BIRDING LOTHIAN
Birding Lothian
www.birdinglothian.co.uk
birdinglothian@hotmail.co.uk
Bird of the month was a Grey Phalarope at Dunbar found on the 21st, which remained just off the East Beach and continued to perform well into December. Full advantage was taken of this surprisingly long stay and this bird provided more than a few birders with a county tick. Another Grey Phalarope was along the tide line at Thorntonloch on the 9th, this one was certainly more brief but did show extremely well and good photographs of both these birds showed them to be different individuals.
Another highlight was the Tyninghame Shore Lark flock which remained faithful to the saltmarsh at the north of JMCP.Originally 4 were seen on the 30th October but their numbers grew into November with the flock hovering around 10 for much of the month, 12 were counted on the 15th & 16th. Although the numbers do seem to have dropped slightly into December, the majority at least seem to have got through the first wave of the extreme winter conditions and hopefully will remain until the spring. 2 Common Cranes along mudflats by Cramond Island on the 11th were just minutes too brief in their stay, to the disappointment of several birders including a few who were arriving as both birds flew off.
There were two sightings of Smew during November and both were coastal, with redheads on the sea at Musselburgh (20th) and one off Dunbar (30th). It is possible both these sightings relate to the same bird, and perhaps with the absence of the usual female at Linlithgow during this time we cannot rule out this individual. A report of 2 Red Kite’s at Portmore (Borders) in late October was prior warning to their appearance on the Lothian side, with both birds relocating to nearby Gladhouse Reservoir from the 1st-24th at least. It appears these birds, both showing wing-tags, originated from Stirling District. A Little Egret at Tyninghame remained from October and was still present until 20th at least.
Brian Henderson
The Tyninghame Shore Lark flock (peaking at 12) was popular with a lot of birders during November.
Kris Gibb
This Red Kite was one of two at Gladhouse for much of the month.
Mike Thrower
This cracking Grey Phalarope at Dunbar was bird of the month for most.
Several seawatching days were productive and one of the real highs was the incredible passage of Little Auks on the morning of the 9th, with at least 1000 of these amazing birds passing Torness in just 3 hours and well over 300 in just an hour off Barns Ness… because of the weather and difficult viewing conditions so many more must have been missed! Other Little Auks were seen off Ferny Ness including 12 (17th) and 11 (18th), 15 passed Barns Ness on the 8th. Singles of Sooty and Manx Shearwater past Barns Ness on the 9th, but best of all was a Storm Petrel off there on the 8th. Pomarine Skua sightings included 24 off South Queensferry (9th), 3 Scoughall (6th), 2 Hounds Point (8th) and singles off Ferny Ness (6th) and Barns Ness (9th).
The long staying but elusive Black Guillemot was again seen off Musselburgh on the 28th and Great Northern Divers were off Dunbar (19th & 23rd) and Torness (9th). A flock of 13 White-fronted Geese in off at Barns Ness on the 5th is an excellent count of this very scarce species.Small numbers of Brent Geese were seen including 3 at Tyninghame on the (20th). Glaucous Gulls passed Barns Ness (9th) and Dunbar (17th) could possibly have been the same bird hanging around. Mediterranean Gulls were again easy to find, but 6 together at Seton Sands (14th) is potentially a Scottish Record Count and one in Roslin (5th) was notable. A late Sandwich Tern was at Musselburgh (27th) and an inland Red-throated Diver flew over Penicuik (30th).
The long staying Water Pipit at Barns Ness was seen throughout, and was joined by a late Whinchat (7th-11th). A male Black Redstart was near Yellowcraigs (17th). Lapland Buntings included 7 over Musselburgh (6th) and 4 at Barns Ness (5th), Snow Bunting numbers increased with 24 also at Barns Ness (8th) the high count. Several late Swallows were seen with the last reported at Skateraw (15th).
A huge arrival of Waxwings produced high counts of 500 in Sighthill (14th), 400 in Musselburgh (19th), 300 around Balgreen, Edinburgh (1st week), 250 over Queen St (21st), 200 at Fountainbridge (29th) and 200 near Dunbar (22nd-26th), hundreds more were reported!
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