Seafield to Kinghorn (1 Viewer)

[Gander]

On Tuesday morning, I managed to grab a session at the loch before I had to head north for a few days to attend a work related course. On my way to the loch, I decided to make a little detour to Pettycur harbour, as a Cory's Shearwater had been reported there. A small group of birders were on location, and with their help, they got me on to the Cory's. It was very distant and unsatisfying view, but a lifer all the same, and who would say no to starting the day with a lifer, even a distant lifer.

Making my way to the loch, I found it in full summer mode, with blooms, fruit, butterflies, birds and Blue Green Algae warning notices from the council. Highlights were a family of Grey Wagtail, a Comma butterfly (only my second in this area) and another Common Sandpiper.

This is the fourth Common Sandpiper recorded at the loch this year, to go with the two I have had at Seafield. A friend has also had seven between Easter Braes and Burntisland this week. In addition, the week before, I saw at least five at Letham Pools. All this indicates a very successful breeding year for this species.

 

[kawwauser]

On Tuesday morning, I managed to grab a session at the loch before I had to head north for a few days to attend a work related course. On my way to the loch, I decided to make a little detour to Pettycur harbour, as a Cory's Shearwater had been reported there. A small group of birders were on location, and with their help, they got me on to the Cory's. It was very distant and unsatisfying view, but a lifer all the same, and who would say no to starting the day with a lifer, even a distant lifer.

Making my way to the loch, I found it in full summer mode, with blooms, fruit, butterflies, birds and Blue Green Algae warning notices from the council. Highlights were a family of Grey Wagtail, a Comma butterfly (only my second in this area) and another Common Sandpiper.

This is the fourth Common Sandpiper recorded at the loch this year, to go with the two I have had at Seafield. A friend has also had seven between Easter Braes and Burntisland this week. In addition, the week before, I saw at least five at Letham Pools. All this indicates a very successful breeding year for this species.

the algae at clatto resevoir is really bad it used to just affect a couple of areas now the whole resevoir is disscoloured no dog walkers were present and the watersports have been stopped,the great crested grebes are still there with youngsters

 

[Gander]

I attended Seafield at both morning and evening high tides today. Strong showing of waders with Whimbrel, Greenshank, Bar-tailed Godwit, Common Sandpiper, Sanderling, Dunlin and some early Purple Sandpiper.

This morning especially, the place was heaving with both Pied and Grey Wagtails; mostly juv's. Also noticed over the last few weeks, were good numbers of Kittiwake out over the Forth. Gannets we know have been hammered by Avian Flu, but this last week, there has been a noticeable drop in tern numbers.

 

[delia todd]

the algae at clatto resevoir is really bad it used to just affect a couple of areas now the whole resevoir is disscoloured no dog walkers were present and the watersports have been stopped,the great crested grebes are still there with youngsters

Not good, is it!!!

Sad.

 

[mummymonkey]

the algae at clatto resevoir is really bad it used to just affect a couple of areas now the whole resevoir is disscoloured no dog walkers were present and the watersports have been stopped,the great crested grebes are still there with youngsters

Think you might have posted in the wrong thread but that is horrible to see.

 

[Stonefaction]

Think you might have posted in the wrong thread but that is horrible to see.

Think it was in response to Paul (Gander)'s mention of algae warnings at Kinghorn Loch.

 

[Gander]

I have made a three visits, four counting this morning, to Seafield, since the wader arrivals. The waders have moved on, however, this morning, I found a species new to the patch. Not a bird, but a The Wall butterfly.

I did a bit of research, and found that a single The Wall was reported at Seafield in 2019 (I don't think it was me that reported it). This specimen apparently, was the first reported in Fife since the last seen in 1870 (Definitely not me). In 2020, there were 20+ Fife reports, but all at the East Neuk and at least one on the Isle of May. This morning I found three along the coastal path. Two above Seafield Cave, and one near the tower.

It looks like we have a breeding population at Seafield, and I'll be keeping an eye out at the loch area, which is only a couple of fields away.

 

[kennyok]

Hi - I walked from Seafield to Kinghorn yesterday and spotted three of the Wall butterflies. Must be liking Fife!

 

[delia todd]

Hi Kenny and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators. I'm so glad you've found your way to the Scotland area of the forum. Also, keep an eye on threads titled something like Scottish Bashes; we try to meet up occasionally and they're always great fun. You'd be most welcome to join us on another if you can manage.

That's a great picture - I've always struggled to get good pictures of butterflies. They just never sit still for me LOL

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I look forward to hearing your news.

 

[Gander]

Hi Kenny, Welcome to BF.
I'm hearing that the Walls are getting really established in various areas of Fife. Great photo, and more importantly it looks like a female, which I've not seen before, so more evidence of a breeding population.
Where about did you see yours?

