Wknd 1-2 March

Atlas work on nests really drawing to a close now, with so many species already underway with the next season - our own garden Woodpigeon entering leylandii at location of presumed nest since at least 23 February and Rooks all back en masse at colonies. Since mid-December nearly 500 more nest-tetrads, of which 220+ breeding confirms, these mostly Woodpigeon also 75 Carrion Crow, 20 Magpie, 3 Rook, 1 Jackdaw, 10 Buzzard, 2 Linnet. The vast majority of easy targets have gone anyway, last weekend mopped up Magpie for NT48R (Nisbet Road, Gullane - a location where there had been pioneers in the last tetrad atlas, map, but now with confirmed breeding all the way to North Berwick and beyond) and Carrion Crow at The Dam bridge, Tyninghame, right over the A198 (how did I miss it the first time?).

Had always planned to make an effort on that more colourful corvid at the end - of the 26 breeding confirms for Jay achieved in the whole of SE Scotland atlas only two had codes relating to nests, ON at Vogrie and Stevenson House. Initially focussed on woods around Gilmerton House, with Jays present on both dates checked, 16 Woodpigeon nests and many squirrel dreys in a circuit round perimeter, also confirmed Jackdaw for NT57N and GSW for NT57P, but Jay itself proved tricky! One Jay-like nest found had clearly been occupied by a Woodpigeon last season but from its bulk I suspected had originally been Jay; all the Woodpigeon nests were in holly, there were probably others in thick ivy and that's most likely where the missing Jay(s) are hidden. During the week was tipped off about a dead Buzzard at Setonhill wood and checking there finally stumbled across the holy grail with a pair of Jay nests in ivy, poor photo above shows the lower nest, the other is about a metre higher. One Jay (nape?) feather recovered below.

This current weekend did a wee count of Woodpigeon nests in trees round the Community Centre near our house in Longniddry, this is <1 hectare with c. 200m wood/hedge around perimeter, I found 24 nests and probably missed a few in denser cover. None occupied there but some re-built recently. No sign on Sunday of the Chiffchaff seen briefly there late Saturday, naked eye view from 5m max confirmed a drab grey-brown individual with black legs, but no call heard before it disappeared. Surely too early for a returning migrant so likely a wintering bird.

Later on Sunday went to Yellow Craig for one final check on the tiny fragment of coast in NT58D, hopes that 100+m of buckthorn would hold Blackbird - none found but Linnet was new - photo below.

A heap of feathers in the buckthorn had me initially puzzled, but I believe are a mixture from predator and prey, Sparrowhawk breast feathers and possible Fieldfare primaries:

The Herons were back in their nest by the mound in the Plantation, even zoomed in to the canopy this first photo looks somewhat Darren-Woodhead-esque, spot the Herons!

Perhaps two other nests in same tree but smaller and unoccupied, I believe there were two occupied here in 2011.

While here took the opportunity to scan the sea for the queen, she was soon picked up c. 600m NNW off Longskelly Rocks just west of Fidra, unmistakable with that "squashed" head profile, which made me feel just slightly better having checked sea duck here late Nov specifically looking for King Eider and seen nothing. My first of this species for nearly 30 years, last was the famous Ythan drake which summered at the Forvie colony for many years.

Gulls this week - nothing rare apparent in the Seton roost at dusk on Saturday, challenge of reading BHG darvics with 2 white amongst 100 birds on shore, a nice big inscription 2A15 and a much narrower Norwegian ring J*. 2 adult Med Gulls present, one mainly winter but a second all dark on nape, a red right ring so likely Cherry Blossom, she will be off very soon back to her colony in Poland. Just a single ad LBB which is poor for first week March!

Swans - of order 100 Whoopers in cereal S of Fenton Barns with c. 25 swans west in oilseed rape probably including some Mutes.

Owls - one Tawny Owl casualty on A1 just east of the Wallyford A1 junction 17/2 and a fresh Barn Owl just east of the Dolphingstone A1 junction 1/3, latter per Tom; the former was an adult, the latter is ringed GR05053 and a very white bird, presumably a male [PS - this one was an only chick at a local nest near North Berwick 10 miles ENE and ringed on 12 July 2010 by Tom himself, thus a very similar recovery to last also ringed by Tom 8.5 miles ESE and recovered just 500m east of this one - see below]; on way back from recovering spotted one hunting from the fence at the top of Blindwells - my first this year!

