Sunday did the Eider count Port Seton to Craigielaw stretch, total 601 (44% female/juv); also 25+ Red-necked Grebe (many quite distant, but some decent groups off Longniddry beach), 192 Velvet Scoter (ultimately congregated NW off Ferny Ness) and 428 Common Scoter (420 well offshore eventually joining a single group, the rest quite close). 1 Manx Shearwater flew west. In recent years south Forth WeBS July counts in the range 2-4k, so with c. 1200 from Joppa to Craigielaw hopefully we'll have a comparable number this year. Quite a challenge counting and age/sex breakdown with rather variable light, eventually some rain clouds towards dusk as shown.
Also a large mixed flock of terns fishing off Craigielaw, mainly Sandwich but other potential species hard to differentiate at range, certainly Arctic in the mix with 25 of the latter on Aberlady shore amongst a separate gathering towards dusk.
Monday evening saw an unringed adult Med Gull back on Longniddry beach; have not looked for red-7P8 yet but now is about the time she usually reappears. Several recent reports for Forvie-ringed Sandwich Terns and Norwegian BHG, however I shall be concentrating on atlas again for at least the duration of August.
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