The redhead Smew was still present at Angle Park GP (3rd) and was seen displaying to a Goldeneye, a Green Woodpecker was seen at Kennoway and the drake Smew continued its stay at Cameron Reservoir, with 12 Whooper Swans, one Brambling, one Little Egret, a pair of Scaup, one Stonechat, four Ravens, c10 Crossbills, two Snipe, one Jay and one Redshank also seen there. Four Whooper Swans were seen heading N over St Andrews, two Red-necked Grebes, seven Slavonian Grebes, one Black-necked Grebe, four Long-tailed Ducks and 14 Velvet Scoters were off Leven and a ringtail Hen Harrier and a Short-eared Owl were seen at East Lomond. A sinensis race Cormorant was present at Loch Gelly (4th), with 10 Goosanders, a Red-breasted Merganser, three Shelducks, 10 Tufted Ducks and c8 Pochard also noted. Two Ravens were seen at St Andrews Castle, a Nuthatch was seen in Beveridge Park, Kirkcaldy and seen offshore at Lower Largo were three Slavonian Grebes, 15 Velvet Scoters and 60 Common Scoters. A Black-necked Grebe and 410 Common Scoters were off Leven (6th), c116 Golden Plovers were seen near East Lomond and a Great Northern Diver was off Ruddons Point. The long-staying Black Redstart was still gracing Roome Bay with its presence (7th), a pair of Pintail were at Dalgety Bay and c50 Whooper Swans were in fields NE of Freuchie. A Barn Owl was seen near Dumbarnie.
A Chiffchaff was heard in St Andrews (8th), seven Crossbills were around the sawmill in Devilla Forest, a Ring-necked Parakeet was seen in Beveridge Park, Kirkcaldy, two Little Auks were seen heading E at Kinghorn (9th) and as well as a pair of Scaup, a Little Egret, 11 Whooper Swans and a Greenshank, four Crossbills were seen at Cameron Reservoir. Two Merlins were seen N of Carnbee Reservoir and at Redmyre there was an impressive count of c80 Stock Doves, with five Buzzards, four Ravens and a Crossbill also seen. A Merlin, three Woodcocks and a Snipe were seen at Fairmont, St Andrews, another Barn Owl was seen, this time at Lahill Estate, Upper Largo, a pair of Mallard wouldn’t normally get a mention in the monthly sightings, but this pair have the distinction of being the first avian visitors to the new pool at Kilminning (10th). A Red-necked Grebe, a Slavonian Grebe and eight Great Crested Grebes were off Dalgety Bay, and there were six Whooper Swans, 113 Wigeon, one Goosander, 26 Gadwall and 58 Teal at Craigluscar Reservoirs (11th), there were also 10 Snipe. Two Ravens were seen at Kilminning, two Snow Buntings were at Out Head and seen at Clatto Reservoir (12th) were two Crossbills and 87 Wigeon. Seen at Out Head (14th) was a Little Egret, a Slavonian Grebe and c23 Brent Geese.
