As you may know there's a good reference library of "mixed singing" Willow Warblers within xeno-canto: xeno-canto.org/explore?quer...
Song structure varies considerably but many start CC and end WW, incl one of mine: xeno-canto.org/555115
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...
Yes, ringed in Fraserburgh harbour on 18/2/26 by Euan (GRG), photos for 15/3/26 on ABZ Rare Birds (for those with access)
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?!
GBB x (Euro) Herring seemingly rare: 4, all ads, in oSBR (Shetland 27/11/99, 4/1/16, Benbecula 18/2/11, Girdleness 21/1-21/2/19 c/o fatpaulscholes.bsky.social), contra the "Great Lakes Gull" GBB x American Herring (1800+ photos in Macaulay library) [3/3]
* search.macaulaylibrary.org/catalog?taxo...
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]
Good news! Raeshaw Estate in the Scottish Borders loses appeal against 3-yr General Licence restriction in relation to Golden Eagle 'Merrick' being shot & killed.
New blog ⬇️
#RaptorResearch #Wildlifecrime #BirdingLinks 🌍
raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/04/07/r...
We have Berberis too, but our bumblebees mainly feed on Red currant (types) in spring; cotoneaster and later tutsan extend season from June/July when the masses arrive for buddleja; first queen b/w-tailed bumblebee on 21 Feb and Tree by end of Feb, queen buff-tailed daily on red currant just now...
What better way is there to spend the Easter 🐣 🐣🐣 weekend than birdwatching, and hopefully finding and recording rare breeding birds to help their conservation? There’s lots to look for in April, so here’s some ideas from RBBP Secretary @markaeaton.bsky.social #ornithology #UKbirding
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]
Interesting bird, also metal ring right; this would be the first Feb record for Lothian, previous earliest 2/3/76 but barely a handful of early March records. Also first in Scotland this year, think no other reports yet:
www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/spring...
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]
Fascinating that this distinctive aberrant bird is so tied to Fife - with the ebbs and flows of scoters here I always assumed birds regularly crossing Forth (Gullane to Largo ~10 miles), and certainly seems to happen with Surfs, but as far as I'm aware this white-headed bird never seen in Lothian?
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...
Was the Med AS.AT (Seton Nov/Dec, 12, 15, 16 Jan), or AL.ZZ (Seton 2 Jan)? Both regular here late winter 2024, 2025...
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...
Norwegian Lesser Black-backed Gull black-J674U (metal 4286774) now at Nouâdhibou, Mauritania, 4584km to the south - obs there in dense flock LBB, with terns incl Caspian, per A Goedecke 10/2/26...
