Bamburgh Castle

The plan today was to go and see my mate Robert in Innerleithen, because thanks to anth, I'd got a tip that there were Black Grouse in the area which Robert had confirmed with a couple of photos. Shame though we'd got such great views of them yesterday!

Not exactly en-route to Innerleithen, but there'd been a Black Scoter reported at Bamburgh, so we thought as we were in the area it was worth popping in to see. (For in the area read seventy five mile detour). Oh and there was the possibility of a Ross's Goose at Fast Castle (old climbing haunt) which really was en-route.

Early start again to get round Edinburgh and no sign of the Ross's at Fast Castle, but the morning mist and singing of skylarks was magical, lying back on the grass taking it all in - superb, although Mrs L claims the sound of snoring rather spoiled it - that photo's not being blipped!

On to Bamburgh and you can check out RCB's Black Scoter it's the American version of our Common Scoter and there's only been around 10 UK records, so worth the wee detour and another fine picnic spot, bench, sun, sand , sea, scoter & Bamburgh Castle - for more information see Wiki.

Next stop Innerleithen, but as Mrs L kept finding her navigator asleep a half hour in a layby was called for! That evening the three of us headed up the Leithen Water to check out the Black Grouse and got good if slightly distant views, but no obvious lekking activity, although there were a few females around.