Sunday 20 September 2009

20 September 09 Barons Haugh

Passage waders still very much in evidence at the Haugh. 3 Black Tailed Godwits & a Green Sandpiper with several hundred Lapwings.

The very low water levels have encouraged Snipe out in to the open & there were up to 20 on the exposed mud in front of the Causeway hide. The embers of summer threw up a signing Chiffchaff but all hirundines appear to have departed.

Some of the ducks now showing signs of coming out of eclipse. C 10 Shoveler with a single female/eclipse Wigeon and small numbers of Gadwall being the pick.
Lots of Snipe.
Eclipse Drake Shoveler.
Several Gadwall

Sunday 13 September 2009

13 September 09 Aberlady Bay

The long staying Lesser Yellowlegs was showing distantly upstream from the wooden bridge and at least 100 Pink Footed Geese yelped overhead signaling that winter is not far.

The walk from the wooden bridge out to the beach is often boring and today was only brightened by flocks of Goldfinch & Linnet and the occasional Stonechat & Reed Bunting.

The sea was like a millpond and at 2 dark phase Arctic Skua were seen, one on the sea quite close in and a second rather falcon like over the sea. Several distant Red Throated Diver lines of Common Scoter. Lots of passing Gannets and occasional Sandwich Terns.

At the point there was a single Wheatear and a small flock of Knot flew past.

Late afternon 2 large skiens of Pink Footed Geese flew over the saltmarsh & a single Bar Tailed Godwit probed the mud quite close to the wooden bridge allowing some photographs.

Various images from today:
Mallard on the Marl Loch.
Distant Stonechat.

Reed Bunting
Moorhen.
Curlew at low tide.
"Oik" at Gullane Point

Distant Common Scoters
Barwit from the toilet block