Having had a few days of easterlies and little or no obvious evidence of migrants passing through, things weren't looking promising for adding anything new before having to go back to work on Monday. However, on Friday evening reports came in of a Bluethroat on the Isle of May, which eventually became 3 individuals. Having never seen a Bluethroat before, I would have to hope that one would reach the mainland somewhere accessible. With rain overnight and into Saturday forecast, there was a good chance of migrants being forced down. An early start on Saturday morning was very much on the cards.
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| Fulmar |
The Isle of May boats were fully booked and the red flags were flying at Barry Buddon meaning that my best bet of checking a variety of habitat in a relatively small area (with shelter nearby) would mean a trip back to Crail for the third day in a row. The proposed early start didn't happen as I didn't leave the house until 0835. Unsurprisingly given the weather, birds were in short supply on the way to the bus station with just Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Blackbird and Feral Pigeon seen. The bus journey to St Andrews was relatively productive with Pied Wagtail, Jackdaw, Rook, Starling, Swallow, Mute Swan, Buzzard and Lesser Black Backed Gull all seen. A pair of Grey Partridge in a field near Kingsbarns was the only new species added on the way to Crail.
I had just stepped off the bus in Crail when a car pulled up in front of me. Will Cresswell offered me a lift out to Kilminning having just checked Denburn Wood and drawn a blank. I readily accepted the offer which would save me both time and effort and would also mean I wasn't soaked before I began birding. At Kilminning, Will headed off to check Balcomie while I scouted round the top end. Chaffinch, Whitethroat, Blue Tit and probably the same Roe Deer from the day before were noted but it was very quiet overall, probably mostly because of the weather conditions.
Wandering down to the bottom end in the drizzly rain added Corn Bunting, Carrion Crow, Goldfinch, Linnet, Magpie and Great Tit but migrants were notable by their absence. By now the total number of Bluethroats on the Isle of May had reached double figures (before finally reaching 14!) and I couldn't even find anything remotely 'new in' and migrant-like. Instead Greenfinch, Reed Bunting, Sedge Warbler and Pheasant was all that seemed to be around at the bottom end. I did notice a couple of Orchids growing by the road but by now I was cold and rather soaked through and quite demoralised so didn't even bother with a photo to try and ID them from.
Yellowhammer and a pair of very wet Grey Partridge were seen on the walk back to the top end but there was little else. A dog which the owner appeared to have little control over ran at me barking (pretty sure I've had the same reception previously from the same dog) but thankfully before returned to the owner back at her car before I had to resort to more defensive measures. I found Jacqui, Willie Irvine and Angus Duncan across the road staring up into the trees by the entrance to Balcomie but they had seen very little evidence of any migrants of note too. Willie offered me a lift down to Fife Ness where I was headed for a break from the rain to try and dry off a bit in the hide which I gratefully accepted. I was then joined by the others in the hide after a few minutes. Eider, Shelduck, Oystercatcher, Gannets, Razorbill, Guillemot, Kittiwake, Fulmar, Sandwich Tern, Common Gull, Great Black Backed Gull and some Manx Shearwaters were all noted passing by in the gloom.
A small flock of Common Scoters went north and a Dunlin landed out in front and was pointed out by Angus though it didn't linger long. I picked up a dark bird low over the water to the south but it kept disappearing into the swell. I was fairly confident it was what I thought but I couldn't get a clean view of the bird to rule out other possibilities. It eventually showed well enough to confirm that it was indeed my first
Great Skua of the year and everyone managed to get onto the bird eventually. The others decided to check the coastal path and the Patch while I was still trying to dry out. I was able to add Arctic and Common Tern as well as Cormorant, Shag and Puffin. I eventually decided to pack up and when I headed out I bumped into Willie who offered me a lift back to Crail, which again was gratefully accepted (thanks agian, Willie). While waiting for the bus I added House Sparrow and Swift.
A frustrating sort of day in many ways with a year-tick (in bold) in among the 49 species seen. The weather should have been 'good' for bringing in migrants but if they were around they were keeping well hideen in cover though others did manage to find Spotted Flycatcher and Lesser Whitethroat. It was good to catch up with Jacqui and Willie having not seen either of them much lately.
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| Whitethroat |
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| Greenfinch |
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| Grey Partridge |
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| Grey Partridge |
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| Common Scoter |
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| Shelduck |
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| Manx Shearwater |
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| Manx Shearwater |
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| Manx Shearwater |
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| Manx Shearwater |
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| Dunlin |
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| Great Skua |
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| Great Skua |
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| Great Skua |
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| Manx Shearwater |
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| Sandwich Tern |
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| Gannet |
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| Shag |
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| Gannet |
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| Gannet |
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| Eider |
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| Guillemot, Razorbill & Puffin |
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| Sandwich Tern |
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| Sandwich Tern |
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| Kittiwake |
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| Kittiwake |
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| Fulmar |
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| Manx Shearwater |
Species seen - Arctic Tern, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Common Gull, Common Scoter, Common Tern, Cormorant, Corn Bunting, Dunlin, Eider, Fulmar, Gannet, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull,
Great Skua, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Partridge, Guillemot, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kittiwake, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Magpie, Manx Shearwater, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Puffin, Razorbill, Reed Bunting, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sandwich Tern, Sedge Warbler, Shag, Shelduck, Starling, Swallow, Swift, Whitethroat, Woodpigeon, Yellowhammer.
Mammals seen - Roe Deer.
