Stephen Welch

Mediterranean gull white 32A4 back at Seton Burn yesterday for it's 15th year first seen by @lothianrecorder.bsky.social on 06/08 @birdinglothian.bsky.social

Seems likely, certainly birds have returned east in the past even without a storm!

Scolt Head Sandwich Terns - up date on birds ringed in June 2025 Bird ringing, bird banding, bird watching, butterflies

green-K juvs from Norfolk, good breeding season at Scolt Head with 4,000 prs and 3,200 young fledged by 21/7 with still 600 prs with small chicks; 120 chicks colour-ringed of which >10 already Seton by end July, c/o Billy & @scottbirder01.bsky.social Link here: lamsdell.blogspot.com/2025/07/scol...

Sandwich white-E12 a Hunterston chick c/o Clyde ringing group with a good history, has bred Coquet, here Seton with chick in July, pics...

Tricky from that shot, assume only image, not a Little or Arctic as it has long black legs, some fresh juv Sandwich can be remarkably small but impression of narrow sharp bill might suggest Roseate; also suggestion of metal ring left (?), many/most Roseates ringed, also many Sandwich but fewer...

Off-lead dogs damage Little Tern colony A colony of rare Little Terns on Norfolk's east coast has suffered after off-lead dogs attacked the birds, killing at least four chicks. The RSPB and Norfolk Police have issued urgent pleas to dog owners, warning of potential prosecution as the breeding season reaches its most critical stage.

Wardens and police have issued an urgent plea to dog owners after uncontrolled pets attacked a colony of Little Terns on the Norfolk coast, killing at least four chicks and endangering dozens more:

bsky.app/profile/loth...

Great, finally clinched the white letter A! I guess just "A" was chosen knowing there would probably never be a need for a "B", etc.

Finally the entry, this longer video at 21:58-22:00hrs on 28th captures period with two main batches, totalling around 4k, peeling off the cloud and pouring down into roost, leaving 3k+ circling, but video is compressed due to length so they are not properly visible. Just amazing to see in person...

But very soon tighter flocking and murmurations becoming apparent prior to entry to roost, 21:51hrs on 25th...

Initial views mainly of birds in high clouds when slightly easier to see, 21:49hrs (17 mins after sunset) on 25th...

Impossible to capture in stills and even video is quite poor, as you progressively zoom in more birds appear, anyway a few clips to follow with some commentary - first soon after arrival on 25th...

Huge Sand Martin roost at Blindwells continues, none on mud banks after first day and I feel slightly reduced but fairly steady ~8k; entry to roost has been later, tonight when brighter mainly 30-40 mins after sunset. Numbers for 22nd (mismatch) and 25-26th (I arrived late) adjusted #BirdingScotland

Alex Carlisle on X: "This stunning American Black Tern presents a striking contrast on the sands of the Northumberland coast (Beadnell Bay 2 days ago) https://t.co/y1MBrfuvFq" / X This stunning American Black Tern presents a striking contrast on the sands of the Northumberland coast (Beadnell Bay 2 days ago) https://t.co/y1MBrfuvFq

Great pic from 20 June, at Beadnell Bay, c/o Alex Carlisle, clearly showing the white "A": x.com/AlexCarlisle...

Yes, presumably albino Sandwich yellow-E83 ringed and then colour-ringed as a chick at Forvie in June this year, info/pic per Raymond Duncan, Grampian Ringing Group; last albino here, presumed lime-EKK, was at same spot on 20/7/17 per ‪‪@jamesellison1955.bsky.social‬ x.com/BluethroatJa...

Aha, that's great, thanks for reply - I see it on the map, ~39 miles from Tyninghame (cf. ~49 to Long Nanny). Anyway, yes, not far for a tern and we know from rings that some move back and forth up and down the east coast, and indeed between east and west coast...
* maps.app.goo.gl/W669gJ9MZJJN...

Apols, was on phone before and had not checked images, I see you have an image of terns there with apparent Black lower right over the island, but I expect it was quite distant?

Any pic of the tern? Seems to be back in Lothian today (TBC). Just seeking reassurance that it looks the same, many thanks!

bsky.app/profile/loth...

Further images c/o @itssjoenichols.bsky.social strongly supportive of green ring right; for info, the American Black Tern was ringed (caught on nest) by Chris Redfern on 2/7/24, green PVC ring right with hand-written inscription "A" in white on both sides; no known matching scheme for Black Tern...

Agreed, I also first thought left from image, sure Keith can confirm; but it doesn't really look like a "dark green darvic with black letters" which is only option listed in cr-birding* - poss database is incomplete, I just posted a query on Euro c-r Birding facebook * cr-birding.org/colourprojec...

American Black Tern by Mark Joy Visit our new-look Galleries to view and search images of thousands of bird species, and join our worldwide community of bird photographers

American Black Tern was ringed with what seems to be white on green right, metal left late June 2024*. I don't think there are any schemes for Black Tern with white letters on green. * www.birdguides.com/gallery/bird...

What the Online Safety Act is - and how to keep children safe online As child safety duties for online platforms begin to take effect in the UK users, here's what you need to know about the Act.

This is a direct response to the OSA which comes into force tmrw Fri, Bluesky seem to have moved more quickly than X (which I no longer use, but did not delete my accounts); verifying age is trivial when you look as old as me...

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Audio of buzzy calls from the roost 22:13hrs (I took care not to disturb them and none flew out)

A couple of thousand Sand Martins entering the reedbed roost at 21:56hrs, thousands still swirling over...

The scene at 21:45hrs with first couple of thousand high over...

Fewer on 23rd, more like 8k, arrival 15 mins later and none rising from Blindwells earth banks, entry to roost also 10 mins later complete at 22:08hrs, 32 mins after sunset...

@scottishbirding.bsky.social @btoscotland.bsky.social @birdinglothian.bsky.social

21:45hrs, murmuration style with first entry to roost in tall phragmites reeds at west side of middle tank in the Minewater Treatment Scheme (NT415747; 55.96182,-2.93846), perhaps deterred earlier by Sparrowhawk patrolling 21:30hrs; once in roost a buzzing hum from the mass of chattering birds [3/3]

21:28hrs, "hundreds" over Blindwells; previous Lothian peaks in spring (1300 Gladhouse 21/5/97), max post breeding 300 Linlithgow 26/8/89. Previous Scottish peaks 20k Bothwell Park Farm pool, Clyde, 2/8/96, 11k Loch Leven 18/8/02, and 50k mixed hirundines Tay reedbeds Aug-91. Min 20 Swallows [2/3]

Update on *mega* Sand Martin roost at Blindwells MTS 22 July - numbers grew rapidly 10 mins to sunset, but many rising from banks/bare earth on main Blindwells site, first entry to roost 7 mins after sunset; seems by far highest Lothian count, one of highest ever in Scotland #birdingscotland [1/2]