Having had limited success earlier in the week at Fife Ness with both migrants and seabirds, I decided that I would see if the easterly winds since had brought in anything else interesting, as the birds on the Isle of May had been rather good with Quail, Golden Oriole and Hawfinch all seen as a result of the winds. I had considered heading north to Pitlochry and Killiecrankie for Pied Flycatche and Wood Warbler but a large forest fire in the area on Thursday evening meant postponing that one till next week when I have another week's birding time set aside.
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| Gannet |
I headed out at about 0735 to walk to the bus station, though I did end up waiting for the bus instead. The wait did produce a few birds though - Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Herring Gull and Starling. From the bus I added Lesser Black Backed Gull and Feral Pigeon while Pied wagtail was added on the short walk to the bus station. The bus journey to St Andrews was once again rather bird-filled with a nice selection seen - Cormorants on Submarine Rock, a Sparrowhawk over the dual carriageway past Newport, a Blackbird flying over a little further on, Rooks and a Lapwing in a field near Pickletillum, Swallows over another field and a Buzzard on a fencepost. Jackdaw, Collared Dove, House Sparrow and Goldfinch were spotted in Leuchars village.
Mute Swans were on the Motray near the old paper mill buildings at Guardbridge, and a few House Martins circled around above the village. Oystercatchers were seen on the playing fields as we entered St Andrews. The second part of the journey to Crail was a bit less productive though, with a pair of Mallards flying over the bus near the harbour turn-off. A Skylark fluttered up from the fields a bit further on and a male Pheasant wandered round in a field near Boarhills. A Great Black Backed Gull slowly heading north over the fields near Crail was less expected from the bus.
Arriving in Crail, I headed along the track to Denburn Wood again. The birds were a little more elusive this time with a Greenfinch calling from the tops of a tall tree. Wren and Dunnock skulked around close to the ground, while half-way down through the wood I found a Chiffchaff flitting around in the trees near the houses on the east side of the Wood. A Blue Tit was on the path pulling at a bit of rope, possibly for nest material. One of the local Stock Doves perched up in one of the trees near the entrance to the Wood, watching me leave.
I decided to take the coastal path through the caravan park down by the shore and headed down to Roome Bay. Out on the water were a few Eiders. A Chaffinch flew past me as I headed down the path. A Red Throated Diver flew low over the sea headed northwards. Further out a Fulmar glided round low over the waves. A pair of Teal flew past, following the coast. A Black Headed Gull passed overhead next. Gannets streamed by from the Bass Rock, visible across the Forth. A Corn Bunting sang, rather unexpectedly from the top of the small crumbling cliff before flying across the waste ground to the overhead wires by the field next to the caravan park access road. A Grey Heron wandered slowly around the edge of the same field.
Walking through the caravan park, I added a flypast Red Breasted Merganser and a Curlew. Behind the caravans a few Linnets flitted around in the Gorse bushes and a male Yellowhammer did likewise. A second Corn Bunting was singing near the north end of the caravan park. A Common Sandpiper flew off low along the rocky shoreline near the southern end of Kilminning. I headed up the hill to explore the site in the hope of finding something good. Reed Bunting and Magpie were the only additions before a Meadow Pipit flew up from the airfield as I headed for the top end.A Song Thrush was another addition on the walk up. A Roe Deer buck took off across the airfield.
A Willow Warbler picked around in the trees at the top end and probably the same Whitethroat as earlier in the week was still frequenting the same stretch of small bushes and trees. Two small birds shot past as I checked out the grassy area at the top. Surprisingly they turned out to be Ringed Plovers. With nothing obvious showing I headed down across the golf course to the Fife Bird Club hide for a spell of sea-watching. With some large waves crashing in just offshore and the sun shining, the conditions were rather good for photography, assuming I could get the camera and lens to 'behave'.
There was certainly plenty of movement offshore with Gannets, Eiders, Cormorants, Shags, Kittiwakes, Guillemots, Razorbills, Fulmars, Common Gulls, Herring Gulls and Great Black Backed Gulls passing. Even further out it was possible to see more birds and with a scope I'd have probably managed to add a few more species to the list. There were also a few Sandwich Terns around, but no sign of any Common or Arctic Terns, nor any Shearwaters or Skuas. There were a few Turnstones on the rocks by the Cormorants and Shags. I headed up into the Patch to see if I could find anything up there. It was quiet with a few skulking Willow Warblers but little else. A Guillemot was in the grass by the small track down to Stinky Pool. It didn't appear to be injured, or oiled, but nor did it make any attempt to move away from me. I suspect it may have been blown in exhausted by the wind, but as it was not far from the water I left it where it was, rather than attempting to move it.
Balcomie Bay was next. It appeared quiet at first but eventually I spotted a few Dunlin and Ringed Plovers on the sand. A dog walker crossing the beach spooked a Wheatear into view giving me another bird for the list, before I headed back up to check out Kilminning again. It was still rather quiet but I did eventually find a single Lesser Whitethroat working its way through the trees with a Willow Warbler but failed to get a photo again, owing to the camera refusing to focus when I needed it to. I walked back along the road to Crail, and added one final species to the list in Denburn Wood - a Great Tit.
A reasonable enough day out, even if I didn't manage to add anything new to the year-list, with 63 species seen and some decent seabird photos taken against the big waves crashing on the rocks at the Ness.
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| Wren |
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| Blue Tit |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Roe Deer |
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| Shag |
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| Shag |
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| Gannet |
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| Sandwich Tern |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Sandwich Tern |
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| Cormorant |
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| Gannet |
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| Kittiwake |
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| Gannet |
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| Razorbill & Guillemot |
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| Gannet |
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| Fulmar |
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| Fulmar |
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| Shag |
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| Curlew |
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| Guillemot |
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| Ringed Plover & Dunlin |
Species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Common Sandpiper, Cormorant, Corn Bunting, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Eider, Fulmar, Gannet, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Guillemot, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kittiwake, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Lesser Whitethroat, Linnet, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Razorbill, Red Breasted Merganser, Red Throated Diver, Reed Bunting, Ringed Plover, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sandwich Tern, Shag, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Teal, Turnstone, Wheatear, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