Lothian Barn Owl stats now since Oct 2004: 126 road casualties, 72 collected, 57 post mortems; 77% female; 36% juv/21% imm/43% ad; 4 rings:

1. GR05063 ringed as chick (b1) nr North Berwick Jul-10 recovered Dolphingstone Mar-14, 4 cy
2. GC42727 ringed as chick (b5) nr Haddington Jul-07 recovered Tranent Mar-12, 5 cy
3. GC73815 ringed as chick Largo Jul-09 recovered Macmerry Feb-10, 1 cy
4. GF81584 ringed as breeding ad f nr Drumnadrochit Jul-07 recovered Beltonford Feb-09, 4+ cy

Wknd 15-16 February

A din from the roof of the engineering labs announced the return of the breeding Oycs, they soon got down to work with mating (below) then had a nap.

Wknd activities mainly focused on last few nests - the last 10m at the top of the bank, Scoughall, held both Carrion Crow and Woodpigeon nest as hoped (confirms for NT68G), and the few trees at Cuthill held Woodpigeon and remains of 3 Magpie nests (former a confirmation for NT37S). Also got a few more nests in NT25/NT35 including a new Buzzard at Rosebery resr.

Saturday - c. 140 Whoopers spread between Fenton Barns, Prora and Dirleton - yellow-46I still.

Sunday - a Tawny perched over the road at Harperdean, fanciful to imagine it might have been the same one I once rescued off the road there (juv, May 2010)!

Wknd 8-9 February

Saturday at dusk on Seton Sands, old friend red-7P8 Med Gull was the only one I could spot, a narrow dark mask and no sign of summer plumage; all her movements characteristic, running back and forth in the roost to adjust her position and when stood constantly swinging her head from side to side looking around, as I have noted on so many previous occasions - indeed October this year will mark 10 full years since I first saw this bird on the shore here, not long after moving to Longniddry; she flew out onto the sea to roost at 17:25hrs. Several BHG now with hoods developing and one entirely complete and dark.

Earlier had finally confirmed Carrion Crow in NT58G and NT67D, couldn't find one in NT67E though Magpie was an addition there, indeed also a tetrad tick - two nests at Tyninghame village. Also spent some time looking for Jay nest in excellent habitat including many yews around Gilmerton House, one live Jay and plenty of pigeon nests and squirrel dreys but the real thing remained elusive. Crow map improved but still weak along Lammermuir edge and top of NT27 - Edinburgh:

[PS - during week did a quick tour through northern Edinburgh, no trouble to fill every remaining gap for Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow and Magpie, including the tiny fragments of land in NT26Y and NT36C; remaining tiny fragments to check at NT37S and NT68G, both will have Woodpigeon.]

Mainly Mute Swans at Fenton Barns, 19 ad + 6 juvs, just 3 ad Whoopers with them.

A male Peregrine was hunting at Ballencrieff castle, plunging down over the field at Corn Hill but failed to catch anything. Also a Peregrine at work (King's Buildings) recently, new office has a view east instead of west, flank of Arthur's Seat just visible, hopefully better for the likes of raptors if I ever have time to look out of the window!

During week Chaffinch in weak song Fernyness wood and King's Buildings.

Wknd 1-2 February

These dusk Whoopers at an unexpected location, at Whitelaw Farm on the north side of Whitelaw Hill north of Garvald (NT57R), not a place we found any during atlas, none really wintering south of the Tyne here. Five adults in oilseed rape, did not have time to see where they went to roost, nowhere obvious near there.

Otherwise mainly back on nests - a trip to the far west on Saturday morning added 30 breeding confirms, half Woodpigeon, also 7 crow, 7 Magpie and a Buzzard (NS96B). Pic above of a crow nest in NS86V, the only tiny bit of Lothian in NS86, c. 5 hectares of fields, Falkirk district (Upper Forth) beyond; the only confirmed breeder here, last atlas this was wooded and the only confirmation was Woodpigeon. Woodpigeon now pretty much complete even in the West, end of previous season and current maps (toggle):

Sunday went up to Mike's near Gifford and en route added another 6 crow tetrad breeding confirmations and found 3 Buzzard nests, also all breeding confirms and the one below indeed a tetrad tick for NT57W, won't get many more of those now! Also found another new rookery, 10 nests at Birks Plantation in NT57V, can't count these for our rookery survey as they could be from earlier years. Final shot is a crow nest in a huge beech also in NT57V north of Newmains, some of these need care to distinguish from Buzzard but a bit of wool is always a give-away.

