought I'd try to break my UK month record of 163, set in September 2002. I've a week away planned, plus a day up north so we'll see. So far, the total is on 81.

Goose count

2006-09-29T21:20:00.000+01:00

First goose count of the autumn gave a paltry total of 2300 Pink-footed Geese, about a fifth of the numbers here this time last year. Must be global warming meaning they can winter in Iceland? Still lots of Barnacles though, and the first Long-tailed Duck of the autumn.

Not the most exciting September ever...

Buzzed off

2006-09-28T07:19:00.001+01:00

Yesterday morning, a Bee-eater flew over the Reserve, calling twice in the process, but remaining resolutely invisible. This is the second time I've heard this species here and failed to see it - the last time, about 5 years ago, someone else did see 3 after I'd heard them. I also missed seeing one that had been present for 4 hours down the coast 12 years ago - I arrived 10 minutes after it waved goodbye to the assembled crowd... GRRRR!

The one time I did get one in Britain, it was a very sad, unspectacular, wet bird at the top of a very tall tree near Aberdeen. Fortunately, they were more obliging in Majorca this spring!

Barnacle blast

2006-09-26T21:45:00.000+01:00

1500+ Barnacle Geese today, en route from Spitsbergen/Svalbard to SW Scotland, dropped off to rest after their North Sea crossing. This is the second highest count for the site. On the down side, only 130 Pink-footed Geese. Come on guys, you're late!

Dipping out.

2006-09-19T21:43:00.000+01:00

Switched on my mobile yesterday to find two messages about a Blyth's Reed Warbler (a lifer) just down the coast at Dunbar on Sunday. Two hours later, having set a new land speed record on the way, I was there. Tragically, the bird was not, and it hadn't been seen all morning. A nearby Red-backed Shrike had, but it too had disappeared by the time I arrived. Feck! (Memo to self - keep mobile on at all times)

A Spotted Redshank at the Reserve would have made small consolation but it completed a rather sad hatrick by also being absent. Not a good day.

Today, blowing a gale (westerly- not much use to anyone), and didn't see anything of any great excitement.

A bit more like it!

2006-09-15T22:48:00.000+01:00

Geese at last - 13 Pink-footed, with 7 Brents flying past for good measure. But a few other things in what was a good morning's birding - 4 Black Terns, 2 Little Gulls, 2 Greenshank, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, a Ruff and a Curlew Sandpiper.

Duck numbers are continuing to build up too, with 150+ Wigeon, 120 Mallard, 146 Teal and 6 Pintail. Must have been the disgusting weather yesterday that brought all this on. Hope it keeps going!

Still no geese...

2006-09-13T20:19:00.000+01:00

...but 7 Black-tailed Godwits today.

No G'eese but 2 J's

2006-09-11T19:24:00.000+01:00

This should have been the day that the first Pink-footed Geese arrived back for the winter, but they didn't. However, 2 Jays were about the first birds seen this morning, and another first for the Reserve this year! I heard a couple in the late winter but they didn't show, so this was a pleasant surprise! 156 and rising!

A touch of colour

2006-09-10T18:29:00.000+01:00

Another warm sunny day, with loads of visitors, most of which weren't a problem. However, one fairly hideous blob of a woman decided to get her kit off and go for a swim... Thought I'd seen another whale!

On a better note, had a couple of brief views of a Kingfisher this morning, bringing the year's total for the site up to 155. I had a brief look into Musselburgh before going to the Reserve to see if I could see the Pectoral Sandpiper that appeared yesterday, but no joy. Humph!

At least all the punters will be back to work tomorrow and I'll get peace...

Thar she blows!

2006-09-09T17:46:00.000+01:00

A very warm late summer day today, with a flat calm sea and clear blue skies. Regular readers will know that this is not my favourite sort of weather, due to the large influx of a***holes that this tends to attract, but today, I will make an exception!

A look out to sea this morning revealed the presence of 80+ Manx Shearwaters feeding offshore among a myriad of terns and Gannets about a mile offshore, but best of all was a couple of fleeting glimpses of a 8-10m long Minke Whale, the first large cetacean I've seen off here, and the first non-porpoise one for 3 or 4 years. Fabulous. Hope it doesn't stray too near Norway...

Away day

2006-09-06T10:17:00.000+01:00

Took a trip to the RSPB nature reserve at Leighton Moss in Lancashire yesterday, in a hope to see a few different birdies, and just for a change of scene. Unfortunately, the weather was pretty awful all morning, got completely ripped off at a service station on the M6 (£5.80 for a coffee and a bacon roll!!!), missed the turn off on the motorway, got stuck in a traffic jam, arrived to find that the Marsh Harriers and Avocets that we'd hoped to see had already headed off south, they were stimming vegetation in front of one of the best hides, and the place was swarming with numpties who couldn't ID a Black-headed Gull at a range of 10m!

But, we had a good day nevertheless. Lots of ducks, and a couple of Marsh Tits - birds we certainly don't get in East Lothian. Also, finally saw an Osprey, fishing over the River Clyde, from the car on the way home.

September reigns?

2006-09-02T09:24:00.000+01:00

Firstly, apologies for the lack of recent postings - log in problems! Hopefully now ok...

You've not missed much - a week of strong westerlies saw the continued arrival of waders from the Arctic, plus a few more wildfowl, all ready for the start of the shooting season on 1st! Passage species have included the usual Ruff and Greenshank, and the occasional skua offshore. But, September is often a good month, so we'll see if it improves.

One good tern deserves another

2006-08-26T17:53:00.000+01:00

An enjoyable early autumn day today. First Black Tern of the year was a juvenile on the tideline this morning, with a juvenile Roseate sitting just a few yards away! Offshore a couple of manxies and a Bonxie (Great Skua) drifted past, while there was a couple of Greenshank and a smart Black-tailed Godwit in the burn near the car park.

Wader numbers are certainly building up, with 540 Oystercatcher, 460 Lapwing, 440 Curlew and 250 Grey Plover on the incoming tide this afternoon.

