Although the weather didn't look like being very productive for a spot of seawatching at Fife Ness, it was certainly unlikely to offer up too much hope of finding anything coming in from the east either. The tide times weren't particularly helpful either for sitting in a hide at the Eden Estuary. Added to that I had another dental appointment first. The decision was taken that if I made it to the bus station in time for the bus at 0910 then it was a spot of seawatching on the agenda. If not, then plan B would take effect, though I had no idea what that actually was likely to be.
 |
| Great Skua & Great Black Backed Gull |
I headed out at 0815 and chose to catch a bus into town which proved to be a mistake as I would have been quicker walking. Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon and Herring Gull were all seen before the bus arrived with an unexpected Sparrowhawk over just before the bus arrived. Carrion Crow was added near the bus station. My appointment didn't take too long and I made it to the bus station in time to catch the earlier bus to St Andrews. Curlew was the only addition on the way. Heading to Crail from St Andrews was more productive with Swallow, Blue Tit, Black Headed Gull, House Martins and an unexpected pair of Mistle Thrushes perched on a TV aerial in Kingsbarns.
There were also lots of House Martins and Swallows over the churchyard in Crail though Denburn Wood proved to be rather quiet. On the walk out to Kilminning I was able to add a few more species depsite the strong winds - Kestrel, Jackdaw, Rook, Meadow Pipit, Buzzard, Stock Dove and Magpie. Things were also pretty quiet at Kilminning except for a charm of Goldfinches and a few Blue Tits, though the Swallows and House Martins were utilising the relatively sheltered air on the eastern side of the trees. Pied Wagtails and Yellowhammer were seen on the walk along to the golf course.
At Balcomie Beach things were again relatively quiet with a few Oystercatchers, a pair of Sandwich Terns and a Curlew the only things on the beach. Offshore were Cormorant, Shag, Goosander, Eider and Great Black Backed Gulls while further out a few Gannets passed by. A Wren foraged among the rocks by the coastal path and there were a few Grey Seals hauled out on the rocks offshore. At Stinky Pool a pair of Redshanks flew off leaving just a Black Headed Gull and a Herring Gull. A Teal was a surprise in the inlet by the caravans.
A pair of birders from across the Forth, George Jamieson and his wife (whose name I didn't actually get) were already seawatching and I asked them what they'd seen. A few Red Throated Divers were all they had to show for their efforts though they hadn't long arrived. It didn't take too long to get my first Red Throated Diver for the day. A few Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails picked around in front of the hide for a minute or two. Turnstone was spotted out on the rocks near the Great Black Backed Gulls (including Yellow X:070 - another Isle of May ringed bird). A few Common Scoters passed by. Things were generally rather quiet with Gannets the main movements, though not in their usual long strings but more often singly, or in pairs, possibly as a result of the strong tailwainds. The only strings we saw all day were heading south into the wind.
More Scoters and Red Throated Divers were added, including a group of 6 of the forner and 4 of the latter. A few Fulmars were seen as well as very low numbers of Sandwich Terns. A pair of Common Terns also headed north. An adult and juvenile Guillemot called incessantly to each other not far offshore and a Purple Sandpiper and a small flock of Ringed Plover were seen on the rocks. The Red Throated Diver numbers kept rising while much further out over the sea a number of Kittiwakes were seen. A Small White butterfly was a surprise just in front of the hide. George and his wife decided they would check the Patch but as usual once the scope was packed away things livened up with the appearance of a pair of Great Skuas. A third bird showed a few minutes later and it had a go at a Great Black Backed Gull before heading north again.
Minutes later a pair of Shelducks passed southwards. As things had quietened down again I was left to concentrate on the seawatching myself for a while. A Brent Goose passed close in and a few more Red Throated Divers were seen in addition to a Common Gull. George and his wife returned having seen little and a flock of Knot went south. George had seen a few flocks earlier but I hadn't managed to get onto the birds. A few Razorbills and Guillemots went north at speed before George picked up a distant Arctic Skua low over the water going north. I managed a few photos which suggested it was an adult complete with tail extension. A very distant flock of 10 more Brents went south. A Manx Shearwater was seen rather distantly tracking northwards. A young Goosander dropped onto the sea after a low pass along in front of the hide.
