Vintage Musselburgh

10 Nov - I had several hours free after travelling, so with sunny, then later cloudy/bright weather and light winds, I headed to Musselburgh and the usual expansive views over the Firth of Forth, the timing good as the tide was rising. The wader flocks were being pushed off and flying round to the lagoons to feed, so good looks at the flocks passing by in the sun - Oystercatchers and Bar-tailed Godwits in good numbers, with Curlew, Grey Plover and Knot as supporting cast alongside Dunlin and Redshank. Offshore amongst the Eider, Long-tailed Duck and Velvet Scoter, all looking very smart in the low sun, I managed to get brief views of the White-winged Scoter which has been present on and off for a few months - obvious white tick behind the eye, with a knob on the less- yellow bill. A real rarity from North America. The icing on the cake was a small flock of Twite along the seawall, and 2 unexpected Short-eared Owls that emerged in fairly good light to hunt the rough grass, despite lots of walkers being present being a weekend. A classic early winter East coast day!