Tynninghame ticks

Decided to check the north side of Tynninghame bay this morning, so arrived just after dawn. This area is pretty scenic - here is the view across the bay towards Dunbar - and the birdlife is pretty rich and varied.

I thought an early walk would beat the crowds, and in general this was true with the joggers, dog walkers and ramblers arriving an hour or so after me. I had not reckoned on the wildfowlers, however, who were in situ long before me I would imagine and were clearing off - at least one with a bag full of Wigeon (?). How depressing - just can't understand the desire to use precision firearms on ducks...


Birdwise, I was hoping for migrant raptors, but no obvious candidates materialised, although I did get views of Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and this juvenile Peregrine.

The passerines stole the show, however. The finch list was burgeoning (Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Siskin, Linnet, Twite, Redpoll sp. and Crossbill) and the bunting haul was not bad either (Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer and 3 flyover Snow Buntings). Best of all though, a couple of Lothian year ticks: a handful of Jays ferrying acorns and 5 Greenshanks. The latter are in the shot below.