Wknd 28-29 March

Some better pics of the Fenton Barns hybrid gull, presumed LBB x HG, first seen there last April but likely same as per other sightings in the area since 2009. For first time, long call was observed, with head vertically down initially coming up to 45 degrees during the brief (truncated) call, followed by mate behind; thus in contrast to the vertical upward angle shown by YLG and LBB. Red gonys spot clearly confined to lower mandible, also contra YLG. However the orbital is pretty reddish, thus closer to LBB. Probably not of direct relevance here, but this is an interesting blog on the yellow-legged LWHG in Finland - I think I would've overlooked the majority of the 1st-wins though, given their already huge variability.

Nearby at Kingston, another old friend, a leucistic Woodpigeon - perhaps the same as first seen near Waughton in May 2010, at East Fortune in May 2011 and more recently at Brownrigg; watched the bird feeding in crop for 5 minutes before it was flushed by a cyclist and alighted in trees at Kingston House 600m east; I then drove south to look at Whoopers and was amazed to again see a leucistic Woodpigeon perched on the railway lines at Betony Hill, presumably the same bird but it had flown 2.5km due south as I was driving down past Congalton! It then flew north to feed in the valley west of COngalton Gardens.

On swans, Whoopers cleared out as expected, with just 35 remaining, of which 20 juvs, these typically slowest to depart. So counts have declined as follows 256 (50+ juv) 28/12/14, 212 (44 juv) 2/1/15, 177 (37 juv) 17/1, 165 (40 juv) 1/2, 160 (29 juv) 8/3, 131 (17+ juv) 15/3, 80 22/3, 35 29/3. Soon the last will be gone.

On owls, yet another Barn Owl dead on A1 at Macmerry, the 14th since mid-Jan, yet there had been only two previous cases since last June, a bit of a puzzle though clearly the recent spate is evidence of many of last year's young dispersing (6-7 post mortems expected); Mike McD recovered an LEO beneath powerlines at Gifford, I may do a post on sex/age but this looks like a juv m to me.

On gulls, a big movement of BHG with 6k at Seton on 14/3 now much reduced, 480 on 21/3, 430 22/3, 200 28/3, 225 29/3, with 90% of those remaining being immatures, i.e. mainly 1st winters. The odd rosy pink individual as usual. Common Gull more stable with 1300 14/3, 1400 21/3, 1900 22/3, 1300 28/3, 1500 29/3. All numbers estimates, as per usual at gull roosts. Windy this weekend with birds sheltering behind pipe and remaining on shore long after sunset, typically they begin flying onto the sea around then. Despite the apparent spring movement, no other species of gull drawn in and last two Med Gulls were on 14/3.

Previous week - this beautiful Jackdaw with "brown" plumage aberration looking bronze, at Niddrie.

Wknd 21-22 June

WeBS ponds largely deserted on Sunday but old friend the drake Mandarin showed up again at East Fortune ponds a couple of years absence (previous records 18/7/10, 17/7+16/8/11). Wonder where it's been hanging out since? Seems there have been none in Lothian since late 2011 in Edinburgh, possibly same bird, with one in March 2010 at Haddington also possibly same? Gladhouse birds not reported since a pair in 2008, and female in 2009, perhaps they did not survive there beyond that date?

On owls it seems this is a bumper year for breeding locally and Long-eareds in particular seem to have produced lots of young. With thanks to various correspondents who have made efforts to look we've had birds at 10 sites in Lothian within last couple of weeks, of which now all 10 have had hunger-calling chicks with brood size up to 5! On Friday, after detecting 3 young birds in pines in hills near Edinburgh, Harry Dott and I were fortunate to watch a couple of young hunting over heather at c. 22:30hrs, remarkably still persistently hunger-calling while doing so. Also a Cuckoo dashing round the same site. Locally I've also had a couple of Barn Owls taking prey to young, and young Tawnys this week at Gosford north wood and Redcoll. However despite it apparently being a good Quail year, with lots of reports particularly in Scotland, some further north than usual, I have failed to find any in the hinterland behind Longniddry, locations I found them in both 2009 and 2011, still time yet though.

