As expected Tree Pipits are starting to drop off but a decent September count involved 28 on 8th. On the the other hand Meadow Pipits have made a rapid increase with a peak of 1,011 through on 4th. The 4th was also the best skua day the past week with 14 Bonxie and an Arctic heading inland, although the sight of 4 Bonxie directly overhead today was also superb. The first Pink-footed Geese (52) of the autumn also went through on the 4th.
The 7th saw us host a Fife Bird Club vis mig event. You always hope you are going to get a good day of passage for something like this and although it wasn't Ferry Hills at its best, it wasn't bad either. Everyone got to see the unusual spectacle (if you are only used to seeing them on sea watches) of a few Bonxie high in the blue sky migrating overland. There was good variety including a long overdue site first, a Juvenile Whinchat and a scarce Jay that flew off high to the NW. Only about the ninth Jay for Ferry Hills but September is the month with most of the previous records. The 7th was also a good day for hirundines including 263 House Martin.
Today saw more good variety which included a couple of convincing White Wagtail through (Late August-September is a good time to get Icelandic birds on passage), a small wildfowl movement (Teal, Wigeon and a singe Pintail, the latter scarce here). Clive was ringing Meadow Pipits and caught some distinctive Icelandic birds, cleaner white below than our British birds and colder, more olive toned above.
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| In the hand Icelandic Meadow Pipits (right) can look very different to British birds. Cleaner white underparts, bold breast streaking, cold olive toned upperparts. |
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| Tree Pipit passage is past the peak but this smart looking bird dropped in and gave good views. |
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| The first Whinchat for Ferry Hills, its taken a surprisingly long time to get one given the good habitat here, there's been several Redstart and Spotted Flycatcher since I started watching here. |
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