An early Sandwich Tern was seen off Fife Ness (15th), with two Pintail N, 15 Red-throated Divers N, 54 Kittiwakes N, one Long-tailed Duck N and five Common Scoters S. Nine Slavonian Grebes, 17 Red-throated Divers, 27 Long-tailed Ducks, 22 Velvet Scoters, 291 Common Scoters 117 Razorbills and one Guillemot were off Lower Largo. Two Great Northern Divers, three Slavonian Grebes, two Great Crested Grebes, 90 Red-breasted Mergansers and 60 Bar-tailed Godwits were seen at Ruddons Point, with six Grey Plovers and three Short-eared Owls seen at nearby Cocklemill Marsh. A Slavonian Grebe, one Woodcock, one Little Egret, four Crossbills, two Chiffchaffs, 30 Whooper Swans and one Raven were all seen at Cameron Reservoir, two Short-eared Owls were still showing well at East Lomond and a Red Kite was seen flying E at Newburgh (16th). Seen at Loch Gelly were a pair of Scaup and 55 Whooper Swans. Six Crossbills were seen at Blairadam Forest (17th), one Black-throated Diver, 10 Red-throated Divers, one Slavonian Grebe, 16 Velvet Scoters, nine Common Scoters, 42 Long-tailed Ducks, 95 Razorbills, three Guillemots and one Purple Sandpiper were seen at Lower Largo, a female Ring-necked Duck, two Chiffchaffs and two Jays were at Moor Loch and a pair of Scaup at Loch Gelly were suspected of being Lesser Scaup. These birds were quite distant and seen in poor conditions, but over the next few days, better conditions allowed for images to be checked and they were found to be Greater Scaup. 17 Pintail, including 12 drakes, and four Bar-tailed Godwits were at Torry Bay, two Nuthatches were seen in Balbirnie Park, Markinch (18th), with another bird heard calling at the Falkland Estate (19th). An Osprey was seen going over East Lomond, where c100 Golden Plovers were also seen. Two Red Kites (together) were seen heading over the A91 near Birnie & Gaddon Lochs LNR, a Sand Martin was seen at Letham Pools and seen from Ruddons Point (20th) were a Red-necked Grebe, four Slavonian Grebes, one Great Crested Grebe, 132 Red-breasted Mergansers, 122 Common Scoters, eight Velvet Scoters and 11 Red-throated Divers. A Snow Bunting and 22 Twite were seen at Kingsbarns.
Three Little Egrets were seen at Morton Lochs NNR (22nd), 18 Whooper Swans, a (presumed) sinensis Cormorant, four Cormorants, two Red-breasted Mergansers and one Great Crested Grebe were seen at Cameron Reservoir and a Red Kite was seen at Lucklaw Hill, Balmullo. The female Ring-necked Duck was still present at Moor Loch (23rd) and another Red Kite was seen near Kincraig Point (24th), not too far away at Dumbarnie Links a sub-adult White-tailed Eagle was also seen. Seen off Seafield were 20 Long-tailed Ducks and 250 Common Scoters and a Barn Owl was seen near Crail (26th). A Great Northern Diver, one Slavonian Grebe, 42 Long tailed Ducks, 47 Velvet Scoters and nine Red-throated Divers were seen from Lower Largo, a pair of Snow Buntings were at Out Head and seen at Cocklemill Marsh were a pair of Pintail, a pair of Shoveler and a Short-eared Owl. 35 Whooper Swans passed north over Winifred Crescent, Kirkcaldy (27th) and nearby at Seafield, 17 Purple Sandpipers and 142 Redshanks were counted. One Swallow and one Sand Martin were seen at Letham Pools, c54 Sand Martins, four Chiffchaffs, two Canada Geese, c50 Tufted Ducks, c8 Goldeneye, six Great Crested Grebes and two Buzzards were all noted at Loch Fitty (28th). A Waxwing was heard singing at Newport-on-Tay, a 2nd calendar year Little Gull passed Fife Ness N (29th) and seen on Kilconquhar Loch were a female Long-tailed Duck and seven Red-breasted Mergansers. Another Red Kite was seen drifting north at Cameron Reservoir, a 2nd calendar year Little Gull was seen on Kilconquhar Loch and a Great Northern Diver and 14 Velvet Scoters (passing E) were seen from Ruddons Point. Two Ospreys were seen around Loch Glow (30th) and counted off Leven were seven Slavonian Grebes, 11 Red-throated Divers, 480 Common Scoters and 20 Velvet Scoters, with 105 Velvet Scoters, 295 Common Scoters, 21 Long-tailed Ducks, four Slavonian Grebes and 14 Red-throated Divers seen not far away at Lower Largo. A Jack Snipe was at Cocklemill Marsh, a Black Redstart was seen just outside Boarhills, with a Jack Snipe also seen near the pond. A Short-eared Owl flew over Out Head, an Osprey and c40 Stock Doves were at Cameron Reservoir and a Tawny Owl was in Balbirnie Park. The long-staying drake Smew was still present at Cameron Reservoir on the last day of the month, but the other long-staying bird, the Black Redstart was last reported on the (13th). Both proved very popular.