- End-of-year patch stats for Seton/Gosford, again >500k birds logged in @birdtrack.bsky.social but big fluctuations between species; high sea duck numbers from 2024, but fewer Sandwich all year than a single peak roost in 2022, though healthy juvs ratios; no new species and modest total of 141 [1/5]
- Event of the year was the mega roost of hirundines at Blindwells MTS reedbeds with 10k+ counts for both Sand Martin (Jul) and Swallow (Sep), video fails to really capture the spectacle! That's now 10x 10k flock species for Britain, following Common Scoter/Common Gull also on patch last year [2/5]
- Challenging to document, with main arrivals well after sunset, all numbers are best estimates and likely undercounts; Sand Martins accompanied by smaller numbers of Swallows in July, with a complete reverse in September, when estimated 80%+ Swallows were juvs, and an all white bird seen [3/5]Jan 2, 2026 05:56
- Gulls accounted for more than half the totals, incl another juv YLG and a further two juv/1st-win Caspians, plus several hybrids incl ad (pic) and 3cy LBB x Herring; Med Gulls down for 4th year running, colonies presumably affected by HPAI; 340+ rings read, incl first Norwegian LBB for Lothian [4/5]
- Also no new additions for Longniddry garden bird list (remains on 121) but some compensation by way of first cuckoo bumblebee species, a Southern; also some encouraging signs of recovery for the Tree Bumblebees, though still well down on 2020 peak [5/5] sedgewarbler.blogspot.com/2009/07/gard...
- Also non-avian but on a rather bigger scale, some compensation for lack of any new birds on patch in a new fish species, Basking Shark, in late April, though views at ground level rather limited compared to amazing footage from a drone, c/o Alan Nash: www.msn.com/en-us/weathe... [bonus!]
