Bird Sightings

17 Black-tailed Godwits were at Letham Pools on the 2nd of the month. A 2nd calendar year Mediterranean Gull was at Ruddons Point the next day with an adult at Kinghorn and two adults and a 2nd calendar year bird at East Wemyss on the 4th and an adult, a 1st calendar year and a 2nd calendar year there on the 7th. A good early July record from the Back Dykes roost at East Wemyss was made on the 9th with 11 adult Mediterranean Gulls, two 2nd calendar year and six 1st calendar year birds. A Whimbrel was also noted. Next day numbers dropped to five birds (four adults and a 1st calendar year) with the Whimbrel still present. On the Eden Estuary on the 11th a good count of 18 Little Gulls was recorded with six Little Egrets and a Mediterranean Gull also seen. Back at East Wemyss there were 21 Mediterranean Gulls counted including 11 adults, a 2nd calendar year, eight 1st calendar year and the first reported juvenile. An early morning seawatch from Dysart Harbour on the 12th had highlights of two adult and a 1st calendar year Mediterranean Gull plus an adult Little Gull passing, while at Letham Pools two Greenshanks were present. There were 24 Mediterranean Gulls in the roost that day at East Wemyss (no ages given) and a 3rd calendar year bird flew past Kinghorn on the 14th. 17 Mediterranean Gulls were present at East Wemyss on the 16th (eight adults, three 2nd calendar year, four 1st calendar year and two juveniles) with another adult seen at Ruddons Point. An adult Long-tailed Skua was loitering off Dysart on the 17th for 15 minutes with an adult Mediterranean Gull also seen. At Kinghorn a 2nd calendar year Mediterranean Gull and 56 Manx Shearwaters were seen from East Braes and an adult Pomarine Skua flew west past the harbour later with 46 Manx Shearwaters. Two adult Mediterranean Gulls were at the river mouth at Leven, a regular haunt for this species in the past. An amazing day at Letham Pools on the 19th with a potential first for Fife in the form of a White-rumped Sandpiper which had a Pectoral Sandpiper for company, plus 23 Black-tailed Godwits and three Greenshanks. A Green Sandpiper was seen at The Wilderness the same day. The Pectoral Sandpiper and the White-rumped Sandpiper were both still present on the 20th with the latter seen flying high to the south-west with two Ringed Plovers mid-morning and not seen subsequently. A Green Sandpiper and 13 Little Egrets were counted at Guardbridge on the 21st with an adult, a 3rd calendar year and two 2nd calendar year Mediterranean Gulls at Anstruther. Another adult Mediterranean Gull was at Tayport, with a Whimbrel also there. A report of a Rose-coloured Starling in Aberdour surfaced on Facebook and appeared genuine but the bird could not be relocated. The 22nd began on a very similar note with 10 Mediterranean Gulls at East Wemyss (Seven adults, two 2nd calendar year and a juvenile) and three Whimbrel flew east. Along the coast at Kinghorn an adult, a 2nd calendar year and a juvenile Mediterranean Gull were seen with a Whimbrel noted, two juvenile Mediterranean Gulls were at the golf club at Anstruther and two adult Little Gulls were at Tentsmuir. Late evening in the Back Dykes roost at East Wemyss an adult Bonaparte’s Gull was found and back at Kinghorn there was an adult Pomarine Skua and nearby at Pettycur a Roseate Tern was seen. The Bonaparte’s Gull was present again at East Wemyss the next day and eventually showed well before departing late morning. Also seen there were 46 Mediterranean Gulls (no ages given) and 59 Manx Shearwaters and at Kinghorn two adult and a 1st calendar year Little Gulland an adult, a 1st calendar year Mediterranean Gull and 43 Manx Shearwaters were noted. Guardbridge had two adult Mediterranean Gulls, 12 Little Egrets and six Greenshanks with an adult Mediterranean Gull and four Brent Geese being found at Tayport. A juvenile and three 2nd calendar year Mediterranean Gulls showed well in Anstruther. There were 14 Little Egrets seen from the Eden Centre on the 24th and two adult Little Gulls with a juvenile Mediterranean Gull were seen from the promenade at Kirkcaldy. A Wood Sandpiper was a great find at KilrennyMill on the 25th and a Cory’s Shearwater was watched drifting east at Kinghorn. Nearby at Pettycur Sands a 1st calendar year and two juvenile Mediterranean Gulls were picked out amongst the hundreds of terns present. Next day the Cory’s Shearwater was still off Kinghorn showing well at times and it’s remarkable to think that this bird, much sought-after by seawatchers of old, has become twitchable in our county. Three Sooty Shearwaters were seen passing Fife Ness early that morning, hopefully the first of many, with 63 Manx Shearwaters. Three adult Mediterranean Gulls were at Dysart, with juveniles at Kinghorn and Fife Ness. The Cory’s Shearwater was still showing well at Kinghorn at times on the 27th and two Storm Petrels, a Sooty Shearwater and 268 Manx Shearwaters were off Fife Ness. 16 Little Egrets were counted on the Eden Estuary but possibly 18 birds were present. Kinghorn was still graced by the Cory’s Shearwater’s presence the next day with 18 Mediterranean Gulls (four juveniles) at East Wemyss. An adult and a juvenile were also seen at Levenmouth and eight Whimbrel were counted at Out Head. Anstruther had a flyby Red-necked Grebe and two Little Gulls with a single of the latter at Kilconquhar Loch. The 29th had a familiar ring about it with the Cory’s Shearwater still off Kinghorn, while two Sooty Shearwaters, 70 Manx Shearwaters and three Bonxies were seen at Fife Ness. At the roost at East Wemyss 41 Mediterranean Gulls were counted, with no ages given. The next day the Cory’s Shearwater was becoming more elusive at Kinghorn but was seen by a few observers slightly east of Pettycur. The last day of July was a quiet affair with only a Green Sandpiper watched at The Wilderness and a juvenile Mediterranean Gull at Kinghorn to end a fantastic month.

