| September and the start of autumn, with the promise of some rare migrating birds. Sunday 1st was the all-day sea watch at Fife Ness where all Club members were invited to attend at some time and learn what “all the fuss was about” regarding seawatching! Results will be published in Scope. The wind had turned easterly at last and significant sightings away from Fife Ness included: 16 Arctic Skuas at Carlingnose Point, five Great Northern Divers and a Sooty Shearwater at Elie, one Roseate Tern at Pettycur Harbour, one Redstart at Kilminning and a juvenile Long-tailed Skua at Boarhills. Monday 2nd was incredibly wet, but that didn’t stop determined birders! 49 Mediterranean Gulls, including 11 juveniles, were recorded at the Back Dykes roost, East Wemyss. Two Pied and one Spotted Flycatcher were seen at Kilminning with Pied Flycatchers also recorded at Balcomie, Craighead and Fife Ness Muir. One Curlew Sandpiper, three Ospreys and 30 Little Egrets were seen from the Eden Estuary Centre and a Roseate Tern, one Kingfisher and 33 Little Gulls were recorded from Boarhills. The highlights from Fife Ness included: one Bonaparte’s Gull, one Pomarine Skua and 28 Red-throated Divers. The easterly wind continued on 3rd and a steady flow of birds on migration were reported throughout the day. Pied Flycatchers, Whinchats, one Red- breasted Flycatcher, one Hen Harrier, one Green Sandpiper and one Red-backed Shrike were amongst the species seen at Kilminning. A Pied Flycatcher was also recorded at Craighead Farm and a Red Kite spotted at Wormiston. One Lesser Whitethroat and a Kingfisher were noted at Glebe Park, St Andrews, a Marsh Harrier reported from Newburgh and two Ruddy Shelducks seen at Torryburn, perhaps the pair recorded last month. One Yellow Wagtail flying south and a Kingfisher on a small SUDs pond in Dunfermline were the first reports on 4th. Observers at Kilminning recorded one Pied Flycatcher, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Merlin. Sightings at Fife Ness included one Cory’s Shearwater, 24 Little Gulls offshore and two Curlew Sandpipers on the “Stinky Pool”. Two Little Stints, two Ospreys and 27 Little Egrets were seen at the Eden Estuary LNR before one Roseate Tern was recorded at Out Head. The wind continued to be easterly or northeasterly on Thursday 5th and was forecast to remain from that direction for several days to come bringing the promise of more migrant birds. A Redstart and 140 Meadow Pipits were recorded at Ferry Hills with a Peregrine and three Marsh Harriers seen at Newburgh. Sightings from the Eden Estuary Centre included: one Honey-buzzard, one Little Stint, two Spotted Redshanks (one a juvenile), three juvenile Curlew Sandpipers and three juvenile Ruff. One Lesser Whitethroat and one Pied Flycatcher were seen at Kilminning and the day totals from Fife Ness included: one Leach’s Petrel, one Long-tailed Skua, 37 Sooty Shearwaters and one Black Tern. The first record on a foggy 6th, where the haar didn’t clear Fife Ness until1530, was from Balcomie where a Pied Flycatcher was seen. A Lesser Whitethroat and Whinchat were recorded at Kilminning, a Spotted Flycatcher was seen in St Andrews and a Green Sandpiper was disturbed at Dairsie. Records from the Eden Estuary Centre included: one Osprey, two Spotted Redshanks, six Curlew Sandpipers, one Ruff, 14+ Greenshanks, two Peregrines and one Kingfisher and amongst the day totals from Fife Ness were: 12 Arctic Skuas, one Curlew Sandpiper, 1021 Manx Shearwaters, two Pomarine Skuas, three Ruff and 151 Sooty Shearwaters. It was again very foggy on 7th, perhaps that was why there were no reports from Fife Ness. A Marsh Harrier was seen at The Wilderness and two Spotted Redshanks, two Ospreys, five Curlew Sandpipers, three Ruff, 31 Little Egrets and three Kingfishers were recorded at the