Sparse pickings - persisted with seawatching from Seton/Cockenzie harbours (pic of latter above), on Thursday squeezed out 30 mins during daughter's ballet exam and was pleased to get 10 juv + 1 2nd-win Gannet and right at the end a dark juv Pom Skua coming down in the sea. More frustrating was a diver sp W almost certainly a Black-throated.
Back for 90 mins on Sunday afternoon, with a decent WSW5 wind and good visibility (apart from the car rocking around) - a pale juv skua soon came in from E, did some harrying, then proceeded W, most likely a Pom but did not appear that bulky and could not exclude Arctic; 16+ ad Kittiwakes W (finally got a winter record for NT47D!), also 7 Whoopers (4 juv) as per above (full count). Frustration again though with a small gull with black primary wedges and Sabine's pattern mantle, appearing dull grey not brown - in 20 mins watching, during which time it drifted out towards mid Channel, never detected any hint of black pattern on wings, nor tail tip, it was also quite white-headed - a bit late for an ad-win Sabines's though! May have felt worse had it not been for the certain juv there a month ago. Hmmmm, I wonder what more would be yielded here by investment of a little more time?!Saturday noted one Waxwing in flight over Aberlady high street, Kingston stubbles now ploughed and free of swans.
Earlier in week brief excitement with report of a Hawfinch in Longniddry, though turning to doubt when another reported from Tyninghame, finally confirmation the former was erroneous. Oh well, we live in hope! That species, plus Cory's Shearwater, Honey Buzzard, Grey Phalarope and Water Pipit, probably the few regular Lothian birds I still need for my British/Scottish life list ;) Elsewhere Hawfinch are shot for fun, please click protest link via the CABS site.
Finally a sunset from Hoprig during the week, below; Yellowhammer singing here twice recently!
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