[edenwatcher]

Originally Posted by Spotter

Hi Rob, )edenwatcher), I used to be based at Leuchars in mid/late 70s and used to fish the eden just outside guardbridge. Moved south with RAF and ended up here in Telford in 95. Actually coming up to Glenrothes and Methil on 13th Aug for a few days, do you know of any good birding areas around Leven/Anstruther?

Seawatching can be productive at this time of year, either from Fife Ness, or from Kinghorn Harbour. Buckhaven is playing host to several Mediterranean gulls at present on Shore Rd. At least 6 adults have been reported, plus a juv., though different birds seem to be present each day. Largo Bay can be good, but I saw little of interest at the east end yesterday.

Rob

[chowchilla]

Eight Pacific Black Ducks over this morning coming from inland suggests to me that the interior is starting to dry out and more waterbirds will be on the way. They didn't lose height and land at the Lakes however from what I could tell.

97) Pacific Black Duck.

[kerriebr]

Went for a "bush walk" in the yard today. We've only recently cleared enough to make it down to the back fence (only lived here since December). I disturbed a wallaby which seems to have made it's day-time home in one part of the garden. There are now lots of young fairy wrens. We also have many laughing kookaburras ... if I stand still a while they will sometimes land quite close & play "catch". They have been courting too. (for your interest see attached)

54. Peaceful Dove
55. Olive Backed Oriole

[KenM]

Autumn arrived for me today in the garden...an imm.Willow Warbler...no.65

[KenM]

Returning Willow Warbler and Chiff Chaff this am..also a Hobby in ''missile'' mode pursuing Swifts over forest, and multiple sightings of Common Buzzard within a 30 minute time frame, involving several birds (only 3 individual sightings for the entire yearof 2011). circa 25 sightings (this year)to date!..that's one helluva 8 fold increase already!

cheers

[Jos Stratford]

A month AWOL and now it's back to see what's happening on my land.

The hazel groves are choc'a'bloc with Nutcrackers, all tapping away on hazels to crack them open, a few youngsters noisily begging from adults. Though a traditional late August/September bird on my land, this mini-influx is pretty pleasing, the tap tap tap echoing from all quarters muffling even the woodpeckers!

Though straggler Golden Orioles, Red-backed Shrike and a few White Storks still linger, the overwhelming feeling is of an autumn in the making - most Whinchats gone, no flycatchers seen, a general exodus seeming to have already occurred.

Good raptor watching - a male Goshawk over twice, my second Honey Buzzard of the season and better still, my first Montagu's Harrier, a female quartering. Better still however, only the second ever on my land and an uncommon migrant in the country, one superb Red-footed Falcon, a juvenile looking most dapper.

116. Montagu's Harrier
117. Red-footed Falcon
118. Nutcracker

[chowchilla]

Had both Leaden Flycatcher and Sacred Kingfisher in the tree outside my study window this morning; took me ages to see both this year from the study and now they are regular visitors. To boost the year tally however was a 'flying boat' in the form of a single Australian White Pelican low over the trees and heading towards the Lakes from the south. Distant but utterly unmistakable.

98) Australian White Pelican.

So close to the hundred...

[chowchilla]

Brilliant! Olive-backed Oriole calling over in the trees across from my neighbour's garden. Try as I might though, I couldn't see it.

I knew there was one about. I've been straining my ears to hear it for two days now. These are uncommon but regular winter visitors to Cairns.

99) Olive-backed Oriole.

[chowchilla]

There's a very noisy Koel calling outside my study window this morning; only my second of the year. It's managing to outcompete the usually noisy Helmeted Friarbirds and a Black Butcherbird out the back.

[Jane Turner]

I've added three since I last reported -Little Tern, Arctic SKua and today, this

http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.ph...postcount=1471


119/77/44

[edenwatcher]

105. common sandpiper
106. kittiwake
107. Arctic skua

Movement at last.

