MB

 

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: Isle of May, Firth of Forth


Status: Offline
Posts: 410
Date:
RE: Isle of May, Firth of Forth


I heard that Steve, sounds a real shame

__________________
A few of my photos : Joewynn's Flickr I've got a Blog!


Status: Offline
Posts: 1605
Date:

Think you picked a good time to visit, Joe. I understand the island will be in the middle of a windfarm before too long

Steve

__________________
Steve "Make your birdwatching count!"


Status: Offline
Posts: 410
Date:

Since I couldn't find a thread for this site, I thought i'd start one . Its a brilliant little island, 6 miles off the Fife coast near to Anstruther. Its Britain's oldest bird observatory, based in the 'low light', the newest of the island's three lighthouses, and where we were staying (we being me and a birding relative). In the summer, the island is the largest puffin colony in the UK, however in autumn it ain't half bad for migrants. Our week long visit was in a 'quiet' period, but some good migration was encountered. Highlights were:

12 Willow Warbler
2 Manx Shearwater
4 Goldcrest- odd to see them sitting on the boulders near the cliff edge!
1 Wood Warbler
1 Whinchat
c.550 Shag
2 Puffin, the last breeding pair!
c.40 Guillemot
2 Razorbill
c.500 Fulmar
1 Whimbrel
3 Purple Sandpiper
20 Turnstone
2 Redshank
10 Wheatear
c.70 Meadow pipit
As many Gannets as there are on the Bass Rock, feeding around the island
Loads of lesser black backs, greater black backs and herring gulls with loads of Kittiwakes


and on the mammal front:
the unique Isle of May House/Field Mouse subspecies of Mouse
'lots' of Seals
1 Minke Whale
c.20 Harbour porpoise

However, the highlight of my week was without doubt a female Merlin, which had hung about on the island for most of our stay, but on the final day, came down onto the path to eat craneflies!?! Whatever it was eating, a slow crawl up to the bird resulted in such close views of it I am never likely to get again, an absolute priviledge! Don't know where it came from, but I hope it ends up in the north west!

__________________
A few of my photos : Joewynn's Flickr I've got a Blog!
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.

RODIS

 

This forum is dedicated to the memory of Eva Janice McKerchar.