First things first- I hate golf. Despise it, it provokes homicidal rage in me. Mark Twain called it a good walk wasted, but her was being too gentlemanly. Boring, elitist, environmentally- destructive- its a 'sport' that won't last a day when i become world emperor.
Whats this to do with a big day out? Well, my first big day out since July was scheduled to be to Loch of Strathbeg and its environs. I had printed the birdtrack lists, I had checked the tide times (that should have been the first sign it was going to go wrong) I had planned the journey, including the inevitable stop for a 15 minute kip.
Only after doing all that, and checking Google Maps, I saw the town of Gleneagles on the map. Now, this rung a bell somewhere, and it eventually dawned on me that travelling north of Stirling last Sunday would be, er, problematic. Plan B called for, therefore.
Opted to aim for SKaterow/ Torness/ Barness Ness/ Aberlady- all key sites in Lothian. Aimed for a 6am departure, to maximise my time on site, plus it tied in with high tides. Left the house at 9:15 and already plans were ripped up. Abandoned Torness as a destination, and headed for Barns Ness.
Been here a few times, never quite benefitted from spending a lot of time on site. Arrived 10.30, which gives an indication of the casual relationship I had with speed limits on the M8. Now, Perfect Planning Prevents, etc. I know this. So I looked up Lothianbirds and the SOc site guides. I saw that the 'wire dump' - a hotspot for migrants and other quality birds- was next to the campsite, I saw that the walk from the beach was good, I decided to combine them. Walked from the beach to the lighthouse, and back. got cormorant, oycs, curlew, grey heron, redshank, GBB gull, herring gull, linnet, chaffinch, willow warbler, chiffchaff, and a dunnock which convinced me it was a twite- until I looked at the photos.....The warbers showed (and sang) really well, though.
This sort of set the tone for the rest of the trip. walked back past the lighthouse, and drove back to the caravan park, never once thinking of the difference between a 'campsite' and a 'caravan park'. Surprised and disappointed by the lack of action at the entrance to the caravan park.....
Onto Aberlday, where I set my sights quite low and aimed to get Pink- Footed Geese as a year tick. Anything else would be a bonus...Got there at 1 pm, and knew that high tide as a good 5-6 hours away. Right away, got redshank in the burn, plus shelduck, mallard, curlew, oycs on the mud. From the bridge....got a medium- sized grey wader, smaller than a redshank, with beautifully scalloped plumage on the back. it had a snow- white backside, greenish legs, and a medium black bill. More on this later....
Walking through the reserve to Gullane Point, got a flock of at least 100 starlng wheeling over the golf course. On t' other side, got a flock of at least 100 teal wheeling about over the loch. The noise of the pinkies on the marsh was deafening, and the continuous skeins of them coming in to land/ crash is one of those birdlife spectacles I rant on about periodically. the tosspot in the helicopter who flew over and set them off is beneath contempt.
Anyway, made it to the point, and sat on a dune among the machair, and was struck by how beautiful and tranquil it was (leaving side the pinkies noise) Stunning location, as long as the massive city (Edinburgh) on the horizon doesn't catch your eye. From here, got RB merganser, eider, sanderling, curlew, BH gulls, GBB gull again. Would have been happy to stay longer (and possibly should have) but wanted to head back to catch the tide coming into the bay. Passed a load of folk who said they were going to the Point for the tide coming in....
Anyway, moving round, dipped on the Ross' Goose, but did get 4 little egret sitting with a pair of grey heron. More pinkies swooping in, and failing light told me that my day was almost over.
Back at the car perk, no sign of mystery grey wader. Did get Ruff, Blackwit, and pure loads of redshank. Sat on the bench a while, drinking in the atmosphere, watching the ruff and curlew wander off the marsh into the grass, seemingly fearless.
A quick shufty at Collins narrowed my mystrey down to a Knot or a Curlew Sand. Only when I got home and checked the photos, the bill was too short and un-curvy, but it did look awfully like a Knot. I- spot, plus two friends Calidris and Bluebill all contributed to my solving the mystery (admittedly, Bluebill's contribution was to admit he struggled with wader I.D from yon daguerrotype image things- photos to us young 'uns)
Dance of lifer shame duly completed in living room, albeit I will also seek a thousand- strong flock in the winter to seal the deal.
Thoughts:
A lifer, a year tick and a wildlife spectacle can never be a bad thing! Annoyed at myself for sleeping in and being unable to adequately follow directions, albeit it was a nice walk. Aberlady was beautiful as ever, and really lived up to its hype as a key wildlife location.
