Spring is at an End and There's Bugger All to Look Forward To.

So that was Spring ! Late March to Mid May was absolutely fabulous. The last two weeks of May however have been a complete let down. A period of strong, sometimes gale force Westerlies with squally showers. Trees blown down, shrubs battered and not a bird of note in sight. Even my garden Blue Tits have abandoned their nest box. Appeared to coincide with 70 mph winds last week. Basically, I have been on a bit of a downer recently with only boring old Summer to look forward to with its constant lawnmowers and neighbours feckin Bar-B-Que's.

I finally summed up enough enthusiasm this morning to get up and get out by 7:45 am. Well it was the last day of Spring after all.  Being a holiday Monday I expected the roads to be quiet. Not a bit of it, it did not appear to be a holiday in Edinburgh at all. Indeed as I went through Wallyford, the local school was going in.

The first stop was the Wader Scrapes where a Little Stint had been reported yesterday. Not to disappoint there were two present:

Other than the Little Stints there was a Shelduck and that was about it.

Moving towards the sea wall a Skylark allowed for close approach as it collected food for its young:

Despite the recent high winds, the sea was flat calm and there was little of interest aside from a few passing Sandwich and Common Terns.

The ebbing tide was fortunately pushing birds towards me:

Waders included Bar Tailed Godwit, Knot and Grey Plover. Only a handful of Velvet Scoter remained and there was no sign of yesterday's reported Surf Scoter.

 The incoming tide was beginning to force birds off the shoreline and by the time I returned to the wader scrapes there were c15 Dunlin and 2 Ringed Plover present. Reed Bunting and Swallow provided some further interest:

Roll on Autumn ......................................