http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Wonderful wildlife spectacle at Aberlady just now en Fri, 19 Jun 2026 12:55:57 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11258#post-127165 Fri, 04 Oct 2013 22:30:51 +0000 Claggy Cog 127165@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'll be taking my bins. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11258#post-127102 Fri, 04 Oct 2013 15:10:23 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 127102@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Shhhhhh! I almost got away with it! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11258#post-127098 Fri, 04 Oct 2013 15:04:30 +0000 Min 127098@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>winging it</em></p> <p>Ba dum tsh! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11258#post-127091 Fri, 04 Oct 2013 14:30:33 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 127091@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Probably still knows more than me! I'm winging it generally. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11258#post-126930 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 13:30:04 +0000 Cyclingmollie 126930@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thanks WC. I clearly need to get off the bike and walk round the coast a bit.</p> <p>I have been over the bridge before several times. But it was with the girls when they were small so the bridge was a big deal - scary slats with gaps - and we only got about a further half mile before they wanted to turn back. </p> <p>My middle daughter later on became quite an obsessive birdwatcher and we went on guided visits to the M'burgh lagoons, Vane Farm, Loch Garten etc. She seemed to be able to name everything we saw. But that was years ago. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11258#post-126893 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 11:41:27 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 126893@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>From where I was, undoubtedly (at least for gettign photos), but from the wee bridge, or the pavement beside the road looking across, the sound and sight without any optical aid is still stunning. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11258#post-126885 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 11:28:09 +0000 rust 126885@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Your 500mm lens probably helped a bit too! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11258#post-126882 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 11:16:08 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 126882@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Not doing anything wrong - wildlife is wildlife and doesn't always follow a script. A big flock int he distance was possibly wheeling about because someone had walked too close (happened on Sunday), before returning a little later. Other thing with wildlife, often takes a bit of patience...</p> <p>Aberlady is soooooo much more than just that bit by the road as well. There is a stunning, huge, beach at the end of the walk through where you can see Sanderling and Ringed Plovers and Gannets and Cormorants and Seals (and rusting single person subs once used for bombing practice); walking there you go through grassland and moory type stuff and sort-of-machair and buckthorn bushes that are full of Fieldfare in the winter; you can see Deer and Peregrines and Buzzards, Kestrels, Damselflies, Dragonflies, Stonechats and more more more.</p> <p>The 'dull lagoon' attracts Little Egrets and Curlew, all sorts of types of ducks and geese.</p> <p>Occasionaly a White-tailed Eagle will fly over (never seen that one myself).</p> <p>Aberlady is truly a wee gem of a place. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11258#post-126878 Thu, 03 Oct 2013 11:01:55 +0000 Cyclingmollie 126878@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I knew the tide would be on the turn but I cycled out for a look yesterday. From your photos BPoaB I was expecting a real life David Attenborough spectacle. What I saw was a dull grey lagoon with what might have been a flock of birds in the distance. What am I doing wrong? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11258#post-126693 Tue, 01 Oct 2013 23:20:07 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 126693@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>From Sunday</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackpuddinonnabike/10003794626/"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5327/10003794626_034615e012_n.jpg"></a><br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackpuddinonnabike/10003794626/">Pink Foot Geese and the Forth Bridge</a> by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/blackpuddinonnabike/">blackpuddinonnabike</a>, on Flickr</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackpuddinonnabike/10003882333/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7386/10003882333_d44a644464_n.jpg"></a><br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackpuddinonnabike/10003882333/">Pink Foot Geese Murmuration</a> by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/blackpuddinonnabike/">blackpuddinonnabike</a>, on Flickr</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackpuddinonnabike/10003759544/"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5543/10003759544_aaf21d9bd7_n.jpg"></a><br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackpuddinonnabike/10003759544/">Airborne Pink Foot Geese</a> by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/blackpuddinonnabike/">blackpuddinonnabike</a>, on Flickr</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackpuddinonnabike/10003733095/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7444/10003733095_0f7e5279a2_n.jpg"></a><br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackpuddinonnabike/10003733095/">Pink Foot Geese 1</a> by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/blackpuddinonnabike/">blackpuddinonnabike</a>, on Flickr </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11258#post-126688 Tue, 01 Oct 2013 22:52:10 +0000 Colin 126688@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The count was over 9000 geese on Friday so much higher now.</p> <p>As they descend to land, the geese spill air from their wings which is known as whiffling!</p> <p> Enjoy!</p> <p>Cheers<br /> Colin </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11258#post-126672 Tue, 01 Oct 2013 20:09:10 +0000 SRD 126672@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>we went a few years ago and had a dreadful time getting back owing to a snarky guard (posts, passim)</p> <p>have been planning to go again this year. thanks for the heads up. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11258#post-126671 Tue, 01 Oct 2013 19:53:03 +0000 amir 126671@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The geese at Aberlady are just a wonderful phenomenon. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11258#post-126669 Tue, 01 Oct 2013 18:44:12 +0000 Uberuce 126669@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>How long have we got? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11258#post-126637 Tue, 01 Oct 2013 14:44:20 +0000 kaputnik 126637@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>murmuration </em></p> <p>The same of geese called a honkuration?</p> <p>Should be passing that way on Saturday. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11258#post-126632 Tue, 01 Oct 2013 14:24:46 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 126632@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Can't recommend a ride out to Aberlady, to coincide with low tide, enough just now. There are 1000s of Pink-Footed Geese, just across the river from the road, having arrived from Iceland. The noise is astonishing, and every now and then they decide to take to the air, turning into a murmuration that would put Starlings to shame, with these big birds all twisted and shaping in the sky.</p> <p>Just wonderful.</p> <p>(there are also a few Little Egrets on the river as well). </p>