Eden Estuary Centre. Finally, three Spotted Flycatchers, one Short-eared Owl and 40+ Little Grebes were reported from Cameron Reservoir. A Great White Egret seen at Angle Park GP was the first report the next day (8th,) and then a Wryneck at Craighead promised an interesting day for unusual sightings! A Green Sandpiper, five Ruff and 20+ Snipe were recorded near Stenhouse Reservoir and a Red Kite flew over Gartarry. A Yellow-browed Warbler was seen at Rosyth and one Icterine Warbler (caught and ringed,) one Spotted Flycatcher and one Lesser Whitethroat were recorded at “The Patch,” Fife Ness. Sightings from the Eden Estuary Centre included: 36 Little Egrets, four Curlew Sandpipers and two Ospreys, whilst selected records from the Fife Ness day count included: 16 Sooty Shearwaters, one Roseate Tern, three Arctic Terns and 66 Little Gulls. The Great White Egret was still at Angle Park GP the next day (9th,) and stayed all month! The, now westerly, wind had cleared away the mist and fog and it was also a day when many observers across Fife reported increasing numbers of Pink-footed Geese on the move, a sure sign of autumn! 250 Meadow Pipits and three Arctic Skuas were amongst the species seen at Ferry Hills, with two Little Egrets, two Whooper Swans and 120 Pochard recorded at Loch Gelly. One Green Sandpiper, one Ruff and five Snipe were seen at Stenhouse Reservoir and three Whinchats noted at Kilminning. Selected sightings from the Eden Estuary Centre were: four Curlew Sandpipers, one Ruff and one Spotted Redshank. The Fife Ness day count included: 18 Arctic Skuas, three Great Northern Divers, two Pomarine Skuas and 47 Sooty Shearwaters. Stormy gusts were forecast for 10th with plenty of sunshine. A Black Tern and three Arctic Skuas flew by Hawkcraig Point and a Redstart was seen at Kilminning, before records from the Eden Estuary LNR included: one Little Stint, one Spotted Redshank, six Curlew Sandpipers, c450 Redshanks, 32 Goosanders and a Kingfisher. A Black Tern flew by St Monans on 11th and nine Curlew Sandpipers, one Ruff, one Osprey and 190 Knot were seen at Out Head. Records from the Eden Estuary Centre included: four Curlew Sandpipers, one Little Stint and one Ruff before selected sightings from the day count at Fife Ness were: eight Arctic Skuas, three Great Northern Divers, three Great Skuas and three Sooty Shearwaters. The unseasonably cold northwesterly winds on 12th brought snow to the Highlands but sunny days in Fife. A Spotted Redshank and Curlew Sandpiper, both juveniles, along with 15 Greenshanks and an Osprey were recorded at the Eden Estuary Centre before a Red-necked Grebe, one Black Tern, 394 Eiders, 29 Goosanders and five Arctic Skuas were amongst the species seen from Pettycur Harbour. The day count from Fife Ness included: three Arctic Skuas, one Cory’s Shearwater, one juvenile Long-tailed Skua, one Merlin, one Red-necked Grebe and six Sooty Shearwaters. That night, 13th, the Northern Lights were seen in Fife and the first report came from Ferry Hills, where sightings included: one Black-throated Diver, one Great Northern Diver, two Pintails and 360 Meadow Pipits. 17 Mediterranean Gulls were at East Wemyss and sightings from Pettycur Harbour included: one Great Northern Diver, 15 Arctic Skuas and 245 Gannets, most of which were juveniles. Finally, records from Fife Ness, on a slow day, included one Cory’s and one Sooty Shearwater. Saturday 14th began with reports of two juvenile Little Stints at Edenside and one juvenile Curlew Sandpiper at the Eden Estuary Centre. 