East Lothian Birding

Since my last post I've been through to the east coast twice and been birding locally twice!

This post will cover my travels in East Lothian.

On 26th, I travelled through to Aberlady Bay, by bus, for a relaxed walk in this beautiful Local Nature Reserve. Three days later (the 29th) it was a bit more frenetic as I travelled, with Peter, to Musselburgh, Port Seton, Torness, Barns Ness, John Muir Country Park and Aberlady Bay!!

Birds seen included Little Egret, Ruff, Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Grey Plover, Golden Plover and, surprisingly on the wader scrapes at Musselburgh, Sanderling.

There was some evidence of passerine migration at Torness with around 15 Wheatear on the sea wall.

Despite the breeze on both days, I also managed to see a few dragonflies and butterflies, with the highlight being Painted Lady at Torness.

A few images from both days:

Aberlady Bay - 26/8/16

Common Darter - Aberlady Bay - 26/8/16

Little Egrets - Aberlady Bay - 26/8/16

 

Juvenile Swallow - Musselburgh - 29/8/16

Speckled Wood - Musselburgh - 29/8/16

 Sandwich Terns, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, Common Tern and Turnstone - Port Seton - 29/8/16

Wheatear - Torness - 29/8/16

 

Painted Lady - Torness - 29/8/16

 

Barns Ness, looking towards Torness - 29/8/16

 

 

Lothian Wetland Bird Masterclass!

Note - click on the photos for a slide show (and a better view of the images).

On Friday (22 August) I travelled through to Port Seton in Lothian (900 bus from Buchanan St Bus Station to Edinburgh Princes Street and then Lothian Buses no 26 to Seton Sands).

At Port Seton I was met by hundreds of Sandwich Terns ........

 

........... spot the Kittiwake!

And spot the Common Tern!

 

The highlight, however, was this adult Mediterranean Gull .....

 

From Port Seton, I headed back to Musselburgh Lagoons (no. 26 bus to the stop before Levenhall roundabout) and a plethora of waders and some gulls ..................

 

Redshank

Dunlin

 

 Common Sandpiper

 Black-tailed Godwit

 Greenshank

Ruff

 

These were in addition to waders such as Oystercatcher, Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Lapwing, Ringed Plover, Turnstone and Snipe; plus a solitary Knot. Not a bad wader haul!

 

There were also a couple of Little Gulls with the Black-headed Gulls ...............

 

 A juvenile Little Gull

An adult Little Gull

 

From the scrapes I eventually visited the sea wall and managed a photo of a drake Velvet Scoter .............

 

 

However, with the light fading and the threat of rain ......

 

 

...... I reluctantly left this bird haven and returned home, until next week!

 

Finally, courtesy of the SOC Clyde Grapevine:

 

23 August 2014

Four Spotted Flycatchers in Dawsholm Park LNR, Glasgow, also two Ravens.