So I’ve finally got a new phone line installed at the cottage. What an ordeal, I’ve had several men up my pole, my router forgot to be sent out and all sorts of other crap... long story short I’m finally back online.
After a month of being offline I’ve come to realise just how
much I rely on the internet… mainly for bird news.
Anyhow. I moved back to St Abb’s at the end of March for
another year as ranger here. I’ll now be here till January 2015.
Spring migration had a slow start here and only really began
to pick up in the last week or two.
Star birds so far this spring have been a Wryneck last week and a decent
smattering of Ring Ouzels, Redstarts and Lesser Whitethroats.
 |
| Lesser Whitethroat |
That was until yesterday…
Yesterday 28/04/14 proved to be one of my best days birding
ever. An early morning ramble around the Mire Loch revealed a few lingering
Lesser Whitethroat, a Ring Ouzel and the first Whinchat of the year. I also
caught a very fleeting view of a black and white ‘flycatcher like’ bird in
flight by the boathouse. I struggled to relocate the bird and gave up after
half an hour as I had to start work. I presumed it to be a Pied Fly and told
several people this during the day.
I later got note of a male Subalpine Warbler at the north
end of the Mire Loch so after work I headed down and managed to catch up with
the subalp, surprisingly high up in the trees. After getting a few distant snaps the bird went quiet and 15 minutes
later I moved on, in the hope of relocating that ‘Pied’ Fly.
I found the bird in almost the same place I had first seen
it during the morning. As I put my bins up, to my surprise I was met by a pied fly
with a ‘BIG BROAD WHITE COLLAR’. Hmmmm! With such a big bold collar it could really
only be a COLLARED FLYCATCHER! A few minutes later I managed to get a visiting
birder onto it and after a few drawn in breaths I managed a few record shots. The
bird was double confirmed by a quick check of the Collins and the news went
out... Adult Male Summer Collared Flycatcher. A few local birders arrived on the
scene and we enjoyed great views from all angles as the bird dipped up and down
in the trees and even called at one point.
Both Collared Flycatcher and Subalpine Warbler were still
around today (29/04/14). Also reported from around the Mire Loch today were
both Tree and Richards Pipits.
When visiting St Abb’s Head please park at the NTS visitor
centre and walk in. Do not park in passing places. The road to the lighthouse
is restricted for disabled persons only. If people continue to ignore access
information then rare bird records are likely to be supressed in the future!
More updates soon…
