Sunday 18 November 2012

Wknd 17-18 November

The young Red-necked Grebe remained in residence on Saturday, exact same spot on resr; did not disturb it for more photos. The Whoopers had moved from Prora to other ploughed fields, perhaps ex-potatoes, south-west of East Fenton towards Fenton Barns; could not get a good count but 150+ there.

Scanning the Forth produced very little of note - skuas harder to find this year, just a couple of young Gannets and 6+ Slav Grebes off Ferny Ness Saturday, whilst a Black-throated Diver flew W past Port Seton early afternoon Sunday. The latter was my first here since May 2010 - a few possibles/probables in the gap but always tricky to confirm, sometimes easier in flight than on the sea as RTD can often show a white flank patch. Totalled my Lothian divers since 2004 and came to 523 RTD, 15 GND, 11 BTD (and 15 diver sp) which puts confirmed BTD at just below 2%!

Atlas is up and running for the final winter, my main priority will be missing owls and to assist the following two maps show tetrads where recorded in breeding but not yet in winter (updated to 25/11):

Three visits to New Winton/Boggs drew a blank but I believe Tawnies are there so will try again. Any assistance with these gaps most welcome - also for three other resident species shown below. In general struggling to find new tetrad ticks in our area, just 4 so far in 7 trips round East Lothian since 1 November (so 11 in total with those added by Jim/Abbie), though quite a few count increases with flocks of various species feeding inland in mild conditions/following ploughs.

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