Patching: Kingfisher and Wigeon

I decided to stay close to home today. Now that the leaves have fallen I have been able to peer towards Little France when passing Craigmillar Castle and have been surprised that the building works area has actually been turned into a flood prevention scheme - bingo! a whole array of previously un-noticed birding habitat!

A quick look around this morning produced a nice selection including 25 Lapwing, 23 Stock Dove, Skylarks, Reed Buntings, Linnets and Meadow Pipits along with a handful of loafing gulls. Most surprising was a total of 98 Mallard, 4 Teal and patch ticks in the form of a Kingfisher and 2 Wigeon.

Esk mouth at Musselburgh

I managed a fleeting trip to the mouth of the River Esk at Musselburgh first thing yesterday morning. It is one of those sites where there is always something of interest to see.

As soon as I opened the car door a movement across the water caught my eye as a Kingfisher hovered briefly then dived for food. A quick record shot and then it was off, flying up a street rather than the river...

This nice year tick was soon followed by a flock of Twite and a smart male Reed Bunting. A quick scan of the seaduck and then I was off home again. Though not before grabbing a picture of the resident Carrion Crow x Hooded crow hybrid...