The wind terns westerly

2006-08-24T18:14:00.000+01:00

Back to normality after the excitement of last weekend! Few small waders around today (although it was low tide), but numbers of Lapwings have built up to 650+ now. Helpful if the long-awaited Osprey should fly over...

Do I look nervous?

Offshore this morning, large numbers of terns , mainly Common & Arctic, feeding in a stiff westerly breeze; also distant glimpses of a couple of Arctic Skuas and Manx Shearwaters. Otherwise, not much else, but the next few weeks are often the most interesting of the year.

Or am I being overly optimistic?!

A little twitchy!

2006-08-20T17:54:00.000+01:00

Went down the coast this morning, to the beautiful surroundings of Torness Nuclear Power Station to try to catch up with some of the stuff found yesterday. Wet & misty and a bit too many birders wandering about, but I did eventually get good views of Barred Warbler & Wryneck as well as a couple of Pied Flycatchers.

Then, back to the Reserve in a bid to try to get photos of yesterday's Broad-billed Sandpiper, which had been seen this morning. Sadly, it was not to be. The sight of 60+ birders wandering about all over the mudflats and saltmarsh perhaps scared it away. Try again tomorrow!

But, that's two days decent birding in a row. Wow!

Bird of the year!!!

2006-08-19T18:13:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I got a report of a strange looking wader on the Reserve (I was at Edinburgh Zoo!), that sounded, from the description, interesting to say the least! Last night was dominated by easterly gales and pouring rain, so I was reasonably confident that it would still be around...

So at 9am I headed on out to look. Not a small wader in sight!

So I wandered off down the saltmarsh, at which point, a small dark wader with a call I hadn't heard before flew past and landed out of sight ahead of me. Looked promising! But then, as I approached, about 300m away, it flew off, accompanied by a small group of Dunlin & Ringos, and they headed out across the mudflats. Bugger!

So off I went, and spent 21/2 hours looking before being on the verge of giving up. A quick look at a small group of waders feeding on the tideline, and there it was. A rather nice juvenile Broad-billed Sandpiper!!! It was very flighty and a bit elusive at times, but fortunately, it hung around the reserve for the rest of the afternoon, allowing the arriving birders I'd informed to get decent views of it.

This is the first on the Reserve for 21 years, and a Lothian & Scotland lifer for me. So, a good day at last. Tomorrow, we'll see if it's still there, and I'll also try and catch up with some of the other goodies found down the coast today eg Wryneck & Icterine Warbler. Things are looking up, at last!

Got another one back...

2006-08-17T22:05:00.000+01:00

After missing out on the best week of the year here, with being away in Majorca in May, I finally managed to catch up with a Wood Sandpiper, one of several decent birds that decided to appear in my absence!

This one was a little unexpected, not in timing, but in location. Rather than poking about in some muddy pool, this one was in with Sanderling and Dunlin on the mudflats, before it took off and flew about high overhead. 152 up! Also today, a Greenshank, a Whimbrel, 246 Grey Plover (many still in smart summer plumage), a young male Peregrine trying in vain to catch a Lapwing, and a nice dark-phase Arctic Skua chasing terns offshore. Not a bad day!

Moving house!!

2006-08-16T17:44:00.000+01:00

First, let me apologise for being a bit quiet recently. I've just moved house and I hope you understand that things have been a little shambolic! I have managed to fit in a bit of birding, between packing/unpacking cardboard boxes, putting furniture together etc, but frankly, the standard of things seen hasn't really meritted much comment. The only recent highlight in fact has been a Green Woodpecker on the Reserve, the first I've seen here for about 8 years, bringing us up to a less than impressive 151 for the year.

Still, autumn migration is starting, wader numbers are increasing, and the weather is cooler, so there is hope that something might happen soon. Promise I'll be a bit more regular from now on!

Butterfly frenzy

2006-07-30T21:28:00.000+01:00

Still very quiet on the bird front, with single Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Whimbrel today. The weather is still far too warm for my liking, but rumour has it that the weather is about to change. Certainly seems to be a bit wet outside tonight.

Loads of butterflies today though - there's been an obvious influx of Painted Ladies, with a good few Peacocks around too, and numbers of Whites, mainly Large or Green-veined have also picked up. Nothing too unusual though - maybe we'll get something in the next couple of weeks...

Hot 'n' humid

2006-07-24T20:13:00.000+01:00

The disgusting weather continues, but at least there is some evidence of a few birds starting to appear. A flock of 114 Sanderling was unexpected, with 6 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Whimbrel, 1 Greenshank and a Common Sandpiper further evidence of wader passage.

Equally entertaining was the sight of 400+ gulls (mainly Black-headed) & 260 Swallows feeding on newly emerged flying ants. It was also nice to see lots of people in garish clothes leaving rapidly as the insects descended on them from on high. Useful tip - wear dark colours on sunny July afternoons. Heh, heh!

150 up!

2006-07-22T17:11:00.000+01:00

Well it's been a long time coming, but an adult Roseate Tern in with a mixed flock of Sandwich & Common Terns brought up 150 for the site this year. Still way behind schedule though, but maybe things will pick up soon.

Also today, a singing Grasshopper Warbler and a Greenshank..

Too hot to handle?

2006-07-20T18:53:00.000+01:00

The weather over the last week has been disgutingly hot, but today, at last saw overcast skies and a cool sea breeze.

The birding has picked up over the last couple of days too, with 5 Little Terns at the high tide roost yesterday, and a decent selection of waders today: 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 3 Whimbrel and 1 Black-tailed Godwit. Numbers of waders seem to be increasing at last including 100+ Bar-tailed Godwit, 370 Curlew, 12 Grey Plover & 16 Sanderling. Not much else doing, though the butterflies have been great...

It's been a while...

