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Calum Scott

@aberladybirder.bsky.social
490 followers 72 following 245 posts

Scottish birder, mainly Lothian, also various Scottish islands. One of the Barra Boys, who put the island firmly on the birding map in 2002, & still continuing to do my part to this day! Edinburgh lad, now living & local patching in Aberlady, East Lothian.

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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 10h
A wander up the top end of Eoligarry encountered a flock of 300 Twite, with the odd Linnet mixed in. Pretty quiet otherwise although a flock of 3 Arctic Skua heading south was cool. #Barrabirders #BirdingBarra #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
A tad wet today, more for so for ducks, or even geese to be fair! This young Snow Goose only our second here, congrats to local islander/birder Martin who picked this one out on Vatersay! #Barrabirders #Barrabirding #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
A trip to Vatersay to see the AGP was even better when we flushed a Quail on a remote windswept headland, taking me to 227 for Barra & Vatersay! The plover was the 1st Vatersay record also which is cool. #BirdingBarra #Barrabirders #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
With no Barra or Vatersay Buff-breast records in 20+ yrs of searching, 4 (inc 3 this autumn) in the past 3yrs is mental! Buff-bellied Pipit however remains an enigma on here, but some nice views of Rock today! #Barrabirders #BarraBirding #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Arrived on Barra this evening, along with a group of mates, this our 25th autumn in a row to this magical island! Ferry highlights were 4 grey phal, 6 arctic skua, 7 stormiest, a sooty & 100+ manxies. #BirdingBarra #Barrabirders #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Loving the minute calidris action at the moment, with at least 7 of these tonight, as well as a curlew sand, 7 ruff, 3 greenshank & a med gull. @birdinglothian.bsky.social #BirdingLothian #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Surprised to find this moulting ad Dotterel on rocks amongst Goldies on a rising tide today! Didn’t quite believe what I was seeing in biblical rain at first! Also today 7+ Red-necked Grebe, 2 Med Gulls & 43 roosting kitts on a pier! #BirdingScotland @birdinglothian.bsky.social #BirdingLothian
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
A rare sight these days, cliff nesting House Martin’s! At least 29 nests Bilsdean Arches this morning, just one of two such sites in Lothian. 2 yellow wag on Scoughall beach yesterday. #BirdingLothian #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Inchmickery today on a shag darvic spotting trip with the iconic Edinburgh skyline as a backdrop. 2 purple sand, 2 turnstone, 8 manxies & an arctic skua. Best was 4 flocks of commic terns (mainly arctics) migrating W, totalling 36 birds in a short period. #BirdingLothian #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
A brief look at the Red-foot as I passed on my way to do the waders, then saw it from the house later on taking it to me to 101. Sanderling 330, Dunlin 86, Ringed Plover 136, Knot 25, Greenshank 5, Med Gull 2 juvs. 2 swift over village earlier. @birdinglothian.bsky.social #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
A nice addition to the Aberlady list, unfortunately failed to get it on the house list! Nice find by @kgbirder.bsky.social #BirdingScotland @birdinglothian.bsky.social
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Marsh Harrier yesterday, with 2 blackwits this afternoon. Our 3rd garden Hummingbird Hawkmoth of the year today, the 4th since moving here 3 yrs ago! Wader numbers rising with 360 sanderling, 198 ringed plover & 108 dunlin #BirdingLothian #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
5 Quail tonight (3 new) in a stroll through fields as well as along the Aberlady-Ballencrief road, in what’s turning out to be a great year for them. Annoyingly they shut up soon after sunset so maybe more! @birdinglothian.bsky.social #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
INCOMING!!!!!! Got cracked on the head a beauty today, but it was worth it! Good to see lots on the Fetlar breeding grounds!
