Today’s imm male White-winged Scoter off Aberlady was clearly different to the two ad drakes seen in the wider area y’day. It’s getting increasingly tricky to know just how many individuals there are in the Forth these days. @birdinglothian.bsky.social

A drake Green-winged Teal at Aberlady this morning, downstream of the wooden bridge. Two Red-necked Grebes, 12 Slavs and 2 Great Northern Divers offshore. @birdinglothian.bsky.social

A single Snow Bunting at Gullane Point was the highlight of this morning's wander round Aberlady. @birdinglothian.bsky.social #birdingscotland

Another winter of shocking scoter photography beckons. Both the drake White-winged off Ferny Ness this afternoon (middle bird in the pic) and the drake Surf off Gullane Point this morning were very distant. @birdinglothian.bsky.social #birdingscotland

They may not create a ripple on even the Lothian rarity pond these days but todays Great White Egret at Aberlady was a (very) long overdue Lothian find tick for me and so was more satisfying than usual. @birdinglothian.bsky.social #birdingscotland

This presumed drake Black Scoter with the scoter flock in Ravensheugh Bay this afternoon with @colindavison.bsky.social. Always distant and tricky in a bitingly cold wind and rough sea. Hopefully it’ll stick around until the weather improves. @birdinglothian.bsky.social #birdingscotland

Tough going again today in the continuing strong winds. This Grey Phalarope sought some relative shelter in the channel off Caoles, Vatersay this afternoon. #birdingscotland

A brief Common Rosefinch at Bolnabodach, Barra in the gloom this morning was at least something to point the camera at. There’s been precious few migrants thus far otherwise. #birdingscotland

A couple of gulls from the last week or so in Lothian for those who like that sort of thing, both of which were brief. What looked to be a good fuscus candidate from Tyninghame on 14th (but unringed and so unprovable) and a 2cy Caspian from Musselburgh on 17th #birdinglothian.

Today's American Golden Plover at Balevullin, Tiree steadfastly refused to give anything other than record shots. Presumably fresh in as it hasn't found the Goldie flock yet, mind you neither have I in the last few days. 2 Glossy Ibis, Turtle Dove & Black Tern all still present. #birdingscotland.

Two Glossy Ibis still Loch a'Phuill, Turtle Dove at Clachan, Black Tern off Hynish, Wood Sand at Balevullin, Little Stint at Vaul, 1cy Med Gull at Scarinish & 42 Curlew Sands around the island on another day of challenging weather on Tiree. #birdingscotland.

A juv Black Tern lingering off Hynish, Tiree this afternoon seems part of a mini-influx after 6 'fly-throughs' y'day. Other influx species today included a single Glossy Ibis at Loch a'Phuill and at least 40 Curlew Sands (min of 52 y'day) #birdingscotland.

It was good of @tireebirder.bsky.social's Melodious Warbler to stick around so I could Tiree tick it this evening. Earlier a very flighty Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Clachan (& 5 juv Curlew Sands). #birdingscotland.

Chuffed to relocate y’days Fife Bridled Tern offshore from the Eskmouth at Musselburgh for 10 mins from 08:55 and glad that 3 others managed to connect before it became too distant and was lost to view. Drake White-winged & Surf Scoter both still present #birdinglothian.

A cooperative Wheatear at Tyninghame this morning, where there continues to be relatively poor numbers of small waders for some reason. Had better luck at White Sands where an ad Little Stint was present at the north end of the beach #birdinglothian.

In more green colour ring news, yesterday’s Dutch ringed 1cy Caspian Gull at Gullane Point (green W|N ) - ringed as a pullus on 9 May at IJsselmmer from an apparently pure pair #birdinglothian

The American Black Tern, complete with its green ring, was back at Tyninghame today till 14:15 when it flew out to sea. I have to say though that identifying anything solely on the presence of a colour ring isn't especially rewarding. Also 4+ Roseate Terns still. #birdinglothian

Nice to see the six regular tern species all together at Tyninghame this afternoon, inc ad Black, 12 Roseate (6 juvs), 5 Little (1 juv) and 60+ Arctic. A smart ad Long-tailed Skua north past White Sands at 17:20 #birdinglothian

Ropey shot of an ad White-rumped Sandpiper new in on the Musselburgh scrapes on a quick pre-work visit this morning. By some margin the most frequent American wader in Lothian in recent years. #birdinglothian

My feed has been very scoter heavy this year so I might as well continue the trend! The White-winged showing very well again off Musselburgh at times this morning (would have been better still had the sun been out). Drake Surf also still present. #birdinglothian

The new White-winged Scoter found y'day by @alpine-swift.bsky.social still present this am off Musselburgh (as well as the drake Surf Scoter). Surely this one will be around for the next couple of months while it moults. #birdinglothian

I've told myself countless times on uninspiring days that all it takes is for a Bee-eater to fly past. And today it did! Low, west through Tyninghame inner bay at 08:55. Lothian tick 😀 #birdinglothian

The White-winged Scoter was performing beautifully again this morning off the Musselburgh seawall. I suspect its destined to become quite well photographed. (Two ad Med Gulls on the scrapes). #birdinglothian

Some more pics of the White-winged Scoter from Musselburgh this morning. Still seemingly identifying as an Eider! I couldn't really have asked for better views. #birdinglothian

Nice to see a familiar face amongst the Eider at Musselburgh river mouth just now. The 3cy White-winged Scoter showing extremely well at high tide. #birdinglothian #rarebirdsuk

Nine Med Gulls (6 ads) west past Gullane Point in 90 mins this lunchtime (including these two that stopped off on Hummel Rocks during one of the squalls). Not the number or age breakdown I'd associate with June #birdinglothian.

