I don't think you're ready for this jelly ...

A dribble of mig this morning, with the most exciting thing by far a couple of Lion's Mane Jellyfish hunting the edge of the water- fantastic beasts they were.

Yesterday's Common Sand

Swings and Roundabouts

An excuse to use one of these amazing animated gif files from here

Common Sand in the harbour yesterday lunchtime but I left my camera at home so no pics until later. Not that the pics were much good, mind you ...

Bad photo day

Nice movement today with a GS Woodpecker and four groups of Alba Wags. Two female Goosander were in the harbour - quite a typical date it would seem.

Hoodie hybrid

Not much going on in the Divit. A few Swallows, probably of local origin, hawking over the watchpoint, and one flypast Alba wag. Besides that this hybrid Hoodie was in the harbour - not a particularly unusual occurrence in the area

Behind the curve...

... is where I've been living most of this year with regards the Divit. I knew this would be the case, though, with most species encountered during autumn.winter where not encountered during the early part of the year. This probably means a very few species would have sneaked through in spring never to be recorded, but then that's always true anyway.

The harbour is starting to fill up - Redshanks and Black-headed Gulls notably present in increasing numbers along with a drip-drip-drip of Curlews.

A nearby Bridled Tern probably perched on my vismig spot before heading for Port Seton, but if it did I will never know!

The first Grey Wagtails also passed this morning  a group of 3. It;s normal for the first passage Greys to come in early/mid July. Hopefuly it will be a cracking year for one of my favourite vis species.

A rather blustery day

Windy morning in the Divit with strong  SW'erlies. Again only one Curlew flypast looked like anything of a eral mover. the Sandwich Terns have vacated the premises, while Common Terns still look to be feeding young. Last two days a Whitethroat has been singing heartily from this bush. Is it really seeking a new mate now? Looks like it.

Sandwiches

First Sandwich Terns of the year for me in the Divit as they begin their autumn accumulation on the Forth.

Most notable event of the morning though was a cacophony of Magpies from the quarry which merited investigation. As I approached half a dozen Magpies were screeching and jumping around what turned out to be a Raven. I could just make out the edge of a Magpie wing from what I supposed to be a corpse in the process of being eaten. When I got closer the Raven flew off into nearby cover presumably hoping to return once the disturbance had passed. The other Magpies also beat a retreat.

I expected to see a half eaten Magpie, but as I approached a juvenile Magpie hopped up onto its feet, scruffy (from youth) and probably a bit shocked but otherwise apparently none the worse for wear. As a grim side-note I did check that it still had two eyes - it did. It walked and hopped a bit before flying off to join the others. Thus I became the hero of Magpies everywhere and no doubt Magpie folk lore for the ages. Ravens, though, may not like me so much.

Happy New Vismig Season!

1st of July and the first of many outings to Inverkeithing this morning. Naturally it was a long time after dawn when I arrived and i wasn't expecting much, although one Curlew did drift west into the harbour, where they are just beginning to accumulate.

It was so sunny and still that sand eels and jellyfish were watchable through the flat surface below the platform. Sadly I didn't bring my zoom lens - I'll try not to repeat that mistake, but I'm a bit rusty.

With such a warm day it felt odd that migration season is not only starting but already happening. I did manage to snap this beautiful Common Blue butterfly amidst the Meadow Browns.