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
Fetlar delivers again! Started the day off with a pr of Red-necked Phalarope with a chick, then found a Rose-coloured Starling miles from yesterdays sighting! Same or diff, who knows!! Thanks to @tomrosas.bsky.social for pic. #BirdingScotland #BirdingShetland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
Great day surveying today, highlights included a Honey Buzzard found by @nomadbirder.bsky.social then a Rose-coloured Starling by @tomrosas.bsky.social also 2 GND, 3 Arctic Skua & an otter! #BirdingScotland #Shetlandbirding
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Today brought back memories of seeing Black-browed Albatross amongst several thousand Gannet at this spot, at Hermaness, Unst c.1983! #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
Currently on Shetland carrying out seabird surveys, today it was the Hermaness, Unst bonxies that were getting my attention! Very cool day!
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Nice to see some good productivity from this Shag nest at least! This after a disasterous winter that wiped out many breeders, then the islands population getting hammered by the crows, we know of 60 predated eggs at least, resulting in many failures. #BirdingScotland #Seabirds
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Managed to see my 4th Curlew Sand of the spring last Sunday at Aberlady, no video but my 2nd Hummingbird Hawkmoth in the garden in 3 yrs! #BirdingScotland #Moths #BirdingLothian
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
Just back from another cracking week on the May, highlights the islands 13th dipper, along with the 3rd confirmed Western Subalp, although migration was slow at times! Yesterdays Arctic Skua showing at point blank range stole the show for me though! #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Its been a slog but a sprinkling of new birds yesterday gave us hope! Western Subalpine Warbler this morning. #BirdingScotland #IsleofMaybirdobs
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
Great start to the patch spring wader passage with 2 ad Curlew Sandpipers, along with a summ pl Black-throated Diver. @birdinglothian.bsky.social #BirdingLothian #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
Some top Meditteranean birding the last few days on Ventotene. Good to be back after 10yrs away! #Ventotenebirding @laziobirder.bsky.social
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
A nice imm peregrine to end the working day! Sporting a darvic no less, so be good to find out where it was hatched! #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
Bumped into my 4th White-billed Diver of the year in Lothian today at Torness, impossible to say if its a new bird or not after the recent influx, but enjoyable anyway! #BirdingScotland @birdinglothian.bsky.social #BirdingLothian
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
The immature m White-winged Scoter with its male partner, showed well this morning. Unfortunately for me the scoter flocks have been well offshore the past few days! Red-necked Grebe Ferny Ness also. @birdinglothian.bsky.social #BirdingScotland #BirdingLothian
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Last week it was a Little Gull, this week it's a Med Gull. #patchbirding #BirdingLothian #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
The North Berwick White-billed Diver made an appearance today whilst searching for shag darvics! This was a nice surprise as i hadnt seen it on three previous visits! #BirdingLothian #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
I have been looking out for a Bonaparte's Gull, so when i encountered this small gull at Aberlady head on, it had me going for a second! Not what i was hoping for but very nice anyway! @birdinglothian.bsky.social #BirdingScotland #BirdingLothian
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 01/03/2026
A fem Marsh Harrier persued by crows at Aberlady was nice. Although dissapointed it was a day too late to make it for February, i was delighted to find out it was Loths earliest ever, after a bird @kgbirder.bsky.social & I had at Scoughall on 11/3/07. @birdinglothian.bsky.social #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Out working along Lothian's North Sea coastline again today. Highlights were 48 Whooper Swan NW past Dunbar, 2 Slavs (scarce in those parts), 2 Snow Bunt, & a pale billed diver i put down as a GND, for now! Also siskins on the move. @birdinglothian.bsky.social #BirdingLothian #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
Nice to bump into this imm m White-winged Scoter at Port Seton today whilst looking for shag darvics. Also RN Grebe offshore with 6 grey wagtails along coast to Aberlady. @birdinglothian.bsky.social #BirdingScotland #BirdingLothian
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
