Seafield (Kirkcaldy)

 As I missed Seafield out of the last post, here's some highlights from a couple of recent visits.......

Ringed Plovers,

Oystercatchers,

Turnstone,

Starlings,

Sandwich Terns,

the odd Butterfly

and Sparrowhawk.

Local Birding (Loch Leven, Loch Ore, Seafield & Kinghorn)

 We are so lucky to have some great places on our doorstep. Loch Ore is a 10 minute walk, Loch Leven is less than a 15 minute drive, then Kinghorn and Seafield are about 25 minutes in the car. So here a few pics from all of those that we visited in the second half of July.

Kinghorn:

We are in process of joining Shorewatch, this is a group of volunteers that monitor Cetaceans  (That's Dolphins, Porpoise and Whales to you and me!) on the east coast of Scotland and Kinghorn is one of the watch points, as it affords fantastic views over the Firth of Forth. So recently we have been going there a lot, but as yet we have come up with no sightings, we have been terribly unlucky as others have seen them at all times of the day! However there is always plenty to enjoy there. Watching Gannets and Terns fishing offshore. The nesting Fulmars on the cliff face less than a hundred yards from where we sit, so we have been watching the chicks grow up from tiny fluff balls to now quite large fluff balls!

A Fulmar on the nest, I have some chick photos still on the camera, so will add those when I get chance in a new post.

Some views from Kinghorn:

Inchkeith Island,

a distant Bass Rock,

and Kinghorn Harbour.

Lochore:

As I've probably said before Loch Ore Meadows is only a short walk from out house, it has a small nature reserve, with a (poorly designed) hide, which we visit as often as we can as you never know what turns up:

A couple of Snipe among the Lapwings. (it was a dull day so the photos are pretty poor)

Lapwing,

Curlew:

Elsewhere around the Loch there's always plenty to see:

Great Crested Grebe,

Greylag Geese,

Black-headed Gulls,

Jackdaw

a young Robin,

Great Spotted Woodpecker,

and a Grey Heron.

Loch Leven:

Loch Leven is big! It's about 13-14 miles to walk around, compare to just 3 for Loch Ore. But we have lots of different spots that we go to around it. The following photos are from the RSPB reserve at Vane Farm on the Loch.

Wild flowers at the reserve,

Orchid,

Goldfinch & Redpoll,

Young Swallow,

Goldfinch,

Little Grebe

That will do for now, I'll do Seafield (near Kircaldy) in the next post!

TTFN!

Fife Ness

 We paid a visit to Crail and Fife Ness a couple of weeks ago, distant views were had of a Manx Shearwater and passage Common Scoter. But these at least came close for a few photos:

In addition to the Gannets and Oystercatchers, there were Goosander, Cormorant, Shag, Eider, Fulmar, Curlew, Sandwich Tern, Arctic Tern & Common Tern

Inchcolm Island

 We did want to get out to the Isle of May this year, but just didn't get the opportunity before it was fully booked up. Then bird flu hit, so hopefully next year. As a compromise we booked a trip out to Inchcolm Island from South Queensferry in the hope of seeing some Puffins there.

However when we landed on the island, we found that the paths out to where the Puffins nest were sadly closed. Never mind! 😒

We had a nice time on the island anyway, there were lots of Gull chicks about:

Fulmar:

And if there were lots of Gull chicks, there must be a lot of Gulls (Herring & Lesser Black Backed)

Even though we couldn't get to the part of the island where the Puffins were nesting, it doesn't mean we didn't see any:

Then there's always going to be Oystercatchers around:

It also appears Gnomes are quite common here too:

So a few scenic shots: