Fife micro-patching

The view south over Lochore CP. One of the lumps on the horizon is the Bass Rock.

I'm up in Fife for a bit. The birding is better than Wanstead (not hard) but I would still class it as quiet, passage has dried up here too. I finally managed to track down a Cuckoo for my Fife list but that was the only realistic target this week, I missed all the good birds earlier in the month, including a Woodchat Shrike. The best birding up here is undoubtedly the East Neuk, which is where the Shrike was, but that is a bit far to get to in the mornings before work. Instead I've been concentrating on the sites that I visit regularly whilst I'm up here and that are closer to home, none of which are more than 15 minutes away, and trying to build up the number of species that I've seen at each of them. Far less chance of a rarity, but it means that things like Song Thrush have become interesting again.

Benarty ridge. The Cuckoo was in the pine plantation.

Letham Pools - 97

My favourite spot locally, albeit that the water levels at the moment are a) too high and b) not managed, so the site is not as good as it once was. There is almost nothing of interest for a wader now. I managed to visit twice on this trip and added Great Crested Grebe, my top target. It wasn't there the second time I went so perhaps I got lucky - apparently it was my 47th visit so it must be quite a rare bird for the site. Top remaining targets are Osprey, Song Thrush, Long-tailed Tit, Blackcap and Redshank. I also came away with the highest list I've ever had here, just over an hour saw me accumulate 41 species including Peregrine, Marsh Harrier and Raven. I'd love to see 100 here but I reckon the final three will be quite difficult.

Angle Park GP - 80

A very succesful few visits adding 13 species. Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper and Oystercatcher, this has taken over from Letham as the best inland spot for waders locally. Away from the water I found a host of common passerines like Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Skylark, Linnet, Swift and Song Thrush. There are quite a lot of targets remaining, many of them sounding pretty easy it has to be said as I've only started visiting this location quite recently. This is where I jammed a Great White Egret last September, which is I suppose what has encouraged me to go back.

Leven Shore - 78

This is the just about the closest bit of the coast to the house and one of the places I've visited regularly over the years. I think I must have lost the records of many of my visits as I could not find anything between 2008 and 2019 when I started trying to historically populate eBird. Oh well - I don't recall anything mega but perhaps a few common things might be missing as a result. This site is best in winter, with lots of sea duck and grebes, so on my lone visit on this late spring trip I saw only Eider, Common Scoter and Velvet Scoter. I did add Greylag and a singing Song Thrush near the river mouth though, with such gems as Blue Tit (it's mostly sand and water, not great habitat...) and Great Crested Grebe still to come.

Loch Gelly - 76

A site that is between the family house and Edinburgh and so quite convenient for a stop off. I first visited on a twitch over fifteen years ago, managing to get back from the Highlands in time to see both Ferruginous and Ring-necked Duck before dusk. I visit two or three times a year, adding a few species each time. This time it was a Great Black-backed Gull having a bathe. You view from the minor road on the north side, and whilst the mean-spirited landowner has unhelpfully placed a series of large boulders across the two pull-ins to prevent parking I am normally in a Land Rover and as such unstoppable. There are some simple things still to find like Pheasant and House Martin. All in good time.

The Wilderness - 74

I think I am done with this site, there is a new tenant who does not like visitors and has made it increasingly difficult to access and once you do get in viewing the pools is almost impossible. Whoever it is also cut down all the bushes west of the main lake so what was once really good habitat for Reed Bunting and other birds is now a wasteland. What they have not done is cut down anything around the lake itself, no doubt deliberately, and the bushes are now so high  that you cannot see most of it. They have also started shooting there, and there is a nice yellow sign warning of this. Thus my short visit this trip was very disappointing indeed. It was excellent at one time though, with a good amount of mud for waders and it is still one of the only places up here where I've seen Garganey.

Birnie & Gaddon Lochs - 60

Two connected freshwater lakes that are about ten minutes away at most. I've seen American Wigeon here. As it is designated a Local Nature Reserve it is obviously the best  and most popular place to take a dog for a walk and as a result I don't visit especially often, including on this trip. You can walk a figure of eight circuit around them both, and on the eastern side there is a rise with a good view. This winter just gone one of the many Great White Egrets in Fife spent a bit of time here so I've got this on the list too.

Loch of Lindores - 55

This is only a few minutes up the road from Letham and Angle Park, and as it is highly scenic I stop in from time to time. It is where I first found Raven in Fife, they're pretty much nailed on here. On this trip I added Grey Heron, Long-tailed Tit and Mistle Thrush, and with such a low total there are loads of possibilities, especially in winter.

East Weymss - 55

This is about the same distance for me as Leven Shore but for some reason I don't visit it as often. It is the best place in Fife to see Med Gull, and is a good spot to see what is going on in the Forth. I managed one brief visit this time and rather than look at the sea I concentrated on the woodland near the caves and the gully at the end. The result was seven new birds for the site, nothing special - Robin, Wren, Whitethroat and so on - but a minor thrill all the same. Blue Tit eluded me!