Wknd 1-2 May

Sunday afternoon saw us in Gosford trying to boost some breeding evidence for NT47P; noisy young Herons, seemed to be 4 occupied nests; 5 Greylag broods all tiny (pic) b9, b7, b7, b4, b2, and 3 still sitting; 2 Nuthatch heard south of ponds with another 2 recently near Hungary House.

Later in Gosford Bay a congregation of 1070+ Common Scoter, mainly off Port Seton, with over 50 Sandwich Terns close in or on rocks, courting via feeding small fish and dropped wing display. 8 Red-throated Divers flew NE, including a flock of 5, not much else moving.

Saturday revisited the Ringed Plover site east of North Berwick to find it deserted, most likely predated though the tide was up to very close to where eggs had been seen. By contrast with last wk no vismig apparent, though one Common Tern fishing by The Leithies.

In previous wk early vismig at Gullane Point produced 4 Tree Pipits W, amongst 30+ late Mipits, plus 3 Swift. Most interesting, some hirundines were observed "cutting the corner" heading straight west offshore low over the sea, i.e. towards Kinghorn in Fife, and not following the Lothian coast - confirming my suspicion that Gullane should be a much superior site for spring vismig than my usual patch further round at Ferny Ness. A Lesser Whitethroat was rattling, pr seen, plus 3 singing Common Whitethroat and a couple of Sedge Warblers. 10+ Grasshopper Warblers reeling was also a good showing, together with 7 on the main reserve the following day perhaps a new record?