A smart juv Sabine's Gull at Hound Point this evening, in a flock of 100+ Kitts on the sea before heading west over the Forth Bridges. Also ad Black-throated Diver off Dalmeny, and juv Black Tern at Seacliff midweek. Obliging Little Stint at Tyninghame #birdinglothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social

A fine juvenile Hen Harrier quartering the Morrison's Haven scrape at Musselburgh yesterday night, before heading south. Only a handful of patch records, and scarcely annual on the Lothian coast #birdinglothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social

The autumn wader roll call has begun in East Lothian with a Spotted Redshank over the new lagoons and 2 Little Stint at Musselburgh today. 4 Curlew Sand and a Little Stint at Tyninghame yday. Marsh Harrier getting grief from the local Buzzards at Seacliff @birdinglothian.bsky.social #birdinglothian

Two neat juv Long-tailed Skua north were the highlight of a four skua day at Seacliff yesterday with @tomgale98.bsky.social. A nice supporting cast of three Sooty Shear and adult Pom, with one of each again this morning @birdinglothian.bsky.social #birdinglothian

A smart juv Black Tern and six Roseate (four ads and two juv) feeding offshore at Gullane Point this afternoon. Red-footed Falcon was most obliging at Aberlady later on @birdinglothian.bsky.social #birdinglothian #rarebirdsuk

Good passage of Roseate Tern in East Lothian with nine across three sites today: three west at Seacliff this morning, one at Tyninghame and five at Eyebroughy this evening. Smart mixed family groups with six adults and three juveniles @birdinglothian.bsky.social #birdinglothian

A dapper adult and juvenile Roseate Tern with the terns at Eyebroughy on Sunday. Meanwhile, the scoter festival at Musselburgh is in full swing with two White-winged Scoter and three drake Surf Scoter lately in the increasing Velvet flock #birdinglothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social

Exceptional views of these two drake Surf Scoter off Musselburgh this afternoon. Watched arriving in flight from far out, before pitching up right in front of me just off the seawall! @birdinglothian.bsky.social #birdinglothian #rarebirdsuk

Introducing my Fisherrow flat window. It's had some special birds since 2021. 102 species include Stejneger's, Surf & WW Scoters, King Eider, Little Auk, Roseate Tern & last week's American Wigeon. Elsewhere, a Quail singing at Tyninghame yday & Reed Warbler at Seacliff #birdinglothian #rarebirdsuk

A smart Temminck's Stint briefly on the new lagoons at Musselburgh late afternoon with @tomgale98.bsky.social and a Wood Sandpiper earlier in the week. The patch delivering some spring wader goodness #birdinglothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social

A Great White Egret over Seacliff as soon as I arrived this morning, heading south-east. Continuing the site's recent good form with White-winged Scoter, 3 Redstart and Osprey also in the last couple of weeks #birdinglothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social

As well as the return of the Eider-obsessed WW Scoter, other recent highlights include 3 Redstart at Seacliff, near-coastal Ring Ouzels at Traprain Law & Salisbury Crags, and male Hen Harrier. 6 Little Ringed Plover at Musselburgh was a site record count #birdinglothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social

A drake White-winged Scoter off Seacliff this pm with @tomgale98.bsky.social , associating with Eiders. Now in its fourth calendar year and last seen off Musselburgh in June '25, it still clearly thinks it's an Eider! Also Osprey west & male Redstart #birdinglothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social

A Black-necked Grebe v distantly off the seawall at Musselburgh on Fri eve was a welcome personal patch first, seen closer on Sat morn. Also 3 Blackwit & 10 Sand Martin this weekend, plus Snow Bunting at the start of the month. All signs of March passage #birdinglothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social

Just turned one year since I moved to Lothian. Some find highlights from here over the past twelve months. Many other good birds seen on patch at Musselburgh & elsewhere too (Marsh Sand, American Black Tern etc). Great to be birding here and thankful for a welcoming community #birdinglothian

Another day, another fine adult White-billed Diver. This one first off Fluke Dub, then later at Whitesands. 8 Snow Bunting on the beach at Whitesands, with a ninth at Skateraw. Also GN Diver near the WBD and Black-necked Grebe at WS Quarry @birdinglothian.bsky.social #birdinglothian

