Wk 4-8 October

On Monday morning 2 juv Swallows opposite the nest site watched to dusk on Sunday evening were apparently long out of the nest; an adult was overhead in the evening and battling the wind on Tuesday evening but looks like breeding activity has ceased - will request entry to barn on Saturday to check nest.

Monday also saw 3 Med Gulls in the Seton pre-roost, a new adult with a single metal ring on right leg, plus an unringed adult and the regular 2nd-win. Couldn't find the latter on Wednesday but a right leg red-darvic adult looked very much like Cherry Blossom, not seen since 22 August. A couple of Sandwich Terns on the shore and 19 Barnacle Geese also flew past SW just offshore at dusk.

On Thursday morning a beautiful juv Chiffchaff was feeding along the burn past the Community Centre in Longniddry. Talk on vismig is of an imminent thrush invasion by the wknd, so it will be eyes to the skies again.

On cue, Song Thrushes and Redwing over the house on Friday morning, but no great flood yet. Busy afternoon - 3 Shag darvics at Wrecked Craigs, including blue-CCT seen previously, 2006 onwards, ringed on the Isle of May on 14/7/98 (so 12 yrs old). 49 GBB present, all but 8 being imm, mainly juvs, a new record count for here. First Purple Sand back on harbour wall. 5 Sandwich Tern and a dark presumed Arctic Skua offshore. Amazingly, ad m Swallow still visiting nest at Seton East, calls of juvs in barn now clearly audible, and a fledged juv (previous brood?) coming in to perch on top of door. Calling juv Chiffchaff there. Finally 17 Barnacle Geese SW over house, plus Cormorant N, 16:00hrs.

Friday 8 October "ad m Swallow still visiting barn with food, 14:30, 15:30hrs, juvs inside now clearly audible; one other juv perched on top of barn door; splash of white on left tail streamer of ad".