Ian Andrews

31 Oct. Musselburgh. The highlight today was the sight and sound of 16 Whooper Swans (8 juvs) arriving at the new lagoons. Other photos - Long-tailed Duck and Curlew. Nuthatch with acorn from elsewhere in East Lothian #BirdingLothian

27 Oct. Musselburgh. 2+ Twite along the seawall, Med Gull "white 30VA", 1 Ruff, 3 Shoveler, imm Pomarine Skua flew W, an "odd" Canada Goose on the river with a strange call! #BirdingLothian

22 Oct. Seafield Pond, West Barns. The Glossy Ibis was still present early this morning. Finding plenty to eat. #BirdingLothian

Visitors flock back to Fair Isle Bird Observatory | Shetland.org Fair Isle Bird Observatory was established in 1948, and since then there have been five iterations of the Observatory building. The latest was lost to a fire in March 2019, and after six years and a c...

Recently, Ranger Carla wrote a blog about the new Observatory building and what it means to the staff and the island. You can read that blog and see some of the stunning photos taken by the @promoteshetland.bsky.social team here: www.shetland.org/blog/fair-is...

Now there's a thought. Let's wait for the first frost.

16 Oct. Musselburgh. Marsh Sandpiper STILL present. Also, 1 Little Gull, 1 Whooper Swan, 1 Ruff, 2 Greenshank, 10 Long-tailed Duck, 3 Slavonian Grebes and the Bottlenose Dolphins did another swim past! #BirdingLothian

15 Oct. Musselburgh. Marsh Sandpiper still, 4 pale adult Pomarine Skuas W, juv Arctic Skua chasing, 2 Little Gulls, 2 Arctic Terns, 3 Slavonian Grebes, 1 Great Northern Diver, 1st Rock Pipit of the autumn, 8+ Bottlenose Dolphins #BirdingLothian

Also today - Water Rail again, Marsh Sandpiper still, 2 Ruff, 1 Golden Plover on new lagoons, 1 Fieldfare over, up to 1100 Barnacle Geese, 2 Slavonian Grebes, 10 Shoveler, 1 Scaup still, 5 Long-tailed Ducks, 3 Goldeneye, 6 Velvet Scoter only.

14 Oct. Musselburgh. Took a while for the penny to drop after repeatedly hearing a high sharp "keek" call at the Esk mouth - only for it to fly over exactly as a guy came up to me to ask about Wigeon! Saw it well but briefly as it flew high SE - Long-billed Dowitcher #BirdingLothian

On the boating pond

1st-winter Mediterranean Gull coughing up a pellet

13 Oct. Musselburgh. The Marsh Sandpiper remains settled. 1 Little Gull, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Slavonian Grebes, 2 Greenshank, 3 Whooper Swans flew W, 1 Scaup still. Best local bird was a Water Rail in the moat of new lagoons (v few Musselburgh records) #BirdingLothian

grey Golden Plover (left) with Golden Plover and Lapwing, South Uist, 19-20 Sep 2025. Note that both birds have similar size, stance and wing/tail tip proportions.

grey Golden Plover (top right) with two Golden Plovers all showing the same white underwing and auxiliaries

Pink-footed Goose with orange legs, White Sands Quarry, 11 Oct 2025. Bill is as pink as adjacent Pink-footed Geese

ID pitfalls revisited recently - not all grey golden plovers are American and not all Pink-footed Geese have pink legs/feet #BirdingScotland

9 Oct. Musselburgh. Marsh Sandpiper and Spoonbill still, the latter putting on another great show at the scrapes at high tide. Also, juv Brent Goose (presumed Dark-bellied although I find some juvs difficult), 5 Grey Partridge, 1st-w Mediterranean Gull, male Scaup (boating pond) #BirdingLothian

Personally, I got more enjoyment seeing the LWfG than any Egyptian Goose I've seen in Scotland - but it's only the latter that I'm likely to be able to "officially count". Good job I don't worry about lists.

8 Oct. Musselburgh. Spoonbill and Marsh Sandpiper still present, also 2 Spotted Redshank and 3 Greenshank. Two Mediterranean Gulls at the Esk mouth. Two Slavonian Grebes offshore, but only 1 Velvet Scoter. #BirdingLothian

It was listed under "escapes" in LBR but it was not assessed in any way as far as I know.

Given the recent sighting, I dragged these up from an old hard drive - my photos of the Lesser White-fronted Goose at the Esk mouth at Musselburgh on 29th May 2005. I'm not sure how many Scottish records there are of any LWfG of any origin #BirdingLothian

There have been very few scoters at Musselburgh the past week - in fact I saw none today. Numbers of Velvets have declined rapidly from the summer/early autumn peak although the White-winged Scoter was still with 15 Velvets on 2nd. The Long-tailed Ducks should be arriving soon - again none yet.

No, it didn't fly when I was there

6 Oct. Tyninghame. Distant view of the adult Lesser White-fronted Goose with Pink-feet and Barnacles - found by @jarrodhadfield.bsky.social #BirdingLothian

6 Oct. Musselburgh. The Spoonbill appeared to be feeding well in the Esk this morning. Also, Marsh Sandpiper still, 2 Spotted Redshanks, 3 Greenshank, 15 Whooper Swans (no young), 2 Pintail #BirdingLothian

5 Oct. Musselburgh. Spoonbill put on quite a show at the scrapes (and lagoons) this afternoon. Also, Marsh Sandpiper still, 1 Spotted Redshank, juv Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 15 Little Gulls (way offshore), 2 Arctic Skuas #BirdingLothian

4 Oct. Eastfield. Adult Sabine's Gull at the mouth of Brunstane Burn late afternoon - found by Mark O'Brien #BirdingLothian

1 Oct. Musselburgh. More photos of the long-staying Marsh Sandpiper and 2 Spotted Redshanks (now starting to moult into 1st-w plumage). Also Black Guillemot. #BirdingLothian

The #BirdingLothian feed seems to have started working again!

and so it went on...

and some argumentative Greenshanks

29 Sep. Musselburgh. Marsh Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshanks, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 10 Little Egrets, a lateish Common Sandpiper #BirdingLothian