Wknd 25-26 September

In recent days Seton Sands pre-roost (above) found to hold a minimum of 5 Med Gulls, perhaps 7 - max together was 3 adults and a 1st-win on Tuesday 21st. Strangely, very few Sandwich Terns this year whilst last year 40+ were regular in September. 150+ Golden Plover are back though.

Just after midnight on Friday the first yapping Barnacle Geese heard over the house, no doubt en route to the Solway, a week earlier than first nocturnal migrants heard last year. Some are satellite tracked and online maps show that one of those remains phenomenally far north, in north-east Greenland.

vis on Saturday morning produced 44 Barnacle Geese past Ferny Ness c. 09:00hrs (full count). 2nd national BigVis count follows tmrw, should be a few counting again in Fife and Angus, would be great to have some counters on the North Sea coast in Lothian too :)

Little improvement on Sunday with not much movement (full count), though a single dark Arctic moved E offshore before settling on the sea; an adult Med (unringed, above) was on Longniddry beach, as is often the case.

Later was in Dunbar, but only time for a quick look at the sea - nevertheless, what a contrast with far more passing offshore than in the Forth - various ducks and waders north, plus 4 herons, and a steady stream of Manx; 2 skuas, both very distant. The other contrast is the Gannets - not one adult in the 63+ logged in the Forth last 3 days but off Dunbar great streams of adults and the immatures a tiny minority. Do adult Gannets learn it is not worth venturing into the Forth, or are all those remaining still tied to the rock by young?

First Redwings over on Monday, following widespread reports from vismiggers in the Pennines and elsewhere on Sunday 26 September.