 

[kennyok]

Hi Kenny, Welcome to BF.
I'm hearing that the Walls are getting really established in various areas of Fife. Great photo, and more importantly it looks like a female, which I've not seen before, so more evidence of a breeding population.
Where about did you see yours?

pretty much halfway between Seafield and Kinghorn - they were just about the only butterflies I saw there!

 

[Gander]

It has been a little bit quiet on the patch this week, but there is always something of interest.

On the coastal strip, winter waders are still drifting through, with some setting up residence. Sanderling, Dunlin, Bar-Tailed Godwit and nine Purple Sandpipers all present. Highlight has been a juv Kingfisher on the rocks between the harbour and the tower.
At the loch, there has been a heavy Grey Wagtail presence. And our resident pair of Great Crested Grebes have hatched a second brood of two, much to the delight of humbug lovers.

 

[Gander]

It has been a poor week, with no notable migrants!

 

[Gander]

Things are looking up. The weather at Seafield this week was a little strange. Although there was no great strength to the wind, its direction, combined with high tides was creating a surge that flooded all the rocks, and even cleared the harbour wall of birds. I found the waders sheltering on the tower rock, which is higher than the surrounding rocks. Redshank, Purple Sandpiper and Turnstone made up the flock, but a single Dunlin was present for a couple of days.
Another strange occurrence has been the disappearance of my House Sparrow flocks. Between the car park and the tower, there are three distinct flocks numbering a collective 100+ birds. They have all vacated. I have never seen this before, even in far harsher weather.
With Seafield fairly quiet, I have focused more on the loch area. The day before yesterday, a Pochard was seen at distance, but the main event was yesterday.
I decided to get dropped off at the loch, do a good circuit, then walk the coastal path back to Seafield. I was working my way west, and picking up the usual suspects, until I reached the beginning of the Rodanbraes path. I have to be honest and say that the Rodanbraes has been a disappointment. It lacks birds despite being lined with mature Oak and a good mix of scrub. It is a little bit exposed being higher up, but I would have thought it would still hold more birds. It had been fruitless the day before, so I decided to drop down to the main road, and cross over to the path that leads up Grange Hill.
I was not particularly hopeful of any different birds, and was more focused on possibly picking up on some butterflies, as the stone wall that borders the path is a favourite basking place for them.
I had not walked a stones throw from the steel gates at the bottom of the track, when I noticed birds flitting about on the top fence line of the field on my righthand side. These were not the usual Meadow Pipits I often pick up here, but were Chats. I assumed they were Stonechats, but then I picked out at least one bird with the tell tale white eyebrow of a Whinchat.
The birds were too mobile for a count, but I think two male Stonechat, two or three females, a couple of juvs, and at least the one Whinchat, maybe two. All very pleasing, as I have not previously had either species in the loch area.
I did not proceed any further up the track, but turned back to the woodland. I was descending the path that leads down to the marsh area, when bird movement in a sunny glade caught my eye. I had to move through the waist high undergrowth to get a better view, at the price of some nettle stings, but it was worth it, as a Spotted Flycatcher sped into view, then a second, and then a probable third. All three were flitting in and out of view, mainly as they were being chased by a frantic Willow Warbler.
The loch itself was quiet, so I moved on to Seafield. The coastal path was also quiet, but passing the tower, a lone Knot was seen. Not a frequent, but a welcome visitor.

 

[Gander]

It has been a slow week, although understandable given the very wet conditions. At both the loch and the coastal path, we seem to be at the stage where the summer birds have vacated, but the winter birds are only just arriving. One exception to the leavers was a Blackcap at the mill stream.

On the loch itself, we had a single Wigeon, and I saw photos from last week of three Goldeneye that made a brief visit. That is pretty poor considering the amount of migrants appearing on other lochs/reservoirs all round Fife at the moment. Strangely, no Tufted Duck at all yet. Not really a migrant, but on the move, was a juvenile Kingfisher that stayed for three days.

A further worry at the loch is that the Coot population has significantly decreased over the last year or two. I had not really picked up on it, but one of the carp anglers pointed it out to me. Once he said it, it was very obvious that he was right.

At the field where I picked up both Whinchat and Stonechat last month, I was pleased to find three or four Stonechat in residence. The Whinchat appear to have moved on. Also, I found a single Stonechat at the horse pasture over at the opposite end of the patch. In the woodland, highlight has been the arrival of good numbers of Blackbird, Song Thrush and Mistle Thrush. I also found a single Redwing.

Along the coastal path at Seafield, I have found very little, but I have not been able to spend much time there. A couple of Teal has been the highlight. Both Guillemot and Razorbill are still present, but no sign of divers yet. Also noticeable by their absence are Rock Pipits.