On the coast, not many gulls around but the black darvic young Danish GBB was again at Port Seton on Saturday. A ringed Kittiwake stood by the Seton Burn. Many auks feeding out in the Forth, 140+ Guillemot in Gosford Bay Sunday, with Razorbills and 2 Puffins, a Puffin setting off with fish offshore from Prestonpans last week, a long journey to the colonies from there. Also 70 Velvet Scoter and 100+ Common Scoter well out in Gosford Bay Sunday. Nice also to see first returning Goosander, 8 f/imm along the shore, fishing in shallows as they do in characteristic "head in the water" fashion. Also at Seton, 4 Turnstone at dusk on the longest day, which are either very early returning or young birds which never went north. Possibly the latter as none were in bright adult breeding plumage and post-breeding moult is supposed to start late June, and also per BWP "Age of first breeding, Finland, 2 years (Bergman 1946), but (circumstantially) 4 years, USSR (Bianki 1967)". Lots of Common Tern along the coast feeding, courtship feeding and heading west with fish, also 4 Sandwich Tern at Aberlady during the week. [Monday - 130 Common Scoter in bay and 2 Great Crested Grebe at Ferny Ness, also first juvenile Guillemot with parent].

Was also up at Pishwanton on Saturday where pleasing sight of a Spotted Flycatcher FF with large insect prey. Blindwells Mute Swans have 4 smallish cygnets. Finally, not a bird, but my first rabbit in Longniddry, a juvenile behind the play group hut outside the church, a long way - 300+m each way - from safety.

Not current, but of note, Shag red-TSZ here as a juvenile in 2009 subsequently seen in Norfolk (map).

Wknd 7-8 June

Local birding again this weekend, close to home juvenile Tree Sparrows found along the Braid Burn past the community centre, first young I have seen in the village following first breeding season records this spring of birds flying over garden. Less positive in Fernyness Wood where negative again on Spotted Flycatcher, but 4 singing Chiffchaff there. A nocturnal visit produced a wavering hoot Tawny Owl but no young heard.

10 years ago today - the 8th of June was my first proper day birding here in Lothian, visiting to view a house; started at Longniddry station from the last train doing a night walk to Aberlady - first birds logged were juv Tawny Owls calling from the Tollbar Strip along the coast road past Gosford, then nocturnal song of Grasshopper Warbler on Aberlady salt marsh; on return via Craigielaw a Lesser Whitethroat was singing from the buckthorn at Harestanes Wood, and a Sedge Warbler at the Old Coast road bridge in Longniddry; then on to Seton where Grey Partridges at 3 locations and a Spotted Flycatcher in the Dean, followed by Sedge Warblers again at Blindwells. A great place to live I thought! Looking back that was not a bad haul for early June in places I'm now very familiar with, the owls are still here fledging young in Fernyness Wood most years [PS - juv calling Gosford, near ponds, 18/6], Grey Partridge still cling on at Seton though three prs in a morning would be good now, whilst I've only twice since seen Spotted Flycatchers (Fernyness Wood 23/5/10 and Seton Chapel 3/6/10).

I may post some other reflections analysing my general records here in due course - c. 35k bird records logged for Lothian totalling c. 2.5 million individual birds, probably several times that actually seen when including gull roosts done weekly or daily at times but not counted, and of course the Bass Rock! A total of 196 (self-found) species recorded locally (98 from the garden), plus a few more hybrids, escapes, etc, these confined to places I've been by bike in northern East Lothian, with a couple more elsewhere in Lothian and another handful of species "twitched". 1000+ colour rings read, and a massive atlas project completed. Some happy memories, as well as a few that got away!

Dusk at Gosford Sands below, 22:30hrs, in fact pale blue can still be discerned in the northern sky even at the darkest part of the night at this time of the year, weather permitting.

Wknd 31 May - 1 June

Into June and onset of summer birding - cycling round the area as far as Macmerry produced a few of those increasingly valued rural species, Grey Partridge, Kestrel, Stock Dove, 2 Oycs, Swift and stacks of Tree Sparrow, also Barn Owl; but negative on Quail and Spotted Flycatcher and also blank at Penston where territorial Yellow Wagtail in 2012, brief look only last year. One find was an occupied GSW nest in a tree full of holes between Chester Hall and Greendykes, a species I failed to nail for NT47H in Longniddry Dean last year, so a late atlas confirmation (increase from 6 to 23 confirmed in East Lothian north of the Tyne).

A crepuscular trip on Monday via Redcoll, Cottyburn and Spittal again yielded no Quail, in places occupied in previous years, but one Sedge Warbler, two hooting Tawny Owls and two more Barn Owls, one of which first spotted on a road sign c. 23:15hrs, then hunting over cereal, plunged to make a kill then flew over my head with prey in one foot, a strong clue to breeding.

May patchwork total now 115 species (137 points) which is already 94% of last year, mainly because last year I was elsewhere a lot of the time for atlas. No comparison with the amazing achievements of John on Tiree!

Down at the beach very little on Gosford Bay or Sands, 10 Greylags roosted, but report of 2k Common Scoter off Musselburgh so it seems many of our remaining sea duck have moved down there - leaving me to wonder how the Queen Eider got past here!

