Early 2024. 

I concentrated on my winter patch of St Margaret's Marsh near Rosyth. The extensive reed bed here had me thinking about one species in particular, Bearded Tit. Although some of the large Tay Reedbed Population is within the Fife recording area, this species is rare elsewhere in Fife. I was very pleased to hear some pinging calls from Bearded Tit during December 2023, the first record in West Fife. It sounded like more than one bird was involved but they remained hidden until I finally clapped eyes on a lovely pair in January 2024. Despite staying in the same area of the reed bed, relatively close to a footpath,  for several weeks they were incredibly elusive. 

St Margaret's did it again with a Water Pipit on 24th February, presumably the elusive bird I'd first seen in November 2023. Despite being a regular winter visitor in small numbers on the Lothian side of the Forth this remains a rare bird in Fife and not annual. Although likely to be overlooked. 

A Scandinavian Rock Pipit was in the same area as the Water Pipit 

A Kingfisher also brightened up the winter days at St Margaret's 

I covered other West Fife sites but none could really compete with St Mag's for quality. Loch Fitty had been productive early in 2023 (Great White Egret, Russian White-fronted and Tundra Bean Geese) but I couldn't come up with too much this winter. That said, two hen harriers interacting on 3rd February was a fine record. Not an easy bird to see in Fife.