After the storms yesterday there was an air of things trying to get back to normal today. All day there were flocks of meadow pipits moving east along the coast and over Crail. I should think thousands passed over. Their migration was probably halted for a couple of days by the strong winds that would have just blown them out to sea had they attempted to move. I expect a few were still blown off course and are now passing south down the Dutch coast after crossing the North sea. There were small groups of red-throated divers coming back into the Forth all morning. They were probably blown out to sea yesterday as well. The swallows spent all yesterday feeding in tight groups in the lee of big trees, but today were back patrolling over the fields. Beech Walk park is always good place to see large groups of swallows on windy days because of the shelter it provides. Tonight there was a single swift feeding there as it got quite dark. It really is quite late for swifts. As the season goes on late swifts actually become more likely to be pallid swifts that migrate in September and October from Southern Europe. But you need very good views and bright light to distinguish them from common swifts. Not a chance at dusk. Still nice to see something I thought was gone from Crail until next May.
Juvenile black tern trying to get to West Africa but being blown backwards
Yesterday John was out at Fife Ness braving the winds. He was rewarded with a black tern attempting to battle its way into the Forth but going nowhere. Another rare migrant for Crail with only 2 or 3 recorded every year passing by Fife Ness.
Wild Crail 
Leave a Reply