Lothian Birding (6 Viewers)

[WelchS]

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.

Yes, the possibility of "dead" (or perhaps "sickly"?) did occur to me, which would change the picture rather - but I think David would have mentioned if it had been collected!

Maybe some winter seawatching is in order...

Absolutely. I'm sure a lot of the trends displayed by seawatch species are heavily influenced by observer effort. They are out there in mid-winter but not many people are looking. Having said that I did have an optimistic look out at the wknd having seen the Fife reports of Little Auks (at last!) but no joy, nothing moving whatsoever

 

[Mike swims like a fish]

Maybe I am just a cynic, and I will be happy to be proved wrong, but I don't know that many "top observers" who don't either get news out immediately or at least post something on the internet after the event.

I suspect this will end up being nothing more than the 'report' that David posted this as on LBN

Mike

 

[Birdspotter]

I suspect this will end up being nothing more than the 'report' that David posted this as on LBN/QUOTE]

Anyone know who's claiming this?


Good luck to them is all I can say.

 

[david kelly]

I have said all I am going to say about the report on LBN and will not disclose the observer or any further details. The record has been submitted and will now be in the public domain but it is up to the observer to publicise any further details. I will clarify that the bird was live, my original post on LBN was

"A report of a Yelkouan Shearwater off Leith on 23 December has been submitted to BBRC by the observer."

The use of the word "off" should tell you that it wasn't a tideline corpse.

Regards

David

 

[Mike swims like a fish]

It seems the Forth is morphing into the Med - first a Yelkouan Shear in late December, the a Audoiun's Gull in late January! What's going on!

 

[Morg]

Maybe some winter seawatching is in order...

errr... possible audouin's Musselburgh today :eek!: see LBN for details, but, in short, plumage and structure seemed good :t: but view very brief :C

Geoff

 

[Birdspotter]

I have said all I am going to say about the report on LBN and will not disclose the observer or any further details.

Dave,

As far as I can make out nobody has asked you to divulge anything!|:S|

My question was to other birders (or the obsever concerned) out there who perhaps knew who it was, as for the clue regarding the word "off" thanks for that as that cleared that up a lot:t:

 

[G Anderson]

I have said all I am going to say about the report on LBN and will not disclose the observer or any further details.

Dave,

As far as I can make out nobody has asked you to divulge anything!|:S|

My question was to other birders (or the obsever concerned) out there who perhaps knew who it was, as for the clue regarding the word "off" thanks for that as that cleared that up a lot:t:

Got my suspicions on who this might be Cal, someone extremely well know in British birding, with a history of string, who visits Edinburgh at Christmas! Could be wrong, won't mention the name here!

Anyhow, I'm grilling Gulls tomorrow at Musselburgh!

Cheers G

 

[Birdspotter]

Got my suspicions on who this might be Cal, someone extremely well know in British birding, with a history of string, who visits Edinburgh at Christmas! Could be wrong, won't mention the name here!

Anyhow, I'm grilling Gulls tomorrow at Musselburgh!

Cheers G

Thanks for that G, so there it is folks straight from Gordon.................
SANTA CLAUS:-O

 

[Birdspotter]

Got a txt t/ay re about a Red Grouse found freshly dead in Holyrood Park t/ay, with also a report of 3-4 just over a week or so, from a member of the public who told the park staff.

Seems that there was a lot of these birds displaced in Lothian due to the snow on the hills, as I have heard that around half a dozen were seen in East Loth, including Tyninghame!

Good luck with the Gull G, Geoff;s desc seems encouraging I just hope for his sake its refound as I know all about the agony that he is going through at the mo!

In no way am I dissing this bird but a wee note of caution here, there have been a couple of recent instances of Audouin's type Gulls in Britain & Ireland that resembled this species but were quite clearly hybrids, the bird in Ireland in particular I seem to remember.

Though if you do find it a wee phone call will instantly have me coming down with a severe case of stomach problems, my grannie being deid or sorry boss iv.e gotta go the cats been run over

 

[G Anderson]

Got a txt t/ay re about a Red Grouse found freshly dead in Holyrood Park t/ay, with also a report of 3-4 just over a week or so, from a member of the public who told the park staff.

Seems that there was a lot of these birds displaced in Lothian due to the snow on the hills, as I have heard that around half a dozen were seen in East Loth, including Tyninghame!

Good luck with the Gull G, Geoff;s desc seems encouraging I just hope for his sake its refound as I know all about the agony that he is going through at the mo!

In no way am I dissing this bird but a wee note of caution here, there have been a couple of recent instances of Audouin's type Gulls in Britain & Ireland that resembled this species but were quite clearly hybrids, the bird in Ireland in particular I seem to remember.

Though if you do find it a wee phone call will instantly have me coming down with a severe case of stomach problems, my grannie being deid or sorry boss iv.e gotta go the cats been run over

Yeah, I,ll give it a good look tomorrow, mate, and will have my phone ready! Seems like a few folk will be around, there certainly was for the (big rare) Lap Bunt on Monday.

Your note of caution is well called, quite often gulls with the ash on legs at Musselburgh , but Morgs description sounds good...

fingers crossed!

Cheers G

 

[Mike swims like a fish]

Managed a filthy bit of twitching down to Mussy today to bag the Lap Bunt - didn't fancy waiting for the w/e when it would probably have been even more heaving than this week. Missed a flock of Brent's which would have been a nice self found tick, assuming I had seen them without being prompted that is :-C

That takes me to 109 for the year, of which 105 self found (well by the rules I am following anyway.....a bit of Punks with a bit of common sense thrown in). I see TOC has now joined the legions of 2010 year listers in Lothian on BUBO - well for legions read 5 . I think Kris Gibb might join us at some stage, given he asked me for the link to the page today.......it just needs you to start now CS and we'll all be on

Mike

 

[Morg]

Adult Med Gull at Seaton Sands today was best gull I could manage. It seemed to have some staining across some of the primaries of the left wing - saw an oiled BhG as well.

sinensis cormorant on Duddingstone this am. phot attached - any comments? smaller and shorter billed than accompanying carbo - gular angle estimated to be at least 85 dgrees in field

Geoff

Geoff

 

[Mike swims like a fish]

A jaunt around East Lothian today saw me at Tyninghame first thing with Nuthatch being the self found highlight, but Green Sand the best bird. Checked the fields inland of Barns Ness for the possible Bean's later, but couldn't even find the Greylag flock! A brief stop at Yellowcraig for Brent Goose bizarrely grazing on Fidra, followed by finally nailing the Firecrest at Gosford has me on 118 for the year, of which 112 self found. I didn't think I was taking this very seriously, but maybe my competitive nature has kicked in? Somehow I still think with a 16 month old I won't be able to keep up later in the year, but who knows.

Oh also managed to finally get hold of the last Lothian Bird Report I needed for a full set - 2000 in the bag

 

[G Anderson]

Hey Mike,
Some folk ,like me , still need that one! My competitive spirit has been kicked out already, thanks to two week s being ill and and a lack of competitive spirit to being with, still less than 100 (self found!) for year!

Cheers G

 

[Mike swims like a fish]

Hey Mike,
Some folk ,like me , still need that one! My competitive spirit has been kicked out already, thanks to two week s being ill and and a lack of competitive spirit to being with, still less than 100 (self found!) for year!

Cheers G

It is the proverbial rocking horse s**t year to get from what I am told - I've had the feelers out for a while and came up trumps this week. I know at least one other has surfaced recently, as CND has also managed to get one, but there wasn't a big print run that year so for another to surface now would be surprising..........but you never know

Mike

 

[G Anderson]

It is the proverbial rocking horse s**t year to get from what I am told - I've had the feelers out for a while and came up trumps this week. I know at least one other has surfaced recently, as CND has also managed to get one, but there wasn't a big print run that year so for another to surface now would be surprising..........but you never know

Mike

Yeah, thanks Mike,

Funnily enough, LBR started in 79, my first year actually keeping notes, and the sadly now defunct Scottish Bird Report (RIP) started on my, er, first year 68.

Not sure what that means, !?

Anyroad, down the North Sea coast yesterday and nowt notable seen, quite nice though!

Cheers G

 

[Birdspotter]

Tis was freezing today lads with that North wind wasnt it?

Also down the coast with highlights Water Rail, Kingfisher and Wapit.

Lots of Gulls coasing it today as they headed north, but saw nothing unusual amongst em.

Back out tomm for the Ross's, but I will settle for a Bonie's

 

[Morg]

I gave away my LBRs to SOC a few years ago when I 'gave up'. Just wasn't getting out in the field enough when the kids were younger and thought I didn't need to do it any more... how wrong I was! Mike, you are really showing how it should be done! Well done, by the way, pulling ahead on the year list, you should hit 120 this week?

I only added Grey Partridge today - family day out to ... you guessed it ... East Lothian coast (followed by drive home taking in the Lammermuirs!). Ha, I'm going to suggest Linlithgow Palace in the next few weeks - assuming the smew is still there?... anyone know?

Anybody take a look at the cormorants on Duddingstone? I know sinensis is meant to be tricky but this one stood out like a sore thumb as it was standing next to a carbo. Unfortunately the carbo flew as I was messing around trying to phonescope them - should have blasted off a record shot with the DSLR first. If you have read the Newson ID paper (search Newson sinensis) size and bill length come out as good features as does the gular pouch - of course the Paxton-Pits website cautions against IDing almost anything in the field, which will maybe sway committees. The types of gular pouch angles that the latter paper would accept are generally found in sinensis from no nearer than Iraq - so maybe it is a little over-cautious?

Geoff

 

[mikeprince]

as for BUBO sorry Geoff I cant be arsed adding it all on!
Unless someone wants to do it for me

Oh go on then! It's nice to see a few Lothian listers embracing BUBO Listing. Of course I'm totally biased, but I think it's the best solution for anyone doing any form of fun or competitive listing, and we have a few improvements in the pipeline that will make it better for local areas. So I will add your list for you! If you can send me the details (of your life list, or Lothian, or Lothian year) I'll put it on for you. Just follow the instructions for importing lists - you'll need to register first - but ignore the bit about donating!