Wknd 16-17 March

Whoopers on grass at Muirton numbered 38 (10 juvs), 2 yellow darvics, both left leg, one being the individual with darvic attached to the foot, seen at Prora in Feb (below), code still not confirmed but perhaps DV3. A fine display by an adult Peregrine powering in over the fields which for weeks have contained Curlew and flushing at least 80 of them, did not see it catching anything though.

Seton harbour dusk Saturday, fishing boat LH42 came in from Fife side - initially not visible (below horizon) but marked by flock of Gannets plunge diving, eventually came into the harbour at 18:45hrs, 30 mins after sunset, with 30 ad Gannet (and gathering of large gulls) around it until last kilometer when they steadily peeled off. Last Gannets seen heading NW offshore 18:47hrs. So where do Gannets roost? Per Bryan Nelson's book "The Gannet": "the can live at sea indefinitely, roosting on the water in the wildest of winter weather". Other roost movements noted were: Red-throated Diver E at 18:22hrs, the usual sea duck mainly W but also some E, 20+ GBB west (not east to islands) some alighting on Cockenzie pier amongst the Cormorants - but only a handful of the latter and I still wonder also where this species congregates to roost locally.