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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

The other ringed gulls, an unusual coincidence with 1st-wins red-2PL0 and red-2PL6 together on shore, both first sightings and likely ringed recently at Blackness by Clyde Ringing Group, and 2 continuing Norwegian small gulls BHG white-J2188 (Stavanger) and 2cy Common Gull white-JU245 (Bergen)...

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

4 Meds, 2 ad-win incl white-32A4 still, 2 1st-win, but a relatively poor total for the time of year...

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Busy day on patch at Port Seton, highlights juv Sabine's and 2 Black Tern associated with the small gull feeding flocks, incl 135+ Little Gulls and still decent number of Sandwich; also 2nd record of Merlin in-off, poor record shot last attached. Full list per BirdTrack: app.bto.org/birdtrack/pu...

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Casp arrived in pre-roost on Wrecked Craigs by 18:41hrs, but flushed within seconds by fisherman, no pic and flew W behind fish market, only refound on Port Seton harbour west breakwater just after sunset, some processed images...

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

1st-win Caspian Gull Wrecked Craigs, Port Seton, flushed to west breakwater at harbour ##birdinglothian

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Good to see that ring photo, same family east of Seton Burn 17:50hrs same day Friday 25th, then in Burn itself but out of water for just seconds 18:35hrs, I missed photo of ring and they later departed; I had nevertheless submitted to Irish Brent Goose Research Group: cr-birding.org/node/1261

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Reposted by Stephen Welch

Fife Bird News @fifebirdnews.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

3,123 Little Gull between Caiplie & Balcomie 23/09/26

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Yes, unusual, if siblings, as they might appear, then per BWP "rarely 3-4, probably always by 2 ♀♀", historic data for England with breakdown clutch 1 16.2%, 2 83.6%, 3 0.2%, while more eggs in Finland 1 11.4%, 2 87.9%, 3 0.5%, 4 0.2% (n=555); how do they all fit in nest when grown?

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

You're absolutely right the Scotland trend in last 10 years is overall down, perhaps now stabilised, but back to where we were 25yrs ago. Probably futile but I'm trying to find some hope, estimate last year was 85% juvs in this roost... www.bto.org/get-involved...

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Most likely done by a bot and account since deleted - I have same on some of my BlueSky posts, see: www.reddit.com/r/BlueskySoc...

reddit.com

How do I see supposedly hidden reposts

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

As well as the range expansion we estimated a population increase from c.13k to c.21.5k breeding pairs, ~66% increase: #sescotatlas

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Fully agree for so many breeders, but specifically for Swallow our last SE Scotland tetrad atlas also showed net gains 1988-94 to 2008-13: 6% range expansion, 12% increase in tetrads with breeding confirm, general colonisation of urban Edinburgh (c.15 new tetrads) and now bigger roosts #sescotatlas

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Sandwich Tern metal-1378400 (Arnhem), Port Seton, Wrecked Craigs 4 August 2026, apparently not seen in the 9,899 days since ringing over on Griend in the Wadden Sea, on 28 June 1999: app.bto.org/ringingteam/... @btoscotland.bsky.social @scottishbirding.bsky.social

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Our current roost, also 10k+ last year: bsky.app/profile/loth...

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

No change in habitat? Possibly some northwards shift, currently 10-15k at one reedbed roost in Lothian, by far our largest, and probably only 3 higher in Scotland (100k Tay reedbeds, 20k St Margaret's marsh, Fife, 1/9/99, 20k in biofuel willow Hirn, NE Scotland 6/9/13) app.bto.org/mapstore/ima...

app.bto.org

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Reposted by Stephen Welch

Fife Bird News @fifebirdnews.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

212 Mediterranean Gull @ the East Wemyss roost 12/09/26

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The Scottish Ornithologists' Club @scottishbirding.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

New local bird reports - out now! It's been a busy few months for bird report editors with a number of new reports hot off the press, including: Lothian Bird Report 2023 Isle of May Bird Observatory Annual Report 2024 Dumfries and Galloway Bird Report 2024 Orkney Bird Report 2025

Lothian Bird Report 2023 cover featuring a photo of a Little Ringed Plover in flight

Dumfries and Galloway Bird Report 2024 cover featuring artwork of two Peregrines in flight

Isle of May Bird Observatory Annual Report 2024 cover featuring a photo of a Brambling

