06-APR-2018
Black-necked Grebe.
Quite fortunate to be able to photograph this bird in a favourable location at Elie harbour, they are more often than not further from the shore, out in Largo bay.
There is only a hint of it's golden ear tufts beginning to show, I wonder if the cold weather is holding back it's moult.
31-MAR-2018
The month of March.
It's been quite a month, there are changes to the Wemyss coastline that I have never witnessed the like of before, features that were familiar have suffered dramatic change all due to the two extensive storms from the East. Concrete has been stripped from the pathways, the beach level has never been lower, where the stones etc. have been moved to is anyone's guess. the wildlife has suffered as much, large area's of the rocks below the high tide line have been stripped of seaweed and invertebrate life, limpet shells are a common occurrence but the amount still with the mollusc inside was extraordinary, octopus, flounder's were also noted
The feared "wreck" of auks didn't materialise with only about eight counted in the weeks after the storms, two shags and two kittiwakes adding to the casualty list. This may only have been the tip of the iceberg though as I noted Great black back gull's feasting on carcasses out at sea. It seems these birds may still be suffering a lack of condition as witnessed by the bird pictured, out of place sitting on the harbour wall this morning, the shag image in the recent images gallery was also unusually approachable, it's also possible that numbers are reduced as the tides scoured the beach off them also. What was evident though was related to the topic of the moment, Plastic, where it has all come from is amazing, no, staggering.
03-MAR-2018
Coastal erosion.
Decided to take a look at the damage the big tides combined with the strong winds is doing to the coastal path East of West Wemyss this afternoon, the image was taken one hour before the high tide today and it wasn't far from the path at that time. The path was negotiable before the "beast".
I wonder how long it's going to take for the way to be unpassable during future large tides as erosion continues to do it's worst. The difference in the level of the beach now compared to when the pit's were active is considerable. There are rock formations exposed now that haven't been seen in many decades.
There were over a dozen song thrush and twice as much fieldfares along with a few meadow pipits taking advantage of the snow free area's between the beach and the cliff face just past the village, some were sucessful at least judging by the amount of empty snail shells found.
02-Mar-2018
Fieldfare
Installed in early November it's taken until now for my "apple tree" to fulfill it's purpose in the garden. Three days of the weather pattern dubbed the "beast from the East" and the thrushes are beginning to appear in numbers, multiple blackbirds along with three Fieldfare and a solitary song thrush today. Who knows what damage is being done to the wildlife in the wider countryside. Takes me back to 1963 when I noticed my first weather related multiple mortality event with robins and redwing lying dead along the coastal path to the East of West Wemyss.
The seabirds won't be faring any better either, after many days of strong winds stirring up the sea. Could be a large "wreck"of auks and shags about to transpire as they will be struggling to find food in the murky water.
22-FEB-2018
Common Seals.
What a last couple of days we've had, a hint of spring with crocuses in flower and the first bumble bee in the air, even quite a few bird species in song. The local rooks are taking up space where the first signs of nest building is taking place. I even noticed a magpie carrying a twig to it's intended nest the other day, it's well known that ravens are early nesters also, quite a risky strategy with weather patterns all over the place now.
There is now a regular seal "haul out" in the bay at West Wemyss, opposite the chapel gardens, averages out about a dozen just now but my best count last summer was twenty four.
They are often admired by users of the coastal path but are presenting quite a problem to the local fishermen, seems they can't get their fishing lines up quick enough without them being robbed of their contents.
18-FEB-2018
Wildfowl and wader survey.
One of the benefits of carrying out any kind of survey over many years is that you notice the pattern of migration more keenly, I was beginning to wonder what had happened to the local eiders as this has been a particularly sparse winter for them, well though the number is still short of a decade or so they recovered today to recent February counts, plenty of courtship activity and the females will soon be heading to the islands in the Forth to nest. A record count for February of 17 red throated divers plus 1 great northern also suggests movement. The Turnstone and redshank numbers have also increased noticeably and fulmars are back on the cliffs at West Wemyss.
16-FEB-2018
Finally.
Whether bird-watcher or photographer if there is one species in Britain that makes you stop, look and enjoy it has to be the Kingfisher. It took four visits to Kinghorn loch to get an image I was happy with but just to sit and watch this little fella in action brightened up my morning no end.
15-FEB-2018
Early sighting.
Last Summer/Autumn I spent a lot of hours monitoring the Mediterranean gulls that visit the shoreline roost at East Wemyss, The best count was 10 one evening at high tide, not including two juveniles that had been noted a day or so earlier. It was interesting watching them change from summer to winter plumage and how quickly it happened. There have been several winter records from various venues along the Fife coast during the Winter period but today was the first here at the Wemyss, It seems to be stealing a march on the black-headed gulls as far as moulting back into summer plumage is concerned as it's head contains plenty of black feathers again.
10-FEB-2018
Early Peacock, (very).
There are occasions when you have to look twice, well a Peacock butterfly sitting on the pavement this afternoon was one of them. Fearing for it's welfare I carefully lifted it and transported it to my woodpile where it could continue it's hibernation.
It was in poor condition but well able to fly, hope the mice don't find it before spring.
It must be happy in it's new surroundings as its still there three days on.
07-02-2018
Dura den Fossil fish.
The one thing retirement provided was time to enjoy the outdoors during daylight hours in the winter period, But what to do?, The light is not always conducive to photography, walking the dog, though enjoyable but not quite stimulating, led to viewing a poster for "Kirkcaldy geologists". So far my main interests with the natural world has definitely been in the here and now. So in Feb 2017 I "gatecrashed" the meeting being held to discuss the forthcoming seasons outings which take place every Wednesday morning and I was up and running, It has been very instructive visiting various locations in Fife to find out what has transpired in the formation of our county from the time when it straddled the equator with the subsequent volcanic and afforestation and accumulation of coalfields and sediments which is very evident here on the Wemyss estate.
Today's outing was to St Andrews university to view the fossil fish specimens excavated from a quarry in Dura Den. It's thought they died when their pool dried out but must have been quickly covered to enable the incredible degree of detail to be as well preserved as it is.
29-JAN-2018
Buzzard, Adult
A cracking day today, clear blue skies and little wind, seems the local buzzards were enjoying the conditions too, whilst walking Meggie,(the Labrador) along the costal path west of West Wemyss two pairs were giving each other plenty of verbal abuse, I was surprised to note two of them alighting on a large nest, I've not observed territorial behaviour as strongly displayed this early in the year before.
21-Jan-2018
Sunday, januuary 21, 2018
There were many fieldfares flying back and forth over the house this morning and settling in the tall trees on the edge of the village, I remembered the berry tree's over in the next street and went for a look, sure enough they were feasting quite happily. the strange thing is there are three tree's right next to one another but the birds were restricting their harvest to only one of the pyracantha's leaving the other two relatively untouched. they moved off the next day when the weather turned milder so now there's one tree stripped and two laden still, hopefully left for waxwings to provide photo opportunities next.