Nice to reacquaint myself with the White-billed Diver I first found off Craigleith in North Berwick last weekend. Today it was c. 2 miles to the east, near Canty Bay off Drift cafe, feeding busily by Bass Rock and clearly in wing moult @birdinglothian.bsky.social #birdinglothian

Very nice to find this adult White-billed Diver off North Berwick this afternoon, heading east past Bass Rock. It was a two WBD day with a 2nd bird off Yellowcraig till dusk (presumably the long stayer; pics worse than this!). Also 9 Snow Bunt & GN Diver @birdinglothian.bsky.social #birdinglothian

20 Russian White-fronted Geese including 2 juvs with Greylags at Whitekirk this morning. No prizes for distant phonescope pics but nice to find a substantial Lothian flock. A Great Skua off Musselburgh yesterday was a rare winter patch record #birdinglothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social

While not scarce in the overall region, this Pale-bellied Brent with c.400 PF Geese at Beecraigs Loch on Sat appears to be a record setter. The most westerly record for Lothian, and the only West Lothian record away from Blackness. My first inland and not what I had on my goose radar #birdinglothian

2 Dutch green ringed Caspian Gulls were in East Lothian in 2025. Myself & @tomgale98.bsky.social's 'V|+' was at Tyninghame 8 Nov, and @kgbirder.bsky.social's 'W|N' Gullane Point 17 Aug. Remarkably, both 1cys were ringed as chicks by L. Kelder at De Kreupel (IJsselmeer) on 9 May 2025! #birdinglothian

A Red Kite SW over Belhaven Bay got much grief from the locals this morn - oddly scarce still on the Lothian coast. 77 Twite at JMCP saltmarsh & the Glossy Ibis briefly at Scoughall. RN Grebe off Seacliff on Sat was also notable for the local N Sea coast @birdinglothian.bsky.social #birdingscotland

This 1cy Caspian Gull at Tyninghame yday was a much enjoyed Scottish first for myself and @tomgale98.bsky.social. Dutch green darvic V|+ was ringed 5 May at IJsselmmer, then seen Lowestoft (Suffolk) in July and De Haan (Belgium) 17 Oct before arriving here #birdinglothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social

Two Black Redstarts at Torness added a dash of colour to a grey scene this morning - including a very smart male #birdinglothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social

Great day with @tomgale98.bsky.social . American Golden Plover at Barns Ness early pm, part of a mobile Goldie flock that soon headed west towards Whitesands. Jack Snipe in-off at Fluke Dub, then Yellow-browed Warbler & Pom at Seacliff. Vismig clear w. 12 Brambling and many thrushes #birdinglothian

Pom Skuas moving today with 10 off Gullane Bay. 8 pale adults with 3 superb spooned birds and 2 juvs west. 2 ads later on patch at Musselburgh, incl. my first with spoons here. Still on spoons, October local highlights include Sabine's Gull and Spoonbill #birdinglothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social

Very nice to find this Wryneck at Dalmeny House this afternoon. Still present this eve, moving between the shoreline at the golf course to feed and nearby cover. Also juv Pom, RN Grebe + 4 Pintail offshore, & 3 juv Black Tern at Hound Point #birdinglothian #rarebirdsuk @birdinglothian.bsky.social

Three juv Curlew Sand at Musselburgh this afternoon, with two new birds on the old scrapes and one still on new lagoons. Also a new juv Little Stint, Wood Sand plus WW & Surf Scoter offshore. Big Arctic Tern passage in the Forth recently with 112W in 45min at Fisherrow on Fri night #birdinglothian

An enjoyable three skua day with @tomgale98.bsky.social. The highlight a smart ad Pom Skua W off Seacliff late afternoon. Also Bonxie off Barns Ness, plus 6 Arctics and 63 Manxies total between both sites #birdinglothian

A juv Spotted Redshank on the new lagoons at Musselburgh tonight was my first here for a few years. This female Osprey was also a welcome personal patch first on Sunday evening #birdinglothian