May 5th

Easterly winds without rain showers is a recipe for frustration. There must be migrants passing but they are not stopping at Crail, continuing on in the fine weather. I did see, however, a marsh harrier this morning passing over Wormiston and the airfield, gaining height and continuing on. It might have been a Scandinavian bird off course or a late arrival heading to the Tay reedbeds to breed. A marsh harrier is at best a once a year Crail bird for me and late April or early May, passing over seems the best time to see one. The migrants at Kilminning earlier in the week have moved on, leaving the resident whitethroats and willow warblers still singing away. As I returned to Crail through Saucehope two male goosanders flew by heading to Fife Ness and probably much further north. They were very handsome in full breeding plumage, green and white and salmon pink – much nicer than the usual Crail goosanders we get in July, after breeding, when the males adopt their “eclipse” plumage to be less showy when they moult their flight feathers.

Female marsh harrier