East Lothian

I have had a couple of trips through to East Lothian prompted by easterly winds over the last fortnight. Last weeks trip to Thorntonloch & Torness yielded nothing better than a Whitethroat. Today's trip was exclusively to Musselburgh & coincided with a high tide that had pushed lots of waders on to the scrapes.

Ruff - 1 of c10 present

 Other interesting waders included 1 Curlew Sand, 1 Greenshank, Black Tailed Godwit & Bar Tailed Godwit & Snipe.

A Red Necked Grebe was off the sea wall as well as Velvet Scoter, 2 Red Throated Diver & 1 Arctic Skua.

Barwits leaving the roost

Lots of Oystercatchers

Curlews on the move

The Swamp Thing

Arrived at Minsmere at 5:30 am after an overnight from Glasgow. The Western Purple Swamphen was soon on view on the South Pool.

1st for Britain pending BOURC acceptance

Spent the whole day at Minsmere mostly taking in the huge variety of wading birds. I counted 18 different species:

1. Oystercatcher
2. Curlew
3. Dunlin
4. Redshank
5. Ringed Plover
6. Turnstone
7. Knot
8. Lapwing
9. Black Tailed Godwit
10. Whimbrel
11. Spotted Redshank
12. Greenshank
13. Green Sandpiper
14. Common Sandpiper
15. LRP
16. Little Stint
17. Avocet
18. Stone Curlew

Little Egret in early morning sun

Other notables included Bittern, Bearded Tit, Water Rail & Green Woodpecker.

I camped overnight at Leiston (Cake & Ale) & went to Westleton Heath first thing. I managed several Dartford Warbler but could not find any Woodlark.

By 1pm I was at Frampton. I quickly found the White Rumped Sandpiper. Despite being a reasonably frequent trans atlantic visitor this was only my second ever & the 1st one was way back in the 1980's.

Black Tailed Godwit

Dunlin

Frampton really is a super place, just alive with birds. Waders in big numbers particularly Dunlin. Other highlights included 3 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Corn Bunting & finally a Kingfisher for the year.