East Coast Magic trips have become a tradition with the group where the aim is to travel to the east coast on two consecutive days in October and hope for a 'fall of migrants' and maybe even some rarities!
Being the leader, I had to decide where we were heading and having consulted tide times, weather forecasts and recent reports, I concluded we should start at St Abbs NNR in the Borders - a journey of c100 miles. Agnes who was driving made good time and we arrived after around two and a quarter hours.
We travelled through some heavy rain but when we arrived, as per the forecast, it was now just a light drizzle. We set off around the Mire Loch and a few hours later we had seen a good range of birds but nothing too unusual - loads of Goldcrests, Robins and thrushes as well as Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Brambling, Redstart and a very confiding Lesser Whitethroat which is normally very skulking. We also had a flyby of Pink-footed and Barnacle Geese.
The weather wasn't really suitable for photography but I did manage record shots of a Brambling ......
Brambling - Mire Loch, St Abbs - 15 October 2016
... and some Pink-footed Geese ...........
Pink-footed Geese - over Mire Loch, St Abbs - 15 October 2016
With the weather forecast suggesting the rain would slowly clear-up from the east coast, the plan was to leave St Abbs early afternoon and head for Torness and/or Barns Ness. Receiving some up-to-date info (thanks Fiona), I decided we should head for Torness and the car park next to the visitor centre. When we arrived it was quite dull, hence no photos - so here is one I took earlier .....
Torness Power Station - Visitor Centre car park - 2015
There were a number of birders present and we were soon looking at Pallas's Warbler (2), Yellow-browed Warbler, Great Grey Shrike, lots of Goldcrests, Redstart, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and the 'resident' Peregrine on the Power Station. Although the sun did come out I was too busy enjoying the birds so my camera stayed locked in the mini bus - I always find if I don't have my camera I get great views of the birds!
So a great day with life ticks for some of the Group. I was a wee bit disappointed as I had hoped that we might stumble across a Dusky Warbler or a Radde's Warbler, but it wasn't to be.
Sadly, I was not able to go on the 'East Coast Magic 2' trip today as I am the announcer at Glasgow Speedway - even more sadly the speedway was postponed, due to rain, so I could have gone!
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