Information supplied courtesy of Malcolm Ware

A pair of Garganey put in a brief appearance at Kinghorn Loch on the 1st and a probable migrant Short-eared Owl was at Crail that day. Two Brent Geese were on Lucky Scalp at Tayport on the 3rd with one still there the next day when a Whimbrel was noted at Ruddons Point. The Little Gull was seen at Letham Pools on the 5th. A Black Redstart was a good find at Kilminning on the 9th but not seen subsequently. A Red Kite did a tour of the north-east of Fife on the 10th and was seen at various locations from Dunino to just south of the Tay bridge. Roseate Terns were seen from Kinghorn on the 11th and 12th with singles on both days. In the early hours on the 14th a Quail was heard singing going over Bogward Road in St Andrews, with 20 Black-tailed Godwits at Letham Pools later that day. Eight Red-throated Divers, 140 Manx Shearwaters and five Ravens were at Ruddons Point on the 15th. The following day 232 Manx Shearwaters flew north at Fife Ness, with four Brent Geese at Tayport and two Greenshanks on the Eden Estuary. 2nd calendar year Mediterranean Gulls were a feature on the 18th with one at Kinghorn early morning and two seen at Ruddons Point later with possibly one of these at the river mouth at Leven the next day. A Merlin was at Anstruther on the 20th with 180 Manx Shearwaters east past there the following day. 15 Black-tailed Godwits were at Letham Pools on the 25th with 17 the next day, along with two Green Sandpipers. 14 Black-tailed Godwits and one Green Sandpiper remained at Letham Pools on the 27th. The 29th saw the 14 Black-tailed Godwits still at Letham Pools and two Whimbrel flew south at Fife Ness. The relatively quiet month ended with adult Mediterranean Gulls being seen at Anstruther and Balcomie on the 30th.

Information supplied courtesy of Malcolm Ware

A Wood Sandpiper was again seen at Luthrie on the first day of May with the Ruff and 11 Black-tailed Godwits at Letham Pools that day. A Bonxie and six Manx Shearwater flew north at Fife Ness with two Great Northern Divers heading in that direction the next day there. An adult Little Gull was at Letham Pools with the Ruff still in attendance and joined by a Wood Sandpiper later. These were all still in residence on the 3rd joined by a Whimbrel and a Jack Snipe and at the river mouth at Leven a third calendar year Iceland Gull was seen. There were two Wood Sandpipers at Letham Pools with the adult Little Gull on the 5th and a Short-eared Owl was watched at Crail coming in off the sea. At Kinghorn on the morning of the 6th a male Hen Harrier was watched crossing the Forth and heading north. The 7th began with a Temminck’s Stint showing well at Letham Pools with the adult Little Gull, Black-tailed Godwit and four Water Rail noted during the day. At Kingsbarns a male Ring Ouzel was found with a Quail and 53 Corn Buntings nearby. An excellent record of two adult Pomarine Skuas flying high east past West Wemyss, one a dark phase individual, a rare occurrence in spring.