2006-07-09T17:37:00.000+01:00

Apologies to regular readers. I'd love to say I've been away somwhere exotic, but no, just sunny East Lothian as usual. Frankly, there's not been a lot happening on the Reserve, or elsewhere, so I didn't want to bore anyone with my complaints!

Today, still mild with a few heavy showers. A couple of Black-tailed Godwits were the highlight of an increasing wader flock, with 300+ Curlew and 150 Lapwing, though still not many small waders. It was with mixed feelings that I watched two Peregrines chase and catch a pigeon - great to watch, but with a sense of foreboding that they may have settled here for the autumn. This has happened before here, and it doesn't make it easy to either see or check through the flocks of small waders for that first for Britain. So if the happy couple and their fledged offspring decide to hang out elsewhere I won't mind too much!

Sticky moments

2006-06-29T19:36:00.000+01:00

All a bit humid today! 24C and the continued threat of heavy rain which didn't quite materialise.

As usual (!), not much to report on the bird front - immature Great Northern Diver offshore again, as well as a lot of Puffins and 350+ moulting Eiders. Elsewhere, nearly stood on a Snipe, and had a brief glimpse of a Lesser Whitethroat, always a bit of a bonus after they've stopped singing. A fly-over Buzzard caused a bit of a panic among the gulls and waders, but I would have preferred a Marsh Harrier.

Managed to miss a Spotted Flycatcher yesterday while on a day off and today, got intriguing reports of a "large upright white bird, smaller than a heron" allegedly seen this morning - apparently not an egret. Better not have been another Spoonbill, 'cos I missed it...

A tiny policeman...

Summer time and the living is easy...

2006-06-26T19:37:00.000+01:00

That's because there are absolutely no birds to look at. But the the upside of that I suppose is that you can spend more time looking at beasties and plants, all of which certainly add a splash of colour to the place.

Today, saw my first Ringlet & Meadow Brown butterflies, as well as two or three Dark Green Fritillaries and a couple of Silver-Y moths. Not many dragonflies around yet although there were lots of Common Blue damselflies over one of the ponds.

Bird wise, the brood of 18 Shelducks seen last week seems to have re-deployed into an 11 and a 6, with one AWOL. Maybe the adults with the 18 were just baby-sitting?

Fowlsheugh - fabulous

2006-06-23T09:15:00.000+01:00

The noise, the constant activity, the thousands and thousands of birds coming and going. No, not a day at my patch (obviously!), but at the RSPB reserve of Fowlsheugh, about 20 miles south of Aberdeen. Popped in for an hour yesterday during a trip to the NE, and found it a wonderfully uplifting experience. Tens of thousands of seabirds - mainly Guillemots & Kittiwakes, with smaller numbers of Razorbills, Fulmars and Herring Gulls. A fly-by Peregrine caused thousands of Kittiwakes to take to the air briefly, while the constant arrival of birds at their nests and others leaving to go out to sea presented a very busy place.

I first visited this place about 25 years ago. It hasn't changed much and it remains a fantastic experience...

Autumn arrives....

2006-06-21T22:01:00.000+01:00

Three Wigeon, a Greenshank, westerly gales and horizontal rain. I thought this was summer?

What are these people on??

2006-06-20T22:14:00.000+01:00

Not much to report on the Reserve front at the moment, apart from our second brood of Shelducks, apparently of 18 chicks! I say apparently, because in previous years there has certainly been mass adoptions/kidnappings of young. Suffice to say there were 5 large young with 2 adults, and 18 with another 2 adults. How it will all look tomorrow is anyone's guess!

Sad to read today that the EC is about to permit resumption of the North Sea sandeel fishery. Ok, so there has been mass failures of breeding seabirds all along the east coast of the UK, Orkney and Shetland, and a huge reduction in stocks of cod, haddock and other fish species in the area over the last few years. Allowing the industrial catching of the species at the bottom of the food chain (ie sandeels) is bound to lead to a recovery in the fortunes of all the seabird and fish populations . Isn't it?

Eagle poisoned

2006-06-17T13:44:00.000+01:00

I, like most other birders, was sickened to read of another incident of one of our raptors being killed in the interests of "sport". A Golden Eagle has been found poisoned using an illegal pesticide on an estate on Deeside. What gives the bastards responsible the right to do this? What would the thousands of tourists who flock to Braemar, Balmoral and Ballater think if they knew that if they took an innocent wander into the hills, their child or their dog could be killed if they come into contact with a deliberately poisoned carcass?

These people have been getting away with this for far too long. All estates where poisoning incidents occur should be publicised nationally and the landowners vilified for allowing this on "their" land. The wildlife does not belong to them, and they or their minions have no right to destroy our natural heritage. Perhaps these people should be fed with the same chemicals they poison our countryside with...

For more info:- http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=889492006.

Cooler at last

2006-06-16T18:54:00.000+01:00

A much more pleasant cooler day today, encouragingly beginning with a chance to go through a flock of small waders that had obviously come in overnight. Ok, so they were nearly all Ringed Plovers, but as well as a few Dunlin, there was also a moulting adult Curlew Sandpiper in with them. Another one for the list, now at 148. Only 30 to go. I don't think so, but you never know!

A few terns down on the beach were mainly Sandwich, but with 3 Commons including a very early fledged juvenile. Hopefully we'll get a nice build up of post-breeding terns here in the next few months...

All at sea

2006-06-15T22:22:00.000+01:00

Not much bird-wise on the Reserve today, but offshore there was huge numbers of auks, kittiwakes, gannets and a few eiders. One Red-throated Diver flying west was a bit unseasonal - even more so was a Great Northern drifting by on the current. Also, well offshore was a scattered feeding flock of 50+ Manx Shearwaters.

There may be few birdies doing "inland" but the flowers are fantastic at the moment and numbers of butterflies are building up nicely.

Anyone seen any Ragwort?

Wader ID conundrums No. 1

2006-06-13T19:59:00.000+01:00

Not much time out today. Two Little Gulls bathing in the burn near the car park were a bit unexpected - both immatures; a first-summer and a second-summer. Nice to see here at this time of year.