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 27-28 April

Showery with some SW wind on Sunday so I popped down to c/p 2 for a very brief look into the Forth early evening - there were many sheering birds moving west, most were Fulmars but also Manx Shearwaters, welcome back. View above of silhouetted Inchkeith, plus a shower mid-Forth. Welcome also to the local Sedge Warbler, was hoping this would be back after successful breeding last year and sure enough on arrival a subdued warbler was rattling through various species in a mimicry-laden song from hawthorn scrub (not many reeds yet).

Back in the village only 3 Willow Warblers seen along the burn left over from influx last weekend, still all silent. With them now both a male and female Blackcap, presumably just back as I have checked the area every day.

On Saturday went for the rookery recount of the great colony at Pishwanton near Gifford. Made it 525 full-sized nests this time, of which perhaps 450+ occupied (???) and a great cloud of birds swirling over. Breakdown by tree species was c. 68% scots pine, 12% larch, the rest in deciduous trees along burn ranked as alder, sycamore, oak and birch. This appears to be the largest colony in Lothian at present by some margin. Pics above from Longniddry rookery, now rather rearranged with now slightly fewer nests in main wood but a new batch at Longniddry farm.

Kevin provided a Tawny Owl from Roslin, seems to be an adult male (4+ cy), rufous morph; wing entirely adult, no retained juvenile feathers which can persist to 4th spring, but careful scrutiny of the wing shows s3 is rather worn - not all secondaries are replaced every year. The undertail also shows the very speckled patterning, much more defined bands on a juvenile. Sex by length of central claw (c. 15.0mm, <17.8mm = male), also wing length c. 260mm (female 275mm). Recovered not far from a road, so possibly hit by a car - or maybe old age given it was likely born in 2010 or earlier, thus must have lived through one of the very severe winters. Bad news for its family too, young Tawny's out since a while back in some parts of the country.

Wknd 6-7 April

Been neglecting my Port Seton "patch" in favour of rookeries of late, so no surprise when last weekend heard of another good bird dug out by Keith when I was off duty, a drake Surf Scoter. Presumably one of same as had been seen on same patch of sea in 2010 and last year, those visits being well into May, there were also mid-April records in 2009 and 2010 for Gosford Bay. Finally got round to looking on way home from work Friday and was surprised to see two drakes there, not that far offshore c. 1km. Brief rising display then a chase round on the sea with lots of splashing; hope they impressed the single associating female scoter, presumably a Velvet but would have been nice to see closer! Then resumed diving. Exceedingly poor record shot showing two white napes below.

Called in again the following morning but by the time I arrived the action was all over, missed a juv Glaucous which had been on sea, flew to harbour and north. Also heard that a Great Northern Diver had passed. Mipit passage was well underway though, accompanied by Siskins and a single Pied Wag, a Shelduck flew east. My usual deserted corner of the prom had five guys with scopes and after half an hour one drake Surfie was detected amongst a small bunch of Velvets, probably a good mile offshore. Prior to that I had had a glimpse of white nape amongst 4 scoter much further out, not far below the horizon, but could not confirm - however the two had been present earlier.

Not aware at the time but the wintering drake Surfie had still been at Ruddon's Point on 2 April, so presumably our second drake is that bird - how did it find the other? I made a small chart of late spring Surfie records in the Forth which shows their patterns of occurrence, after a period of some stability more changes of late. All gets very messy when assessing under self-found listing rules, needed to be >10km from other sighting of same (OK, c. 22km), also >6 days since previous report, so strictly I could have added this in 2010 (20 days gap) but did not feel right!

Rest of Saturday back on rookeries, first young heard and some colonies still expanding, one small one also found abandoned. Still 15 Mute Swans at Rogarth.

Sunday - nearly 7 hours in Longniddry's Dean Wood (finally fixing the rope swing), hoping that Chiffchaffs might finally be back too - only one heard very briefly early afternoon, interestingly sang just once, then 10 seconds later a good distance north and not again, clearly a true migrant hurrying on.

Back to Friday, Pencraig rookery recounted at 36 nests and a decent one spotted at Monkrigg, not counted but 30+ nests. Also observed a presumed pair of Stock Doves performing a sychronised high flight for over a minute, rising and falling in parallel over a wood by the Tyne at Sandy's Mill, near Haddington, and finally descending to a large tree - this type of behaviour seems not to be included within descriptions of display flight in BWP.

Back to Thursday - out of the area on trip to Banchory, saw 16 Waxwings there at the top of Arbeadie Road, was lucky to detect them via hearing the trills of flock in a back garden as car windows were shut - a gentle call but can be far-carrying. Only Barn Owl noted was a casualty on central reservation of A90 at Nether Careston just south of Brechin. Also saw a juv Whooper Swan on Forfar Loch, no Sand Martins.