Orkney Bird Report 2025 cover featuring a photo of a Firecrest

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Graph and link here for last year when peak count was 12 September - the roost began to disperse on 21 September when c. 2,300 gathered over St Germains c.1km east, and only c.300 roosted 22 September: bsky.app/profile/loth... [3/3]

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

The clouds of birds are not properly visible in the videos, but this one show waves approaching from east 20:09hrs; most birds roosted in the shorter/younger phragmites reeds in bottom tank; vast majority juvenile, no Sand Martins heard today... [2/3]

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Estimated c.12k Swallows entered the continuing mega roost at Blindwells Minewater Treatment Scheme 20:09-20:19hrs (23-33 mins after sunset), with one Sparrowhawk in attendance; seems to be an increase on last year when only c.6k on same date... @btoscotland.bsky.social #birdingscotland [1/3]

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Good records, FYI I'd logged red-12T (T=Texel) for Billy and it is first sighting back in Europe, along with juv red-TTP, one of 293 ringed in huge (c8100 pairs) colony on islet Zuiderduin, Wadden Sea; Polish BHG is blue-TJP0, blue-T4Y0 has returned to Seton every year since 2021, but never stays...

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Reposted by Stephen Welch

Fife Bird News @fifebirdnews.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

178 Mediterranean Gull @ the East Wemyss roost 07/09/26

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Missed you at Port Seton, Med yellow-2465 has been lurking (submit via iceni.shinyapps.io/sightings/), one of five here from the Scolt Head colony, incl yellow-2443, yellow-2450, yellow-2462, yellow-2463 (out of 136 ringed with yellow darvics*)... * lamsdell.blogspot.com/2026/06/scol...

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

red-2NC7 ringed as ad Blackness Castle, 7/1/24, Clyde ringing group, at Seton on 15/9/24 also Muss and Cramond in 2024; blue ring tricky but I suspect UK bird per @kanebrides.bsky.social - the only regular blue ring BHG at Seton is Polish blue-T4Y0, returning since 2022 but only seen once per yr...

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

There is a previous record, on Tiree, per online SBR: "A leg-flagged bird "C28" seen by @tireebirder.bsky.social on 6 and 7 May at Loch at Eilein Tiree and Heylipol Tiree, had been ringed on 19 May 2008 as a chick at Koudum, SW Friesland, Netherlands, and thus was of the nominate limosa subspecies."

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Link to Facebook post for those on that forum: www.facebook.com/groups/europ... Still no comments received but planning to submit this to SBRC as YLG, if accepted think would be first 2cy/2nd-cycle for Lothian, and indeed Scottish east coast: cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/07...

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Looks good; a bit more solid that some, but possibly posture; others have more yellow legs, but also look fine; just for comparison we've now passed 100 "bird-days" for this hybrid in Lothian, though boosted by resident/returning, but also multiple individuals and various imms...

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Different view of coverts and tail - and long pink legs; bird flushed off at high tide and flew off east. Any further ID comments most welcome.. [4/4]

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Open wing shots from video (to follow), suggest P1-6 already renewed but lacking the clear pale grey pattern expected in 3cys; tail in moult, just a couple of blackish feathers remaining either side, mainly white rump; pale underside to flight feathers but some brown in coverts and axillaries [2/4]

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Interesting LWHG on Wrecked Craigs, Port Seton, earlier, intermediate clear grey on saddle, but some murkiness in new inner primaries, incl apparent dark outer web on P1, suggests 2cy; assuming not Herring/hybrid clear pink legs also support 2cy; bill impression quite deep, but yellow on gonys [1/4]

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Your Med is white-3447, passed through Port Seton late July*; as of today we still have older-timer white-32A4 (16th return) and white-30VA (2023 ad), and at least one ringed juv (yellow-2443 per Billy, presumed same Longniddry after sunset), total 10+ individuals... * bsky.app/profile/loth...

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Also here in Longniddry, FF on 6 Aug, but previously locally as late as 12 Aug - BTO Field Guide to Monitoring Nests shows eggs poss to end Aug, BWP mentions 4/5 broods recorded. Brief dusk song here on 1 Aug, dawn song to 29 July, earliest start 02:53hrs: sedgewarbler.blogspot.com/2009/07/gard...

sedgewarbler.blogspot.com

Garden bird log for Longniddry, Lothian

This is a log of the more interesting species seen and heard in, and flying over, a small garden on Douglas Road, Longniddry, Lothian, Scotl...