Although they're getting increasingly regular, it's still nice to find Spoonbills in Lothian. These three sub-adults in the inner bay at Tyninghame this afternoon. Earlier a 2cy Little Gull at White Sands Quarry. #birdinglothian

The persistent, strong, north-westerlies largely put paid to any hopes of spring overshoots this past week on Tiree, but there's always the local specialities to keep you entertained (and awake at night) #tireebirding.

A Snow Goose with Greylags at Balevullin, Tiree this pm was doubtless the bird seen by @tireebirder.bsky.social a week or so ago. No shortage of Whimbrel still dotted round the island (Quail heard calling y'day). #birdingscotland

The Green-winged Teal was back at Musselburgh today after a four day absence, commuting between the scrapes and the new lagoon and showing well on occasion. #birdinglothian

This Green-winged Teal on the new Eskside lagoon early morning is the first for the Musselburgh I think (& 2 Temminck’s Stints still). #birdinglothian

Only two small waders at the north end of the Tyninghame saltmarsh at high tide early pm, but one happens to be this rather smart Kentish Plover! #birdinglothian #rarebirdsUK

Yet more extreme scoter crops, but it was most amusing to watch with @aberladybirder.bsky.social as the (always distant) 3cy White-winged Scoter at Yellowcraig tried its luck with a female eider and actively saw off any male eider that came too close. It clearly has identity issues. #birdinglothian

The 3cy White-winged Scoter was off Yellowcraig this afternoon though distant (with Eider to the west of Fidra). It could do with taking lessons from the nearby Stonechats on how to pose for pics. A late Twite & 2 Fieldfare at Aberlady (& male Whinchat) #birdinglothian

Two Avocets at Tyninghame this afternoon were seemingly different to the recent Musselburgh birds (neither showing the obvious notch of black extending below the eye nor the grubby wing panel one of the Muss birds showed – pic on right). Earlier, Marsh Harrier north over Skateraw #birdinglothian

The Avocets still on the Musselburgh scrapes this morning (& singing Lesser Whitethroat) #birdinglothian

Thoroughly ropey pic of one of the two Avocets back on the Musselburgh scrapes in the haze this evening. Presumably the same two that were present Mon & Tues having been to Fife in the interim. A Bonxie north was the highlight from Scoughall this morning #birdinglothian

A White-billed Diver still off Gullane Point this morning and a summer plumaged Black-throated Diver flew east, but no sign of any White-winged Scoter. A winter plumaged Black-throat, a Great Northern Diver and 3 Manx off Ferny Ness this afternoon. #BirdingLothian

A White-winged Scoter this morning, with Eider off Yellowcraig, had a much-reduced eye tick compared to the recent Gullane birds so seems likely to be a second-winter? One ad drake WWS still in Gullane Bay late pm #birdinglothian

Both the drake White-winged Scoter still off Gullane Point this am (one to west, one to east), the former slightly closer at times allowing better pics. Also the 2cy White-billed Diver off the west end of Aberlady beach early pm (& 2 BTD, 1 GND) #birdinglothian #rarebirdsuk

The two drake White-winged Scoters still in Gullane Bay this morning. It proved virtually impossible to get a useable pic showing both in the same shot given the range and a decidedly choppy sea. The Sanderling at Aberlady were much more cooperative. #birdinglothian #rarebirdsuk

A showy Twite from Musselburgh yesterday. It was rather more accommodating than the White-winged Scoters at Gullane today, both of which were way too distant for pics. #birdinglothian

Now 2 drake White-winged Scoters in Gullane Bay, viewable distantly from beach car park. #birdinglothian #rarebirdsuk

The White-winged Scoter again east of Gullane Point this morning. Not getting any closer sadly, so pics still awful. It consistently showed obviously browner flanks today though. #birdinglothian #rarebirdsuk

The 'ghost gull', back for its 7th winter, was the only bright spot of an otherwise very grey, uninspiring, wander round Musselburgh this afternoon. #birdinglothian

Got some more extreme range scoter photography practise with the White-winged off Gullane Point this morning (also Black-throated Diver, 2 Great Northerns & Whimbrel). #birdinglothian #birdingscotland #rarebirdsuk

The three remaining orphaned young Whooper Swans still at Lochhouses this morning. Nearby, single Black-throated & Great Northern Divers, 27 Red-throats, 64+ Long-tailed Ducks & a Great Crested Grebe off Ravensheugh Sands (the latter scarce on North Sea coast). #birdinglothian #birdingscotland

A drake White-winged Scoter off Gullane Pt this afternoon, with @aberladybirder.bsky.social was a different bird to the markedly brown-flanked Gosford bird of Nov 24 (also 3 GND, BTD, 2 RNG, Whimbrel). GND & Tystie off Ferny Ness. #birdinglothian #birdingscotland #rarebirdsuk

A reflecting Sanderling at Aberlady this morning. Offshore, single Great Northern and Black-throated Divers and 21+ Slavonian Grebes. #birdinglothian #birdingscotland

This obliging Kingfisher was the highlight from a very blustery Musselburgh this morning. Otherwise, an unseasonal Puffin and an ad Med Gull offshore. #birdinglothian