Unlike last Wednesday, I was able to get out and about with Paul this midweek. The best selection of birds we needed for our respective year-lists were to be found through in the west (and a bit to the south too), with Snow Goose in 2 locations and a pair of White Rumped Sandpipers in Ayrshire. In addition, the Taiga Bean Geese and the Blue Winged Teal that I had seen with Ian just over a week ago were both required by Paul. Another target for us both was a Ruddy Duck which Ian had managed to see in roughly the general direction we were headed. I arranged to meet Paul at Kirkcaldy railway station at 0735 and was out early to catch the slightly late running train. With sunrise not until around 0800 no birds were seen on the way to the train, or from the train, but once underway in the car we started to see birds.
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Ruddy Duck
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Our first stop resulted in decent views of the
Ruddy Duck, a lifer for Paul and a year-tick for me. I even managed to get some video of the bird. From there we headed for Frankfield Loch to try for the Blue Winged Teal but drew a blank though there were plenty of birds around though a reduction in the Shoveler numbers suggesting the Teal had left with some of those which had seemingly moved on. A quicker than expected trip through Glasgow city centre and a straight run down beyond Kilmarnock took us to Fail Floods where we met a local birder and a Lothian birder who knew Carolyn and Roy (and who guessed who I was). Thankfully despite the pools being very empty the 2
White Rumped Sandpipers were still around. There wer also large numbers of thrushes around in the hedges around the fields.
With the Sandpipers in the bag we headed further south towards New Cumnock and down a closed road. Access to the site had been arranged by locals (thanks to whoever was responsible) and we were able to see the
Snow Goose though rather distantly as it fed with other Geese on a slope behind a farm away from the 'loch' where the bird had been frequenting on previous days. We decided to head back to Kirkcaldy via Slamannan (for the Bean Geese) though we did manage a few wrong turns along the way and ended up on the M8 taking us away from the area rather than towards so we decided to call an early end to the day. Paul managed to get me to the station with around 2 minutes to spare and I caught the train back to Dundee for around 1625. A pretty good day out with 3 year-ticks for me (in bold) and 3 lifers for Paul among the 45 species seen. A case of quality rather than quantity.
Kirkcaldy to Frankfield Loch - Herring Gull, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Buzzard, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pink Footed Goose, Magpie, Woodpihgeon, Jay, Grey Heron, Black Headed Gull, Cormorant, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Mallard, Coot, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Siskin, Redwing,
Ruddy Duck, Little Grebe, Starling, Canada Goose, Gadwall, Greylag Goose, Shoveler.
Mammals seen - Roe Deer.
Frankfield Loch to Fail Floods - Rook, Skylark,
White Rumped Sandpiper, Common Gull, Fieldfare, Teal, Meadow Pipit, Song Thrush, Blue Tit, Lapwing.
Auchincross to Dundee -
Snow Goose, Kestrel, Raven, Feral Pigeon, Greenfinch.
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| Ruddy Duck |
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| Ruddy Duck |
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| Ruddy Duck |
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| Ruddy Duck |
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| Shoveler, Coot & Tufted Duck |
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| Buzzard |
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| Shoveler |
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| Pink Footed Goose |
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| Common Gull, Canada Goose & Teal |
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| White Rumped Sandpiper |
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| White Rumped Sandpiper |
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| White Rumped Sandpiper |
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| White Rumped Sandpiper |
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| Pink Footed Goose |
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| Canada Goose |
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| Kestrel |
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| Greylag Goose, Snow Goose & Canada Goose |
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| Canada Goose, Snow Goose & Greylag Goose |
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
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| Buzzard |
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| Buzzard |
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| Starling |
Species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Fieldfare, Gadwall, Goosander, Greefinch, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Jay, Kestrel, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Little Grebe, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pink Footed Goose, Raven, Redwing, Feral Pigeon, Rook,
Ruddy Duck, Shoveler, Siskin, Skylark,
Snow Goose, Song Thrush, Starling, Teal,
White Rumped Sandpiper, Woodpigeon.
Mammals seen - Roe Deer.
