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| Stock Dove |
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| Stock Dove |
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| Wren |
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| Song Thrush |
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| Corn Bunting |
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| Buzzard |
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| Pheasant |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Sedge Warbler |
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| Carpet moth species |
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| Fulmar |
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| Sandwich Tern |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Great Black Backed Gull |
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| Whitethroat |
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| Carrion Crow & Buzzard |
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| Red Backed Shrike |
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Red Backed Shrike
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With good weather forecast and winds from the east coinciding with a day off work on holiday, Fife Ness was very much on the list of places to go. However, usually that means arriving around 10am, which can be a wee bit late in birding terms, with activity tailing off as the morning progresses. The other option was to catch a bus from Dundee bus station at 0705, then another from St Andrews at 0753, so that I would arrive in Crail around 0820 or thereabouts. To do so would require a much earlier start than I ever manage when going to work. However as the saying goes "it's the early bird that gets the worm". Would it work out that way? I certainly hoped so.
I left the house around 0740 to walk into town. With the streets rather quiet I did manage to see 8 species before I reached the bus station. In order of appearance these were Herring Gull, Collared Dove, Starling, Blackbird, House Sparrow, Feral Pigeon, Blue Tit and Goldfinch. Not bad for starters. More Herring Gulls were seen at the bus station. Crossing the Tay, I added a Cormorant which splashed down mid-river. Yellowhammer and Woodpigeon went on the list at the 5 roads roundabout. The first Swallow of the day was seen at St Michaels as it swooped around at the crossroads. Jackdaw was seen in Leuchars with Mute Swan added on the Eden. Between Guardbridge and St Andrews, Oystercatcher, Carrion Crow and Buzzard were seen. Before turning off the main road on entering St Andrews, House Martins were seen by a big house on the right where they nest under the eaves.
At the bus station, Woodpigeon, Starling and Jackdaw were seen going to a garden with feeders. Just before the bus left St Andrews, Swifts were seen over the houses on the right hand side of the bus near Lamond Drive. There weren't too many birds to see for the first 15 minutes or so of the journey, but things improved slightly around Boarhills where a small covey of Grey Partridges were in the edge of the field by the road, my seat on the top deck of the bus allowing me to look down onto them. A Lapwing was seen nearby, and a bit further on, a male Pheasant was in another field. A few Rooks were in yet another field. Things were then quiet until just before reaching Crail when Chaffinch went on the list as one flew across the road.
First stop in Crail as always was Denburn Wood. House Sparrow, Swallow and Blackbird were all seen as I walked along the gravel track to the wood that runs between houses and playing field. There was plenty bird activity in the wood itself but the thick vegetation made seeing most of it tricky. I heard Chiffchaff but couldn't see it. A Stock Dove shared a branch with a larger Woodpigeon and I managed to get a few photos as the dove stared down at me. Blackbird and Blue Tit were added before I reached the bottom end of the wood where a Wren posed briefly on a branch allowing me a quick photo before it dived into cover once more.
As usual the walk the edge of Crail provided Collared Dove and Woodpigeon and chirping House Sparrows were heard. Swallows swept low over the fields on my way out towards the airfield and a Skylark singing could be heard but I struggled to see it against the sky. Otherwise it was relatively quiet until I reached the beginning of the airfield buildings where I spotted a Kestrel perched on the frame of a derelict building. Pied Wagtail and Yellowhammer were on a rooftop of another derelict building, this time on the north side of the road.
It wasn't long before I reached the road into Kilminning and wandered in. I clambered over the earth ridge and peered into the trees. I spotted the shape of an owl much quicker than I had the first time I had encountered one in the same place a few weeks before. This one had its back to me, and I gestured to another birder close by to come and see. It looked like a Long Eared Owl, appearing tall and thin, however the one photo I managed showed it to be the same Tawny Owl as seen previously. A welcome surprise nevertheless. The resident Buzzard took to the air having been alerted to our presence by Woodpigeons and Feral Pigeons clattering skywards from trees and ruined building respectively. A Jackdaw gave the Buzzard a bit of attention before handing over to a Carrion Crow. Goldfinches flitted over and I found the first moth of the day, a carpet moth of some description.