More perplexing were distant views of a wader feeding with a group of Dunlin & Ringed Plovers. Similar in size and jizz to the former, but not quite right - long winged and long legged, but long though I looked at it from 400m distant (as close as I could get), I couldn't turn it into anything more than a strange Dunlin in non-breeding plumage. But that one's going to nag away at me. Maybe I'll get better views at high tide tomorrow, if it hasn't buggered off...

Warm and sticky

2006-06-12T18:34:00.000+01:00

Disgustingly humid today, with a continual threat of heavy rain which never quite materialised. Bird-wise still pretty quiet, though still lots singing and a lots of birds carrying food. Hopefully the warm weather over the last couple of weeks has allowed the late breeders to have a decent season.
Now a total of 7 Eider chicks (pretty paltry!), still just one brood of Shelducks but probably 12 fledged Redshanks which is pretty good, 10+ Lapwings with a few large young still to fly, and at least 3 juv Stonchats on the wing.

I guess that's spring migration over and done with, but this place has in previous years attracted a few ridiculous rarities during the "quiet" months of June & July. We'll see...

The heat is on...

2006-06-11T18:17:00.000+01:00

One of those hot sunny Sundays that you just dread!

Loads of visitors, dogs running around, folk with fires, people wandering through fenced off areas and strange men wandering through the dunes with their dangly bits hanging out. Sad.

Surprisingly, the birding was relatively ok! A Yellow Wagtail seen flying off later re-appeared and turned out to be of the thunbergi (Grey-headed) race, possibly the same bird seen a few miles up the coast yesterday. A year tick for the site! Also, there were a few birds around at high tide - 13 Grey Plover, 10 Sanderling, 3 Dunlin & 7 Knot, as well as a moulting flock of 54 Mallard and 16 Canada Geese. Ok, so they're a bit loud and obnoxious, but we don't get them here that often and times are hard...

All misty eyed

2006-06-09T19:08:00.000+01:00

Substantial drop in temperatures today, with a fine east coast haar (sea fog) which didn't clear all day. Obviously this also makes it rather difficult to see any birds, if there are any there to see. Unfortunately, there wasn't much doing, other than a pair of Dunnocks apparently trying to be fed by a male Stonechat. Bizarre!

"I am a Stonechat, honest. Please feed me!"

Some like it hot..

2006-06-08T21:54:00.000+01:00

I don't!

Birds just seem to disappear, all sorts of nasty biting flies and stuff seems to appear and it's horribly hot and sweaty wandering around with a scope, bins, camera etc!

But, worst of all is the apparent requirement of some of the ugliest specimens of humanity to shed most of their clothing, exposing parts of their anatomy that frankly should not be shared with the rest of the human race or animal kingdom, and allowing their skin to go from decidedly pallid to angry pink over the course of the day.

This is becoming a habit!

2006-06-05T22:09:00.000+01:00

It transpires that Osprey No.3 of the spring flew over the reserve on Saturday after I'd left. This is getting a bit annoying.

Meanwhile, June continues to start with a whimper. A group of 30 Manx offshore were miles out, but it was nice to see a group of Sanderling in summer plumage on the beach. Also the first brood of (5) Shelduck is hopefully the first of several.

Plane stupid!

2006-06-03T18:22:00.000+01:00

Not much to report today, just for a change! 6 Canada Geese flew N over the Forth, no doubt heading for the Beauly Firth, a brood of 4 Moorhens on one of the ponds and two fledged Stonechats.

Of more concern however is a proposal to build an airstrip less than 4 miles east of the Reserve, which is internationally important as a roost site for Pink-footed Geese in the autumn. The actual site is in the heart of their main feeding area. Overflying private planes and microlites already cause a fair bit of disturbance to birds using the site - this will undoubtedly increase if this airstrip goes ahead. Unfortunately, the "boys with toys" who use these facilities tend not to respect no fly zones. If this bothers you (and I hope it does!), check out the proposal on the link below, and express your concerns to the planning authorities.

http://www.planning.eastlothian.gov.uk/WAM/search/pas/index.htm

The planning ref no is : 06/00328/FUL.

Let's get this nonsense stopped....

End of lecture!

The breezes return!

2006-06-02T11:36:00.000+01:00

New month, same old story! Stuck in a hideous traffic jam yesterday morning so rather late getting started, and a bit draughty when I finally got on site an hour later rthan I'd hoped, but did manage to add a single Canada Goose to the Reserve's list for the year - now up to 146. My Lothian List for 2006 now stands at a paltry 162, although I've not really tried to add to this very hard. Slightly worringly though, one or two others are on 185+ already - a good autumn could see the record (219 - mine!) under threat. Might have to start suppressing stuff...

Only joking guys! Wish I could find something worth suppressing!

PS Thanks for all the positive feedback I've received.

That'll be May then

2006-05-31T21:43:00.000+01:00

Well that wasn't very good was it? Poor weather and the birding was a hard slog with little reward. Ok, so there was a good week, with Spoonbill etc, but that was when I was away! Maybe June will be better...

A couple more for the list..

2006-05-29T18:00:00.000+01:00

Finally managed to see some Arctic Terns here - 3 fishing offshore this morning, and about time too! Less expected was a Cuckoo that gave a fine fly-by performance, attended by a few mobbing Meadow Pipits. Wind has swung round to the north-east - is there still time for a May biggy?

Early start

2006-05-28T17:02:00.000+01:00

Out at 5am today, but still not much worth shouting about! A couple of Lesser Whitethroats still singing as well as half a dozen of their common cousins, 4 Manx Shearwaters heading west into a cold, strong wind up the Forth and a Whimbrel early afternoon. All very quiet.

On a much happier note, I read of the recent demise of one of the UK's most notorious egg-collectors who fell to his death from 40ft up a Larch Tree. Ha ha!! Pity he didn't land on a sharp, rusting metal spike and linger a while, contemplating his part in the decline of some of Britain's rarest species. Never mind. That's one of the b******ds out of the way. Here's hoping the rest go similarly quickly and painfully.

