Well after last years Autumn holiday where it simply fizzled out, we decided this year to have an earlier fortnight, namely at the end of September and the first week of October. And the Autumn of 2018 has certainly delivered so far this year.
Anyway, we realised that this was a holiday and so Lord Lichfield decided that we needed a trip out. And so we popped up to Lothian and Musselburgh on 28th September, with a few target birds in the area available.
Having been busy with alternative projects, Lord Lichfield very kindly agtreed to drive, and we arrived at the very picturesque Musselburgh at just after 9am on a gorgeous morning. Now for those joke birders who spend time just sitting on sofas, well let me set the scene. The sky is blue, there's no wind, and overhead you have flocks of Pink-footed Geese flying in, probably flying straight through the night from Iceland and at the height they are, then they are probably still heading down the coast to Norfolk....sorry...bit over your head isn't it.
So we walked round the small headland, checking the small flocks of Velvet Scoter offshore, mixed in with the odd juvenile Gannet and flocks of Red-breasted Mergansers feeding away. Then a flock of Barnacle Geese fly over. Eventually we located a flock of 40+ Velvet Scoter and slowly sift through them until Lord Lichfield expertly picks out the American White-winged Scoter showing quite well....its head shape is totally different and we watch it diving away. Our first target bird of the trip is under our belts and by far, these are the best views either of us have had of this bird.
While watching this bird, we also find a Red-necked Grebe and a juvenile Pomarine Skua flies in and performs in front of us. Quite a nice little spell.
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| Edinburgh in the distance. Blimey we should have stayed at home eating more and more oatcakes |
After a brief check of Musselburgh lagoons, we headed off to Barns Ness. There were two target birds here and the first one, and a Scottish tick, was a juvenile Woodchat Shrike showing well by the car park.
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| The lighthouse at Barns Ness |
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| Juv Woodchat Shrike at Barns Ness by Lord Lichfield |
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| Its just full of shit.... |
Unfortunately, despite waiting for over two hours, the ROSE-COLOURED STARLING did'nt reappear during the afternoon, and so we headed back to Musselburgh lagoons and saw the Pectoral Sandpiper and juv Curlew Sandpiper from a hide that had been built upside down. We kid you not.
A fantastic day was had and many thanks to Lord Lichfield for doing all the driving when I wasn't at 100% as per usual.
Finally, hopefully we will bring you the full story behind the amazing claims by a Fenton Sofabirder that he is approaching 500 BOU. We bring you exclusive pictures of the listing police as they practise for the day when he makes his claim.
And a little song for you all.....
