Record shot from this am of both imm White-winged Scoter off Musselburgh: presumed 2cy first from right (with virtually no eye tick) & presumed 3cy fourth from right (with a better, though far from adult, eye tick & prominent brown flanks). 3 Surfs still present too @birdinglothian.bsky.social

Two smart adult Roseate Terns with 100+ Sandwich Terns at Aberlady late morning. @birdinglothian.bsky.social

July is very much Scoter season at Musselburgh these days. This (presumed returning 3cy) White-winged Scoter was with the Velvets off the seawall early this morning as well as the 3 drake Surf Scoter still (pic from last week). @birdinglothian.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

The two drake Surf Scoter continued to show very nicely on occasion this evening off the Musselburgh seawall @birdinglothian.bsky.social

That moment a bull Orca’s dorsal fin suddenly appears in your field of view during an otherwise duff seawatch. I may have sworn. Mightily impressive even at 2+ miles range in shocking heat haze (one of 4+ past Scoughall this am). Heat hazy Spoonbill at Tyninghame this pm. @birdinglothian.bsky.social

A smart ad Curlew Sandpiper in the high tide roost at Tyninghame this afternoon. Singing Reed Warbler and Quail at Scoughall this morning. On Thursday, ad Little Stint and singing Reed Warbler at Aberlady. @birdinglothian.bsky.social

These Cranes North past Skateraw at 13:30 were the highlight of an otherwise quiet day - presumably the same three that have been at Howick, Northumberland in recent days. @birdinglothian.bsky.social #NEbirding.

It's like meeting an old friend, relocating the Eider- wannabe White-winged Scoter. Now off Gullane Point and showing nicely...with Eider. @birdinglothian.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

An unexpected Black-necked Grebe off Seafield this afternoon (also a Black Guillemot) @birdinglothian.bsky.social

A break from checking the sea today produced this fine Shore Lark at Tyninghame, between the north end of the saltmarsh and the end of the sand spit. @birdinglothian.bsky.social

My pics may be getting progressively worse, but I can’t imagine I’ll ever find different White-billed Divers on three consecutive days in Lothian any time soon. Today’s bird/birds were distant, so huge crops, off Gullane Point this morning and Black Rocks this afternoon @birdinglothian.bsky.social

A productive day birding with @colindavison.bsky.social, though no prizes for the pics. Nice to add another ad White-billed Diver to the influx, off Scoughall. Also, imm White-t Eagle & 4 Snow Bunts there. Later, 2 Tundra Beans & 4 ad Whitefronts at White Sands Quarry. @birdinglothian.bsky.social

A smart ad White-billed Diver off Yellowcraig this afternoon, west of Fidra. Nice to be able to contribute to the current influx in the Forth. @birdinglothian.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

2cy Glaucous Gull at Yellowcraig at midday, found by @aberladybirder.bsky.social, looks to be the Gosford bird of last week. Earlier, now 12 Whitefronts (4 juvs) east of Prora with the Greylags. Yesterday, 13 Whitefronts (the same?) flew east out of Aberlady at 09:15. @birdinglothian.bsky.social

Four ad White-fronted Geese with Whooper Swans and Greylags opposite West Fortune Farm entrance , east of Drem, this afternoon. @birdinglothian.bsky.social

This 2cy Caspian Gull at Musselburgh river mouth this morning, on a brief visit in the gloom. The fourth Casp in Lothian in as many days. It’s status as an official Scottish rarity must be on a very shoogly peg. @birdinglothian.bsky.social

The 3cy drake White-winged Scoter was off Aberlady beach again this morning while the drake Green-winged Teal was back on the river viewable from the car park. @birdinglothian.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

Juv Glaucous Gull N past Torness at 10:30. Dreadful pic but it’s my first white-winger in Lothian for the best part of three years. It’s a sign of the times that it’s considerably easier to see Caspian Gulls these days. Merlin at Tyninghame this afternoon. @birdinglothian.bsky.social

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