Earlier last week, a fresh Barn Owl casualty on A1 westbound, on the embankment opposite entrance to Queen Margaret University, sadly crushed.

Easter weekend

Saturday - despite the snow the last batch of Whoopers seem to have bailed out during the week, just two ad+juv remaining amongst Mutes at Rogarth, West Fortune, later looking isolated grazing alone on the grass at Muirton. Photo of juv above, green-NFU darvic behind (also NLD, NLT and NZU (juv) there), ad below. Per Abbie there had still been 39 Whoopers there on Wednesday and the Bewick's was still amongst 54 present on Tuesday. Anyway, there they go for another year, and no sign of much in the way of migrants to replace them yet - though will be busy again soon with effort towards the final breeding atlas about to commence on Monday!

En route today an ad m Peregrine in transit, and remains of a Barn Owl found, feathers of most of right wing and some body feathers just off the road near North Berwick Law rookery/pond, bird must have perished, perhaps some time in the winter but for unknown reasons but possibly a road casualty? The last recovered from A1 at St Clements Wells in last week of atlas was another young female, in excellent physical condition (5/5 body score, ample fat, 2 small field mice in gizzard, well-filled intestines, uterus pregravida).

Recent rookery counts: 141 Craig Wood, Whitekirk [NT58V] (up from 106 7/4/12), 116 North Berwick Law [NT58L] (108 in 2008, 67 in 2006), 112 Common Strip, Archerfield, 108 Traprain [NT57X], 84 Cairndinnis [NT57S] (breeding not confirmed yet in atlas!), 81 Longniddry station/Kitchener's Crescent [NT47N] (92 on 24/3/12, rising to 117 final count), 59 East Fortune [NT57P] (39 nests in December), 44 Coldale [NT57L], 32 Gladsmuir church [NT47L], 29 Phantassie, East Linton [NT57Y], 24 Meadowmill [NT47C] (28 last year), 21 Macmerry [NT47L] (24 last year), 19 Seton Sands [NT47C] (18 last year), c. 18 Pencraig Wood [NT57T] (48 in 1993), 16 Dirleton Main Road [NT58C] (52 in 1991), 12 Drem [NT57E] (19 last year, 33 in 1992), 12 Haddington memorial garden [NT57C], just 6 Amisfield Park, Haddington [NT57C] (22 last year, 21 in 2009); where no previous counts mentioned in this list there are none in database since 1991. Aiming to get complete 10km counts for NT47 and NT57 (expect both to top 400 nests) and assist Mark/Jim with theirs in NT48, NT58 (now 385) and NT68, then to compare to data from 1975 census.

Sunday - rookery trek round NT57 as per above additions, highlight was a female Merlin in fields between Seggarsdean and West Bearford, SE of Haddington. Also a great number of Buzzard including one in a full blown sky-diving display over Fernyness Wood by Gosford sawmill. Per BWP "Sky-dance display-flight of plunge-and-swoop type by male, sometimes while still holding object in feet. Bird: (1) sweeps up into wind with a few wing-beats and fast glide, (2) stalls as body becomes vertical, (3) tips forward and dives on closed or part-closed wings for up to 200 m before (4) checking on spread wings and (5) shooting up again; may loop-the-loop, at least occasionally. Sequence often repeated 12 or more times." I witnessed two consective steep plunges but was too far off (at Garleton monument) to see if it was playing the associated dropping and catching game.

Conclusion of winter atlas

Most activity in the final week was owling, as local atlas fieldwork concluded after 6 years. Could not have asked for better weather, full moon and final two nights could have heard a pin drop at times. Highlights - finally getting Tawnys at Kamehill/East Fortoun (NT57U) and in Craigs Wood, Dirleton (NT58B). At former site (failed stake-out last weekend) tried 3 hours before dawn in ideal conditions, got an immediate response to my hoot from south of Kamehill, which then prompted reply from woods S of East Fortoun - nothing better to get owls calling than another owl! Moved on to the Dirleton site, this was approximately the 10th visit, and Jim had been at dusk the previous evening again drawing a blank - on arrival before having chance to generate any hoots heard a vocal pair moving throo the wood from the west, and at least one more in kewick call further N in Archerfield.