I still hate golf, but thanks to it, I had a deeply enjoyable and satisfying Big Day Out.
Whats this to do with a big day out? Well, my first big day out since July was scheduled to be to Loch of Strathbeg and its environs. I had printed the birdtrack lists, I had checked the tide times (that should have been the first sign it was going to go wrong) I had planned the journey, including the inevitable stop for a 15 minute kip.
Only after doing all that, and checking Google Maps, I saw the town of Gleneagles on the map. Now, this rung a bell somewhere, and it eventually dawned on me that travelling north of Stirling last Sunday would be, er, problematic. Plan B called for, therefore.
Opted to aim for SKaterow/ Torness/ Barness Ness/ Aberlady- all key sites in Lothian. Aimed for a 6am departure, to maximise my time on site, plus it tied in with high tides. Left the house at 9:15 and already plans were ripped up. Abandoned Torness as a destination, and headed for Barns Ness.
Been here a few times, never quite benefitted from spending a lot of time on site. Arrived 10.30, which gives an indication of the casual relationship I had with speed limits on the M8. Now, Perfect Planning Prevents, etc. I know this. So I looked up Lothianbirds and the SOc site guides. I saw that the 'wire dump' - a hotspot for migrants and other quality birds- was next to the campsite, I saw that the walk from the beach was good, I decided to combine them. Walked from the beach to the lighthouse, and back. got cormorant, oycs, curlew, grey heron, redshank, GBB gull, herring gull, linnet, chaffinch, willow warbler, chiffchaff, and a dunnock which convinced me it was a twite- until I looked at the photos.....The warbers showed (and sang) really well, though.
This sort of set the tone for the rest of the trip. walked back past the lighthouse, and drove back to the caravan park, never once thinking of the difference between a 'campsite' and a 'caravan park'. Surprised and disappointed by the lack of action at the entrance to the caravan park.....
Onto Aberlday, where I set my sights quite low and aimed to get Pink- Footed Geese as a year tick. Anything else would be a bonus...Got there at 1 pm, and knew that high tide as a good 5-6 hours away. Right away, got redshank in the burn, plus shelduck, mallard, curlew, oycs on the mud. From the bridge....got a medium- sized grey wader, smaller than a redshank, with beautifully scalloped plumage on the back. it had a snow- white backside, greenish legs, and a medium black bill. More on this later....
Walking through the reserve to Gullane Point, got a flock of at least 100 starlng wheeling over the golf course. On t' other side, got a flock of at least 100 teal wheeling about over the loch. The noise of the pinkies on the marsh was deafening, and the continuous skeins of them coming in to land/ crash is one of those birdlife spectacles I rant on about periodically. the tosspot in the helicopter who flew over and set them off is beneath contempt.
Anyway, made it to the point, and sat on a dune among the machair, and was struck by how beautiful and tranquil it was (leaving side the pinkies noise) Stunning location, as long as the massive city (Edinburgh) on the horizon doesn't catch your eye. From here, got RB merganser, eider, sanderling, curlew, BH gulls, GBB gull again. Would have been happy to stay longer (and possibly should have) but wanted to head back to catch the tide coming into the bay. Passed a load of folk who said they were going to the Point for the tide coming in....
Anyway, moving round, dipped on the Ross' Goose, but did get 4 little egret sitting with a pair of grey heron. More pinkies swooping in, and failing light told me that my day was almost over.
Back at the car perk, no sign of mystery grey wader. Did get Ruff, Blackwit, and pure loads of redshank. Sat on the bench a while, drinking in the atmosphere, watching the ruff and curlew wander off the marsh into the grass, seemingly fearless.
A quick shufty at Collins narrowed my mystrey down to a Knot or a Curlew Sand. Only when I got home and checked the photos, the bill was too short and un-curvy, but it did look awfully like a Knot. I- spot, plus two friends Calidris and Bluebill all contributed to my solving the mystery (admittedly, Bluebill's contribution was to admit he struggled with wader I.D from yon daguerrotype image things- photos to us young 'uns)
Dance of lifer shame duly completed in living room, albeit I will also seek a thousand- strong flock in the winter to seal the deal.
Thoughts:
A lifer, a year tick and a wildlife spectacle can never be a bad thing! Annoyed at myself for sleeping in and being unable to adequately follow directions, albeit it was a nice walk. Aberlady was beautiful as ever, and really lived up to its hype as a key wildlife location.
I still hate golf, but thanks to it, I had a deeply enjoyable and satisfying Big Day Out.
