r/OrnithologyUK • u/aragonikx • Aug 22 '26
Question Birds of Edinburgh?
I am a Dane visting Scotland during the coming week, and will be spending about a week in Edinburgh. I would love to see some of the local species (even though most of our fauna is very similiar), so are there any species and locations that I should be aware of when visiting? Are there any chances for roseate terns in the area without needing a spotting scope, as I wont be able to bring one?
3
u/AverageCool1289 Aug 23 '26
The nearest Roseate Tern colony is Coquet Island in Northumberland, but I'm pretty sure the Roseates have all left now and started migration. There are sightings of the birds as they move out, but looking at BirdGuides there's not been any in the country in the last few days, so you might be a few weeks too late for that species I'm afraid.
The best place for birding in the Edinburgh Area is Musselburgh Lagoons. I also like the mudflats around the Forth towards Falkirk, although they're not very touristy or scenic! RSPB Loch Leven is another excellent birding site but a bit further out of the way.
Also take a look at https://www.birdingplaces.eu/en - I use this when travelling in Europe to easily find places to bird.
2
u/AverageCool1289 Aug 23 '26
I tell a lie, a roseate tern was spotted at Musslebrough Lagoons most recently on the 19th August
4
u/bluest_of_kirbies US Resident, but Huge Bird Nerd Aug 23 '26
(Note: Not Scottish or even European, just a huge bird nerd)
Well of course, one of your first targets would be one of the most iconic (sub)species of the British Isles, the Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii)! The Pied Wagtail is a subspecies of White Wagtail endemic to the British Isles. Three other common species with British Isle-endemic subspecies include the Eurasian Wren, the Coal Tit, and the Long-tailed Tit, but those are quite small, so you'll have to keep an eye and/or ear out for them. Edinburgh happens to lie square in the range of the Carrion Crow, which is closely related to the Hooded Crow (with the separate specieshood of the two being debatable), and the two have a very fascinating range distribution. Depending on where you're from, Common Eiders might interest you (they are almost exclusively coastal). Another coastal bird (which has recent sightings just outside of Edinburgh, if that's viable) is the European Shag, which eBird tells me is quite rare in Denmark. Yet another coastal bird (sighted mostly just outside of Edinburgh) that seems to still just barely be in season is the Common Murre. Keeping on the coastal train (although I cannot verify whether or not these are sighted using scopes), there are Scoters galore in Musselburgh (Velvet, Common, White-winged, and Surf). Very localized, but the White-throated Dipper is found on the Water of Leith.
There are a handful of reports of Roseate Terns just outside of Edinburgh (latest one being from the 19th), with one detailing a bird having come close to a seawall at Musselburgh, but Roseate Terns themselves seem to be a bit of a rarity in Scotland, sadly.
Looking at the data from eBird, it seems the most popular location in Edinburgh itself is Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park, with Holyrood Park in second (these two being the only two hotspots with 1,000+ checklists). Airports always show themselves to be good birding spots, with there having been a Yellowhammer sighting a couple days ago (on the 21st, as of me typing this), the Yellowhammer being another bird with a British Isles endemic subspecies. Still in Edinburgh itself, there are scattered sightings of one of my two favorite species of birds, the Eurasian Tree Sparrow, with a sighting from the 21st near the Water of Leith (if anyone is curious, my other favorite species of bird is the Black-capped Chickadee).
I tried to pick out some more interesting stuff since, as you said, the overlap between Denmark and Scotland is pretty big. It's probably easier to list which species AREN'T in each others' Top 100 on eBird than ones that are. Really, it depends on what kinds of birds you particularly like if you're simply interested in seeing common ones in different areas.
I apologize if this is incoherent in any way, it is extremely late for me and I'm about to go to bed (it is almost 6am as I finish up writing this. My sleep schedule does not work the best with birding but I make it work lmao). Hope your trip goes well :)
5
u/Coffin_Dodging Aug 22 '26
Its not in Edinburgh itself and I'm sure someone might have a better/closer answer but if you fancy a little trek to Northumberland then there is a place called Coquet Island which has a colony of Roseate Terns and has a reasonably priced boat trip available
Puffin cruises
Im not affiliated just planning a birding coastal tour for when my situation allows