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Posts by Tom Gale

No problem, glad you saw it!

1 day ago 1 0 0 0

Mega day at the Seacliff patch! Osprey and Redstart were top aims for the spring but the (re) appearance of a White-winged Scoter was completely unexpected this far out of the Forth! Ring Ouzel at Traprain Law also #BirdingScotland

1 day ago 26 1 1 0
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An evening trip out to Mayshiel for the Black-throated Thrush went to plan with great views in evening light. Lovely supporting cast of thrushes and Bramblings also - in addition to this morning’s Ring Ouzels, it became a 6 Turdus sp. day! #BirdingScotland @birdinglothian.bsky.social

1 week ago 56 2 0 0
Northern Wheatear

Northern Wheatear

Northern Wheatear

Northern Wheatear

View over Salisbury Crags and Edinburgh

View over Salisbury Crags and Edinburgh

Northern Wheatear

Northern Wheatear

Great pre-work yomp around Holyrood park this am w/ @itssjoenichols.bsky.social. Highlights were 2 Ring Ouzels over Salisbury Crags, singing Grasshopper W, and 4 Wheatears which performed beautifully on the slopes below Arthur’s Seat summit #BirdingScotland @birdinglothian.bsky.social

1 week ago 32 1 0 0
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In true record shot style, here is a photo of the first Glaucous Gull I’ve seen for 3+ years (lingering bird at yellowcraig). A great day with White-billed and Black-throated Divers and great views of Common Scoters on flat calm seas (tho lack of Velvet) #BirdingScotland
@birdinglothian.bsky.social

4 weeks ago 26 0 0 0
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Nice to watch some distant specks eventually become 2 ‘in-off’ Sand Martins at Eastfield today. My first singing Chiffchaffs also @birdinglothian.bsky.social #BirdingScotland

1 month ago 28 1 0 0

Wow that’s interesting!

1 month ago 0 0 0 0
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Do juv WBDs winter in a different location to adults, hence the lack of juvs in current influx (presumably triggered by weeks of SE winds)? Juv seabirds of some species are less efficient foragers so presumably would expect at least as many juvs being wrecked like this?

1 month ago 11 0 2 0
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Two, poss 3 White-billed Diver off N end of Inchkeith currently! Thanks to @tomgale98.bsky.social for the video!
@fifebirdnews.bsky.social #BirdingScotland

2 months ago 22 2 0 0
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Yesterday’s Bittern at Duddingston Loch provided a great lunchtime twitch - here it is with its feathers ruffled up! #BirdingScotland

3 months ago 37 2 0 0
First calendar year Dutch ringed Caspian Gull V|+ . A classic looking 1cy in many ways. Beyond typical bill structure, note four-toned upperpart appearance: unmarked white pear shaped head with decent hindneck 'shawl',  grey second generation mantle and scapulars with black central 'anchors', gradating to brown wing coverts, then very dark primaries/secondaries and blackish tertials with clear pale fringing

First calendar year Dutch ringed Caspian Gull V|+ . A classic looking 1cy in many ways. Beyond typical bill structure, note four-toned upperpart appearance: unmarked white pear shaped head with decent hindneck 'shawl', grey second generation mantle and scapulars with black central 'anchors', gradating to brown wing coverts, then very dark primaries/secondaries and blackish tertials with clear pale fringing

1cy Caspian Gull showing its diagnostic pale white underwing

1cy Caspian Gull showing its diagnostic pale white underwing

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

5 months ago 60 3 0 0
Male Black Redstart on the seawall at Torness Power Station

Male Black Redstart on the seawall at Torness Power Station

Female-type Black Redstart associating with the male

Female-type Black Redstart associating with the male

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

5 months ago 75 3 0 0
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Terrible phone scope of it on the rocks at Barns Ness

6 months ago 2 0 0 0

Fantastic day in East Lothian with birds right up until dusk! Unfortunately the plover flock took off before long but it was great to watch the AGP in flight amongst the European Golden Plovers - quite distinctive once you get your eye in! #BirdingLothian

6 months ago 35 0 2 0

Great find Dylan, nice sonogram as well!

6 months ago 1 0 1 0
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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

7 months ago 76 7 1 2
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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

8 months ago 64 3 0 0

Yep :)

10 months ago 0 0 0 0
Adult (2CY+) male Rufous Hummingbird; ringed on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, on Tuesday

Adult (2CY+) male Rufous Hummingbird; ringed on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, on Tuesday

Rufous Hummingbirds complete one of the greatest migrations of any bird, if calculated by body length (~3 inches). Their ~3900 mile trip from Alaska to Mexico (one-way) equates to ~80 million body lengths. This puts the Arctic Tern’s migration to shame, at ~50 million body lengths. #birdringing 🇨🇦🧪🌎

10 months ago 85 9 1 0
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Watercolour of the view of Sheep Rock from Buness, Fair Isle

10 months ago 21 0 1 0

Thanks, cool to see it from a different angle!

11 months ago 1 0 0 0
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Video of one of the WWS at East Wemyss (views were much better than this suggests!)

11 months ago 10 0 0 1
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Stunning views of 3 White-winged and 1 drake Surf Scoter y’day in Fife with @birdingtothemax.bsky.social and Jack Morris #BirdingScotland

11 months ago 38 0 2 0
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The twist was the bit that surprised me, must’ve never paid them enough attention before!

11 months ago 1 0 0 0
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Excuse the poor video skills but does anyone know if this behaviour is common in Robins? Almost doing a snake/wryneck like display! Video taken back in March. #ukbirding

11 months ago 4 0 2 0
Image of study site Bluemull Sound, Shetland, and a foraging European Shag

Image of study site Bluemull Sound, Shetland, and a foraging European Shag

1/6 Tidal stream environments are unique marine habitats characterised by fast tidal currents.

Knowledge of how #seabirds use these areas for foraging is scarce.

@tomgale98.bsky.social is at #BOU2025 presenting work on understanding drivers of habitat selection of Shags in these environments...

1 year ago 21 11 1 0

Our new @adriftlab.bsky.social paper is out, lead by @alixdejersey.bsky.social showing the insidious impacts of plastics on seemingly health birds (1/5)

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

1 year ago 241 147 8 7
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Dog-tracking study reveals disturbance to lowland heaths Researchers tracked dogs on heathland sites, showing off-lead walking can reduce conservation value.

A tracking study has found that dogs walked off-lead cause significantly more disturbance on lowland heaths than pets kept on the lead:

1 year ago 81 46 2 7
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Watercolour of one of my favourite moments last year watching a Greenish Warbler feeding amongst the sycamores at Valyie, Unst #birds #birdart #BirdingScotland

1 year ago 58 2 1 0

Thanks Steph 😁

1 year ago 1 0 0 0