Rob

[Jos Stratford]

A week after adding Red-footed Falcon, the very wire it perched upon was taken over by a Kestrel, another rare falcon on my land (Red-footed Falcon was second ever, this Kestrel the 6th ever - all of both have been in August/September).

119. Common Kestrel.

Will seriously struggle to get many more this year - Lesser Whitethroat and Common Tern the best possibilities (usually see both in spring), anything else has to be something unexpected.

[Larry Lade]

Originally Posted by Jos Stratford

...
Will seriously struggle to get many more this year - Lesser Whitethroat and Common Tern the best possibilities (usually see both in spring), anything else has to be something unexpected.

Guess you will just have to "expect the unexpected", Jos!

[halftwo]

Originally Posted by Jos Stratford

A week after adding Red-faooted Falcon, the very wire it perched upon was taken over by a Kestrel, another rare falcon on my land (Red-footed Falcon was second ever, this Kestrel the 6th ever - all of both have been in August/September).

119. Common Kestrel.

Will seriously struggle to get many more this year - Lesser Whitethroat and Common Tern the best possibilities (usually see both in spring), anything else has to be something unexpected.

Well I've spent much time in my garden over the last week, including 14 hours yesterday, and continue to draw a blank!

[Jos Stratford]

Originally Posted by Larry Lade

Guess you will just have to "expect the unexpected", Jos!

To quote a guy from your side of the pond...

There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know (to expect perhaps a Lesser Whitethroat or Common Tern). There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don't know (that an unexpected species will turn up, but which one unknown). But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don't know we don't know (the bits I have no idea about, potentially the megas to come).

[Jane Turner]

120. Black Tern - 7 this morning.... and a big fall of Willow Warblers

[edenwatcher]

108. ringed plover
109. turnstone

Movement at last!

Rob

[halftwo]

Yesterday, at last!

78: Willow warbler.

[Jane Turner]

Ruff this evening, plus Curlew Sandpiper Little Stint and Great Skua. I'd missed Arctic Skua and Little Tern off, so 126 now

[Jos Stratford]

Originally Posted by Jane Turner

Ruff this evening, plus Curlew Sandpiper Little Stint and Great Skua. I'd missed Arctic Skua and Little Tern off, so 126 now

Passage of White Storks today, plus a southerly drift of raptors - Lesser Spotted Eagle, Osprey, several Common Buzzards, one Montagu's Harrier, one Hobby ...but none new for the year, so a static 119 for me.

[joannec]

Two for me recently:

70)Goshawk
71) Red-legged Partridge

Loads of migrants passing through but so far nothing that I didn't see on spring passage. A Wheatear stayed for a couple of days this week, which was nice. Otherwise it's just been Chiffys, Willow Warblers and Whitethroats.

[Kentbloke]

The garden has been pretty birdless for quite a while till thisarvo, when a female Pied Flycatcher spent several hours (till it was just a silhouette against the gloaming) catching flies! Dunno what number she was though...

[chowchilla]

Finally the 100 is up! A rather vocal Noisy Pitta in the forest beyond my neighbours' garden early this AM (they've been around, so I knew it was only a matter of time), but that's not all: activity in the top of the Big Fig which turned out to be Metallic Starlings drew my attention to a heavily concealed but unmistakable male Superb Fruit Dove just below them. Finally the Big Fig is in fruit! Er no... so I do wonder why they are there.

100) Noisy Pitta.
101) Superb Fruit Dove.

[joannec]

Originally Posted by Kentbloke

The garden has been pretty birdless for quite a while till thisarvo, when a female Pied Flycatcher spent several hours (till it was just a silhouette against the gloaming) catching flies!

Lucky you!

[chowchilla]

Ridiculous, I've just added another! As I popped out to the shops this evening a flock of about a dozen Eastern Cattle Egret flew South East directly over my head. These birds are everywhere outside the city, but relatively scarce in it, but it stands to reason that they must fly over it from time to time.

102) Eastern Cattle Egret.