Having had success with spotting rarities on October 13th in 2013 (Red Flanked Bluetail in Denburn Wood, Crail) and 2014 (White Billed Diver off Fife Ness) I naturally had to see if I could be lucky for the 3rd year in a row. So the decision was made some time ago to head to the Crail area on October 13th 2015. I did intend an early start, but the bus timetable made the margins just too tight to get off one bus and catch the connection, so I settled for a later departure from Dundee which would mean I wouldn't reach Crail until around 0935.
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| Chiffchaff |
Leaving the house just before 0800 there were plenty birds around with 5 species immediately apparent nearby - Blackbird, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Starling and Woodpigeon. Feral Pigeon and Carrion Crow were both added on the way to the bus station. The bus trip to St Andrews produced another 8 species with Cormorant being seen as we crossed the river, Black Headed Gulls around the car park at the bridge end, Rooks and Jackdaws at Leuchars, Mute Swans on the Motray at Guardbridge and a mixed flock of Barnacle and Pink Footed Geese sharing a field with Curlews near St Andrews. En route to Crail another 3 species were seen - Collared Dove at Kingsbarns, Yellowhammers near Cambo and Common Gulls in a field as we neared Crail.
Denburn Wood was rather quiet and despite plenty of searching there was to be no rarity found there. Robin, Chaffinch, Great Tit and Wren were all there was to be found in addition to a few Woodpigeons and Blackbirds. Skylarks overflew as I reached the bottom end. Walking out to Kilminning a Buzzard was perched atop the buildings down the farm track, with another further on perched atop the airfield buildings. A robin chased another unidentified bird about a pile of rubble but I could not get a clear look and eventually moved on.
Things were rather quiet at the top end of Kilminning compared to Sunday with hardly anything around. A few more Skylarks passed overhead. Gannets were seen distantly as I looked over the golf course. Magpies chittered noisily among the trees, and a Pied Wagtail rested on overhead wires. A few Goldfinches flitted around and a loudly calling Kestrel tempted me for a closer look as it perched atop a pole at Balcomie Castle. A short while later a female Sparrowhawk attracted some attention from the local Carrion Crows and it dipped out of sight. It was then joined by a second Sparrowhawk and they circled round a few times before I lost sight of them behind the trees.
Not a bad start, but still nothing of note. I bumped into Willie Irvine and we were joined by John Anderson. Willie had found Blackcap and Chiffchaff already. They decided to head down to the bottom end and I decided to once again try the opposite side of the road before heading down the track to the bottom end. Song Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Goldcrest were all found before the first Chiffchaff of the day showed in a small Elder bush. A second, and possibly a third, Chiffchaff were also briefly visible.
I headed off down the track spotting a large Silver Y moth on flowers by the edge of the road. A large-ish flock of Linnets circled up from the field and a Great Black Backed Gull overflew. A calling Meadow Pipit passed over, and a few Blue Tits flitted around in the bushes alongside Goldcrests. I eventually managed to find a Blackcap and a rather late Common Darter dragonfly perched on a discarded carrier bag. I met up with Willie again who had also had little luck at finding anything too unusual except a Yellow Browed Warbler. He was debating a trip to Boarhills to see if a reported Firecrest was still around. A flock of Golden Plover circled overhead before dropping back down out of our sight. A Pheasant rounded off the sightings at Kilminning.
I joined Willie for the trip to Boarhills. A Firecrest would at least be a new species for the year if we succeeded in seeing it. A Peregrine flew over us as we walked down the farm track to the pond where the bird, and a Yellow Browed Warbler, had been reported. The trees were relatively quiet with a few Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests but nothing else except a Dunnock seen despite plenty searching. We were joined by another birder Willie knew, a lady from near Glasgow called Fiona, who had never seen a Firecrest. Three pairs of eyes would make finding it easier, at least in theory. A Red Breasted Merganser passed down the coast.
A shout from Willie alerted Fiona and myself who were searching different areas that he had seen the bird. We hurried round to join him but the bird had disappeared back into cover. We waited but the bird remained elusive. I wandered off to check the other trees, but despite lots of searching all I could see were Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests. A Grey Heron flew by, and a trio of Reed Buntings flew up from the reeds. A pair of Mallards flew by offshore. A Stonechat perched atop a reed stem was a surprise. A trio of Wigeon with a drake Mallard in tow whizzed by. Among the trees a Song Thrush and a Redwing showed before the light got too poor to have a good chance of picking out the Firecrest so reluctantly we had to give up. As Fiona was staying overnight in Broughty Ferry I was able to get a lift back to Dundee from her (thanks again, Fiona).
Not as good a day as I'd hoped for but it is always good to get out birding. 50 species seen - Barnacle Goose, Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunnock, Gannet, Goldcrest, Golden Plover, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Linnet, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mute Swan, Peregrine, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Red Breasted Merganser, Redwing, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stonechat, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
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| Skylark |
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| Pink Footed Goose |
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| Feral Pigeon & Buzzard |
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| Kestrel |
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| Carrion Crow & Sparrowhawk |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Silver Y moth |
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| Kestrel |
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| Goldcrest |
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| Goldcrest |
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| Goldcrest |
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| Goldcrest |
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| Common Darter |
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| Golden Plover |
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| Blackcap |
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| Cormorant & Herring Gull |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Goldcrest |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Buzzard |
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| Wren |
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| Wigeon & Mallard |
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| Chiffchaff |