This is crap!

2006-05-26T19:28:00.000+01:00

This has been the most disappointing spring I've had here in 14 years. Ok, so there's been a few decent birds, all of which I've missed, but otherwise, very low counts of passage waders, few migrant passerines and a total lack of raptors.

May is the month you look ahead to during the long winter months, but frankly, the weather was better then that it's been the last couple of weeks. And, with Arctic Redpoll and a drake Surf Scoter here then, so was the birding!!

Oh well, there's always June....

Sedge Warbler - not much to sing about

Wishful thinking

2006-05-25T21:24:00.000+01:00

I suppose Broad-billed Sandpiper was a bit optimistic, but in another day with strong westerly winds, I did at least add one more species to this year's bird list - House Sparrow! Brings the total up to 143. 178 is going to be tough, even with 6+ months to go. We'll see...

Knot a lot...

2006-05-24T22:51:00.000+01:00

Strong westerly winds, a meeting all morning and an early finish this afternoon, so not a lot to report. Still a few waders around and will hope for calmer conditions tomorrow to get a good look through them - Broad-billed Sandpiper would be nice!

Chilly!

2006-05-22T17:36:00.000+01:00

Not exactly a mild spring day - strong NE winds, cold and continuous light rain.

Went out to look through all the waders to discover they were roosting somewhere else this morning. Otherwise, not much else - 3 Manx offshore, and a Kestrel trying to plunder Lapwing chicks.

Still a bit knackered after the bird race too, which didn't help.

Bird Race 2006

2006-05-21T17:24:00.000+01:00

Yesterday saw this year's bird race - a keenly contested team competition to see how many species can be seen/heard in 24hrs in the Lothians (ie Midlothian, West Lothian, East Lothian & City of Edinburgh council areas).

The weather forecast was pretty dodgy, but midnight saw us meet up in calm, clear conditions and the beginning of our quest. Bizarrely, it was very quiet and we didn't get our first bird (Sedge Warbler) till 1am! This however was quickly followed by several others including Grasshopper Warbler and Whimbrel, both tricky species some years. No Barn Owls seen, which is pretty unusual, but we heard one near a known nest site.

3.30 saw us parked beside one of East Lothian's best woodlands to await the dawn chorus and a rush of new species. That's when the other team arrived! So we headed up the valley ahead of them, hoping to get a few they'd miss. An hour or so's walk and we'd added a good number of birds including Redstart & Garden Warbler, although we didn't get Jay which we'd hoped to add.

Unfortunately, by this stage, the wind had got up and the rain had started.

A fruitless half hour search for Yellow Wagtail preceded us hitting the coast for high tide and a big increase in our list including Brent & Pink-footed Goose, lots of seabirds including Manx Shearwater & Arctic Skua, lots of waders including Sanderling, Grey Plover & Bar-tailed Godwit, Shoveler &amp; Wigeon. A brief inland foray brought Peregrine & Raven, and Tree Sparrows at our usual site were very obliging, but back at the coast the Surf Scoter that had been around for a week or two was not co-operating. It was about 1pm and we'd about 105 species.

Where were you yesterday when we needed you?

Into Edinburgh, and the first of two Green Woodpeckers, then the Pentland Hills where an hour's walk gave us Dipper, Cuckoo, Whinchat and excellent views of Ring Ouzel. That was the planned itinerary about finished, so it was time to decide what to do next. Our list was at 119, there were 3 hours daylight left and the weather was still a bit damp and horrible.

We decided to head for the Lammermuir Hills to go for Red Grouse, Golden Plover and hopefully, Short-eared Owl. Got all three very quickly. Two hours light and back to look for the Yellow Wagtails that we'd missed 12 hours previously. 45 mins later and it became pretty obvious that we just weren't going to see them, so it was back to the coast to try to get a last few new ones, including Red-throated Diver that we'd missed previously.

No joy. Two of us saw Arctic Tern but that didn't count (three of each team need to see/hear each species). No divers. One more site and we managed to add Long-tailed Duck, but the rain was now getting heavy. We called the other team and suggested an early finish, as it was pretty obvious we weren't going to add anything else and we were tired, wet, cold and bloody starving!

10.30 and we met the opposition in continued pouring rain to find out the winner. We had managed 123 species in fairly poor conditions - not bad when the record is 129. They had managed 124. Shit!!!

So the trophy goes to them. They had seen a fair few that we'd missed, including Red-throated Diver, Arctic Tern and Yellow Wagtail, but we had a few they didn't. We reckoned that the combined total seen was at least 140 species, which given the weather was an amazing total. But we lost by one...

May 19th next year, we'll get the trophy back.

A visit from Mr Falcon

2006-05-18T20:38:00.000+01:00

Not much doing today; very windy - a male Peregrine scattered all the small waders just while I was about to go through them, so if there was an Oriental Plover there, it'll have to wait for another day.

Saturday brings Bird Race day - a keenly contested local competition, usually between 3 teams, although only 2 this year. A total of 130 species in the Lothians should win - that would be a new record. The team I've been part of has won 5 of the last 6, so we're keen to extend our run. The forecast is well dodgy though, so who knows what a good total will be. Midnight Saturday/Sunday will reveal all. I'll post the details when I wake up sometime Sunday afternoon...

Slowly does it...

2006-05-17T22:10:00.000+01:00

Migration back to a trickle again. Two Wheatears and a Whinchat about covers it! But I did get the bonus of a Bonxie drifting past offshore and a Great Northern Diver at last. So two year ticks, but it's starting to get difficult...

Should have known better!

2006-05-15T16:48:00.000+01:00

Anticipation is a very insidious thing, and I've been birding long enough to have suppressed it. Apart from a 1st-summer Little Gull (140 for the Reserve) all I got today was soaked! In saying that, there does seem to have been a marked arrival of small waders, all of which today were Dunlin & Ringed Plovers. Off tomorrow, so something's bound to turn up...

