With a Spotted Redshank once again having been reported from The Wilderness on Monday, though not subsequently on Tuesday, I had to take a chance that it might still be around on Wednesday, so another early start was planned. If time and public transport allowed I would attempt to catch high tide on the Eden at Guardbridge. Having discovered the bus route through Pitlessie, I found that I could spend a little longer in bed and still make it to the site for around 0830 or so.
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| Greenshank |
Heading out at 0710 for the 0730 bus I noted Herring Gull and Woodpigeon. A Blue Tit near the bus station was the only other bird seen on the walk. From the bus I added Sandwich Terns as the bus approached Newport when 2 overflew the bridge and the bus. House Martins, Carrion Crow, Collared Dove, House Sparrow and Swallow were all seen before the bus reached Pitlessie. Swifts were still to be seen over the houses and Jackdaws hopped around on a grassy area. A Dunnock and a Grey Wagtail were seen by the burn along the northern edge of the village. A Tree Sparrow popped up onto the roadside overhead wires.
The walk to The Wilderness took roughly 25 minutes. A lot of Lapwings and a distanr Mute Swan were seen on my first view over the flooded gravel pit. From a slightly better angle I added a few Black Tailed Godwits and Curlews. Grey Herons roosted by a small pool behind which a pair of Roe Deer foraged. More scanning found Mallard, Snipe, Greylag Goose, Shoveler, Black Headed Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull and a few Greenshank. Moving along the wall I added Pied Wagtail and Common Sandpiper. Further on Moorhen, Teal, Dunlin and Coot were seen. Willow Warblers and a small flock of Long Tailed Tits were seen in the trees and bushes. Sand Martins and Swallows zipped low over the fields behind me.
Unfortunately there was no sign of anything resembling a Spotted Redshank (or even a Common Redshank). A trio of birds flew out from the trees near the gate and the call identified them as Crossbills. They landed in trees near the railway line before being joined by a 4th bird a short while later. Goldfinches and Blackbird were seen in the bushes by the road before I decided to head for Pitlessie and the 1100 bus to Guardbridge.
Arriving at the hide in Guardbridge I found all the windows already occupied and the tide already further in than ideal. Cormorant, Osprey, Redshank, Dunlin, Buzzard and Oystercatcher were all seen from my rather restricted viewpoint. When a few of the visitors left I moved forward to one of the windows where I was able to add a few more species - Eider, Canada Goose, Knot and Goosander. Chaffinch was seen on the feeders while the Buddleia held a variety of butterflies again - Small White, Large White, Peacock, Red Admiral and Painted Lady.
Greenfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Common Gull, a few Common Terns and a pair of Linnets were added over the next hour. Jacqui mesagedme to see what my plans were and I told her I was contemplating heading to the George Evans hide again for the tide receding. She said she'd pick me up and a short while later we headed off to the golf course at St Andrews for the walk out to the Balgove Bay hide. A pair of Ospreys were seen over the river as we neared the hide.
Entering the hide we discovered the expected gulls strung out in a long line in the water with a few Shelduck dotted through them. Unfortunately, the hoped for photo opportunities failed to materialise except for a single Greenshank. Otherwise it was similar fare to Sunday's visit though mostly further away, including a Stock Dove. Around 1500 we headed back to the car adding a Whimbrel, a Skylark and a pair of young Grey Partridges in addition to the usual Rooks and Pied Wagtails.
We headed back to the Guardbridge hide where a young Wren gave us all a close look when it flew in one window past a surprised birder's ear, swept round behind the rest of us and crash-landed on the window ledge at the right end side before regaining some composure and flying back out the window. A surprise was a small group of at least 4 Willow Warblers foraging in the Buddleia. Things were unsurprisingly rather quiet overall though Little Egret was finally added a round 1645 as we were all getting ready to leave.
One of the first to leave was a birder visiting family in Dundee from his home in France who forgot his binoculars. As we were unable to catch up with him in time I offered to wait for the Ranger to arrive so I could let him know the details of the birder who would hopefully realise where he'd left them and get in touch with the Ranger to be reunited with his binoculars. Although I didn't add anything new to the list for the day I did get some reasonable photo opportunities from Grey Heron, Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Herring Gull and Little Egret while waiting, as well as a Rabbit.
As I hurried out to catch the 1720 bus having handed the binoculars to Ranald Strachan the Ranger I added Song Thrush to the list for the day taking my total to 64 species. Not the most successful of days out but it is always better to be out looking than sitting at home wondering whether something is out there.
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| Lapwing |
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| Roe Deer & Grey Heron |
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| Roe Deer |
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| Lapwing & Dunlin |
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| Crossbill |
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| Crossbill |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Swallow |
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| Common Sandpiper |
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| Sand Martin |
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| Lapwing, Greylag Goose, Starling & Snipe |
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| Dunlin, Redshank, Oysteractcher, Mallard, Black Headed Gull & Curlew |
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| Osprey |
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| Carrion Crow |
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| Teal |
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| Buzzard, Curlew & Black Headed Gull |
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| Common Tern & Buzzard |
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| Teal |
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Common Sandpiper |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Greenshank |
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| Greenshank |
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| Common Gull, Herring Gull, Black Headed Gull & Oystercatcher |
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| Whimbrel |
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| Canada Goose |
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| Canada Goose |
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| Osprey & Carrion Crow |
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| Little Egret |
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| Woodpigeon |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Redshank |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Gannet |
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| Redshank |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Stock Dove |
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| Rabbit |
Species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Common Sandpiper, Common Tern, Coot, Cormorant, Crossbill, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Eider, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Greenfinch, Greenshank, Grey Heron, Grey Partridge, Grey Wagtail, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Knot, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Little Egret, Long Tailed Tit,Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sand Martin, Sandwich Tern, Shelduck, Shoveler, Skylark, Snipe, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Swift, Teal, Tree Sparrow, Whimbrel, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies seen - Large White, Painted Lady, Peacock, Red Admiral, Small White.
Mammals seen - Rabbit, Roe Deer.
