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