Divit +Wigeon

A pair in the harbour this morning takes the January total to a "middling" 55, and the total January all time list to 69.

Little Grebes - where are they?

Haven't seen a Dabchick at the Divit this year, which is understandable given the lack of freezing weather. However, they also aren't at Cullaloe or Dalbeath Marsh, so they aren't on breeding territories. Maybe on large inland waters? Maybe Lochgelly has them all

Divit lunchtime + 2, Jackdaw and Coal Tit

Didn't feel like anything new today, unless Guillemot was. I'll find out when I put the details into birdtrack (Jackdaw and Coal Tit apparently). Nice little roost of Redshank and Dunlin which I disturbed while trying to see if it contained anything else.

Cullaloe + 2

Visit to Cullaloe at lunchtime in glorious sunshine. c20 Snipe were flushed from the marshy area around the pool and flew around a bit, and a Raven calling overhead. Takes the total to 45 - already half of the year target

Divit +2

Bullfinch and Greenfinch on a circle around the top of Preston Hill Quarry takes Divit to 52 for the year

Linnets on the move

A cracking sunrise behind Edinburgh Castle this morning, and some new year ticks for the 45 minutes time invested. A couple of groups of Linnets making their way north. Quite earl, I think, although I'd have to check. Two early Fulmars also on the scene, although maybe the mild weather and slight easterlies contributed to those. Very few Great Crested Grebe today. Are they moving to breeding areas already? Also some Pinkies south in several groups, but maybe just feeding parties. Nearby, a Firecrest has been seen in Dalgety Bay for the last three days and Smew are around at Lochore and Lochgelly, where there were 3 yesterday. Such is my disinclination to twitch these days that I haven't seen any of these, despite having actually been for a walk at Lochore Meadows. I was more excited yesterday to find my first Pygmy Woodlouse at Cullaloe. If it was new to me, I'd still go for it though.

Inverkeithing count now stands at 50 for the year, which is about in line with expectations - previous two years 51 and 58 respectively. It's also worth noting that in the last two years I haven't recorded anything "interesting" in January.

Darkness

Still pretty dark in the mornings, with the sunrise too close to work starting. Manage to squeeze in about half an hour from before dawn though. I think Mute Swan was the only addition to the year list from this morning's excursion

2013 photos

Just reviewing some pics and came across these two from Inverkeithing. A Little Gull that dropped in during August and some migrating Teal during the same month

INK +Stock Dove +Sparrowhawk

Picked up a couple of additions this morning in the Divit. Still not much available light before work, but it's doable just about. Great Tits battling it out in song and the Stock Doves appeared to be engaged in some kind of winged flirtation too.

HOB +Redwing

Frosty morning. Took a tour of the hill this morning in search of Treecreeper and Woodcock. Dipped on both, but found a nice flock of Redwing in the trees on the north side. c.10 Mipits were feeding in empty pasture on the south side.

Fieldfare and Starling were also feeding in the pasture, with the Fieldfare retreating to the trees on being disturbed as usual.

 In the field behind the houses the Highland cattle were feeling the warmth of the sun apparently, and a few farmland birds - Yellowhammer, Chaffinch and Pied Wagtail - were making the most of the disturbed ground around them.

Pochard at Cullaloe

Nice addition to the year list, which is slowly creeping up - should be about half way to expected total by end of January!

INK + 3

Linnet, Siskin and Long-tailed Tit onto the 2014 list for Inverkeithing. Went hoping the Black-throated Diver which has been at Dalgety Bay might drift into view, but no luck.

Scores on the doors 2014

Patch latest totals, last update 16th April

Patch targets 2014

Cullaloe - 66 species, 73% of target (90)

Cullaloe bonus birds: (Gadwall, GBB Gull)
Bonus birds missed: ()

Inverkeithing - 73 species, 61% of target (120)

Inverkeithing bonus birds: (Pheasant!)
Bonus birds missed: ()

Hill of Beath - 35 species, 41% of target (85)

Hill of Beath bonus birds: ()
Bonus birds missed: ()

New List additions for 2014

2014 New additions to Western Palearctic List

2014 New additions to Turkish List

2014 New additions to British List

2014 New additions to Scottish List

2014 New additions to Fife List:

2014 New additions to Inverkeithing List

2014 New additions to Hill of Beath List

2014 New additions to Cullaloe List

Hill of Beath square totals (all time)
Square - species
Total - 90 (only 87 on birdtrack, which is missing three spp)
NT1289 - 29 (Halbeath N)
NT1389 - 63 (Hill of Beath SW)
NT1390 - 47 (Hill of Beath NW)
NT1489 - 47 (Hill of Beath SE)
NT1490 - 53 (Hill of Beath NE)
NT1590 - 69 (Cowdenbeath SW)
NT1591 - 35 (Cowdenbeath NW)

Scores on the Doors 2013

THE FINAL TOTALS

Cullaloe - 89 species, 89% of target (PW points: 96)

Cullaloe bonus birds: Dipper, Merlin, Pochard, Crossbill,
Black-Tailed Godwit, Green Sandpiper, Gadwall, Whimbrel,
Pectoral Sandpiper, Shoveler, Golden Plover, Goldeneye
Bonus birds missed: (Kingfisher)

Inverkeithing - 113 species, 90% of target (PW points: 134)

Inverkeithing bonus birds: Long-tailed Duck, Moorhen, Slavonian Grebe,
Grey Phalarope, Whimbrel, Lesser Whitethroat, Ringed Plover,
Pomarine Skua, Little Gull, Kingfisher, Pintail, LittleEgret, Hawfinch
Bonus birds missed: (Scaup, Garganey!)