Early on final evening first went to Amisfield Park by Haddington, some ideal habitat around the walled garden but negative on Tawny. Did flush a Woodcock, and soon after had a proper roding sneeze note - not proper evidence of breeding interest but with eggs often laid in March* so roding must often commence in February. Later that evening went back to Ormiston area - on the minor road west out of the village under again ideal completely calm conditions immediately got distant wailing Tawny hoots from direction of Ormiston Hall, then replies from Cousland Park - the former approx one mile distant, the latter one mile from the first and about 1km from me. Magic to hear their exchanges in the dark and to appreciate they will probably have all their neighbours mapped out and known from these types of conversations - Tawny calls apparently can be recognised to individual bird even by humans. Also got Oyc tick near there at Caerlaverock Farm and Wolfstar, the latter a 10km tick for NT46 previously looked for when BTO Atlas was concluding, not that this matters any more. Moved on to Fountainhall near Pencaitland (NT46I) and on arrival a Tawny in SW corner of the Big Wood was giving loud kewick calls, obviously as alarm at arrival of car/light at this remote spot. So the final winter atlas tick at 10 minutes to midnight, a reminder that our coverage will remain incomplete - there presumably have been owls resident there throughout the 6 years of fieldwork!

Together with third party reports concluded with 7 more Tawny additions this week taking total to 21, the latest map now as per above (10+ Borders records updated 5/3). So we have c. 86 Tawny Owl presence records in interconnected tetrads in northern East Lothian, with just 14 blanks in a block of 100 tetrads, all but two of which (NT46T Saltoun Forest, NT67J Fir Links Wood) have <5% mapped wooded area (now indicated by X on map) - though even in these we have reports of their occasional or regular presence (NT58G, NT57J) so they will surely occur in all tetrads from time to time. Did not have time to really get anywhere beyond this area, which is effectively only about a half of East Lothian, in turn a third of Lothian, in turn a third of South-east Scotland area - so this area of more intense coverage is roughly just 5% of the total tetrads in South-east Scotland Atlas (1770). Thus it does not assist much with the regional species map but it does provide useful evidence on local status.

At the end of the project I realise how poor was my strategy for owling at the start, and more as a note to self I summarise some of the main rules:

• Weather is key, if at all possible choose a calm night when your audible range extends dramatically, moreover the owls may be more inclined to communicate with one another. They presumably also hunt much more successfully when calm so might have more time for social interaction.
• Timing is also very important - Tawnys will often call around dusk, sometimes before sunset but especially in the first hour after, when they start getting active; but in the mood they can be calling at any time of the night, also occasionally by day.
• Watch out for noise interference; at sites near roads dusk visits can be poor due to traffic noise, thus try same very late or towards dawn; any rain can have a very bad impact on audibility due to drips on leaves, strong wind is worse; the dawn chorus, and dusk quivalent, can be a significant problem from late January, particularly Song Thrush and Robin singing in the hour after dusk can make it hard to heard distant calls.
• Do what you can to provoke calling, while being mindful of disturbing their breeding preparations. No more than once per site is required if a reply comes. A lure could be use, but I have only used hooting with cupped hands. It is vital that fingers are slightly wet (small bottle of water needed) otherwise a wuffly sound tends to result; with a good seal you can produce a far-carrying ocarina hoot without too much trouble; per BWP a standard hoot call is this pure hoot, followed by a gap of 2-5 seconds, then the brief "hu" call and the wavering hoot, quite easy to generate with a little practice; however I suspect any approximation to a hoot can be enough to rouse their interest.
• If you get one hoot don't leave immediately but make sure there are no replies from other birds nearby, you might get two additions or a count increase once they are calling to each other.
• It takes very little to provoke alarm calls from a Tawny, indeed any loud noise seems to work (witnessed from gun fire/fireworks), perhaps not to be recommended but I do try clapping on occasion; but more relevant in many cases is the sound and lights from a car, anywhere where traffic is not routine, e.g. woodland track - listen immediately on arrival as bird may withdraw from "threat".
• Seasonal variation - not sure I have detected any of this, under right conditions can be very vocal any time of the year suspect other factors (above) more important.
• Persistence; we might imagine that with a strongly resident species they like the same patch of wood and stay there; evidence from repeated visits to same sites (5-10 visits for several sites before first found) suggests not, they will roam around at least within an area of a tetrad, thus if you can't hear them at greater range, or prompt them to call, there is no substitute for going back several times
• Except residents' reports of course, always worth asking as it might be surprising where they are regularly heard, even in unpromising locations.
• Finally presence can be confirmed by other signs, pellets, feathers, etc. Have so far devoted no effort to locating such as it is probably pretty inefficient on average.

By contrast, final efforts for Barn Owl were unproductive. Scoured the area from Cousland (NT36Z) to East Linton (NT57Y) on the Tuesday evening along corridor S of Tyne, where many remaining gaps in map (above), but neither that trip nor the others produced any - the only exception being one recovered freshly dead on the A1 at St Clement's Wells (below). Other reports suggest there are still good numbers e.g. in parts of the Borders but again the difficulty of finding any in lowland East Lothian reaffirms view of very depressed numbers. It also serves to reemphasise how the main roads can be a blackhole for them - the few that encounter them, often young birds wandering from natal areas, often do not last long.