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Your juv Sandwich is Norfolk green-KPB - report: iceni.shinyapps.io/sightings/ Likely from huge Scolt Head colony, last 2 yrs total 20+ of these have now reached us at Port Seton. Your juv Med Gull is missing 1st letter but presumably 3 (or poss E) for Belgium/Netherlands: cr-birding.org/node/459

iceni.shinyapps.io

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Progress of moult of white-32A4 on day 1, 6 and 9 from 2026 return, nearly identical to 2025, plus throw back to appearance as 3cy in early Aug 2012, at exact same spot at top of Seton Burn... #BirdingScotland

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

14 ad Blackwits dropped in at Seton Burn dusk on Friday, tricky at 300m range but grateful to @jengill.bsky.social for matching and history of RR-W/W, a bird which winters on the Stour with 126 resightings - though relatively early return date might suggest it is a failed breeder... #BirdingScotland

14 adult Black-tailed Godwits on mud at mouth of Seton Burn, East Lothian, Scotland

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

I agree lots still to learn, but clearly they flock - evidence from Wales with groups well over 1000: x.com/ArfonWilliam... Also we see grouped arrivals, 11+ (9x2cy) Muss 23/6/26 and 9W Gullane Pt 22/6/25, both c/o Keith. Plenty evidence from rings that Lothian birds progress west later...

x.com

Arfon Williams (@ArfonWilliams4) on X

1000+ Med Gulls on the Ceredigion coast today including 23 colour ringed birds @BTO_Cymru @BTO_Ceredigion

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

Certainly for the Sandwich this northerly dispersal is long-standing, and Landsborough Thomson (1943) mentioned a parallel observation from around 100 years ago: "a bird from a Norfolk colony was still in East Lothian “N of its natal area” in September" - this based on metal ring, bird likely shot?

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

There is indeed, at Scolt Head 136 Meds colour-ringed plus 25 metal by Iceni in 2026: bsky.app/profile/icen... Over the last two years we've also logged 20+ green-K darvic juv Sandwich here from same colony, following same route...

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Many thanks @lainy.bsky.social, good to see those, stunning bird really! All black bill and lack of any sign of moult indicates that it was a juv then, while current might be 2cy? Would be nice to think it has survived, many aberrant plumage birds probably perish early but gulls are quite hardy...

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Yes, I knew that, but I find I need to use it for gulls alone! @lainy.bsky.social might be able to share the pics here, could not find on bluesky posts...

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Not a Casp on structure, plus it's an imm, hence the dark eye. I wonder if this might be same as the white/leucistic apparent juv Herring at Arbroath on 26/8/26, per @lainy.bsky.social? Some similarities in structure, can't share images but on West Pal Gulls here: www.facebook.com/groups/42425...

facebook.com

Facebook

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Both of you are orders of magnitude ahead of us in Lothian; in fact just one here this afternoon, but ringed, white-3447 - you poached it here in Edinburgh @jsn54.bsky.social also at Muss this time last year per @itssjoenichols.bsky.social

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Great to see these pics & rings info; again Fife is way ahead, here Seton ~10% of your numbers, a yellow-ringed juv at Longniddry flew but we have our 2 white-ringed ads back, so ~half ringed; previously in Lothian 5+ yellow-ringed from England: 2R51, 2TK9, 2XH8, 2X1H, 2X7R, latter 2 from Coquet...

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Indeed, problem is we have no control over submissions and nearly all of these are below the radar unless actively searched out, tipped off my multiple anecdotal reports of unverified Redstarts on social media! Then there's AI inages. The life of the bird recorder gets steadily more difficult...

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Just to elaborate on those - known mis-ID issue with Chaffinch/Chiffchaff calls - we've gone from 1/2 "unexpected"/out-of-range records per decade to 38 (2024), 45 (2025), getting close to expected reports from remaining breeding range, so via Merlin ID close to 50% of our "Redstarts" now spurious?

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Sorry, I meant blind trials with human ears - if multiple independent listeners hear same thing that could be taken as indicative - as per examples I gave; AI is not able to do this, at least yet, I am talking tonight at Scottish recorders meeting on Redstart false +ves which are skewing our data...

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Stephen Welch @lothianrecorder.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

OK, to me the match to Long-tailed Tit BWP call 3 "long range" "srrip" is very convincing; I listened again at 3:15 (22) and thought good for Blue Tit, 4:05 (28) is different and labelled as Mipit - these before checking the "remarks" notes; many match "blind" but controlled trials clearly needed...

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