Lots of Year Ticks in East Lothian

All my birding this year has been on the West coast. Time to go East and catch up with some some of the stuff over there.

I left drizzly Glasgow about 9am, but by the time I had reached Livingston the sky was considerably brighter & by the time I reached Musselburgh it was dry & relatively bright. I parked at the Esk Mouth end but headed back towards the boating pond covering the rough grassland in the hope of Grey Partridge but I was out of luck. It is 5 years since I last saw a Grey Partridge.

From the sea wall there were small numbers of the usual suspects, Velvet Scoter, Long Tailed Duck, Slav Grebe etc. There was a single distant Diver either Red or Black Throated, probably the former but I could not be sure. Also Red Breasted Mergansger, Shag & a single Razorbill. Later I had a Grebe that was probably Red Necked.

On reaching Esk Mouth I located a small flock of Knot and there were the usual Dunlin, Redshank & Turnstone present. Normally shy waders are fairly confiding and allowed for some shots:

Grey Plover

Bar Tailed Godwit

Curlew


Spent some time looking for the reported Snow Buntings without success.

In the afternoon I moved down to Barn's Ness. Here I had splended views of the Water Pipit. 2 Stonechat were also welcome.