April 27th

The wind was south-easterly for most of the day, although still cool. I had five swallows before I even left Crail this morning; this evening some of the house martins were back at Roome Bay Avenue. I did the Wormiston – Balcomie – Fife Ness loop this morning: joining the oystercatchers on the beach were a flock of five bar-tailed godwits. Not a hint of summer plumage – their high Arctic breeding season won’t start for another two months. But they were clearly already on their way somewhere. There were also a couple of whimbrel. I had my first northern wheatear of the year at Balcomie. My first arrival dates this year aren’t very significant because of my two week absence, even so early season wheatears are unusual through Crail. They are much more common passage birds in May. Fife Ness was all gannets, kittiwakes, guillemots and razorbills, with the occasional puffin now with them. The breeding season on the Bass Rock and the May Island has started. A single Arctic tern – another first for the year – passed heading north, moving quickly with the wind behind it. I hope this year they will breed successfully on the May Island after the likely bird flu desertion of the colony last year.

Four of the five bar-tailed godwits stopping at Balcomie Beach this morning. The right hand bird is a male and the second to right bird a female – they have longer bills and are bit bigger.