Those of you who read my previous field trip report from Scotland (click here) will know that I am fortunate in that my work sometimes takes me to some wonderful parts of the Country. This was the case when I was informed that I had to spend two days in Glenrothes, Fife and two days in Aberdeen City. On hearing the news, I immediately reached for my RSPB Nature Reserves guide, my Best Birding Spots book and the Internet in that order. A short posting to the UK Birding email ring and I was off armed with some very good advice. I realised that this was not the best birding time of year for these places but I couldn't miss the opportunity of seeing some more of our wonderful Country and its wildlife areas.

Monday 12th June 2000 - Dull with drizzle at times
I flew from Stansted to Edinburgh on the 0830 flight at a cost of 90 pounds return, landing in Edinburgh 45 minutes later, I picked up my hire car that was to get me around all of the different reserves (and my business appointments of course!) for the next seven days. The hire car working out at 175 pounds which didn't seem too bad. Leaving Edinburgh airport my first port of call, directly on route to Glenrothes as luck would have it, was the RSPB reserve of Vane Farm on Loch Leven. Just across the Forth bridge came my first of many sightings of a Common Buzzard as if to welcome me back to Scotland.

Vane farm is well signposted off of the M90 about half way to Perth. The reserve is a mixture of wet grassland, mixed woodland and a heather-clad hill and is managed by the Scottish Natural Heritage. Up to 20,000 Pink-footed Geese spend the autumn and Winter at Loch Leven and one of the best times to see these is at dawn as they rise from the Loch and fly out to the surrounding fields. Other species of Geese can be seen at this time including Greylag, White-fronted, Barnacle and Bean, up to 14 species of duck along with Whooper Swans spend the Winter months at Leven which all go to make this one of the most popular reserves in Scotland. The areas of shallow water near the birdwatching hides provide an excellent opportunity to see many different waterbirds at close quarters. In the spring Shovelers, Gadwalls and Teal are always present using the open water for their courtship displays. The islands and surrounding dense vegetation provide nest sites in Summer and roosting areas throughout the year. The mixed woodland on Vane Hill is a great place in Winter when Redpolls, Siskins, Redwings and Fieldfares are present. The trails are an excellent vantage point for birds of prey. Buzzards, Peregrines, Kestrels and Sparrowhawks are seen almost daily.

Having spent a very pleasant and enjoyable three hours at Vane Farm and, incidentally, receiving some excellent advice from the warden on the whereabouts of Roseate Terns, I left on the A911 for my hotel, The Golden Acorn, in Glenrothes. After booking in and catching a quick meal I decided to head for the nearest coastal point which was the Sands of Leven, after all, this was Scotland in June which meant that I had enough light for birding until at least 11.30pm!

Picking a car park close to the sands I quickly set up my telescope. Immediately apparent was a Gannet, in fact, a huge number of Gannets. I have only ever seen three examples of these magnificent seabirds before one bird off the coast at Minsmere and two off of Point Lynas in Anglesey, Wales, none of which were doing anything particularly spectacular - the difference here was that these birds were fishing! Surely there can be no more wonderful sight than a Gannet at full speed, wings swept back, diving headlong into the sea from a great height for fish, absolutely marvellous! I stayed at Leven for four hours just transfixed at this and almost missing the three species of Tern regularly flying by. Just as I was leaving I was rewarded with a Common Seal just lazing on a rock about 200 yards from the shore.

Tuesday 13th June 2000 - Sunny spells with a very strong wind
Finishing my work at 5.00pm I decided to forego dinner and head back down to Leven Sands on the A915, this time exploring the coast for a few more miles. I stopped for an hour again at Leven before heading down further on the A917 to Anstruther. Here, in the harbour, I was rewarded with my first new tick, Rock Pipit. Heading back from Anstruther and just outside of town, I called in at a caravan park that the Warden at Vane Farm had informed me was good for Roseate Tern. There certainly were a lot of Terns in this area, but how to pick out Roseate?

After a short while I had my telescope trained on yet another Tern flying towards me, this one, however looked different from the Arctic, Sandwich and Common Terns. Much paler above, shorter wings and faster wingbeats and a far longer tail. as it turned, with the advantage of the sun behind me, I caught a faint pinky-orange wash on the breast. The clincher was watching it catch a fish - no hovering, just an angled, fast dive straight into the water. My Roseate Tern and life tick number two! After watching the Roseate for some time it was possible to then pick out others in the area. Returning to Leven for a last look around, I became aware of a seabird that looked decidedly different. A closer study revealed a dark top extending below the eye, white undersides with the outside of the wings etched in black. The birds flight in the strong wind first alerted me to what it was. The flight was a continuous series of long glides, one moment right next to the waves and the next banking up very high before veering down again. I had found my third lifer a Manx Shearwater.

