Having read that the Black Necked Grebe that had been seen at Elie recently was still around on Monday, I decided I would see if it was still around on Wednesday as the forecast wind speeds made a trip to the Tay reedbeds unlikely to yield too much of interest that couldn't wait. With migrants showing up on the Isle of May on Tuesday as well, my mind was made up. From there I would head to Crail and check the local area for migrants. I had to hope that the rain would stay away.
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| Black Necked Grebe |
I decided on a very early start so the alarm got me out of bed at 0520 having double-checked the weather forecast before rising and I was out the door for around 0645 to walk to the bus station for the 0705 bus to St Andrews where I would have a 8 minute wait for the bus that would take me to Elie. Woodpigeon, Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon and a singing Wren got the list for the day started, soon followed by a Goldfinch flyover and a Lesser Black Backed Gull on Dens Road. A Blackbird was seen near the bus station. Thankfully the bus left more or less on time.
A Carrion Crow was seen on the way to the roadbridge and a Cormorant was on Submarine Rock. A male Pheasant was in a field just past the Five Roads roundabout. Rooks were seen at St Michaels and Jackdaw was added in Leuchars. There was a decent sized mixed group of Whooper and Mute Swans in the fields between Guardbridge and St Andrews. The bus to Elie left on time and Collared Dove and Starling were seen as the bus left town. A Rabbit was in the field next to the caravan park. Eider were seen offshore at Anstruther and a few smaller birds went unidentified as they flew above the fields on the way to Elie.
I had a window of around 50 minutes to play with to try and see the Grebe otherwise a change of plan would be necessary. I quickly walked towards the harbour area. House Sparrows were in a garden opposite and the small trees along the main road had an active rookery in them with birds coming and going. A Pied Wagtail and a Rock Pipit were seen on the walk. I could hear Skylarks singing and a spot of scanning towards the south gave a few more Eiders and a Shag. A pair of Linnets sand as they perched in 2 small trees.
More Eiders were offshore beyond the harbour wall and it didn't take very long to find what I'd come for. The
Black Necked Grebe was bobbing around on the waves near a red flag and orange bouy. Although I've seen the species before I haven't had the chance for decent photos so despite the gloomy grey skies I took plenty of photos. An adult Shag landed slightly closer in than the Grebe but didn't linger. A youngster was much closer in to shore. A Razorbill also dropped into the bay. Further out over the sea I could see a few Kittiwakes before I walked back up to catch the bus to Crail. The timetable at the bus shelter suggested the bus I was waiting for only ran on schooldays and with it appearing to be holiday time there was some doubt as to whether a bus would arrive not helped by the Traveline Scotland app deciding to display "please try later" messages.
Thankfully the bus arrived a few minutes late and I was headed for Crail. As the bus passed Kilrenny a Red Legged Partridge ran along the grass verge and took flight, flying alongside for a few seconds before swerving across in front of the bus and into the field opposite. Sitting upstairs at the front I had a great view of the sequence of events but my camera was still in the bag so I missed out on some unusual photos. I arrived in Crail at around 0955 and headed for the top end of Denburn Wood cutting across the football pitch to get there. Dunnock, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Blackbird and a flyover Grey Heron were all spotted on the way.
Walking down through the woods, the Rooks were noisily announcing their presence around their nests high in the trees. A male Stock Dove landed in a tree in the cemetery beside the female who wasn't interested and flew off. Robin, Blue Tit, Woodpigeon and Long Tailed Tit were added before I reached the road. I debated heading up past the hotel and along the top edge of the field but as I didn't expect to see much that I wouldn't from the road I chose the quicker option of walking out along the road. A Greenfinch sang from the wires by the caravan park access road. The first Corn Bunting of the day was spooked from its song post by a passing car.
A few Skylarks were seen climbing skywards singing loudly. A 2nd Corn Bunting could be heard but there were no obvious high points so I had to resort to scanning for the bird which I found quickly singing from the vegetation in the field. Further on I found a pair of Grey Partridges hunkered down among the greenery. A Great Black Backed Gull drifted past, and a Song Thrush flew off ahead of me near the industrial estate entrance. Chaffinches sang from the trees on both sides of the road. The first Common Gull of the day was added before a Buzzard was seen hovering to the north.
A few Magpies were active in the field. As I neared the top end of Kilminning I stopped for a second to add the latest birds to the list on BirdJournal. Out of the corner of my eye I was aware of a bird taking flight from close by and flying away through the trees and over the concrete square towards the hangars of the old aerodrome. I was sure it had to be a
Woodcock, my first of the year, despite not having particularly good views. A party of 5 Redwings flew out from the trees at the top by the entrance to Balcomie Farm. I found one feeding on the golf course alongside a male Blackbird.
I headed into the eastern side of the road to check the grassy area and surrounding trees. More Blackbirds were seen but no Ring Ouzels. I could hear a call that I couldn't quite place though it did have a hint of Pheasant about it. I peered over the overgrown banking towards the karting track and found the culprits - Grey Partridges. There were 2 visible but there was a 3rd bird calling from the longer grass. I was able to get some good photos without the birds noticing me. As I headed back towards the road a bird flushed from the grass a few feet in front, and to the side of me. Thankfully I was ready this time and as the bird flew towards the gap where the barrier is, the camera more or less focused on the retreating bird. Another Woodcock, and definitive views this time.