Other atlassing was mainly towards plugging those remaining annoying gaps in maps of very common species - mopped up Herring Gull for NT68A, Pheasant for NT57Y and Rook for NT47U, also Skylark and Oystercatcher becoming very widespread and surely with extensive coverage in the last week of February the mapped distributions would be very much more complete. After several dedicated trips in search of Grey Partridge in my home tetrad (NT47N), and of course lots of casual observations, had depressingly concluded they had gone since I logged them early on for breeding, but am now informed per landowner/farmer they have been regular this winter around Harelaw/Redhouse. Another message we seem to be getting all the time, the immense value of third party reports from residents, all comes down to time in the field and there's no substitute for living/working there!

The final list of targets found ranks as follows, after Tawny:

1. Linnet 10
2. Pied Wagtail 10
3. Black-headed Gull 10
4. Jay 9
5. Treecreeper 9
6. Feral Pigeon 8
7. Tree Sparrow 8
8. Meadow Pipit 7.5
9. Brambling 7
10. Bullfinch 7
11. Goldcrest 7
12. Long-tailed Tit 7
13. Magpie 7
14. Mute Swan 7
15. Skylark 7

So now rest for one month (needed) before even greater exertions are required to finish up the breeding atlas. Actually, for Tawny Owl which is so resident, there must be a value in combined breeding/winter maps so I will not be going all out to prove presence again in all of same tetrads - breeding will be the main focus.

* Hoodless & Coulson (1998) Breeding biology of the Woodcock Scolopax rusticola in Britain, Bird Study 42, 5, 195-204

Wknd 16-17 February

Last 2 weekends in winter atlas and we hit a great one for owling with two very calm evenings. Back to the previous Tuesday had done a couple of hours mainly in NT58B/K/Q - optimistic when two Tawny hoots heard between the house and the car 5 feet away, but that was it, not a sausage heard nor any Barn Owls seen. Decided to target dusk and got back to same locations on Saturday, with success on Tawny at 18:00hrs at Rockville Heughs (NT58K), soon after near Stonelaws (NT58Q) then later at Links Wood, Tyninghame (NT68F). Barn Owl seen on telegraph pole near Newbyth (NT58V), also two quite vocal with screeches, presumed pair (female does call, at least occasionally), at a new tetrad. Calling of the latter and all of the Tawnys apparently prompted by my attempts at hooting calls, which is thus a first for me with Barn Owl - clearly it does not matter much what the hoot sounds like!

Sunday went to Chesters hill fort south of Drem, again, remembering how depressing the last visit in search of Tawny had been, one evening before Christmas, though not ideal weather then. This time had hardly even got in situ at east end of the fort when hooting of 2 or 3 Tawnys commenced at 17:45hrs from Kilduff Hill (NT57D), following by one hoot in the small wood east (NT57E). Back at home popped out to the car and heard a great din from 2+ Tawnys very close north, perhaps in Gosford Road gardens or golf course edge, continuous repeated ocarina hoots and quavering calls - clearly they appreciate the mild still conditions. Regularly hear them from home but usually distantly in Fernyness Wood, only twice previously roaming through the village.

Typical findings then, one day you make a lot of effort and return empty handed and wondering how they can ever be located, the next and owls seem just too easy to find. Fundamentally depends on their mood and inclination to call, unless you can prompt them with hoots (or a lure), but calm weather and dusk are hugely more rewarding in general than even slightly less favourable weather conditions and any time latter into the night.

Thus we have 11 tetrad ticks for Tawny in East Lothian so far this winter (of 220+ atlas tetrad additions in total here), updated map above; Tawnys probably occur regularly in several more tetrads even in this area though there are a few which are largely farmland and they may be rather scarce. Overall we're hopefully getting closer to an actual map of distribution, rather than coverage, but perhaps only in this relatively confined region. [Map updated 24/2, now 14 additions]

Other than owls - Waxwings again on our road, visible from back window in tree over the rose hip by Wemyss Burn bridge at junction of Forthview/Douglas Road - 3 on Saturday and 4 on Sunday. Also on Saturday a Nuthatch calling twice in Longniddry Dean, my first there and a tetrad tick for NT47H, now four additions this winter in adjacent tetrads with NT47M, NT47S (2) and NT47T. Also finally added Siskin there. Possibly releases, but 4 Red-legged Partridges at Brownrigg on Saturday was a count increase from 2! Did BTO thrush survey at Cottyburn, just 5 Blackbirds but now 3 Song Thrush in song. Chaffinchs also now in full song, also incipient song heard from Yellowhammer. Again no Grey Partridge found in former haunts at Setonhill, this will be one omission in the atlas.