Hopefully, things will liven up a little this week.

 

[Gander]

Yesterday, I headed for the hills. An American Wigeon has been resident at Ballo Reservoir for over a week, but yesterday morning was my first opportunity to have a go at what would be a lifer. I set off under heavy grey skies, but at least it was dry. Climbing into the Lomond hills from Leslie, any illusion of dryness disappeared fast. I stuck it out for half an hour or so, but the rain got steadily heavier, so I headed for home.

Ballo is not a place that I have been birding at before, however, despite the weather, I got Wheatear, Raven, Wigeon (Eur), Whooper, Tufted, Gadwall, Goldeneye, and many thousands of Pink-footed Geese. Definitely a place for a return visit.

So what does this have to do with Seafield/Kinghorn? Well it was this circumstance that saw me retreating to a dryer, but murky, and very windy Seafield, in not the best frame of mind. With the wind ripping in, there was little to see out on the Forth, although a group of Bottlenose Dolphin crashing through the white horses, did lift my spirits a little. Dolphin is always a nice mammal tick to get. Coupled with a new Seafield patch tick of a Weasel seen threading its way through the jumble of foreshore rocks, a few days ago, the Roe Deer pictured in my last post, and the usual Grey and Common Seals, plus Rabbit, it's actually been a good week for mammals.

Few waders were seen on the shoreline, and fewer birds were seen in the scrub. A couple of groups of Teal were seen over the water, so that was a step in the right direction.

I went as far as the zig zag path descent before turning back. From the benches high point, I grabbed a quick photo of a distant auk. Razorbill I thought, but further checks were called for when I reached home. Trudging back past the harbour, with thoughts of why do I bother on days like this, out of the murk, the reason I bother flew towards me at fairly close range. A very dark bird that obviously was not a gull. As it came parallel with me, the long spike of a tail made it obvious that I had a personal patch tick with an Arctic Skua.

I really should know by now that birds can just about turn up anywhere, at any time, in any conditions.

And back at home, going through my photos, my Razorbill turned out to be a juvenile Puffin.

 

[Gander]

A good morning at the loch this morning. Even got a glimpse of blue sky once or twice before the rain set in again.

On the loch, three newly arrived Tufted Duck were matched duck for duck by three newly arrived Goldeneye. In the woods there were plenty of Blackbird and Song Thrush, with Mistle Thrush passing overhead.

I headed for the field where I've been seeing Stonechat, but before I found the remaining pair, I found a new bird for the patch. There sat in the middle of the field were a trio of Red-legged Partridge. This unremarkable looking field has been really good to me. In fact, I'm thinking of buying both it and a metal detector!

Later, at the top of Cant Hill, at the other end of the loch, I found 7 Grey Partridge. In between the two sets of partridge species, I was also to find a personal patch tick. Walking along the track above the allotments, the scrub was busy with thrush and finch. As I worked my way slowly down the track, three small finch flew in, and briefly landed. I recognised the call of Siskin, but was still glad to get the one confirming photo.

At the field where I found the Grey Partridge, as I scanned the birds, there was a huge commotion further towards the coast, and a flock of well over two thousand Pink-Footed Geese rose into the air. They flew towards me, then a good proportion landed at the far away end of the field I was scanning; the rest landing just beyond them, but out of sight over the top of the rise.

I took a load of photos to later check, but the flock, from what I could see was 100% Pink-footed. Never mind, I'll settle for a patch tick, and a personal patch tick, in a morning!

159 (103) Red-legged Partridge

 

[JTweedie]

That's a great picture - I've always struggled to get good pictures of butterflies. They just never sit still for me LOL

A long lens seems to help so you can take a photo without getting too close. I very rarely take my full camera out with me so don't get to take close up shots of butterflies very often these days, although I did have some success with a close up photo of a dragonfly using my phone camera.

 

[Gander]

Still fairly quiet along Seafield yesterday, but my first Long-tailed Duck of the season was a highlight, along with a Kingfisher between the harbour and the tower. Twenty plus Purple Sandpiper is a good number for here. Five Bar-tailed Godwit, also a good number for here. Still no Rock Pipit though.

At the loch this morning, another Kingfisher spotted at distance. Loads of Mistle Thrush and increasing numbers of Redwing. A Treecreeper at the hide gave good views.

 

[Gander]

I went searching for Rock Pipit yesterday, along the Seafield/Kinghorn coastal strip, but they are still not there. That is me done for this spell at home, as I prepare for imminent departure to my offshore patch. Rock Pipit, I am sure, will feature when I get back in November.
I was able to add one species to Octobers list; finding a pair of Red-Throated Diver just off the zig-zap path feature.