After a spot of socialising on Saturday night I had only slept for 4 hours at my pal's house. I had a choice between going back to bed or going birding after being dropped off at home. Birding won, and after a quick turnaround I managed to catch the 0900 bus to St Andrews and from there onwards to Crail. A quick walk through Denburn Wood resulted in almost no birds found though as I was heading straight for Fife Ness I didn't spend much time looking. I had a brief chat to Ken Shaw at the gate before heading out along the road. Unfortunately, it began to rain (which wasn't forecast) as I hurried out along the road. I gave Kilminning a miss and hurried down to the hide instead.
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| Red Breasted Merganser |
Thankfully the rain went off before I reached the hide. Unfortunately, things were relatively quiet offshore. However, things were relatively steady without being overly busy. A Great Northern Diver headed south way out on the horizon. There were a few Red Throated Divers offshore. An adult Mediterranean Gull passed by with a Black Headed Gull. A couple of Purple Sandpipers flew by in company with Turnstones. A pair of Teal landed on the water just to the north of the hide. A Red Breasted Merganser landed in a rockpool and proceeded to start fishing, successfully catching a Prawn. After an hour or so a few Gannets headed by. A few Common Scoters and an unexpected pair of Shelduck passed northwards. I was joined by Dave Clugston around 1400. More Red Throated Divers were seen offshore and a single drake Velvet Scoter added to the list.
Dave gave me a lift back to Crail as the light began to go around 1550 (thanks again) saving me a walk in the rain - which began as I waited in Crail after a failed visit to the chipshop (it was closed due to owner's holidays) to kill some time before the bus arrived. A reasonable enough day's lazy birding though no Little Auks were seen - the main target for the day, among the 50 species seen.
Species seen - Dundee to Crail. - Starling, Herring Gull, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Feral Pigeon, Cormorant, Pheasant, Buzzard, Pink Footed Goose, Rook, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Collared Dove, Black Headed Gull, Goldfinch, Fieldfare, House Sparrow, Curlew, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen.
Crail to Fife Ness - Grey Wagtail, Blackbird, Linnet, Meadow Pipit, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Redshank, Red Breasted Merganser, Oystercatcher, Yellowhammer.
Fife Ness - Shag, Red Throated Diver, Great Northern Diver, Eider, Razorbill, Turnstone, Dunlin, Mediterranean Gull, Purple Sandpiper, Guillemot, Teal, Gannet, Rock Pipit, Shelduck, Common Scoter, Common Gull, Velvet Scoter.
Mammals seen - Grey Seal.
Fife Ness to Crail - Kestrel, Wren.
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| Herring Gull |
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| Great Northern Diver |
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| Razorbill |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Turnstone & Purple Sandpiper |
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| Curlew |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Mediterranean Gull |
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| Mediterranean Gull |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Teal |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Red Breasted Merganser |
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| Red Breasted Merganser |
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| Eider |
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| Gannet |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Rock Pipit |
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Shelduck |
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| Common Scoter |
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| Redshank |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Eider |
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| Guillemot |
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| Gannet |
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| Gannet |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Guillemot |
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| Velvet Scoter |
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| Redshank |
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| Common Scoter |
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| Eider |
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| Red Breasted Merganser |
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| Red Breasted Merganser |
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| Red Throated Diver |
Species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Common Scoter, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Eider, Fieldfare, Gannet, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Northern Diver, Great Tit, Grey Wagtail, Guillemot, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Linnet, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Mediterranean Gull, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pink Footed Goose, Purple Sandpiper, Razorbill, Red Breasted Merganser, Redshank, Red Throated Diver, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Rook, Shag, Shelduck, Starling, Teal, Turnstone, Velvet Scoter, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Mammals seen - Grey Seal.