Back to normality

2006-05-14T22:03:00.000+01:00

No sign of the Buff-breast today; in fact pretty quiet all round, although an Arctic Skua and Manx Shearwater offshore were both additions to the list, bringing it up to 139. Two Brent Geese were a bit unexpected.

Anticipation is quite high for tomorrow though. SE winds and overnight rain. Surely something else decent will turn up, this time while I'm here to see it?!....

Got one back!

2006-05-13T22:31:00.000+01:00

Back to the Reserve today. After all the exotica of last week, a bit of a come-down, particularly in temperature. However, found a Buff-breasted Sandpiper! Probably the same bird as was found a week or so back, but who cares!

The real thing this time...

Holidays in the sun...

2006-05-13T22:02:00.000+01:00

A week away in Alcudia, NE Majorca. Warm, sunny and a great change of scene, not to mention appearing on stage with a "Kool and the Gang" tribute band. But enough of that nonsense. What about the birding?

Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Spoonbill, Montagu's Harrier, Golden Oriole, Iberian Chiffchaff - all species that turned up and left East Lothian while I was away. Best spring week for years. Bloody typical!

However, two days at S'Albufera marshes got me Eleanora's Falcons, Collared Pratincole, Black-winged Stilts, Audouin's Gulls, Purple Heron, Moustached & Great Reed Warblers, Cattle & Little Egrets, Squacco Heron, Zitting Cisticola, Kentish Plover, Bee-eaters etc. On balance, I think that selection more than wins! Add in a day up the Bocquer Valley, with a Black Vulture mobbed by 14 Eleanora's Falcons, several Marmora's Warblers and passage Red Kite, Honey Buzzard and 100+ Bee-eaters and as well as good food and vast quantities of San Miguel beer it was an excellent trip!

A few piccies...

Great Reed Warbler

Woodchat Shrike

Audouin's Gull

Little Egret

Hoopoe

Cattle Egret

Black-winged Stilt

Bee-eater

Aaargh!

2006-05-04T22:14:00.000+01:00

A Buff-breasted Sandpiper was found down the coast today - same person that found the Ring-necked Duck last week. Two yanks in East Lothian in 8 days is good going!

Sadly, I'd too much to do on the Reserve to see either. Another good count of Wheatears today (30+) but, as yesterday, not much else except the first Whimbrel (a bit late though).

And with that I thought "hooray, it's holiday time". Because this time tomorrow I'll be in Majorca!

But, there's always a sting in the tail. Text message tonight - Buff-breasted Sand now at the Reserve. Bugger!

Will it still be around on 13th when I return. Unlikely. Never mind - I've seen them here before, but would have been a good year-tick. Hopefully that's the best bird I'll miss, and will be made up for by Eleanora's Falcon, Bee-eater, Red-rumped Swallow etc etc. Speak to you agin on 12th. Byeee!

Ok not today's, but here's one I prepared earlier..

Mild and sunny, but blowing a gale!

2006-05-03T22:20:00.000+01:00

Lots of Wheatears today - 32 - much the highest count of the year so far. This was a good sign for other migrants, but other than hearing another invisible Cuckoo, there wasn't much to be seen.

There was also an incident where a family of foreign tourists (Dutch?) decided to wander through the middle of the marsh, disturbing breeding birds left, right and centre. Had a wee chat with them and put them right...

They'll never find the bodies.

Only joking.

Brief note!

2006-05-02T21:20:00.000+01:00

A cold wind today, but at last a few Swifts arrived, with 20+ flying west. Not much else doing though!

Not bad, but could have been better...

2006-05-01T22:08:00.000+01:00

Bird of the spring so far - a Little Ringed Plover I stumbled across with a few of it's more common cousins. I heard it calling, perhaps alarmed by a Merlin (a good bird for May) sitting on a post 100m away. The Merlin departed off south, with the LRP heading off high NE an hour later.

Not much else, despite promising conditons. Finally saw a Sedge Warbler, but not the Cuckoo I heard. Sometimes the anticipation outweighs the reality.

Incidentally, the photo was taken at S'Albufera marshes in Majorca, where I'll be next week! Bring it on...

It May get better!

2006-04-30T18:38:00.000+01:00

Not at busy as it might have been today, but not a lot bird-wise either! Still 800+ Common Scoter offshore, and a few more Swallows around today, but no sign of any of the large numbers of White or Yellow Wagtails seen just down the coast in the last few days...

Never mind. May is imminent, often the best month of the year here. A good spring is marked by getting Garganey, Osprey, Wood Sandpiper and Marsh Harrier. Fingers crossed!

Rserve List: 133; Lothian Year List: 146

Loch Leven - all in Vane?

2006-04-29T20:05:00.001+01:00

An afternoon trip with my kids to Vane Farm RSPB - a nice Reserve, with a good selection of wildfowl to see, many close to the hides. The one drawback of taking a 7 year old boy into a hide is that he doesn't realise that farting loudly is not the done thing! Also, he did go on about being hungry the whole time..

Bird-wise, still lots of Pink-feet around, huge numbers of Tufted Duck as well as Gadwall, Shoveler, Great Crested Grebes and a good variety of other stuff. All this and in temperatures mild enough to be down to a T-shirt. Back to the grind, on a sunny Bank Holiday weekend tomorrow. Can't wait!

Justified and ancient...

2006-04-28T20:36:00.000+01:00

42 today! Aaargh!

Very warm this morning, but not unpleasant, and although there was not much evidence of passage going on, a singing Lesser Whitethroat was a new arrival though it took a while to finally see it among the Sea Buckthorn. A Sedge Warbler, unfortunately, was less obliging.

Anyway enough of this. As a celebration of my advancing years, I'm off for a few beers....

A waste of time?

