This is the view from one of the birdwatching hides at Musselburgh Lagoons. These hides don't have roofs so are quite chilly, though one of them was a suntrap this morning, so I sat there for a while. You can't see in the photo, but there were quite a few interesting birds on the lagoons today, including several lapwings (always a delight to see, particularly as their population is crashing across the country and they've become quite rare), several teals (males and females have a lovely turquoise speculum (stripe in their wings) which were really catching the sun today!) and wigeons (such pretty ducks!).
I walked along the John Muir Walkway and was amazed by the number of meadow pipits that had flocked together. They were flying about and calling to each other. Looking onto the sea by the Walkway I was delighted to see four velvet scoters (fabulously weird looking ducks), two great crested grebes and a red throated diver.
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My friends saw fifteen crossbills in some pine trees this morning - it has made their day.
ReplyDeleteWeaver, I'd love to see crossbills...
ReplyDeleteI still remember the first time in my life I saw the gannets at the West Hebrides and a solitary puffin among some huge cliffs at sea, outside Lerwick at the Shetlands...
ReplyDeleteI will go to the website for the birds you mention here, most of them unknown to me.
sounds like a great day. :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great birding outing. I would love the see the lapwings in person. They are cute birds and I love your great crested grebes. I wish they could fly across the big pond. Lovely photo, have a great day!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great day!
ReplyDeleteWe get crossbills now and then as they are passing through.
ReplyDeleteThe juncos and the thousands of snow geese from Russia have just arrived for the winter!
That is a pretty place for birding!
Great day of birding! I love the way you linked...don't know which I enjoyed more, the pictures of the birds I know (teals, wigeons, grebes (but not that kind) ).... or the ones I've never seen 'in person'..the lapwings and velvet scoters in particular were wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI, too, was at Musselburgh on Saturday. Saw all the mentioned birds except the RT Diver. Would love to see one!
ReplyDeleteDebs - someone i got talking to when i w as there told me the red throated diver had been around for a while so you never know! Keep looking for it!
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