A Song Thrush was loudly singing from the trees on the other side of the track and there were a few more Goldfinches feeding down on the ground. A family of Great Tits fed among the branches of the trees by the road, contact calls aplenty. I wandered down towards the sea end of the airfield, taking my time, and checking out any movement en route. A Robin, then a Whitethroat were both seen by the karting track. I could hear a singing Corn Bunting and with a bit of effort succeeded in spotting it singing from a fence wire. It spotted me and flew across the field to perch on another fence. I managed to see a Skylark here too as it took to the air not too far from the road. A male Pheasant wandered around in the grass on the airfield, and I got a fright when a female exploded out from a foot or so in front of me. Another Yellowhammer sang near where the Eastern Olivaceous Warbler frequented for so long in 2012.
The first Magpie of the day flew off from in the trees. Dunnock and Reed Bunting were both picked up by ear, before being spotted as they sang. I spotted two Meadow Pipits with beakfuls of food perched on fenceposts eyeing me warily. I figured they had a nest nearby and moved on quickly. Another male Reed Bunting and a Sedge Warbler were seen by the big metal shed. A small flock of Linnets were also here as was a Whitethroat and some Starlings.
I headed next for Fife Ness to do a spot of seawatching from the rocks. Great Black Backed Gulls, Gannets and Shags were seen from a distance as I crossed the golf course. Sedge Warbler was in the bushes by Stinky Pool. Herring Gulls flew by, and a Song Thrush and a Dunnock sang from the wires behind the caravans. Settling down on the rocky shore I scanned the water offshore, picking out more passing Gannets and gulls. A pair of Eiders sped by and a few minutes later the first Cormorant flew past northwards. A Fulmar glided by close in to shore. Guillemots and Razorbills scooted past in small mixed groups of between two and six birds. The first Red Throated Diver of two seen flew north. Kittiwakes and Sandwich Tern soon joined the list and another Red Throated Diver went north, further out this time.
It was more of the same for the next hour with only Common Gull, a flyby Grey Heron and Black Headed Gull seen before I decided to head back up to Kilminning again. A Rock Pipit landed down on the rocks round from the hide and a pair of Black Headed Gulls flew by. I was slightly surprised to see a Sand Martin over the caravans with a few Swallows. Whitethroat was in the overgrown garden by the cottages at the top of the golf course track and the Sedge Warbler was seen again. Swallows rested on the wires. Another Magpie was spotted flying low over the fairway near the starter's box. Another singing Yellowhammer was seen at the entrance to Kilminning and again the Buzzard took to the air pursued closely by a nearby Carrion Crow. I finally managed to pick out the singing Willow Warbler in the trees. I walked down as far as the karting track again with a few butterflies and another moth species seen. A Buzzard was perched atop the flagpole on the old control tower but it flew off just as I took a photo.
I decided to head back towards Crail in plenty of time to catch the bus back to St Andrews. Woodpigeons and Swallows were seen flying around, and the Yellowhammer male and Pied Wagtail were both in roughly the same place as in the morning. A Chaffinch called from the trees by the road. Just as I passed the brick storage shed opposite the track to Wormiston, I spotted movement among the weeds opposite as a bird flew and landed but immediately took off again, flying low across the field. I lifted the binoculars expecting a Linnet, having seen a hint of a chestnut brown briefly as the bird flew. I got a pleasant shock when the bird turned out to be a rather neat male
Red Backed Shrike. It perched on the wall by the track and I took a few distant shots for 'proof'. I sent a text to Fife Bird Club to alert others to the bird. I attempted to get closer up the track but the bird was very wary and would fly a few feet further up the wall in the direction of the house. I decided to retreat rather than risk spooking the bird before anyone else got a chance to see it. I watched it for another 5 minutes or so before making the decision to head for the bus, rather than have to wait another 90 minutes for the next one. Having been mildly disappointed until a few minutes before I was now rather pleased with my first self-found Red Backed Shrike. The early bird had indeed got the worm.
The bus back to St Andrews only added Mallard at the Fairmount Golf Course and Shelduck and Mute Swans were both visible on the Eden as I headed back to Dundee after a decent day out. 60 species being my final total for the day, the Red Backed Shrike being a very welcome year tick.
Species seen (year tick in bold) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Cormorant, Corn Bunting, Dunnock, Eider, Fulmar, Gannet, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Grey Partridge, Guillemot, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Kittiwake, Lapwing, Linnet, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Razorbill,
Red Backed Shrike, Red Throated Diver, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Rook, Sand Martin, Sandwich Tern, Sedge Warbler, Shag, Shelduck, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Swift, Tawny Owl, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.