Wknd 25-26 January

Back on Seton coast Saturday pm after rain had eased - a Black-throated Diver remained there, also on sea off harbour a dusky Red-necked Grebe and 3-4 Slavonians. c. 20 Velvet Scoter were mainly females, 1 1st-win drake detected, just 3 Common Scoter feeding off Cockenzie, 5 Long-tailed Ducks, 50+ Eider but as usual no oddities! Whilst scanning the shore east I noticed waders flushing and soon had an adult female Peregrine heading straight for me; as it approached nearly filled the scope view, but too quick for my camera :(

Gulls included the ad graellsii Lesser Blackback attending sea duck offshore - presumably our wintering resident (Lucy?), two very pale juvenile plumage Herring Gulls perhaps argentatus at same location, and at Seton Sands at dusk a tarrock Kittiwake, a Black-headed Gull with full though not entirely dark hood, a Common Gull with a very clear "hood" and an adult Mediterranean Gull roosting by the pipe (Mike had earlier seen red-7P8 flushed off the shore by the burn). Quite a typical haul, and as usual nothing rare in the pre-roost on the shore, though rather low numbers overall, perhaps due to the wind. Red-breasted Mergansers gathered again on sea amongst gulls to roost.

During week took a train south and confirmed crow in NT06K and NT06R, and Magpie for NT16T (Currie). Whilst down in Lancs spotted an all white (!) crow from the car south of Kendal, turns out that a leucistic individual has apparently been in that area since at least 2009; feeding with a standard edition crow in black on this occasion, you do wonder what its mate thinks of it!

Back on the coast on Sunday - 45 Velvet Scoter, 8 Slav Grebe, 2 Red-throated Diver off Seton, 1 Red-necked Grebe off Ferny Ness and another 115 Velvet Scoter way out in Gosford Bay; 217 Bar-tailed Godwits feeding in the shallows at the south end of Gosford Sands.

Wknd 18-19 January

Seems to be a theme developing here, with yet another great rarity reported from a local site that I feel is in "my area" if not patch - a Glossy Ibis in flight NE over Ballencrieff steading on Thursday! Mark tipped me off that it had been submitted on BirdTrack, I was able to discuss with observer who got a mobile phone photo - the flight profile is pretty distinctive but at only 20x10 pixels that alone won't be enough for SBRC! Got to the site Sat pm, a suitable muddy pond/flood by the resr there, would have been very nice for it; thereafter trawled usual areas NE, but no sign of course.

In same area wildfowl seen included - c. 110 Whoopers at Prora/Chapel, with 42 (4 juv) north of Fenton Barns (mixed in with 16 (5 juv) Mute Swans), pr b1 East Fenton, pr b2 upper Mill Burn (south of Dirleton), total c. 160 Whoopers; c. 500 Pinks Redside, 500+ Aberlady; pr RBM East Fenton, plus a drake on East Fortune resr; 3 drake + 1 female Goosander Chapel; 126 Teal East Fortune.

Also at Drem in cereal with corvids a single Nordic-type Jackdaw out of 50+, an obvious whitish neck stripe, some others with hints of pale stripes but falling short. Best was a female Merlin hunting fields at Brownrigg, a regular site for them in recent years.

Atlas confirmations for crow in NT58V and NT48Q, still failed to find one in NT58G. During week confirmed Magpie in NT37Q on Wallyford Bing, 3 nests there, also added a new rookery in elms on north of this site, remains of 9 nests (another breeding confirmation). Blackbird NT67J was an obvious gap in East Lothian, plugged by nest below in hawthorn by the inner bay path, many birders must have traipsed past this bush! Total now 147 confirmations since mid-Dec, plus another 10+ harvested from submissions to recorder (along with a lot of useful winter records).