18 Arctic Skuas, three Pomarine Skuas, a Peregrine and eight Pintails were seen from Pettycur Harbour before the day count from Fife Ness included: five Arctic Skuas, two Long-tailed Skuas, one a juvenile, three Pomarine Skuas and two Sooty Shearwaters. The next day, 15th, a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, an Osprey and 13 Little Egrets were recorded at the Eden Estuary Centre, one Ruff was seen at Stenhouse Reservoir, one Whinchat was recorded at Letham Pools and a Spotted Redshank was observed at Edenside. Sightings from Pettycur Harbour included one juvenile Pomarine Skua and 14 Arctic Skuas. 43 Mediterranean Gulls were seen at the Back Dykes roost, East Wemyss and, finally, day totals from Fife Ness included: three Arctic Skuas, one Black Tern, one juvenile Pomarine Skua and seven Sooty Shearwaters. First reports the next day, 16th, were from Ferry Hills where one Spotted Flycatcher, 22 Red-throated Divers and 750 Meadow Pipits were recorded. Eight Black-tailed Godwits, c100 Dunlins, one Kingfisher, 22 Little Egrets, two Ospreys and one Ruff were amongst the species seen at Edenside. Light easterly winds with plenty of sunshine were forecast for the next few days, once the early morning mist had cleared and Tuesday 17th was just that! A Whinchat was seen at Kilmany, a juvenile Marsh Harrier flew past Ferry Hills and a juvenile Black Tern was recorded at Balcomie Beach. A Spotted Redshank, one Ruff and 20 Little Egrets were amongst the species seen at Edenside and the day count from Fife Ness included eight Arctic Skuas, one Black Tern and one Pomarine Skua. A stunning Harvest Moon shone overnight 17th_18th attracting two Yellow–browed Warblers to “The Patch”, Fife Ness. Another Yellow-browed Warbler, one Spotted Flycatcher and one Whinchat were recorded at Kilminning, and a Black Tern was seen at Balcomie Beach before a fourth Yellow-browed Warbler was spotted near Craighead Farm. A Pied Flycatcher was at Boarhills,13 Golden Plovers were seen at the “Stinky Pool”, Fife Ness where the day counts included: two Arctic Skuas, one juvenile Black Tern, one Pomarine Skua and two Sooty Shearwaters. The next day, 19th, a new Yellow–browed Warbler was recorded at “The Patch”, Fife Ness, with c170 Pochards and two Whooper Swans were amongst the species seen at Loch Gelly. A Hooded Crow and two Ruddy Shelducks were observed at the Lower Lagoon, Preston Island, probably the same pair seen previously at Torry Bay and Stenhouse Reservoir. 73 Red-breasted Mergansers were recorded at Cocklemill Burn before two Arctic Skuas and one Long-tailed Skua flew past Ferry Hills. Cold, dull weather returned on 20th, although the light wind remained easterly. A juvenile Goshawk, Yellow-browed Warbler and 16 Stonechats were recorded at Kilminning, with a Yellow Wagtail seen at Billow Ness and a Whinchat noted at Craighead Farm. Two Shovelers and unusually, another Great White Egret, were observed at Cullaloe LNR. A Goshawk was also seen at Boarhills where a Short-eared Owl was also spotted. Abbreviated sightings from St Davids Harbour included six Arctic Skuas, one Long-tailed Skua and two Pomarine Skuas, with the selected day count from Fife Ness giving: six Arctic Skuas, two Black Terns, two Pomarine Skuas and one Sooty Shearwater. The first report of the Autumn Equinox (21st) was from Cullaloe LNR where a Great White Egret was seen. An amazing six Great White and 34 Little Egrets were also seen from the Eden Estuary Centre before, yet another, Great White Egret was amongst the species recorded at Loch Gelly. A Long-tailed Skua and Red-necked Grebe, both juveniles, were seen from Pettycur Harbour. Finally, the day count from Fife Ness included: 23 Arctic Skuas, 85 Golden Plovers, one juvenile Long-tailed Skua, 29 Red-throated Divers and one juvenile Pomarine Skua. The cold easterly wind persisted into the next week bringing an array of migrants to coastal areas. A Red-breasted Flycatcher and a Yellow-browed Warbler were caught and ringed at “The Patch” Fife Ness (22nd,) with Yellow-Browed Warblers also seen at Crail