Nice views of this White-billed Diver today at North Berwick, whilst looking for shag darvics! @birdinglothian.bsky.social #BirdingLothian #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
Out with @kgbirder.bsky.social today, highlights being this glauc, a male surf scoter, db brent goose and 6 russian whitefronts. #BirdingScotland @birdinglothian.bsky.social #BirdingLothian
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
A 8km walk from North Berwick-Aberlady resulted in 2 White-billed Diver (N. Berwick & Gullane Pt) single Great Northern Diver (Yellowcraig) 9 Snow Bunting, 15 Crossbill. @birdinglothian.bsky.social #BirdingScotland #BirdingLothian
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 15/02/2026
Never one to follow the crowds i went west in my search for Lothian WBD. No sign of any between Hound Pt-Aberlady, but i did see c.120 gc grebe, 15 greenshank, 1 rn grebe. Pic of one of the Inchkeith birds from last Friday. @birdinglothian.bsky.social #BirdingScotland #BirdingFife
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
SCENES!! I was delighted to find a White-billed Diver off Inchkeith today during a shag darvic reading trip. I was elated when it turned to two!! Then i thought it was three but couldnt confirm! #BirdingScotland #BirdingFife
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
Two, poss 3 White-billed Diver off N end of Inchkeith currently! Thanks to @tomgale98.bsky.social for the video! @fifebirdnews.bsky.social #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
I love my seabirds, they are tough as f#%@ critters! But after over a month of storms even the tough are worn down! A walk from North Berwick-Aberlady produced dead puffin, razorbill, guillemot & shag. Shag darvic sightinings, dead or alive can be sent to shags@ceh.ac.uk #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
A walk from North Berwick to Aberlady encountered this pest (been trying to get him on my house list the last 2 wks), 2nd CY Glaucous Gull, ad Little Gull, 13 Snow Bunting, 30+ Purple Sandpiper. and some epic seas in stunning scenery. #BirdingLothian #BirdingScotland
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 31/01/2026
Today's Glauc has caused some debate here in Lothian, personally i cant see past Viking Gull for this! #BirdingLothian #BirdingScotland #hybridgulls
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
An all too brief ad Caspian Gull in just over 3hrs was cool, if not frustrating amongst 3K gulls, as i never clocked an open wing showing primary pattern! No pic either! A lbbg also but no white-wingers, all too rare these days! #BirdingLothian #BirdingScotland #Gullwatching
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
There's something very satisfying watching gulls feeding along the shoreline during rough sea's, even more so with the added spice of the thought of an Arctic gulll, in the shape of a Ross's or Ivory Gull turning up,further adding to the buzz! #BirdingScotland #BirdingLothian
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 18/01/2026
A walk from Yellowcraig to Gullane Bay today with @kgbirder.bsky.social produced single little auk & black Guillemot, along with around 25 red-throated diver. Not to mention several thousand seaduck! Yesterday, a count of 32 slavs off Ferny Ness. #BirdingScotland #BirdingLothian
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 17/01/2026
Today I walked the local fields looking for geese. I found a few but best was a single barnacle goose with 750 pinks! Returned home to a new beer for the book though! #BirdingScotland #BirdingLothian #birdingbeers
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 11/01/2026
No birding today due to poor weather, shopping chores, etc. However, I am always trying to be ahead of the game, so put up a corner shelf for a pair of bins should I need them in an emergency! Too many interesting birds have been missed whilst running for my bins! #birding #birdingequipment
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
Work today involved a survey literally on my doorstep, well almost! Highlights included an imm m White-winged Scoter, 2 m scaup, 2 GND, 4500 eider, 3000 common scoter. #BirdingScotland #BirdingLothian
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 24/12/2025
Male White-winged Scoter Ferny Ness, with a male at Gullane Bay today also. The St Andrews bird perhaps? Unfortunately, both were very distant, but thanks to the incredible #swarovski115mmscope so much closer! #BirdingScotland #BirdingLothian
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Calum Scott @aberladybirder.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
A brief interlude from reading/looking for shag darvics today produced a male White-winged Scoter at Ferny Ness, and then yesterday's 1st w Caspian Gull whilst checking Port Seton harbour area! Once again though very few darvics noted for a lot of effort!😕 #BirdingScotland #BirdingLothian
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