On the coast late Saturday a few standard Velvet Scoters off Seton harbour; been looking at these birds for close on 10 years, but now lurking doubts - have I been checking them properly, could I have missed that nobbly "white-winged" Scoter bill?! (No expertise on these but I am persuaded by the Garner analysis). I did also check the Eider west of Fidra in late November when confirmed Woodpigeon for NT58D, looks like I did not scrutinise those carefully enough either :( Our sea duck are often pretty distant though, and it can be hard work trying to check each individual to ensure it is not some fabulous rarity - but with the recent spate of rares in Lothian looks like we need to!

Christmas and New Year

Happy New Year to all readers!

Blog somewhat neglected of late, still working on nests for atlas! Have logged 130+ tetrad-nest records since mid-Dec, 60 Woodpigeon, 49 Crow, 5 Magpie, 4 Buzzard, 2 Blackbird, singles of Song Thrush, Goldfinch and Swallow (many more individual nests seen). Of these 100+ are confirmations for atlas, mainly in southern West Lothian and down the A7. Amongst these got first confirmation for NT44R which we seem to have overlooked! Recounted several rookeries with just 4 dispersed sites now not covered: NT25W Moorfoot Farm, NT35N Sowburnrig, NT67R Woodhouse Dean, NT77G Thornton Glen (latter to be counted by Mark). Also picked up two groups of Bramblings whilst in West Lothian on Boxing Day, at Harwood (NT06B) and Newhouse (NS96V), both on beech mast.

Managed a few brief looks at the coast, failed to join the rarities feast but got one or two late additions for sadly neglected patch and year lists (patch map above, patchwork challenge rules): 235 Velvet Scoter Gosford 24/12 and imm m Peregrine W along shore (belatedly added Knot for patch); 185 Common Scoter Gullane Bay 25/12 (and confirmed Woodpigeon for NT48K/R), an exceptional 235+ Kittiwakes feeding mid-Forth 27/12 after gales (only one double-figure December count in Lothian 1991 to 2010, 15 Silverknowes on 3/12/06, but many in late December 2011, peak 50+ from Gullane Point; NB - a minority winter in the North Sea); on 31/12 at Prestonpans, the Black Guillemot (mainly breeding plumage, flying in from east late morning, definitely a sight for sore eyes and only my second in Lothian) and a Black-throated Diver, 2 Red-necked Grebe at Cockenzie harbour with 2 off Seton Burn, 2+5 Goldeneye in flight west (patch tick!), 2 ad + 5 juv Gannets, still a few Kittiwakes feeding offshore (mainly tarrocks), an adult graellsii Lesser Blackback (reminiscent of "Lucy") and a Great Northern Diver off Ferny Ness, the latter a late addition to both lists! The resident Mute Swans on the burn, below, they are fed there which ties them to the site thus effectively removing them from the wild breeding population, but that food together with seaweed diet certainly seems to keep them in good nick.

Finally at dusk on New Year's Eve, whilst confirming some nests around Dunbar, had a Raven cronking NW over Seafield pond, pic below, a surprisingly late addition to the year list. Final total for patch is a mere 122 species, 15 down on equivalent for 2012 with worst omissions being skuas (after so many in 2011!) and Purple Sandpiper, not seen in the harbour in recent visits. Lothian self-found also about 10 down on recent years at 148. Normal service should resume some time in 2014!

New Year's Day - brief trip out to the roost produced a single Med Gull out in the bay off Longniddry c/p 1 16:00hrs, more foul weather and very poor light by that stage.

Update 2 January - a final visit to NT36 and NT06/16/17 added 75 more nest-tetrad records, now 98 Woodpigeon, 72 Crow, 15 Magpie, 7 Buzzard, 3 Blackbird - altogether 100 confirmed additions. Updated Woodpigeon improvement, final season (click and toggle maps below). Still a few easy gaps but time for a rest from nests! A Raven at Clove Craig, Carlowrie (NT17M) was the best other sighting.

Crow improvement is less noticeable, but at least a good number of possibles now eliminated:

Sunday 5th - nothing new, but apparently same GND diving offshore N from Ferny Ness and a graellsii LBB amongst 2200 gulls on sea off Seton Sands by 16:00hrs, presumably same later on sea off harbour after a trawler came in.