2006-04-26T21:42:00.000+01:00

Spent most of today putting up a fence to prevent disturbance to any terns that may (but probably won't) nest. Even if they do there's a pretty good chance that they'll fail due to high tides/ sandblow/ food shortage/ fox predation/ crow predation/ kestrel predation/ egg collecting f*ckers/ human disturbance or possibly even loneliness. This has all happened in previous years...

Bird-wise, didn't really have time too see much today, not even the drake Ring-necked Duck down the coast at Seafield Pond (a good find for this area), but did actually see an overflying Tree Pipit today. 132 and counting.

A Swift Gropper!

2006-04-25T19:34:00.000+01:00

Another day of strong westerly winds, though mild, but with a couple of heavy rain showers this morning. A brief pre-meeting visit to the Reserve was rewarded with a very fleeting glimpse of a Grasshopper Warbler, reeling away happily from the depths of a Hawthorn, then diving into a clump of reeds. This afternoon, a Swift flew west past the beach, making good headway into the gale!

A considerably better view than today's, but they all count!

So, despite less than ideal conditions, that's 10 new species in the last 3 days! Hopefully this will keep going for another week or so!

The Ruff and the smooth

2006-04-24T21:01:00.000+01:00

A strange day today! Heard a Whitethroat singing as soon as I got out the car, then saw a Whinchat and 16 Wheatears as the morning got warmer. Then, the wind got up and there was not much to be seen for the rest of the day, although I managed to avoid seeing a Tree Pipit & a Yellow Wagtail which did the usual fly-over-and-call-once thing!

Late afternoon and a smart summer-plumage Black-tailed Godwit and a moulting male Ruff had appeared. So 4 more year ticks. This is more like it!

Sunny Sundays

2006-04-23T18:32:00.000+01:00

There used to be a character in "Viz" magazine called "The Parkie" (maybe there still is?). His catchphrase was along the lines of "I hate the b*****d sun 'cos all the b*****d scum come out". How true. Planes, microlites, helipcopters, dogs running about, folk wandering around disturbing innocent wildlife, and to cap it all, some arse who decided to drive his fancy pick-up onto the mudflats rather than walk the 100 yards to collect his kids...

Surprisingly, it was a pretty good day bird-wise. Finally got my first House Martin of the year, and a couple of Puffins offshore. Bizarrely, a few minutes later, a Little Auk flew past heading rapidly east. In a strong westerly at the end of April?? That would get thrown out by the rarities committee if it was on the list! This afternoon, a Little Tern appeared, fishing on the outgoing tide. Didn't get any last spring so that's a decent record. That's the Reserve list up to 125 now...

ARSE.

So Swift I missed it!

2006-04-22T20:23:00.000+01:00

Summer migrants continue to appear in a trickle, rather than the rush expected about now. Missed a Swift (early!) today, seen by a couple of folk in a group I was leading. Sometimes there's no justice! But definite visible migration today, with 1200+ Meadow Pipits W/hr as well as 30+ Swallows and 40+ Sand Martins.

A Tawny Owl flying through one of the small areas of woodland was an unexpected bonus and brings the Reserve list up to 121. 178 for the year is, however, looking decidedly optimistic!

Yesterday!

2006-04-21T09:27:00.000+01:00

Far too late in last night to write anything...

Yesterday, a bit more migration in evidence, with 18 Wheatears and a Common Tern (bringing the Reserve List up to 120). A light easterly wind for a change, but a bit wet in the afternoon. If this weather keeps up, we might finally get a few more arrivals eg. Whinchat, Redstart, Yellow Wagtail & Tree Pipit although the latter two usually just fly over, call once and are gone. A bit of luck may be needed to catch up with them!

Calm, warm and sunny...

2006-04-19T19:13:00.000+01:00

... which must mean I was stuck in a meeting all morning. But at least there was cake!

This afternoon, pretty quiet - 1 Wheatear and a few Swallows were the only signs of migration, but it was very pleasant out there with a good flock of 77 Sanderling on the beach. Apart from the incessant buzz of overhead microlites. Do Scottish Natural Heritage grant-aid surface-to-air missiles??

"Noisy b******ds!"

All quiet on the Western Front

2006-04-18T18:18:00.000+01:00

No dead Eiders today which is obviously good news. Not much else doing either though, with strong winds making seeing anything pretty tricky.

But on a more positive note, managed to get the Reserve strimmer working! Always a relief on the first attempt of the year.

This Eider's just about clinging on to life...

It's oh so quiet...

2006-04-17T21:45:00.000+01:00

Strong westerly winds today, and not much to be seen. Just for a change. However, the second dead Eider here in two days, sent off for bird-flu testing is a bit of a worry. Probably won't find out result for a week though...

On an even more worrying note, it seems that a number of the local heavy birders are all going for a big Lothian list this year. This may threaten the Lothian record of 219 (which I hold!). Hope it's not too good a year then!!

Is this actually spring?

2006-04-15T17:37:00.000+01:00

Another day of two halves! Out very early this morning in beautiful warm sunshine, lots singing (including my first Willow Warblers), a couple of Common Sandpipers, and a pleasure to be out. Then, the visitors began arriving...

Dogs running about, folk wandering through the middle of nesting Lapwings, low planes, even lower microlites and to cap it all, two escaped ponies apparently heading my way. Fortunately, they were caught before they got here!

So this afternoon was spent putting up a number of signs so that some of the more irresponsible members of our population don't cause too many problems. There also seemed to be a bit of migration going on, with 30+ Sand Martins and 11 Wheatears moving through. Hopefully things are starting to happen. Watch this space!

PS Missed another Osprey yesterday

Swanning around

2006-04-12T22:23:00.000+01:00

Another bird flu meeting. Dying swans that were actually just asleep on the nest. And so it goes on!

Not much moving today, other than Meadow Pipits, but 2 Rooks were the first for the Reserve this year!

Dead ducks?

2006-04-11T22:29:00.000+01:00

Got a call to go and check out two dead "ducks" incase they might be victims of THE FLU. They weren't. Nor were they ducks. In fact, a Guillemot and a Gannet...

