Tweets,

I just got back from a conference at Edinburgh, Scotland, in the UK, and
managed to slip out for a bit of birding (thanks to the Scotland
Ornithological Club for assistance, 0131 653 0653). I birded mostly along
the coast just east of Edinburgh at some great coastal reserves, one at
Musselburgh a few miles east of Edinburgh, the other at Abelady and Gullane,
a bit further east, cradle of the game of golf, seemingly. I took a long
walk along the "Water of Leith" walkway where I found the dippers but dipped
on the kingfisher. Also took a boat to Inchcolm Abbey Island, but was too
late for the puffins, but saw lots of gray seals. Here's my list with
approximate numbers and primary locations. 98 species and approximately 9
lifers, pending taxonomic revisions (e.g., magpie). It's beautiful country
and the Firth of Forth teems with birds.

Gene.

Edinburgh/East Lothian, Scotland, UK, 8-14 September 2002, by Eugene Hunn.

Red-throated Loon (aka Red-throated Diver), 5, Abelady
Little Grebe, 1 adult, Musselburgh
Great Crested Grebe, 30, Musselburgh
Northern Fulmar, 20, at nests, Inchcolm Abbey
Manx Shearwater, 50, Abelady
Northern Gannet, 100, adult, subadult, immature, Musselburgh, Abelady
Great Cormorant, 100+, Musselburgh, Inchcolm, Abelady
European Shag, 25, Musselburgh, Inchcolm, Abelady
Grey Heron, 10, Edinburgh, Musselburgh, Abelady
Canada Goose, 1, Inchcolm
Graylag Goose, 11, Musselburgh, Abelady
Mute Swan, 80, adults and young, Edinburgh, Musselburgh, Abelady
Common Shelduck, 8, Abelady
Mallard, 50, Edinburgh, Musselburgh, Abelady
Eurasian Teal, 50, Musselburgh, Abelady
Eurasian Wigeon, 50, Musselburgh, Abelady
Tufted Duck, 2, Musselburgh
Common Eider, 100+, adult, subadult, immature, Musselburgh, Abelady
White-winged (Velvet) Scoter, 25, Musselburgh
Red-breasted Merganser, 20, Musselburgh, Abelady
Common Merganser (aka Goosander), 15, Abelady
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), 2, Edinburgh
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo), 1, South Queensbridge
Peregrine Falcon, 1, Musselburgh
Eurasian Kestrel, 1, Abelady
Gray Partridge, 25, Gullane
Ring-necked (aka Common) Pheasant, 10, Gullane
Common Moorhen, 20, Edinburgh, Abelady
Northern Lapwing, 500+, Musselburgh, Abelady
Black-bellied (aka Grey) Plover, 10, Musselburgh, Abelady
European Golden-Plover, 400, Musselburgh, Abelady
Common Ringed Plover, 3, Musselburgh, Abelady
Eurasian Oystercatcher, 500+, Musselburgh, Abelady
Common Greenshank, 4, Abelady
Common Redshank, 200, Musselburgh, Abelady
Common Sandpiper, 1, Musselburgh
Eurasian Curlew, 200, Musselburgh, Abelady
Black-tailed Godwit, 5, Musselburgh, Abelady
Bar-tailed Godwit, 100, Musselburgh, Abelady
Ruddy Turnstone, 10, Musselburgh, Abelady
Red Knot, 50, Musselburgh, Abelady
Little Stint, 3, Musselburgh
Dunlin, 15, Musselburgh, Abelady
Curlew Sandpiper, 5, Musselburgh, Abelady
Ruff, 2, Musselburgh, Abelady
Common Snipe, 1, Abelady
Great Skua, 1, Musselburgh
Little Gull, 1, Musselburgh
Black-headed Gull, 500+, Edinburgh, Musselburgh, Abelady
Mew Gull (canus group), 25, Musselburgh, Abelady
Herring Gull, 300, Edinburgh, Musselburgh, Abelady
Lesser Black-backed Gull, 100, Edinburgh, Musselburgh, Abelady
Great Black-backed Gull, 25, Musselburgh, Inchcolm, Abelady
Black-legged Kittiwake, 15, Musselburgh, Inchcolm, Abelady
Sandwich Tern, 200+, Musselburgh, Inchcolm, Abelady
Common Tern, 10, Musselburgh, Abelady
Arctic Tern, 50, Abelady
Common Murre (aka Common Guillemot), 25, Musselburgh, Inchcolm, Abelady
Razorbill, 4, adult, immature, Musselburgh, Inchcolm, Abelady
Wood Pigeon, 300, Edinburgh, Musselburgh, Abelady, calling, copulating
Stock Dove, 10, Musselburgh
Rock Dove (feral), 200, Edinburgh, Inchcolm, Abelady
Eurasian Collared-Dove, 20, Edinburgh, Abelady, calling
Sky Lark, 7, Musselburgh, Abelady
Black-billed (European) Magpie, 25, Musselburgh, Edinburgh, Abelady (calls
distinct)
Eurasian Jackdaw, 1000+, Musselburgh, Edinburgh, Abelady
Rook, 300, Edinburgh
Carrion Crow, 25, Musselburgh, Edinburgh, Abelady
Barn (European) Swallow, 200, Edinburgh, Musselburgh, Abelady
Common House-Martin, 50, Edinburgh, Musselburgh, Abelady
Coal Tit, 10, Edinburgh, Abelady
Blue Tit, 50+, Edinburgh, Abelady
Great Tit, 30, Edinburgh, Abelady
Long-tailed Tit, 20, Abelady
Eurasian Treecreeper, 1, Abelady
Winter Wren, 15, Edinburgh, Abelady
White-throated Dipper, 4, Water of Leith
Goldcrest, 1, Edinburgh
Garden Warbler, 2, Edinburgh, Abelady
Willow Warbler, 10, Edinburgh, Abelady
Common Chiffchaff, 1, Edinburgh
Whinchat, 1, Abelady (?)
Northern Wheatear, 1, Abelady
European Robin, 50+, Musselburgh, Edinburgh, Inchcolm, Abelady, calling,
singing
European Blackbird, 25, Edinburgh, Abelady
Song Thrush, 6, Edinburgh, Abelady
European Starling, 200, Musselburgh, Edinburgh, Inchcolm, Abelady
Dunnock (aka Hedge Accentor), 20, Edinburgh, Abelady
Grey Wagtail, 5, Musselburgh, Water of Leith
White (Pied) Wagtail, 40, Edinburgh, Musselburgh, Abelady
Meadow Pipit, 50, Musselburgh, Abelady
Rock Pipit, 1, Musselburgh
Linnet, 100+, Musselburgh, Abelady
Chaffinch, 40, Edinburgh, Abelady
European Goldfinch, 50+, Musselburgh, Edinburgh, Abelady
European Greenfinch, 1, Abelady
Common Bullfinch, 2, male, female, Edinburgh
House Sparrow, 10, Musselburgh, Abelady