Hill of Beath - 82 species, 82 % of modified  target

Hill of Beath bonus birds: Whooper Swan, Pochard, Waxwing, Raven,
Ringed Plover, Spot Fly (breeding)

My other numbers, updated 13th Dec

2013 Birdtrack complete lists:500
2013 Birdtrack records: 11,669

Site	lists	records	species
INK	181	5414	113
CUL	100	2452	89
HOB	176	2995	82
(HOB lists chopped up by OS grid)

Dalbeath Marsh: 78 lists, 1502 records, 69 species
Masterton Rd, 30 lists, 522 records, 57 species

2013 Fife list (OS squares NT18, NT19 only):136
(Non-patch: Temminck's Stint - Letham Pools 23/6, Spoonbill - Eden 24/6)

2013 New additions to Western Palearctic List
Turkey: Pallas's Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Caspian Gull
Inverkeithing: Grey Phalarope
Turkey: Red-footed Falcon, Steppe Eagle
Switzerland: Alpine Chough, Spotted Nutcracker
Spain: Audouin's Gull, Rock Bunting

2013 New additions to Turkish List
Bewick's Swan, Whooper Swan, Pintail, Wigeon, RC Pochard, Smew, Goosander, WH Duck, Velvet Scoter, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Redshank, Pallas's Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Caspian Gull (Jan 19-25)

Gannet, Little Bittern, Steppe Eagle, Montagu's Harrier, Red-footed Falcon,  Scops Owl (h), Golden Plover, Little Tern, Black Tern, WWB Tern, Ortolan Bunting (Apr 27-May 7)

2013 New additions to British List
Grey Phalarope

2013 New additions to Scottish List
Grey Phalarope

2013 New additions to Fife List:
Grey Phalarope - St.David's Bay
Temminck's Stint - Letham Pools, 23/6

Spoonbill - Eden, 24/6
Hawfinch, Inverkeithing, 30/10

2013 New additions to Inverkeithing List
Slavonian Grebe (24/03)
Grey Phalarope (25/03)
Ringed Plover (03/07)
Arctic Tern (16/07)
Little Gull (23/08)
Little Egret (10/10)
Hawfinch (30/10)
Little Auk (31/12)

2013 New additions to Hill of Beath List
Tufted Duck, Moorhen, GBB Gull, Lesser Redpoll, Stock Dove, Teal, Little Grebe, Pochard, Grasshopper Warbler, Tree Sparrow, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Grey Wagtail, Ringed Plover, Sand Martin 

2013 New additions to Cullaloe List
GBB Gull - 23/4,
Whimbrel


Hill of Beath square totals (all time)
Square - species
Total - 90 (only 87on birdtrack, which is missing three spp)
NT1289 - 29 (Halbeath N)
NT1389 - 63 (Hill of Beath SW)
NT1390 - 47 (Hill of Beath NW)
NT1489 - 47 (Hill of Beath SE)
NT1490 - 53 (Hill of Beath NE)
NT1590 - 69 (Cowdenbeath SW)
NT1591 - 35 (Cowdenbeath NW)

4th Jan - ticking along

Nothing exciting, but a few more species thrown onto the pile at low tide this morning. Three Turnstones pottering about the strand lines was nice to pick up

Patch targets 2014

Inverkeithing
Total list: 157
Personal List: 140
2012 list: 125, probably 110 "safe" (164 patchlist points)
2013 list: 113
2014 target: 120 (inc. 2 new spp.)

Cullaloe
Total list: 136
Personal List: 119
2012 list: n/a
2013 list: 89
2013 target: 90 (inc. 1 new sp.)

Hill of Beath
Total list: unknown
Personal List: 90
2012 list: n/a
2013 list: 82
2014 target: 85 (inc. 2 new spp.)

2014, Day 1

Not time to review past year's targets and totals yet, but I know I managed 500 complete lists on birdtrack, 100 of which were from Cullaloe, and almost double that for the Divit.

Started off new year with a Gannet - weird bird for Jan 1st! NO Little Auk though, nor Fulmar, RT Diver ... anyway, fot the year started at least. Planning to spend not as much time on the Divit this year, but I think picking up the trail at the end of the summer for vismig I won't finish far off the same total anyway.

Other notable species today? Armchair

armchair trying to get ashore

super high tide almost at the pier height