Progress of moult of white-32A4 on day 1, 6 and 9 from 2026 return, nearly identical to 2025, plus throw back to appearance as 3cy in early Aug 2012, at exact same spot at top of Seton Burn... #BirdingScotland

14 ad Blackwits dropped in at Seton Burn dusk on Friday, tricky at 300m range but grateful to @jengill.bsky.social for matching and history of RR-W/W, a bird which winters on the Stour with 126 resightings - though relatively early return date might suggest it is a failed breeder... #BirdingScotland

Certainly for the Sandwich this northerly dispersal is long-standing, and Landsborough Thomson (1943) mentioned a parallel observation from around 100 years ago: "a bird from a Norfolk colony was still in East Lothian “N of its natal area” in September" - this based on metal ring, bird likely shot?

Both of you are orders of magnitude ahead of us in Lothian; in fact just one here this afternoon, but ringed, white-3447 - you poached it here in Edinburgh @jsn54.bsky.social also at Muss this time last year per @itssjoenichols.bsky.social

Great to see these pics & rings info; again Fife is way ahead, here Seton ~10% of your numbers, a yellow-ringed juv at Longniddry flew but we have our 2 white-ringed ads back, so ~half ringed; previously in Lothian 5+ yellow-ringed from England: 2R51, 2TK9, 2XH8, 2X1H, 2X7R, latter 2 from Coquet...

Eider with small duckling way out in Gosford Bay, seems quite late, presumably from a replacement clutch; several green darvic juv Sandwich from Scolt Head colony, incl g-KFF ringed 25 June, also Spanish ringed w-M9M, previously seen by Scott (21/8/21) and Billy (1/8/24); app.bto.org/birdtrack/pu...

Med Gull white-32A4, 2010 chick from de Kreupel, IJsselmeer, Netherlands, back for 16th time, on grass at Ferny Ness - a typical early return date (earliest 14/7/20); breeding season records south of natal area, incl Nieuwkoop south of Amsterdam, Total Antwerp and Lier, south of Antwerp last year...

Hobby reports have increased recently in Lothian but only 27 accepted records 2000-2022, incl 2 dead, and still rare; obviously cautious in reporting but lovely view of one heading N over open farmland at The Heugh, North Berwick on 21 June, driving so evaded documentation: ebird.org/checklist/S3...

31k bird-days in this period but only close enough for sexing once, on 15/6/26, 65 ad m in 85, suggesting now mainly moulting males; most should be in situ by late June so I have doubts these were going far, but poss overland to W? They move W-E in spring: www.birdguides.com/articles/mig... [2/2]

Common Scoters: several hundred have been present way offshore from Seton, often c.5km, since Oct-25, 440+ today; at 21:45hrs 180 circling over sea c. 5km west, gaining height to 3x Inchkeith, then 2x Queensferry towers (400m+), moving SW towards Edinburgh; lost them 21:56hrs (sunset 22:02hrs) [1/2]

2cy Casp very briefly on Seton Burn at dusk before flying out to roost, along with continuing presumed LWHG hybrids (Herring x GBB, pics, plus regular Herring x LBB); two cranes reported E over earlier #birdinglothian

Med Gull yellow-AKLU ringed Insel Poel on German Baltic coast (only 1 brood ringed there 2025), at Longniddry/Seton 27/8-13/9/25 (pics), logged Safi, Morocco 10/3/26 by Dutch birder, Holmer V.), a journey of 2250+ miles, cf. ~1% of UK/Eire foreign recoveries from Morocco: app.bto.org/ring/countyr...

Comparison shots with Herrings, not sure where they got the cucumber from but seemed quite appreciated...

PS - there was a previous possible GBB x Herring candidate at same location 6/8/24, this one a 3cy growing its adult-type primaries, also not huge but strong bill/legs - despite poor lighting I had doubts a true 3cy GBB could be so pale; another possibility is offspring from GBB x Herring hybrids?!

Morphing of the head shape (first two images separated by 1s), and bill is still rather unconvincing for GBB influence, but would suggest small female; not convinced it's in range for argentatus Herring, and nothing about it suggests/consistent with 4cy LBB features; flew out to roost 20:06hrs [2/3]

Third bite of cherry on the oddball 4cy LWHG on Wrecked Craigs just after sunset: head now clean white but very variable shape, however more towards bulky/small eye bring me back to Herring x GBB hybrid - tail markings and dark coverts panel are consistent, plus strong pinkish legs, short wing [1/3]

Initial views at ~300m range, no more than Herring sized but darker impression gave thoughts of possible hybrid, and overlap with last year's 3cy presumed LBB x Herring hybrid with solid dark greater coverts*, but maybe it's within range for Herring, thoughts welcome [2/2] * bsky.app/profile/loth...

Oddball imm LWHG at Seton, suspected HGxLBB hybrid when first seen distantly on Burn on 19/3 but with closer views on Wrecked Craigs is a dumpy bird with an unusual head shape, solid dark brown greater coverts, as per some dark 4cy Herring, but bill looks too small for possible GBB influence? [1/2]

No proper open wing shots, take off here and another short flight seen, but images unclear in low light; still in situ at 19:00hrs when other large gulls disturbed from their roost on Long Craigs chain just beyond... [4/4]

Another showing very pale mantle when leaning forward in search of food, and the pale bill colour [3/4]

Better impression of plumage pattern with patchy appearance in videos, feeding in shallows at Burn mouth, c. 350m range [2/4]

A striking 2nd-cycle Herg type arrived Seton Burn just after sunset, ink-tipped bill pale yellow base, extensively dark below and on underwing, dark shawl contrasting pale mantle, impression of solidly dark greater coverts and fairly dark tertials, though some white on tips; hope to see again! [1/4]

More on the Ferny Ness "Hoodie" (resident since at least 18/10/25) - today feeding in buckthorn at south end Bents c/p 3 (w3w.co/roofed.moth....) and in Fernyness Wood in trees around water bldg and to east, overall plumage looks good, undertail mainly pale, but hints of dark might suggest impurity?

Med yellow-AS.AT at Seton Fri/Sat, plus another ad with full hood...

Post-mating, washing and wing-flapping; no adjacent sea duck inshore, but 4 ad m, 1 f/imm Velvet nearby; all but one image from 40s period from 17:34:25hrs, further mating at 17:36:05hrs; sunset 17:43hrs; poor quality images with range and light but pleased to have documented it, unexpected! [4/4]

Short clip of the actual mating where imm White-winged is sunk low in water while the ad m Velvet holds onto back of neck, some flapping [3/4]

This was not an aggressive mating, it was preceded by a mutual "chin-lifting" display (likely accompanied by calls, not audible at range 800-900m from top of Burn), then ad m Velvet drawing alongside before mounting [2/4]

imm drake White-winged Scoter just off Long Craigs rocks at dusk, engaged in display with ad m Velvet, then mating seen twice, ad m Velvet on top biting back of head (1st image), 3x video in replies; 90s later mated again. Mating does happen btwn male ducks in courtship period [1/4] #birdinglothian

Thanks, suspect the latter, AL.ZZ also at Muss 4 & 14 Jan; AS.AT was also here 14-15 Feb, per Billy. Both are ringed left and both males, though AS.AT is a bigger bird with often distinctive posture, pics here from 1 Dec 2025 and 12 Dec 2024 for reference...

This bird (matched on breast pattern) again among 100+ Carrions in pre-roost on Longniddry shore by footbridge at dusk 17:20-55hrs when started flying to roost, good view of undertail through scope and couldn't discern any dark, perhaps shadow in image by James? Hope to still see in better light...