The weather was beginning to make things interesting again this morning: some north easterlies yesterday and this morning some south easterlies. Rain showers overnight and through the morning were also helpful. There were flocks of starlings coming in off the sea all day – mostly in flocks of about 25, but one of over 200 later in the afternoon. We get a lot of migrant starlings that overwinter in the East Neuk, but they are not often such obvious migrants. Usually, I just notice that the flocks seem a bit bigger, particularly when the weather gets colder on the Continent. No sign of cold weather yet here, or in Europe though. There were redwings, skylark and a few woodcocks coming in too. Three chiffchaffs in the trees behind the caravans at Fife Ness was a good sign too – it will be well worthwhile looking for yellow-browed warblers tomorrow.
Because of the rain I spent most of the morning in the hide at Fife Ness. Birding through a letterbox but a dry letterbox at least. There were a few little auks (ten or so in 90 minutes), a couple of puffins, little gulls, a manx shearwater, a great northern diver, lots of wigeon and a velvet scoter of note. And the steady stream of starlings. As I came out of the hide, I met two birders that had just seen a wheatear fly off from the rocks behind. Any wheatear at this time of year is worth a second look but an hour searching the area in the rain didn’t turn it up again. Perhaps tomorrow.
Wild Crail 
Leave a Reply