We eventually packed up at around 1540 and as George and his wife were staying at St Andrews for a few days I was able to get a very welcome, and time-saving, lift back with them. (Thanks again!). On the walk back along to Kilminning and their car a Wheatear showed perched on rocks. A flock of Lapwings were seen as we drove up through Kilminning and House Sparrows were seen in Kingsbarns. I was dropped off at the bus station and managed to catch a departing Dundee bus. I added Collared Dove and Starling near Leuchars and St Michaels on the way home.
Despite the westerlies the birding was surprisingly pretty good with a total of 32 Red Throated Divers (plus George's 4), 22 Common Scoters, 3 Great Skuas, 1 Arctic Skua, 1 Manx Shearwater, 40+ Knot, 11 Brent Geese, 2 Common Terns and assorted Sandwich Terns, Fulmars, Gannets, Razorbills, Guillemots and gulls seen as well as Eiders, a Goosander and a few waders species seen during our 5 hours or so of seawatching. In total I saw 54 species of bird, despite the less than favourable conditions.
 |
| Herring Gull |
 |
| Buzzard |
 |
| Oystercatcher & Teal |
 |
| Great Black Backed Gull |
 |
| Meadow Pipit |
 |
| Red Throated Diver |
 |
| Common Scoter |
 |
| Great Black Backed Gull (X:070) |
 |
| Red Throated Diver |
 |
| Common Scoter |
 |
| Guillemot |
 |
| Red Throated Diver |
 |
| Redshank |
 |
| Shag |
 |
| Purple Sandpiper |
 |
| Red Throated Diver |
 |
| Sandwich Tern |
 |
| Gannet |
 |
| Ringed Plover |
 |
| Ringed Plover & Turnstone |
 |
| Gannet |
 |
| Eider |
 |
| Great Black Backed Gull |
 |
| Red Throated Diver & Gannet |
 |
| Kittiwake |
 |
| Red Throated Diver |
 |
| Red Throated Diver |
 |
| Gannet |
 |
| Great Black Backed Gull |
 |
| Herring Gull |
 |
| Ringed Plover |
 |
| Kittiwake |
 |
| Kittiwake |
 |
| Red Throated Diver |
 |
| Sandwich Tern |
 |
| Sandwich Tern |
 |
| Kittiwake |
 |
| Red Throated Diver |
 |
| Gannet |
 |
| Great Skua |
 |
| Great Skua |
 |
| Great Skua |
 |
| Red Throated Diver |
 |
| Great Black Backed Gull |
 |
| Shag |
 |
| Great Skua |
 |
| Great Black Backed Gull & Great Skua |
 |
| Great Skua |
 |
| Great Skua |
 |
| Shelduck |
 |
| Red Throated Diver |
 |
| Grey Seal |
 |
| Shag |
 |
| Cormorant |
 |
| Red Throated Diver |
 |
| Fulmar |
 |
| Brent Goose |
 |
| Black Headed Gull |
 |
| Goosander |
 |
| Goosander |
 |
| Ringed Plover |
 |
| Knot |
 |
| Knot |
 |
| Shag |
 |
| Kittiwake |
 |
| Cormorant |
 |
| Cormorant |
 |
| Eider |
 |
| Gannet |
 |
| Brent Goose |
 |
| Kittiwake |
 |
| Arctic Skua |
 |
| Arctic Skua |
 |
| Guillemot |
 |
| Red Throated Diver |
 |
| Manx Shearwater |
 |
| Gannet |
 |
| Eider |
 |
| Fulmar |
 |
| Purple Sandpiper |
 |
| Guillemot |
 |
| Wheatear |
Species seen - Arctic Skua, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Brent Goose, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Common Scoter, Common Tern, Cormorant, Curlew, Eider, Fulmar, Gannet, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Skua, Guillemot, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Kittiwake, Knot, Lapwing, Magpie, Manx Shearwater, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Purple Sandpiper, Razorbill, Redshank, Red Throated Diver, Ringed Plover, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sandwich Tern, Shag, Shelduck, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Teal, Turnstone, Wheatear, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Butterfly - Small White.
Mammal - Grey Seal.