The Temminck’s Stint was still at Letham Pools the next day and showed well at times despite an overzealous photographer in the reeds nearby. Also on the 8th a Hobby was watched coming in off the sea at lower Kilminning and over the airfield heading North. The next day had a very similar feel with the Temminck’s Stint still on the North Pool at Letham with the adult Little Gull, a Hobby was watched chasing hirundines at Kilmany and the first Swifts were reported. The Temminck’s Stint and Little Gull continued their stay at Letham Pools on the 10th with five Black-tailed Godwits for company and a Garganey was at The Wilderness and was still present the next day. Four Little Gulls and a Black-throated Diver were off Kingsbarns on the 11th with the Little Gull and 11 Black-tailed Godwits at Letham Pools. A Red Kite flew over Auchtermuchty on the 12th with a Garganey reported at Morton Lochs NNR and again the following day. One Curlew Sandpiper was noted on the Eden Estuary and another Wood Sandpiper turned up at the well-watched Letham Pools with an impressive tally of 21 Black-tailed Godwits and Little Gull also seen. 69 Manx Shearwaters were counted at Kinghorn on the 14th with the Garganey still at Morton Lochs NNR and the Curlew Sandpiper on the Eden Estuary. Two Wood Sandpipers, 21 Black-tailed Godwits and the Little Gull were at Letham Pools that day with a Temminck’s Stint appearing later, possibly a different bird than the previous well-watched individual.

At Fife Ness a seawatch included a Long-tailed Skua, 161 Manx Shearwaters and a Black-throated Diver. The Temminck’s Stint, Little Gull and four Black-tailed Godwits were at Letham Pools early on the 15th with a Temminck’s Stint also noted at The Wilderness. Another sighting of Pomarine Skua occurred with a dark phase bird passing Kinghorn and as a county we should be looking for them at this time as they undoubtedly pass through. At Kilminning a male Common Rosefinch was seen briefly, the Garganey was still at Morton Lochs NNR and a Wood Sandpiper was seen at Holl Reservoir, the second of the year there. A Black Tern, 117 Manx Shearwaters and a Black-throated Diver all passed Fife Ness going north in the evening. Early morning on the 17th began with 18 Black-tailed Godwits and the adult Little Gull in the mist at Letham Pools and later that morning a Temminck’s Stint was seen along with a drake Garganey. A scattering of Lesser Whitethroats and Spotted Flycatchers were seen around the Fife Ness area. The Garganey and 12 Black-tailed Godwits (25 on the 19th) were still at Letham Pools and a Hobby was near Tayport on the 18th. Two drake Garganey were at Letham Pools on the 20th. The 21st began with a fantastic record of visible migration at Kinghorn of a Temminck’s Stint flying in off the Forth and over the houses. Letham Pools still had one Garganey, Wood Sandpiper, 25 Black-tailed Godwits, Little Gull and unusually a Barnacle Goose. The Wilderness also produced the goods with a Garganey and a drake Ring-necked Duck. Two Black Guillemots were close inshore at Ruddons Point, a drake Mandarin was noted at Morton Lochs NNR and a Curlew Sandpiper was at Tentsmuir Point NNR all on the 22nd with Letham Pools still in fine form with two Garganey, a Wood Sandpiper and 30 Black-tailed Godwits seen throughout the day and a Hawfinch was at Rossie House. The Wood Sandpiper and 22 Black-tailed Godwits were still at Letham Pools the following day. Black Guillemots were seen at two sites on the 24th with one early morning at Pathhead and another at Ruddons Point. A Wood Sandpiper at Letham Pools with a Garganey and the adult Little Gull with the latter two species still there with 20 Black-tailed Godwits the next day. On the 26th a first summer Mediterranean Gull was a good find on the Eden Estuary with three first summer Little Gulls for company and the adult Little Gull at Letham Pools with one first summer Little Gull still on the Eden Estuary on the 28th. On the 29th another brilliant skua record for an already decent month for them was of an adult Long-tailed Skua off Kinghorn chasing terns with a Roseate Tern and Arctic Skua also noted with two Hooded Crows at Newburgh. A Pectoral Sandpiper was at Letham Pools on the 30th and probably present the previous day.

Information supplied courtesy of Malcolm Ware