Late Spring/Summer 2023. 

The second half of May into June proved hard work on my W Fife patches. 

Unlike 2022, the Kinghorn area didn't provide any quality birds flying in off the Forth this spring although it did redeem its self in July on that score. A couple of quality sea birds were recorded at Kinghorn on 19th May, a summer plumaged  Black Guillemot and a Roseate Tern feeding close in with Common Terns. The Guillemot was particularly pleasing, annually recorded in Fife but always uncommon and with most records from Fife Ness. Roseate Terns are always great to see as well, you get less records in the Forth in spring compared to the post breeding period in August when they are regular in small numbers. That said, we may struggle for them this year as the Coquet Island breeding birds have been, sadly, hit by Avian Influenza for the second year running. 

Kinghorn then provided a summer surprise with a superb dark male Honey-buzzard in off the Forth on 8th July. You can't beat seeing a scarce migrant raptor come in off and I got good prolonged views as it circled over Pettycur Bay. 

From late July autumn passage started to ramp up and it was time to start coverage at Ferry Hills to coincide with the start of Tree Pipit passage. The Tree Pipits had their first big push on 3rd with 71 birds SW, plus a good variety of other species including a locally scarce Marsh Harrier. Full list here [Trektellen.org] - Migration counts & captures 

A week off work allowed me to treat myself to a day trip to Fife Ness for some seawatching on 2nd. Always a great place, even on a quieter day there is always a steady flow of commoner seabirds. It wasn't the busiest day for this site, but with perseverance I was rewarded with a lovely adult Long-tailed Skua moving slowly north in perfect lighting conditions. 

Other Wildlife 

I tend to get very bird focused on the blog but I've  had great experiences with other wildlife within a short distance of home over the summer. Several sightings of Otters at Loch Gelly including 4 together, presumably a fem with 3 large cubs , while cetaceans in the Forth off Kinghorn in July  have comprised Minke Whale and Bottle-nosed Dolphin. A nice butterfly on the buddleia in our garden in Dunfermline was a Comma on 4th August, much scarcer up here in Scotland compared to down south.