STONEFACTION BIRDING: 10/15/15

0219 : Satisfactory Sunday (11/10/15)

The Angus and Dundee Bird Club's October outing to Fife Ness and the surrounding area can be a worthwhile trip, with Red Flanked Bluetail being the best bird found in previous years. However, it doesn't really get to Crail until around 1000 by which time a lot of birds which have crossed the North Sea in darkness have passed over. With this in mind myself and Nat decided that we would head to the area for around 0900 and then meet up with the group when they arrived.

Goldcrest

I had arranged to meet Nat in Leuchars owing to the distinct shortage of buses before 0900 on a Sunday. This meant leaving the house around 0740. It was overcast and threatening to rain, but as the forecast wasn't too bad, fingers were crossed that the weather held. Carrion Crow, Herring Gull and one of the local Magpies got the list started, with Feral Pigeon added minutes later. A Robin sang on Dens Road but the walk to the bus station was otherwise rather quiet. A few Cormorants were seen on Submarine Rock from the bus as we crossed the bridge to Fife. The rain had started to fall by now and by the time the bus reached Leuchars it was torrential. This meant a sprint to Nat's car a short distance away. We both hoped that it was a localised shower, but we set off for Crail anyway.

Beyond St Andrews the rain gradually petered out and we started to see a few birds. Rooks in a stubble field, a Buzzard on a drystane dyke, Woodpigeons on overhead wires and a flock of Starlings likewise. We had a check of Denburn Wood first, a Siskin called as it overflew as we headed into the wood where Song Thrush and Blackbird were found along with Blue Tit, Chaffinch and Stock Dove. No Bluetails or any other rarity though. A group of Redwings overflew before we drove out to Kilminning.

At Kilminning, the whole top end seemed to be alive with flocks of Redwings, all very twitchy and prone to taking off as soon as they saw any movement at all, including us. There were easily several hundred birds, with their calls making them easy to spot. Some passed straight over, others could be seen dropping into the surrounding trees. In addition to the Redwings, there were also a Great Tit, Wren and a Grey Wagtail around. I eventually succeeded in spotting a Fieldfare among the thrush flocks passing over. There may well have been more than just this one bird but it was impossible to check each flock thouroughly.

Skylarks were also passing over in smaller numbers, and usually a bit higher. Their calls made them easier to pick out approaching by ear and then to narrow down which part of sky you had to look in to see the small dots getting larger. A flock of Golden Plover flew over as we walked across to the opposite side of the access road to check the bushes and trees there. Yellowhammer, Pheasant and some overflying Meadow Pipits were seen from here while I spotted a distant Red Throated Diver out over the water from the raised banking overlooking the golf course.

We headed down to the bottom end of Kilminning to see if there was anything interesting lurking among the vegetation there. Gannets were seen out above the sea, and a Black Headed Gull glided over. A few Jackdaws loitered with the Carrion Crows over by the old airfield. A flock of Linnets milled around. More surprising were the two Swallows which hawked around for a minute or two before continuing on their way westwards. The bushes were full of Goldcrests and I was able to stand in among them while the birds flitted around me, feeding among the branches, totally unconcerned. It is amazing to think that something so small can fly across the North Sea in one journey. A distant Kestrel could be seen hovering further along the coastal path.

Goldfinches were feeding on seed heads by the airfield boundary fence as we walked down to have a look at the coast. A Great Black Backed Gull flew by, while down among the rocks and seaweed we found Curlew and Oystercatcher. Except for Gannets it was rather quiet out to sea. Returning to check among the bushes we found a Dunnock and eventually had brief views of a Yellow Browed Warbler. By now, the ADBC group had arrived so I walked round to get them, so that they could hopefully see the YBW. Unfortunately the bird was very elusive showing in glimpses around 3 times, but it seemed like it was only me that was seeing it. Eventually they left to return to their cars to head down to the hide for lunch and some seawatching. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew in and a Chiffchaff fed among the Goldcvest flock just after the crowd left.

We had intended on joining them but a text from the Fife Bird Club grapevine had arrived with news of a Barred Warbler along the coast at Kingsbarns. t would be a year tick for me and a lifer for Nat, so after some discussion and lunch we decided to go and try to see it rather than join the group. We arrived at Kingsbarns not long after 1330. Keith Ballantyne from Fife Bird Club and his wife were there already trying to locate the bird. Another Yellow Browed Warbler had also been seen. Luckily another birder came down from the golf course and explained where to go for best views of the Barred Warbler.

Another pair of birders had also arrived and all six of us walked up to the 2nd tee and into the rough at the side of the fairway, just beyond the 'out of bounds' line to scan the few bushes and trees. There was plenty of cover for what is a skulking species so patience was the order of the day. Keith spotted a bird overflying and pointed it out and I managed a few photos as it flew in the direction of Boarhills, attracting the attention of a few Carrion Crows but easily out-climbing them. A Short Eared Owl - a nice bonus bird. Movement among the bushes turned out to be Goldcrests and the Yellow Browed Warbler. Yet again I failed to get a photo of this species this Autumn.

Eventually the Barred Warbler showed to our right in a rose bush before flitting into a slightly leafier bush next to it. Thankfully it also popped into a more open area of the bush and everyone had good views. A Common Gull passed by offshore. We waited for more views of the Barred Warbler, but it once again resorted to its previous skulking habit. A Blackcap showed among the bushes. I scanned the rocks offshore during a quiet spell, finding Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Turnstone and a pair of Purple Sandpipers. Minutes later a Red Breasted Merganser flew east. Eventually the Barred Warbler flew up into an open area on one of the Sycamores and I managed a sequence of not particularly great record shots. We decided that we would head further up the coast to check the pond at Boarhills. Nat spotted a Stonechat before we reached the car.

Passing up through the village we added House Sparrow to the day list. At Boarhills we parked in the same area as our last visit and walked down the farm track to the coast. A few Grey Herons were roosting in one of the stubble fields. Further down we had a fly-by from a small group of Mallards. Except for a few Goldcrests the trees seemed to be rather quiet as we walked round the pond. Down by the shore there were a few Redshanks and a Snipe flushed from one of the small gullies. Wigeon were next to fly along the coast, followed a few minutes later by a Shag. A large flock of Lapwings lifted from a field a bit further along to the east. A pair of Barnacle Geese passed by which was another nice bonus sighting. Walking back up the track I spotted a trio of Grey Partridges beyond the Herons.

A chat with the farmer while he sat in his tractor produced the information that he has Corn Buntings on his farm (haven't seen one yet, but Spring may be easier) and that he is a lot less keen on Buzzards and blames them for the decline in Lapwings nesting on his land. We headed along to St Andrews to see if we could see a Great Northern Diver which had been seen the previous day off the West Sands. Not unexpectedly there was no sign of the bird but we added a few extra species to our day list - Eider, Knot, Common Scoter and Velvet Scoter before we headed for home, adding Collared Dove on the way. A field between Guardbridge and St Andrews held a large mixed flock of Pink Footed and Barnacle Geese but there was nowhere to stop for a photo along the busy road.

A good day out with 68 species seen and a year-tick (in bold) into the bargain - Barnacle Goose, Barred Warbler, Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Common Scoter, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Eider, Fieldfare, Gannet, Goldcrest, Golden Plover, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Grey Partridge, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Knot, Lapwing, Linnet, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pink Footed Goose, Purple Sandpiper, Red Breasted Merganser, Redshank, Red Throated Diver, Redwing, Ringed Plover, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Shag, Short Eared Owl, Siskin, Skylark, Snipe, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Stonechat, Swallow, Turnstone, Velvet Scoter, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellow Browed Warbler, Yellowhammer.