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Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · 15d

Gladhouse this afternoon had 3 Little Egrets for the first time and the cooler conditions brought in 2 Whooper Swan and 2 Goldeneye (both unusual here in September) #birdinglothian

2 adult Little Egrets with a young (1cy) Little Egret on the left feeding at the water’s edge with a background of mud and vegetation

Adult male (in eclipse plumage) and adult female Goldeneye (bird on left) on water.

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Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · 18d

Good to meet you as well Dave and I hope you enjoyed your visit

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Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · 21d

Thanks Lukasz👍

Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · 21d

Citrine Wagtail at Gladhouse this afternoon @birdinglothian.bsky.social

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Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · Aug 28

Bumped into this nicely showing Great Egret this morning at Gladhouse. Increasing in Lothian but still scarce inland #Birdinglothian

Great Egret standing in water swallowing a small fish

Great Egret wading in water with mud and vegetation in background

Great Egret in flight over background trees

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Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · Aug 22

Thanks for the update Hayden.

Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · Aug 15

An eclectic morning at Gullane Point. Wall Browns fluttering around my feet as I watched a Minke Whale feeding below a cloud of diving Gannets. A Sooty Shearwater joined in and a total of 79 Manx Shearwater were seen. Little Tern also and always good to see Little Gulls (5nr) #birdinglothian

Group of 4 Little Gulls flying over the sea. A juvenile the top right hand bird.

Group of 6 juvenile Arctic Terns flying over the over the sea past a group of Eiders.

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Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · Aug 5

Interesting to pick up this albino Sandwich Tern sw past Gullane Point this morning. Assume same as 27 July (see previous post) but also same seen off Ayrshire 31 July. Has it returned after yesterday’s storm? @dorseth.bsky.social @lothianrecorder.bsky.social #birdinglothian

Albino Sandwich Tern flying over sea with breaking waves behind

Albino Sandwich Tern flying over dark sea

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Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · Jul 27

Thought this was a leucistic bird due to dusky underwing from BOC shots but probable photo artefact and more likely to be an albino Sandwich Tern sw past Gullane Point this morning. (3 albinos ringed at Forvie NNR to date). Thanks to @lothianrecorder.bsky.social for info

Albino Sandwich Tern flying over a grey sea

Albino Sandwich Tern showing dusky underwing which is probably due to photo artefact

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Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · Jul 21

A common butterfly but I have never seen so many Green-veined White (or butterflies in general) together. 1000 along 1Km of hill road in Midlothian yesterday @savebutterflies.bsky.social

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Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · Jul 21

Three juvenile Goldeneye amongst the Eider flock in the mist and murk of Musselburgh last night. Yesterday morning, a moulting Red Kite in the Midlothian hills #birdingscotland

Three juvenile Goldeneye in front of Common Eider on a grey sea

Red Kite soaring against a grey sky background. Moulted feathers in the wings and tail

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Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · Jun 16

It was good to see my first Sanderling at Gladhouse last night (a single bird). I also enjoyed seeing a brood of three Curlew chicks nearby as I thought that the nest may have been destroyed by the farmer working his field. #birdinglothian

Two half-grown Curlew chicks in a sparsely vegetated field. One moving right and the other moving left

Two half-grown Curlew chicks with the top one spreading it’s partly grown wing

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Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · May 6

Thanks Geoff. Likewise but got lucky today - seen in the same area as your Turnstone

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Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · May 6

Although not looked for with the same vigour that other migrants are, White Wagtail are almost exclusively a coastal migrant to Lothian during Spring so it was good to see this 2cy female at Gladhouse today - my first inland Spring record #birdinglothian

2nd calendar year female White Wagtail showing diagnostic grey rump

2cy female White Wagtail showing white flanks and grey nape and head

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Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · May 1

Relatively rare and scarce birds again at Gladhouse with Geoff’s Wood Sandpiper still and new for today, Whimbrel, two Little Egret and two Shoveler #birdinglothian

Wood Sandpiper feeding in shallow water showing its spangled mantle & wing and distinctive supercilium

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Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · Apr 27

Evening trip in Midlothian resulted in 6 Black-tailed Godwit at Caspian Pond and a male Ruff at Gladhouse. The latter a particularly scarce (rare) spring visitor to the county and this bird probably a first Spring record for the site #birdinglothian

Distant shot of male Ruff moulting into summer plumage (white ruff beginning to form). Redshank and Ringed Plover in front with Tufted Ducks behind.

Two Black-tailed Godwits at the side of a pool surrounded by grass

Flock of six Black-tailed Godwits with a sleeping Shelduck in front of them.

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Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · Apr 15

2 and 3 birds together yesterday until the displaying male in the latter group chased one bird off. (Glad you enjoyed your trip!)

Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · Apr 14

Rain influenced birding today. 5 LRP, 12 inland Redshank, flocks of 250 Sand Martin, 75 Meadow Pipit and 200 Fieldfare, and 15 Wheatear bobbing about a field. #birdinglothian

Little-ringed Plover in a muddy field showing its diagnostic eye-ring.

Little-ringed Plover in a muddy field showing distinct black ear coverts.

Two Little-ringed Plover together in a muddy field.

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Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · Apr 8

Dull and calm this morning at Gullane Point but immature drake White-winged Scoter, immature White-billed Diver and 2 GN Divers were good to see. The Scoter is that well found by kgbirder.bsky.social at Yellowcraig last week #birdinglothian

Distant pic of immature drake White-winged Scoter (front bird) with female Eider on sea.

Distant pic of immature drake White-winged Scoter (right hand bird) with two male and one female Eider on sea.

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Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · Mar 31

Quiet bird-wise at Whitesands & Barns Ness today but a few FoY for me. #birdinglothian

Male White Wagtail perched amongst rocks.

Pale-bellied Brent Goose on sea with female Wigeon behind.

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Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · Mar 27

Very evocative Andrew, shades of J A Baker.

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Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · Mar 24

#birdingscotland

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Reposted by Norm Milligan

Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · Mar 24

Busy at Gullane Point today with lots of feeding birds including a WW Scoter and GN Diver. Light passerine movement too but spent some time watching the coordinated flying of 50 Sanderling in nice light. Elsewhere, my first Osprey this year with its tea. #lothianbirds

Flock of Sanderling in flight against a sea backdrop.

Head on view of a flock of flying Sanderling.

Distant pic of an Osprey carrying a fish.

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Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · Mar 24

Busy at Gullane Point today with lots of feeding birds including a WW Scoter and GN Diver. Light passerine movement too but spent some time watching the coordinated flying of 50 Sanderling in nice light. Elsewhere, my first Osprey this year with its tea. #lothianbirds

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Norm Milligan @normmill.bsky.social · Mar 18

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

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

A drake Australian Wood Duck in flight over water

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