Wknd 12-13 January

Went out for WWT swan census and WeBS on Saturday. Plenty wildfowl about, over 1500 geese at East Fortune (some of which above), c. 910 Greylags might be another new high for this site (previous peak 817 on 10/12/10). Continuing wildfowl were 1st-win drake Scaup at East Fenton, getting into adult plumage, and ad drake Gadwall at East Fortune. A male Peregrine again flew over Brownrigg.

Grappled with the swans at Prora, some recent exodus with total fallen from c. 235 to c. 206; I estimated 46 juvs (22.3%) but it was hard work with whole flock only visible from Chapel and many juvs now very white so a close view to see beak colour required, many beaks also caked in mud! Only three darvics seen, juv red-AVJ and ads red-BLX and yellow-46I (shown above together). Latter is particular interesting as this bird had been wintering on the River Blackwater in SW Ireland 08/09, 09/10 and 10/11, first seen with us last winter 11/12 - but seems to have returned! Ringed at Jokuldalsheidi in Iceland as a cygnet in August 2003. Nearby 6 Mutes in cereal included green-NLT, below. Checked Ware Road, Lochhouses, New Mains etc for more swans but only found a Mute flock at Preston, by East Linton, including green-NLD. Perhaps there are no Whoopers wintering at Tyninghame?

At dusk tried again at Inch Wood, Binning, for Tawny (still needed for NT58V for atlas); this was 7th attempt, started after sunset walking into wood, encouraged by vigorous Blackbird alarming at two locations; staked out one but no sign and eventually Blackbirds went quiet - but then at 16:47hrs (43 mins after sunset) hooting started nearby, success at last. Departed south and pulled in at Birkhill, with a minute 3 Woodcock flew over, a single then two in tandem - increase count from one.

Sunday - took a walk along the Back Burn past Ustonrigg to Woodside ponds and back via Hopefield and Letham Mains. Highlight was a female Merlin dropping from edge of ponds and streaking off across the field N towards a flock of Linnets, came up through the flock but missed; these were c. 120 Linnets, another 240 were perched a little further along perhaps already alerted to the Merlin. 3 Woodcocks flushed, probably many more in the area if I had covered more ground around ponds. 6+ Jays and 11 Bullfinch, both good counts. Finally there was a gathering of 45+ Waxwings by the A199/B6363 roundabout south of the A1 junction.

BirdTracked all the sightings by tetrad, discovered only the Merlin was new for atlas, increased counts of perhaps 5 others. Additions are expected to be slow at this stage in the project - by the modelled species accumulation curves fit for our 10km (NT47) in the atlas trial (see LBR06 write-up, p. 96) we expect of the order 2% addition to species lists in the 4th hour of fieldwork, which with species lists already of order 50 equates to one addition. Each subsequent hour provides rapidly diminishing returns (in theory), approximately 1/3 of the previous hour. Spent about 2 hours today and each tetrad may already have had 2x2hrs of visits, so one addition is in the right ball park, already well covered. Suspect the theory may be less applicable with various permutations: different observer (goes to different places/sees different things), different date in season - some movements missed, and especially year-on-year variation - mild winter may bring new species, e.g. lots of recent Mute Swan additions, in fields which they could not have occupied with snow cover. Overall now 128 tetrad ticks in East Lothian this final winter, with 7 weeks to go to final termination, these may well represent 100s of hours in the field. We must be getting close to reasonable maps!

On Monday, finally a Tawny Owl at New Winton, kewick calls in response to hooting imitation from New Winton Wood NE of main square, atlas tick for NT47F (after 6 negative visits!).

Wknd 22-23 December

Owling in a break in the weather Saturday evening - Tawny Owls at Limetree Walk, Tyninghame, and in holly by minor road south of Gilmerton House (pics) - but drew a blank at other suitable locations and no Barn Owls seen. Probable Woodcock flushed off verge on minor road between North Berwick and Kingston, at Kilmurdie.

Comments posted to SEScotBirdAtlas group on Barn Owls: "Coming back to the issue of Barn Owl numbers, Ray had commented about signs of a recovery but if so would not seem to apply to lowland East Lothian! There are several indicators of a depressed population in Lothian as a whole, including decline of overall annual total of sites where recorded (increased from 35 in 2004 to 100 in 2008, but closer to 30 again last year, despite atlas effort), observed absence from previous regular hunting sites, fewer occupied breeding sites (dropped 8 to 3, in 11 monitored), fewer road casualties (4 last year, 20+ in 3 earlier years since 2004), etc. On top of this there may be clues that we are suffering more, perhaps a lot more, in the lowlands. As discussed with Mike (McDowall) recently it might not be a coincidence that the 4 monitored nest sites below 100m remain vacant (often more extensive better habitat for them on higher ground). Taken all together and with the difficulty in finding them in traditional areas in lowland East Lothian I'd be surprised if we had even a quarter of what existed earlier in the atlas period, perhaps even down towards 10% or so."