Airfield, Kilminning, Craighead Farm, Kilrenny and Wormiston; a grand total of 12. A Red-breasted and a Spotted Flycatcher were recorded at Balcomie and a Barnacle Goose was amongst the sightings at Loch Gelly. A juvenile, Red-necked Grebe was seen from Pettycur Harbour before the day count from Fife Ness included 16 Arctic Skuas, five Little Gulls and eight Sooty Shearwaters. An amazing sighting from Ferry Hills of 87 Red-throated Divers with 83 in one flock, was the first report on 23rd. This was followed by confirmation of a Yellow-legged Gull at Pettycur Harbour, a bird seen in recent days, but not positively identified. 19 Arctic Skuas and 13 Grey Wagtails were also seen here later in the day. At least 11 Yellow-Browed Warblers were in the same areas as yesterday with a Red-breasted and Spotted Flycatcher again recorded at Balcomie. Finally, an Arctic Warbler was seen and photographed at Crail Airfield. Sunshine returned briefly on 24th with a light easterly wind. Three Yellow-browed Warblers were recorded at Crail (Kirklands) with singles at Denburn Wood and Kilminning where 23 Stonechats were also reported. A juvenile Red-necked Grebe and two Whimbrel were seen from Pettycur Harbour and a Great White Egret was amongst the species recorded at the Eden Estuary Centre. The day count from Fife Ness included three Arctic Skuas, five Sooty Shearwaters and one juvenile Pomarine Skua. After a cold night with frost in some areas, Wednesday 25th was a lovely day with a rare Spotted Sandpiper seen throughout the day at Cameron Reservoir being the early highlight. Single Great White Egrets were recorded at Lochore Meadows CP and at Newburgh with two Yellow-browed Warblers noted at Kilminning and one at Craighead Farm. More than 75 Golden Plovers were seen at Balcomie before the day count from Fife Ness included two Sabine’s Gulls and 116 Sooty Shearwaters. The first report on a 26th was of two Arctic Skuas, three Brent Geese, six Barnacle Geese and two Slavonian Grebes, seen at the Eden Estuary LNR. The Spotted Sandpiper was recorded again at Cameron Reservoir where it stayed for the remainder of the month. A Great White Egret was reported from Riverside Park, Glenrothes and a Pomarine Skua was seen from Pettycur Harbour as well as two Arctic Skuas. Over 1900 Kittiwakes and 80 Little Gulls were recorded at St Andrews (Castle Sands), with selected sightings from the Fife Ness day count showing: one Balearic Shearwater, three juvenile Pomarine Skuas and 23 Puffins. The wind direction changed from easterly to a cold northwesterly on Friday 27th bringing five Arctic Skuas, two juvenile Long-tailed Skuas and two juvenile Pomarine Skuas to Hawkcraig Point. A Long-eared Owl was recorded at Boarhills and observers at Fife Ness reported the fascinating sighting of a Brown Booby along with seeing 10 Arctic Skuas, one Slavonian Grebe and 93 Sooty Shearwaters, amongst many other species. Another Great White Egret was spotted at Morton Lochs NNR the next day, 28th. This was the eighth different location to host this species during the month. Over 300 Golden Plovers were seen at Kilrenny and 16 Little Egrets noted amongst the Eden Estuary LNR sightings. Finally, the Fife Ness day count included: 10 Arctic Terns, one Peregrine, one Red-necked Grebe, 19 Red-throated Divers and eight Sooty Shearwaters. The next day, 29th, a juvenile Long-tailed Skua was seen at Ferry Hills along with early sightings of Brambling and Redwings. Selected records from the Fife Ness day count included: one Balearic Shearwater, one Grey Phalarope. 73 Little Gulls and one Long-tailed Skua. The final day of September brought a report of one Ruff and 11 Little Egrets at the Eden Estuary Centre. A Yellow-browed Warbler and 10 Bramblings were recorded at Kilminning and finally, a Barn Owl was seen on a post near Tayport. | |