Wknd 9-10 Jan

Desperate times for many bird locally, with lots of evidence of hardship now - coastal strip stuffed with birds, e.g. at Seton Burn this afternoon, 90+ Fieldfare in small buckthorn patch, some foraging on shore where rock pools frozen (above), male Stonechat still there observed eating buckthorn berries [normal diet almost entirely insectivorous, but BWP does state "exceptionally seeds", only other plant matter mentioned being blackberries], Lapwing in horse field just inland feeding under trees where some exposed grass, Dunnock and Linnet at stream on upper shore, Tree Sparrow, Yammer and Bullfinch also present where normally scarce. On the shore, ad graellsii LBB (Lucy) and 3 male Goldeneye on sea.

At Prestonpans, Skylarks in Lidl c/p and Woodcock in the small bush patch in grassy area at The Humlocks (had spotted a gap in map for this species, so said to my son let's have a look in those bushes - before even reaching them a Woodcock was visible in a small clearing near the edge; tetrads now complete along the coast from N Berwick to Musselburgh).

Sunday at similar locations - m Stonechat still surviving on shore by Seton Burn, and ad LBB still there in pre-roost; down around Cockenzie conditions improving with most snow gone on grassy areas, but Song Thrush still on beach and more waders out of place, the Goldie below by the track on Seton west harbour at dusk, standing right next to car.

Also, amazing report per Abbie of 2 Red Grouse at Coates in Garleton Hills on Tuesday, perhaps unprecedented? Certainly none have been reported from there in recent years, 1991 onwards at least, map. Heard later that a few had been seen the same day at Skid Hill, in NT57. Latest tetrad map (scroll down and click W).

Tuesday 11/1 an unusual record of Goldcrest in the garden.