Some fantastic birding this afternoon in the Moorfoots - my first decent views of Ring Ouzels, Wheatears and Cuckoo this year #MidlothianBirds

Love a wee Goldie 😍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #midlothianbirds #birdingscotland #goldfinch
#scotland #penicuik #birding #birdwatching #nikon #sigma

The dog didn’t quite get the full walk today as the birding gods remembered it is May - Turnstone (10th? Midlothian record, first in 20 years? and a Midlothian ✅ for me yesterday), White-tailed Eagle (Midlothian ✅ today), plus sinensis Cormorant and Black-tailed Godwit both notable. #MidlothianBirds

My first local White-tailed Eagle! Not the best quality videoclip but not bad for a handheld phonescope of a very distant bird #MidlothianBirds

Hybrid Herring x LBB Gull at Caspian Pool this afternoon. I have pretty much given up hope of finding a Yellow-legged Gull locally… #MidlothianBirds

Wasn’t expecting to add Turnstone to my Midlothian list at Gladhouse today - even after I heard it in flight I dismissed the possibility until spotting it beetling about on one of the stony islands. Black-tailed Godwit there as well. #MidlothianBirds

Wood Sandpiper still at Gladhouse Reservoir this morning #MidlothianBirds

A better clip with a couple of Redshank #MidlothianBirds

Pretty terrible clip - but my first Wood Sandpiper locally - reasonable scope views at Gladhouse this evening #MidlothianBirds

Some phonescoped video of the Black-tailed Godwit at Caspian Pool near Howgate this evening. This small pool has attracted at least 13 species of wader in the last few years - really not bad for a small roadside pond #MidlothianBirds

An escaped, ornamental, drake Australian Wood Duck with Canada and Greylag Geese

A drake Australian Wood Duck in flight over water

This caused some confusion until the internet came to the rescue - a drake Australian Wood Duck at Gladhouse this morning 😁 #Midlothianbirds

I’ll be checking this ivy with my thermal sometime soon 🦉 Always great to hear them during the day #MidlothianBirds

Male (right) and female Gadwall feeding on flies on calm water.

Gadwall are scarce visitors to Gladhouse with most recorded in the autumn so nice to see this pair today feeding on a fly hatch. Also the first Redshank of the Spring here joining the Ringed Plovers. #midlothianbirds

Soundscape February 08, 2025 22:49 @ Esk Bridge, Penicuik

A Coot picked up on the #BWPUC tonight led me to notice for the first time a nice nocmig recording from early February here in Penicuik #MidlothianBirds app.birdweather.com/soundscapes/...

Ad Mediterranean Gull in summer plumage between two ad Black-headed Gulls in winter plumage

Ad Med Gull (right hand bird) flying with ad Black-headed Gull

Pair of Shelduck feeding in marshy field.

Another rural Med Gull and this time wearing its smart suit. Also, at least three pairs of Shelduck back and the county roost of Curlew now up to 180 birds #midlothianbirds

Bedraggled Herring Gull with plastic cup stuck in its bill

Same Herring Gull 2 days later able to use its preen gland

Same Herring Gull still with attached cup after 7 weeks

Saw this Herring Gull with attached plastic cup on a wet 31 Dec 24. Two days later, saw that it could use its Uropygial gland at least and today, after seven weeks, cup still attached and its obviously able to feed but mandibles growing larger #midlothianbirds

Two immature Golden Eagles from the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project

Two Red Kites - one at least a year older than the other - still uncommon birds locally

Yesterday was one of those rare days where the sun was shining, the birds were performing and the memory card had space. I’ve not looked through all of the 1000 or so pics but to take this pair of pairs was something special 😍 #MidlothianBirds

Had a very enjoyable afternoon being repeatedly reminded how awesome Golden Eagles are - it is fantastic having these birds back in the local hills thanks to the efforts of the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project #MidlothianBirds

Eurasian Sparrowhawk doing its best impression of Common Kestrel - not an active hover, but a very impressive extended period with it hanging almost motionless in the same spot for over a minute #MidlothianBirds

A bout of Covid (or similar) has had me laid low for a while. Few birds of note although a Brambling in Esk Bridge this morning was a nice thing to see. A Little Egret at Gladhouse a couple of days ago is the new normal #MidlothianBirds

Was on my way to check a Long-eared Owl territory when this Barn Owl stopped me in my tracks - I don’t normally get views anything like this. And yes the LEO was in song as well so a really cracking little trip! 🦉🦉 #MidlothianBirds

The more I’ve used the #thermal the more used I’ve become to seeing the big black eye of a Woodcock staring back at me from some tangled undergrowth. One of today’s nine birds is the first to have given me a good look at its eyelids instead as it snoozed while I watched #midlothianbirds 🪶

It’s tough being a crepuscular species in the modern world - watch this sleepy Woodcock being kept awake by passing traffic and a barking dog- fantastic views today of this obliging individual 😍 #midlothianbirds

Soundscape January 18, 2025 18:11 @ Esk Bridge, Penicuik

Two new correctly identified species from my #BWPUC today. The first, a Greylag Goose this morning. The second, and a little more exciting perhaps was this Barn Owl this evening

app.birdweather.com/soundscapes/...

#midlothianbirds

Soundscape January 15, 2025 22:02 @ Esk Bridge, Penicuik

My first interesting #nocmig recording from my #BWPUC … a Golden Plover overhead at 10pm. Sounds reasonable to me - anyone got any other suggestions?

app.birdweather.com/soundscapes/...

I have not had one locally for about 9 months (though they should be about…)

#midlothianbirds

Dec 11. Winter visitors bring some colour into the garden! Brambling, Bullfinch & Nuthatch @btobirds.bsky.social @rspbscotland.bsky.social #midlothianbirds @midlothianbirds.bsky.social

A frozen SuDS with an almost invisible Jack Snipe - it is towards the back where the yellow grasses meet the frozen pondweed

Can you spot it? #jacksnipe #midlothianbirds At a SuDS in Penicuik late afternoon

Jan 6. Bird walk Straiton Pond #midlothianbirds (31 species) on a cold, wintery day. Lesser Redpoll (1) in a flock of Goldfinch, Little Grebe (4), Goosander, Goldeneye (2), Pink-footed Goose (15, flyby) @btobirds.bsky.social @rspbscotland.bsky.social

Jan 1, 2025. Local bird walk (19 species) on New Year's Day Glencorse Woods & Burn. Brambling (4), GS Woodpecker, Siskin, LT Tit. Lots of snow on Pentlands @btobirds.bsky.social @rspbscotland.bsky.social #midlothianbirds

Dec 28. Local bird walk Glencorse Woods & Burn (21 species) Mistle Thrush, Buzzard, Greenfinch, Goldcrest, Red-legged Partridge @btobirds.bsky.social @rspbscotland.bsky.social
#midlothianbirds