Wknd 30-31 October

A frustrating wknd with no internet access due to broadband fault from Friday pm until Sunday evening. No time for proper post so below is expanded from LBN message:

vismig both days, fortunately overlapping Ian's counts at Muss, confirms Musselburgh is a much better location, or Ian a better counter! My Saturday totals from Longniddry were less than a half for same period, much fewer Chaffinch, and Sunday even lower; nevertheless ystdy in total:

209 Siskin, 35 Crossbill, 18 Waxwing, 1 Brambling, 1 Rock Pipit

Siskins still moving mid-afternoon in Aberlady when another 12 Waxwing plus another extended flock (c. 200) distantly SW almost certainly Waxwing too. Full counts on trektellen. A female Peregrine was out on the mud.

Also ystdy, c. 1780 Golden Plover on the rocky shore at Port Seton, Long Craigs.

This afternoon, 89 Whoopers (17 juv, including one b5) in stubble by Rattlebags quarry (near East Fenton) included 3 new darvics, E7B, G4F and S55; latter was ringed as a juv by Allan Brown on the River Tay at Flukie Fishing Lodge, Kinfauns, near Perth on 29/1/10, last seen there 19/3/10. Also one metal only (right, perhaps same as last winter). Unusually two flew to roost towards Aberlady, passing over Fenton Barns at dusk.

Also at East Fenton, 17 Waxwings flycatching and at dusk 24 arrived at the entrance track to the main house at Fenton Barns and probably went to roost there.

Best sight of the weekend was a Tree Sparrow in our tiny garden amongst the usual House Sparrows - common enough elsewhere in the neighbourhood but our first in 7 years.

The Brambling ystdy was also new for the garden list, these being species 91 & species 92. vismig ought to eventually yield 100 species - some obvious targets still left with Reed Bunting, Tree Pipit, Twite and Yellowhammer, all regular on vis on the coast, and a few more optimistic ones needed for the final gap - Yellow Wagtail, Lap Bunt (will there ever be a better opportunity than this winter?), Snow Bunt and Rock Pipit (last three all seen passing Ferny Ness). My previous speculation on garden list targets now looks rather redundant, though one or two others may still be realistic, certainly a few more common ducks (Teal, Wigeon) and waders (Snipe, Woodcock).