Garganey were still showing at St Andrews and Cameron Reservoir on the 1st with the pair and the drake respectively. 35 Golden Plover were counted on East Lomond, a Greenshank was on the Stinky Pool at Fife Ness and a Red Kite went over Tentsmuir. A female Marsh Harrier at Luthrie early morning on the 2nd flushed 128 Wigeon and nearby at Letham Pools an Osprey
flew NW with five Water Rail showing well. Another Osprey flew over Golden Loch, 470 Pinkfooted Geese were at Rossie Bog with the first reported Wheatear seen later in the day and two Short-eared Owls were noted at Cameron Reservoir. Good conditions early on the 3rd resulted in a Black-necked Grebe, three Red-necked Grebes, six Black-throated Divers, one Great Northern Diver, four Red-throated Divers and ten Slavonian Grebes being seen off Lower Largo. The only report on the 4th was of 21 Corn Buntings in a field near the caravan park at Cellardyke and the first reported Swallow sighting came from St Andrews the next day. The Garganey was reported again at Cameron Reservoir on the 6th as was the Green Sandpiper at Lochore Meadows Country Park. Four Greenshank were at The Wilderness on the 7th and at Fife Ness that day a seawatch included 20 Red-throated Divers (13S and 7N) and a Blackthroated Diver with six Purple Sandpipers on the rocks.
An Osprey flew north over Ferry Hills on the 8th with single Red-necked Grebe and Blackthroated Diver at Lower Largo and two Twite located in a Linnet flock upstream at Guardbridge. Early morning on the 9th began with three Ospreys coming in off the sea at Kinghorn, with two Great Northern Divers and four Red-throated Divers seen. Just along the coast at Dysart at the same time another Osprey and two Greenshanks flew over and two Black-throated Divers flew E with 70 Twite noted at Boghall, Kingsbarns. A White-fronted Goose was reported in the Pitlessie area, a Willow Warbler was at Crossford and a Short-eared Owl was watched at Caiplie. At Fife Ness the next day 17 Red-throated Divers passed going N with a Whimbrel also seen and nearby 30 Twite were still at Boghall, Kingsbarns with two Manx Shearwaters heading north at Fife Ness on the 11th. 100 Golden Plover were still to be found at the airfield at Crail on the 13th with a few more of the commoner migrants i.e. Wheatear, Swallows and Willow Warblers appearing throughout the county at this time. 46 Pintail and two Scaup were at the Eden Estuary the following day with five White Wagtails seen at Kilrenny Mill.
The 15th began with an excellent record of 62 Velvet Scoters first thing at Pathhead and an adult Little Gull at Letham Pools. A Merlin flew over Shell Bay on the 16th with c260 Common Scoters and 53 Velvet Scoters off Dysart and nearby a Firecrest was reported from Ravenscraig Park, Kirkcaldy. The first Tree Pipit went over Ferry Hills early morning and a Marsh Harrier was at Letham Pools. Grasshopper Warblers were noted on the 17th at Blairhall and Kinghorn with a Whimbrel and 12 Purple Sandpipers at Ruddons Point. c35 Twite were still at Boghall, Kingsbarns and a single Manx Shearwater flew S there with another at Fife Ness the next day and a Whimbrel seen. Two Common Cranes were also photographed flying S over Loch Glow on the 18th. Two Sedge Warblers were at Letham Pools on the 19th, the first reported returning birds and an excellent find there the next day was a Spotted Crake showing well at times. Unfortunately there was no sign on the 21st when a Black-throated Diver and a Whimbrel flew past Fife Ness.
Late afternoon on the 22nd there was a report of a Great Shearwater going north past Kingsbarns then turning and heading S. 11 Manx Shearwaters, two Scaup, a Whimbrel, seven Red-throated Divers and two Arctic Skuas flew N at Fife Ness on the 23rd. The following day two Green Sandpipers were at Luthrie and nine Manx Shearwaters passed Ruddons Point heading E with a Whimbrel also there. 23 Manx Shearwaters, two Arctic Skuas and two Bonxies went N past Fife Ness, also on the 24th. Three Ruff were noted at Letham Pools on the 25th with only one remaining the following day. 65 Barnacle Geese and 62 Common Scoters went past Fife Ness on the 27th and a Yellow Wagtail flew over Bogward road St Andrews, calling as it did so. A Wood Sandpiper graced the floods at Luthrie on the 28th with the single Ruff remaining at Letham Pools and a Quail was heard singing at Kilmany late that evening. A Lesser Whitethroat was seen on the coastal path between Kinghorn and Seafield Tower on the 29th. The last day of the month saw a Wood Sandpiper flushed by a dog at Holl Reservoir while Grasshopper Warblers were being seen at various sites throughout the county and the first reported Spotted Flycatcher was at Lower Kilminning. Letham Pools was visited by eight Black-tailed Godwits with the Ruff still present and c4 Water Rail.
Information supplied courtesy of Malcolm Ware