Reports commenced with five Waxwings feeding on Rosehips at a school in Dalgety Bay (1st), a Raven and an immature Marsh Harrier were noted at Newburgh and the two Surf Scoters were still present off the Golf Museum car park at St Andrews (2nd). A Raven was seen at Culross in the morning then six Waxwings were at Leuchars Railway Station and a Kingfisher and two Greenshanks were at the end of the Bluther Burn, Newmills (3rd). An adult Mediterranean Gull was seen briefly at Buckhaven and favourites from last month were still around in the form of the two Nuthatches at Ravenscraig Park and the Black-necked Grebe at Elie. A report from Edenside included ten Brent Geese, 88 Shelducks, c150 Wigeon, 33 Teal, 38 Mallards, three Goldeneyes, 11 Lapwings, c70 Black-tailed Godwits, four Great Black-backed Gulls and at least ten Tree Sparrows (4th). The two Nuthatches continued to invite visits to Ravenscraig Park as did the Surf Scoters to St Andrews whilst five Snow Buntings were present at Out Head (5th). A Merlin was in a field near Leuchars railway station, four Waxwings were in Jubilee Park, Dalgety Bay, four Snow Buntings were present at Out Head and ten Crossbills were seen feeding at Tentsmuir (6th). A Little Egret was seen just off the harbour at St Andrews, c160 Bramblings were near Struthers Farm, Craigrothie and a Ring-necked Parakeet was seen again in Beveridge Park, Kirkcaldy (7th).
Five Golden Plovers were in a field on the road from Kinshaldy to Leuchars, a Merlin, a Crossbill and a Stonechat were noted at Earlshall Muir and one Great Northern Diver passed south at Seafield. 16 (eight adult/eight immature) Mute Swans were recorded at Letham Pools, c200 Wigeon, c30 Teal and six Gadwalls were counted at Luthrie Flood and c7000 Black-headed Gulls and c3000 Common Gulls were estimated at Burntisland (9th). In the Lomond Hills, a Merlin was seen close to Craigmead and at least ten Skylarks were singing and pairing up at West Lomond. A female/first winter Marsh Harrier patrolled Rossie Bog, an adult Mediterranean Gull was at the customary Buckhaven haunt, the redhead Smew was still present at Lochore Meadows CP and two Nuthatches were calling and showing well at Ravenscraig Park (10th). The Black-necked Grebe was still off Elie pier, a Woodcock was noted at Kilminning and 133 Bramblings were in one bush near Struthers Farm outside Craigrothie. Meanwhile, at Fife Ness, three Great Northern Divers and four Red-throated Divers were seen, all going south (11th). A report from Edenside included two Little Egrets, c120 Lapwings, c15 Tree Sparrows and three Long-tailed Tits (12th). A Raven was noted at Kilrenny, 12 Whooper Swans were counted at Guardbridge, a single Snow Bunting was at Out Head and the two Surf Scoters lingered at St Andrews (14th).
The two Nuthatches were seen together at Ravenscraig Park and the Brambling count at Struthers Farm increased to 183. Letham Pools hosted 760 Pink-feet along with a Greenland White-front and a probable Bean/Pink-foot hybrid. Morton Lochs NNR held four Mute Swans, five Canada Geese, nine Wigeon, 34 Teal, 18 Mallards, eight Tufted Ducks and ten Coots. A report from Newton Farm & Sand Pit Ponds included ten Canada Geese, one Shelduck, five Gadwalls, 38 Tufted Ducks, 26 Goldeneyes, 12 Coots, c50 Lapwings and c15 Moorhens while sightings at Linkswood included two Canada Geese, 12 Wigeon, five Moorhens and a Jay (15th).The Nuthatches at Ravenscraig Park were accompanied by two Ravens and a Goldcrest (16th). An adult Mediterranean Gull was at Loch Gelly as well as a Lesser Black-backed Gull, ten Goosanders and three Whooper Swans. 103 Corn Buntings were counted at Bowhouse Farm, St Monans. A Sooty Shearwater was seen feeding amongst a gull flock off Kinghorn where there were also 18 Red-throated Divers, five Long-tailed Ducks and two Purple Sandpipers. A Greenland White-fronted Goose was still present in a large mixed flock of Pink-feet near Mountcastle GP. The Water Pipit continued its residence at Cocklemill Burn, a Whimbrel was present at Ruddons Point and a Long-eared Owl was seen beside houses at Cluny (17th). The redhead Smew was observed again at Lochore Meadows CP, a first winter Little Gull was spied at Burntisland and a juvenile female Goshawk was seen over Anstruther. At Tayport Pond, two Mute Swans, three Wigeon, 22 Mallards and nine Moorhens were counted (18th). At Cocklemill Burn, the Water Pipit was accompanied by a Little Egret, 30 Reed Buntings and a Stonechat while Cameron Reservoir hosted 14 Mute Swans, four Teal, 11 Wigeon, 25 Tufted Ducks, seven Goldeneyes and 15 Coots (19th). A Wigeon, one Teal, three Red-throated Divers, seven Common Scoters, two Fulmars and two Kittiwakes were all noted at Fife Ness (20th).
Guardbridge held 17 Waxwings, then an immature Marsh Harrier was seen over Mugdrum Island and a report from Letham Pools included five Dabchicks, 11 Mute Swans, 61 Greylag Geese, three Shelducks, 57 Teal, 11 Mallards, one Gadwall, six Goldeneyes, 19 Coots and 28 Lapwings (22nd). Two Pale-bellied Brent Geese were present at Out Head, a Greenshank was on the rocks below St Andrews Castle and a Mediterranean Gull was present at Dalgety Bay. Two redhead Smew lingered at Cameron Reservoir, where there were also 25 Whooper Swans, and the two Nuthatches were showing at Ravenscraig Park again. A first winter Mediterranean Gull flew east past Dysart Harbour, a Greenland White-front was in the Letham/Mountcastle area and a Greenshank was on the rocks off St Andrews pier. 14 Crossbills were seen at Morton Lochs NNR and 100 Pink-feet were noted at Anstruther (23rd).
Kirkcaldy’s Ring-necked Parakeet was seen flying around the Chapel area, then joined the Nuthatch at Ravenscraig Park, 25 Crossbills were watched near Heggies Muir Wood and 20+ Bramblings were seen from the Letham Pools road. Tentsmuir hosted at least nine Crossbills and two Green Woodpeckers then three Little Egrets were present at Tayport and a single female Snow Bunting was present at Out Head (24th). A Raven, c2800 Pink-feet and one European White-fronted Goose were counted at Parkhill Farm and an unspecified number of Scaup were seen offshore at Out Head where a Snow Bunting and a Raven were present. Sightings at Linkswood Pond and Flood included three Dabchicks, c45 Greylag Geese over, eight Wigeon,14 Teal and four Gadwalls (25th).
A female Snow Bunting was still present at Out Head, a female Merlin was seen at Cullaloe NR, two Grey Wagtails were noted at Burnside, Cupar and 12 Twite were seen in fields near Boarhills Pond. A report from Newton Sandpit included eight Dabchicks, ten Whooper Swans, three Canada Geese, two Shelducks, 18 Teal, 12 Wigeon, eight Mallards, six Gadwalls, 30 Tufted Ducks, ten Goldeneyes and 12 Coots (26th). A Marsh Harrier (immature) was present again at Mugdrum Island (27th) and ten Crossbills were at Lochore Meadows CP where the redhead Smew was still present (28th).
Information supplied courtesy of Malcolm Ware and Graham Sparshott