LOTHIAN

HIGHLIGHTS: A White-billed Diver was seen in Gosford Bay (8th-12th). The drake Surf Scoter at Musselburgh was joined by a female (5th-8th). Another drake was seen off Port Seton (5th-6th), with two drakes reported from Gullane Point (9th) and Ferny Ness (12th). A Black Guillemot was seen from Prestonpans (9th) and Ferny Ness (13th). A Siberian Chiffchaff was at Muirhouse all month and the Grey Great Shrike near East Linton stayed until the 18th. The Black-necked Grebe stayed at White Sands Quarry throughout, with other birds at Ferny Ness (11th) and Gullane Point (19th). Black Redstarts were at Joppa (1st & 17th), North Berwick (5th) and Prestonpans (14th). A Sooty Shearwater passed Thorntonloch (15th). MUSSELBURGH AREA: Two Scaup were offshore (13th). Single Med Gulls were seen throughout, including an adult on the Boating Pond (15th). Twite numbers on the seawall peaked at five (25th-26th). A Kingfisher was on the Boating Pond, with a Stonechat nearby (27th). ABERLADY AREA: A pair of Pintail was reported off and on. A Water Rail was seen (5th). A Short-eared Owl, six Scaup and a Lapland Bunting were noted (9th). An immature Iceland Gull and Black-throated Diver (13th), five Snow Buntings (15th) and a Great Northern Diver (19th) were all recorded. TYNINGHAME AREA: Up to 21 Shore Larks and 50 Twite (12th) remained on the saltmarsh. Seafield Pond held a Great Northern Diver (9th-24th), two drake Pintail and three Pochards (9th), a female Mandarin (12th) and a Kingfisher (29th). Immature Glaucous and Iceland Gulls, plus a Manx Shearwater, were at Scoughall (4th), with 12 White-fronted Geese also seen there (13th). Three Little Egrets (12th) and a Black-throated Diver (17th-18th) were noted at Belhaven. BARNS NESS AREA: Up to 25 White-fronted Geese were at White Sands Quarry throughout. Immature Glaucous and Iceland Gulls were recorded from many sites between Dunbar and Skateraw, with an adult Glaucous in fields near Skateraw (9th) and an adult Iceland at Dunbar (25th). Two Water Pipits were seen between Barns Ness and Skateraw (5th-24th) with a single bird noted at White Sands Bay (24th-25th). OTHER SITES: The Water Rail remained at Inverleith Park. An adult Med Gull was at Figgate Park (1st). A Scaup was at Linlithgow Loch (3rd), with three seen at Threipmuir (25th-28th). A pair of Mandarins were on the River Esk at Newbattle (3rd), five Gadwall were at Duddingston Loch (18th) and a Pochard was at Holyrood Park (23rd-24th). Eight Greenshanks were at Cramond, 100-plus Redpoll, (including Common), were at Bolton (5th) and a Water Rail was near Hailes Castle (21st). Ferny Ness held a Black-throated Diver (12th) and a Great Northern Diver (13th). Ravens were reported from Holyrood Park and Harperrigg. WAXWINGS: Numbers were down on January. The largest flocks were 40 at Macmerry (4th), 80-plus at Morningside Road (6th), 30 at Port Seton (12th-13th), 35 at Redhall Park (14th) and 30-plus at Gracemount (20th). Jim Nicholson