Otherwise, 4 Sandwich Terns (at last), a Greenshank and a Snow Bunting (which I've missed a few of here this year) + a couple of Wheatears. Maybe migration has started at last?

Now on 115 for the Reserve this year.

Is anything still alive out there?

2006-04-10T20:09:00.000+01:00

So, now we have to look out for sneezing, depressed, sniffly or dead birds. Already, the office has been inundated with phone calls, including reports of a dead pheasant on the road. Could this be a bird flu case? Bloody hell!!

It does appear that the disease has accounted for all summer migrants though. Not much doing today...

Up north

2006-04-09T21:00:00.000+01:00

Just returned from a few days up on the west coast. Sometimes, you forget that this country is magnificient!

Ok, so the weather can be a bit dodgy, but a couple of days of good company, several beers and superb scenery is very uplifting. Didn't do a lot of birding due to persistent horizontal snow showers, but it's always good to see Black Guillemots & Ravens as well as see my first Greenshank of the year (11 of them in fact) at the head of a sea loch.

"What??"

Back to reality with a bang though. Bird flu!! Hopefully there will be a few birds still alive when I get back to the Reserve tomorrow. Judging by the mass hysteria though, we're all doomed...

Two swallows...

2006-04-05T22:29:00.000+01:00

But definitely not summer. Bloody freezing and still no migration going on, although the Brents have flown off. South probably...?

The north wind doth blow...

2006-04-04T23:29:00.000+01:00

...and we shall have little or no migration! One Wheatear today, but on a more positive note, at least one Chiiffchaff singing (which I saw this time), and a female Goosander. So the Reserve list creeps up a little further, unlike the temperature.

One swallow doesn't make a spring...

2006-04-03T18:04:00.000+01:00

Dry and bright, but with a chilly NW wind and a few nasty hail showers this afternoon. Still not the most encouraging conditions for the arrival of migrants (why does this seem to happen every year?). But, a [Barn] Swallow at last, as well as 4 Wheatears, a couple of Sand Martins, still the 8 Brents, a Short-eared Owl, and whole load of frisky Shelduck.

"I WANT TO HAVE A BABY"

Bloody typical!

2006-04-02T19:11:00.000+01:00

First day off for a week, and an Osprey flies over the Reserve...

April Fools...

2006-04-02T00:29:00.000+01:00

First day of the Easter holidays, and it's sunny. That can only mean one thing - lots of people, a fair few of whom have no comprehension what nature reserves are about. For example, a great place to let the dog have a run around; a wee wander down to the pond, scattering flocks of Teal everywhere; or perhaps to take a group of nine folk through an area you've got fenced off to prevent disturbance to nesting Lapwings? No!!! But they were all out today. There are days when a sniper rifle would be a useful bit of kit...

On a slightly more positive note, a Wheatear appeared at last. So they're not extict then! The Brents are still here, plus a few more Sand Martins. Reserve list up to 109...

Better late than never...

A day of two halfs.

2006-03-31T21:46:00.000+01:00

This morning, surprise surprise, pouring rain. Again. However, at least 11 Sand martins had arrived and I also heard a Chiffchaff though, frustratingly, couldn't see it (so it doesn't count for the year-list!). Brents still there though. This afternoon, warm and sunny! A couple of Short-eared Owls flying around - drying out? The Reserve is awash, with so much recent rain and one of the highest tides of the year. Fortunately, I don't think any Lapwings are on eggs yet, as they'd be floating! Seems to be raining again tonight...

Saturation point?

2006-03-30T19:01:00.000+01:00

More water... Rain for most of the day, with a cool easterly wind and still no Wheatears, though the Brents were still there. Also a very high tide which has contributed to the general swampyness of the Reserve! But today's highlight was a White-fronted Goose (probably Greenland race) seen from the traffic jam on the A8000. Always pays to keep the binos handy!

Late spring?

2006-03-29T19:01:00.000+01:00

Well, no rain today, just a howling westerly! Not a great incentive for summer migrants to arrive, so still no Wheatears despite a few reported elsewhere. Brent Geese still here though...

Three of the eight Brent Geese that arrived yesterday.

A male Stonechat - a total of at least 8 around today, 4 males & 4 females.

Why does it always rain on me?

2006-03-28T16:20:00.000+01:00

This has been the driest winter here I can remember, apart from the last 5 days when the rain has hardly stopped! Just in time for spring. Fortunately it's mild, the Lapwings are displaying, Stonechats singing and there does seem to be decent numbers of Reed Buntings and Skylarks around after a few poor years. Hopefully, they'll get decent weather for imminent nesting. Time will tell, as the breeding bird census starts soon. But at least the rain keeps the people away!

The damp weather also seems to have started an amphibian orgy!!

Bird of the day: 8 (dark-bellied) Brent Geese - a good spring record, brings the list up to 108 here this year.

Some background...

2006-03-27T22:16:00.000+01:00

I've been birding for about 30 years and worked here for 14! Up to today, I've seen 317 species in Scotland, without too much twitching (honest), with 271 in the Lothians (ie East Lothian, Midlothian, West Lothian and the city of Edinburgh). The vast majority of my birding is in East Lothian... It's not the biggest county in Scotland, and certainly doesn't offer the best variety of birds, but you never quite know what's going to turn up. Usually nothing. But every now and then...

So far this year, I've seen 121 species in the Lothians, without a lot of effort. Highlights have included Arctic Redpoll, Surf Scoter and Bittern. I'll hopefully end up with 200+ if it's a good year. But, I'm more interested in beating my best of 177 for the Reserve in a year. Only 71 to go, with my first summer migrant, a Ring Ouzel, added this morning. Watch this space

An introduction...

2006-03-27T17:00:00.000+01:00

Well here goes! I hope you'll find this an interesting/entertaining account of one person's day-to-day efforts in trying to combine doing his bit for the local wildlife as well as satisfying his inner desires as a birder to see something interesting...