Wknd 19-20 June

Seton harbour, 22:00hrs above - only a few imm gulls there and still no confirmed breeding of gull species on roofs here, perhaps I'm missing them, they were there in the last atlas?

Unable to join the atlas foray to Craik, managed to get my repeat visit done to NT47C (Blindwells). Unfortunately I was asked to leave the site due to the heavy plant moving around, but not before noting that the area favoured by shingle-nesting species had been unearthed in their activities. More heartening was observation of a fledged Stonechats again, first atlas confirmed breeding of Stonechat for the 10km (though b5 there on 3 August 2008, just "out of season" and tetrad not known), and a Lesser Whitethroat in song alongside the main road at the turn to Seton farm shop. The latter was a surprise, since I've passed several times, and many times in the past, not having heard one there, and is only fourth recorded in NT47, all being single records, perhaps unpaired wandering birds. 4 Sand Martins over the pool was also a surprise, though have seen there several times now, just possibly they are breeding in a bank somewhere in one of the working areas or elsewhere in the neighbourhood. Tetrad totals reached 82 species with 29 confirmed, with at least 10 more which are certainly there and still need confirmed.

Sunday did my repeat visit to the fragment of land in NT47I spanning Longniddry Bents. Plenty young Willow Warblers at large now, also Whitethroat breeding proved and families of small birds Wren, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit and Coal Tit and heaving with Blue Tits as everywhere this year. Least expected was pr Siskin in pines by c/p 2, presumably wandering failed breeders. Final tetrad totals 80 species with 21 confirmed, not many more likely.

Out of the area sad news that the ancient (20+ yrs) female Osprey at Loch of Lowes is down, her two chicks still some way off fledging, blog post. One of my first notebook bird records was seeing Ospreys at this site 35 years ago, when I was as old as my daughter is now. By midweek it seems she is recovering.