The concreted area on the opposite side of the road proved disappointing with very little activity though Goldcrest was heard but not seen. A male Pheasant, Magpies, gulls and a few Blackbirds were the 'highlights' before I was able to get relatively close to a pair of Roe Deer in the southwest corner by the fence before they cut along the fenceline hidden by the trees. I walked down the road past the karting track with the Grey Partridges calling almost constantly in the background. A flock of Yellowhammers were active at the open field and in the small trees along with a couple of Reed Buntings. The gull flock on the airfield seemed to be mostly Herring Gulls and a few Great Black Backeds.
There was no sign of any Wheatears nor any warblers around the edges of the 'bottom end' so I headed for the fence to scan offshore. A group of 5 Greylag Geese were a surprise as they flew over the airfield behind me heading northeast. A pair of Mallard were flying around nearby and a Fulmar sheared low over the waves. A group of Kittiwakes were on the water, with a few young birds shoing of the black M markings on their wings to good effect. A Gannet headed past a bit further out but overall things seemed very quiet offshore.
I checked the bushes and trees again before catching sight of a bird in an Elder. Through the binoculars I could see it was a male
Blackcap, another year-tick, but it flew as I pointed the camera at it, though I did catch enough detail to show what it was. I eventually caught sight of it again in trees next to the stone wall (toilet block?) but again failed to get a clear photo. Although things had appeared quiet offshore I chose to head for Fife Ness anyway to have lunch in the Fife Bird Club hide and do some sea-watching anyway. A small group of Red Breasted Mergansers flew past before I walked down to the coastal path.
I spent around 90 minutes in the hide and although things were actually rather quiet I did manage to see a nice variety of birds and my 1st Bottlenose Dolphins of the year. The most numerous birds were Kittiwakes with a small group just offshore. In addition there were a few Gannets passing by as well as 4 Red Throated Divers, a few Fulmars, a dozen Long Tailed Ducks, a handful of Razorbills and a single Guillemot, 4 Common Scoters, 2 Velvet Scoters, my 1st
Sandwich Terns this year, Eiders, Great Black Backed Gulls, Herring Gulls, Common Gulls, Shag, Cormorant and a small flock of Oystercatchers. A Pied Wagtail showed by the pools in front of the hide also. After around 80 minutes in the hide I called it a day and set off to check "the Patch".
Things were rather quiet with hardly anything of note to be seen though a pair of Bullfinches and a pair of Goldcrests were new for the day. A Redshank was on Stinky Pool as I crossed the golf course where a pair of male Pheasants were wandering around on the fairway. I had a quick check again at the top end of Kilminning but a flyover black bird was only a Blackbird and not a Ring Ouzel. Denburn Wood proved quiet also and there was nothing added on the way back to St Andrews where just missed a bus by seconds, though there did appear to be Pheasants everywhere. Roadworks near Guardbridge meant that traffic was slowed to a crawl so I used my upstairs seat to do a spot of birding adding Curlew and a distant Shelduck for the day and confirming the large group of swans was indeed a mix of Whoopers and Mutes.
A good day out with 4 year-ticks (in bold) among the 65 species seen. The weather held and I stayed dry and not too cold throughout the day though the early start did mean a struggle to stay awake on the way home.
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| Shag |
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| Black Necked Grebe |
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| Razorbill |
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| Shag |
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| Black Necked Grebe |
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| Eider |
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| Black Necked Grebe |
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| Rock Pipit |
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| Blackbird |
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| Stock Dove |
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| Blue Tit |
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| Corn Bunting |
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| Grey Partridge |
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| Buzzard |
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| Redwing & Blackbird |
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| Grey Partridge |
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| Grey Partridge |
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| Woodcock |
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| Woodcock |
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| Chaffinch |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Greylag Goose |
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| Great Black Backed Gull |
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| Mallard |
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| Gannet |
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| Kittiwake |
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| Blackcap |
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| Red Breasted Merganser |
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| Great Black Backed Gull |
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| Common Gull |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Gannet |
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| Razorbill & Herring Gull |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Long Tailed Duck |
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| Razorbill |
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| Fulmar |
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| Guillemot |
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| Velvet Scoter |
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| Bottlenose Dolphin |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Common Scoter |
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| Carrion Crow |
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| Sandwich Tern |
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| Eider |
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| Eider |
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| Bullfinch |
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| Bullfinch |
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| Magpie |
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| Pheasant |
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| Collared Dove |
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| Dunnock |
Species seen - Blackbird,
Blackcap,
Black Necked Grebe, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Common Scoter, Cormorant, Corn Bunting, Curlew, Dunnock, Eider, Fulmar, Gannet, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Partridge, Greylag Goose, Guillemot, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kittiwake, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Long Tailed Duck, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Razorbill, Red Breasted Merganser, Red Legged Partridge, Redshank, Red Throated Diver, Redwing, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Rook,
Sandwich Tern, Shag, Shelduck, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Velvet Scoter, Whooper Swan,
Woodcock, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Mammals seen - Bottlenose Dolphin, Rabbit, Roe Deer.