Somewhat depressing, but worth monitoring and documenting, one day they will surely be back. Meanwhile turned to the other mid-winter staple when birding becomes tough, the wintering Whoopers. Some nice mounds of potatoes now provided on the ex-landfill near Prora, but unfortunately the whole area a sea of mud effectively defeating attempts at ring-reading (3+ still present, probably including juv red-AVJ). Presumably happy with this food source as many were roosting on the feeding ground by late afternoon. Same problem with seeing the entire flock for a proper count so waited for the roost flight - commenced 16:13hrs (33 minutes after sunset) and proceeded in dribs and drabs, 5 to 30 birds every couple of minutes until typically the largest group was the final batch of 48 birds at 16:37hrs (58 minutes after sunset). A real challenge to get an accurate count at 1 mile range in poor light but the estimate of 237 was 12 more than had achieved in the distant flock count whilst many still massed around food mounds. All seemed to go down to Chapel Farm resr to roost, avoiding having to rise over the railway into the strong wind to reach East Fenton. So again a good number overwintering here, long may it continue. The next challenge will be the WWT census on 15 January which requires an age breakdown! Geese also apparently still around in reasonable numbers too, totalled 1630 Pinks in ploughed fields north of Rattlebags, East Fenton, viewed from Queenstonbank.

Wknd 9-10 December

Friday started well with Waxwings visible from the house, initially 4 then 16 in back gardens further west down Douglas Road; beautiful light briefly but they flew before could get an image - not that my contribution is needed on this front! Early afternoon scanned the Forth from Seton harbour and soon after commencing a distant black speck with characteristic flight action of a medium skua appeared high over mid Forth approaching from NE; tracked it west for 10 mins, it is a tiny speck east of West Lomond (552m) highlighted in image above. Did not engage in any chasing, but not many gulls feeding in the Forth, 40 BHG went west and 20+ were feeding well offshore - certainly less activity than this time last year.

Saturday Waxwings were still present, probably 18+. Then had another look into the Forth, c. 105 Velvet Scoter visible from Ferny Ness, not many grebes though. A few waders on Gosford shore including 296 Barwits, 153 Lapwing, 150+ Knot, 115 Curlew, 53 Dunlin, of which Laps/Curlew were improved counts for atlas; also improved Rock Pipit to 2, this is species 104 for NT47P winter; also added one confirmed breeder with remains of a Magpie nest in the buckthorn.

Then off on ICG goose census - c. 2k Pinks Fenton Barns, c. 1k Prora (stubble)/West Fortune (winter cereal), with 110+ Whoopers at Prora and perhaps 100 at Muirton on grass. c. 380 Greylags at East Fortune, also a drake Gadwall, and 14 Coot the highest count there since 1997. 6 Whoopers on Lochhouses pond but no other Greylags found - none on Gosford shore over an hour after sunset. Definite highlight of the trip was an adult male Peregrine flying up from ploughed field at Brownrigg.

Meanwhile Geoff made a great discovery in identifying and documenting an apparent hybrid Herring x Lesser Blackback at Athelstaneford, surely the same bird I had seen there in February and quite possibly the source of some of the other "YLG" type birds we're seen in the area in recent years. Proof therein of the wisdom of the SBRC policy, in some other areas where Yellow-legged Gull is not rare this type of hybrid could be easily overlooked and reported as the genuine article!

Latest Barn Owl (Whitecraig A1) shown above, quite pale and spotless, may be a male. Whilst standing in Waverley station on platform 19 on Wednesday I was surprised to see directly opposite me on the track a freshly dead Tawny Owl, obviously a casualty struck by a train somewhere outside the station but must have fallen off as it slowed to a halt. This is the first proof I have seen of this, though had heard anecdotal evidence that it is common for Barn Owl, third hand report from railwaymen of "27 Barn Owl casualties on main line through to Drem", passed on to me in May 2007, presumably relating to line from Waverley but have no idea of duration. One report made the paper too.

Sunday - now 466 Greylags + 4 white and 2 grey on potatoes at East Fortune; dusk stake-out at Binning NE for Tawny (again!), negative but a Woodcock flew out to feed 16:10hrs. A Barn Owl perched on hedge by A6137 at Byres 17:20hrs.

Monday morning - Waxwings still present on Douglas Road, heard early morning, then 7 flying around a little later.