A Black-necked Grebe v distantly off the seawall at Musselburgh on Fri eve was a welcome personal patch first, seen closer on Sat morn. Also 3 Blackwit & 10 Sand Martin this weekend, plus Snow Bunting at the start of the month. All signs of March passage #birdinglothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social

Just turned one year since I moved to Lothian. Some find highlights from here over the past twelve months. Many other good birds seen on patch at Musselburgh & elsewhere too (Marsh Sand, American Black Tern etc). Great to be birding here and thankful for a welcoming community #birdinglothian

Another day, another fine adult White-billed Diver. This one first off Fluke Dub, then later at Whitesands. 8 Snow Bunting on the beach at Whitesands, with a ninth at Skateraw. Also GN Diver near the WBD and Black-necked Grebe at WS Quarry @birdinglothian.bsky.social #birdinglothian

Nice to reacquaint myself with the White-billed Diver I first found off Craigleith in North Berwick last weekend. Today it was c. 2 miles to the east, near Canty Bay off Drift cafe, feeding busily by Bass Rock and clearly in wing moult @birdinglothian.bsky.social #birdinglothian

Very nice to find this adult White-billed Diver off North Berwick this afternoon, heading east past Bass Rock. It was a two WBD day with a 2nd bird off Yellowcraig till dusk (presumably the long stayer; pics worse than this!). Also 9 Snow Bunt & GN Diver @birdinglothian.bsky.social #birdinglothian

20 Russian White-fronted Geese including 2 juvs with Greylags at Whitekirk this morning. No prizes for distant phonescope pics but nice to find a substantial Lothian flock. A Great Skua off Musselburgh yesterday was a rare winter patch record #birdinglothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social

While not scarce in the overall region, this Pale-bellied Brent with c.400 PF Geese at Beecraigs Loch on Sat appears to be a record setter. The most westerly record for Lothian, and the only West Lothian record away from Blackness. My first inland and not what I had on my goose radar #birdinglothian

2 Dutch green ringed Caspian Gulls were in East Lothian in 2025. Myself & @tomgale98.bsky.social's 'V|+' was at Tyninghame 8 Nov, and @kgbirder.bsky.social's 'W|N' Gullane Point 17 Aug. Remarkably, both 1cys were ringed as chicks by L. Kelder at De Kreupel (IJsselmeer) on 9 May 2025! #birdinglothian

A Red Kite SW over Belhaven Bay got much grief from the locals this morn - oddly scarce still on the Lothian coast. 77 Twite at JMCP saltmarsh & the Glossy Ibis briefly at Scoughall. RN Grebe off Seacliff on Sat was also notable for the local N Sea coast @birdinglothian.bsky.social #birdingscotland

This 1cy Caspian Gull at Tyninghame yday was a much enjoyed Scottish first for myself and @tomgale98.bsky.social. Dutch green darvic V|+ was ringed 5 May at IJsselmmer, then seen Lowestoft (Suffolk) in July and De Haan (Belgium) 17 Oct before arriving here #birdinglothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social

Two Black Redstarts at Torness added a dash of colour to a grey scene this morning - including a very smart male #birdinglothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social

Great day with @tomgale98.bsky.social . American Golden Plover at Barns Ness early pm, part of a mobile Goldie flock that soon headed west towards Whitesands. Jack Snipe in-off at Fluke Dub, then Yellow-browed Warbler & Pom at Seacliff. Vismig clear w. 12 Brambling and many thrushes #birdinglothian

Pom Skuas moving today with 10 off Gullane Bay. 8 pale adults with 3 superb spooned birds and 2 juvs west. 2 ads later on patch at Musselburgh, incl. my first with spoons here. Still on spoons, October local highlights include Sabine's Gull and Spoonbill #birdinglothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social

Very nice to find this Wryneck at Dalmeny House this afternoon. Still present this eve, moving between the shoreline at the golf course to feed and nearby cover. Also juv Pom, RN Grebe + 4 Pintail offshore, & 3 juv Black Tern at Hound Point #birdinglothian #rarebirdsuk @birdinglothian.bsky.social

Three juv Curlew Sand at Musselburgh this afternoon, with two new birds on the old scrapes and one still on new lagoons. Also a new juv Little Stint, Wood Sand plus WW & Surf Scoter offshore. Big Arctic Tern passage in the Forth recently with 112W in 45min at Fisherrow on Fri night #birdinglothian

An enjoyable three skua day with @tomgale98.bsky.social. The highlight a smart ad Pom Skua W off Seacliff late afternoon. Also Bonxie off Barns Ness, plus 6 Arctics and 63 Manxies total between both sites #birdinglothian

A juv Spotted Redshank on the new lagoons at Musselburgh tonight was my first here for a few years. This female Osprey was also a welcome personal patch first on Sunday evening #birdinglothian

Musselburgh continues its good form this week with adult White-rumped Sandpiper, 3 juv Wood Sandpiper, 2 Ruddy Shelduck, 1s White-winged and drake Surf Scoter the highlights. Also 2 Scaup (male + juv on different days), 5 Arctic Skua, 10 Little Gull and 2 juv LRP among others #birdinglothian

An excellent week at Musselburgh. Mon & Tues nights respectively produced a brief Green Sandpiper on the old scrapes then this drake Surf Scoter (since seen by others at v close quarters). 3cy ♂ White-winged Scoter also still around early week and two Temminck's Stints this weekend #birdinglothian

This month's Marsh Warbler was the highlight of 14 years birding my Costessey patch. With sole site access, I've also had Crane, Bittern, Bearded Tit, YLG & Ring Ouzel etc in this unwatched area of private land on Norwich's outskirts. All from the front door when down visiting family #norfolkbirding

Two personal patch firsts at Musselburgh in the last week with Little Tern at the Esk Mouth, then Spoonbill at the old scrapes on Sunday evening #birdinglothian

Very pleased to find this cracking male Marsh Warbler on my Costessey patch earlier this month. A singing adult male, present for a week on private land. Some superb mimicry, and the last thing I expected on my 20+ miles inland Norfolk patch! Patch gold #norfolkbirding 📷 @henrywynjones.bsky.social

Very smart Kentish Plover still at JMCP late morning, alone and initially nice and close. A Pale-bellied Brent was a good bonus & Lesser Whitethroat. Rounding off an enjoyable week with BT Diver off Torness on Sunday & White-winged Scoter at Yellowcraig #birdinglothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social

Very happy to have moved to Musselburgh last month, and to see spring arrive on patch. A singing Cuckoo fresh in and Lesser Whitethroat were today's best, while other recent highlights include 2 Avocets, Jack Snipe, RN Grebe & Grasshopper Warbler among other commoner passage species #birdinglothian

Starting my Bluesky journey with some highlights from an exceptionally special trip to South Africa over Christmas & New Year. The birding was superb: 223 species in 18 days on a non-birding holiday, including Kruger NP, coastal KwaZulu-Natal & the Cape Peninsula. Unforgettable! #birdingsouthafrica