Wednesday 14th June 2000 - Bright and sunny
My work finished at midday in Glenrothes, I headed for my second appointment in Aberdeen. Aware that I had the whole afternoon to get there I consulted the map. The most direct route and certainly the fastest and easiest would be the A90, there was a second choice the A92 but this was single lane and looked a lot longer. Looking closer, I then discovered that the A92 went through the Montrose Basin Nature Reserve, so A92 it was. Not too much was happening at Montrose but the town looked lovely and you could tell that in winter the reserve would be astounding. 

Montrose Basin is the 750 hectare enclosed estuary of the South Esk river. Untouched by development and pollution, the Basin provides a rich feeding ground for thousands of resident and migrant birds, thousands of Pink-footed Geese, Greylag Geese, Whooper and Bewick Swans spending the winter. In summer the Basin is home to Curlews, Oystercatchers, Eider and Merganser. The Montrose Basin area has its own website at: http://www.montrosebasin.org.uk/

While I was at Montrose I had an email message on my mobile phone birding service which informed me that there had been a Red-necked Phalarope at the Loch of Strathbeg the previous day. Consulting the map, I discovered that the RSPB reserve at the Loch of Strathbeg was way north of Aberdeen City, miles out of my way at the top of the A90 just below Fraserburgh. Now, I am not really a Twitcher but come on - When would I get the chance to get up this way again? Where else would I see a Red-necked Phalarope other than Shetland? and, also, the road does pass right by the Ythan Estuary home of the famed King Eider.

After negotiating Aberdeen City in the rush-hour I came upon the sign to Newburgh on the A90 at about 4.30pm. Should I head to Strathbeg or take a quick look in at the Ythan Estuary just in case the King Eider was around? Deciding to take a quick look, I turned off for Newburgh, passing the Undy Pub on my right and turning left down the Inch Road I parked on a small piece of waste land with commanding views of the estuary with the tide just starting to recede.

Setting the scope up I soon became painfully aware that there appeared to be at least 4,000 Eider and 2,000 Terns in the vicinity. Starting to scan the banks of the roosting Eider I was convinced that I was going to have an impossible task. After 25 minutes of scanning the far banks I lowered the scope to give my eyes a rest and became aware that six yards in front of me was an Eider with a prominent orange knob at the base of the bill and 'sails' on its back. I had found my King Eider, I had found my fourth lifer and I had found Elvis. Incidentally, Elvis is the name given to the King Eider by the residents of Newburgh and most fitting it is too.

More than happy I proceeded to the Loch of Strathbeg to find that the Phalarope and two Cranes that had been present had both departed the previous evening. Oh well, at least I had King Eider.

The wetland reserve at the Loch of Strathbeg is an excellent place to see Pink-footed Geese, Greylag Geese, Barnacle Geese, Teal and Whooper Swans in the winter when their numbers can reach upwards of 30,000. In the Summer the meadows attract breeding wading birds, including Lapwings and Redshanks as well as Marsh Harriers. On the small islands in the Loch, Sandwich and Common Terns and a variety of wildfowl breed. Their is a superb visitor centre with panoramic views of the whole area. I was informed by a local birder that every Spring they get at least seven or eight Red-backed Shrike in the vicinity.

Thursday 15th June 2000 - Bright and sunny
After finishing my work in Aberdeen City at 4.30pm I headed back to the Ythan estuary determined to explore this superb area further. I first stopped in the same area as the previous day to pick up the King Eider again. This time the tide was out and there was no sign at all of 'Elvis'. The main highlight being a crèche of 20 to 30 small Eider chicks being shepherded by seven females. At one point my heart stopped as seven bright orange birds flew in from the mouth of the estuary, What on earth were they? I certainly hadn't seen anything like them. After a short period of study it suddenly dawned on me that they were Knot! Living where we do in the south we get so used to seeing Knot in their Winter grey plumage that anything else looks completely out of place. Leaving Newburgh I first headed further along the A975 to a crossroads where I took the left hand road down to a hide overlooking the estuary, unfortunately the sun was wrong for this hide so I headed north back up the road to the Forvie National Nature Reserve. This reserve turned out to be something very special indeed.

After visiting the visitor centre I took the small path towards the dunes. A movement caught my eye and from a post over on the left a medium sized brownish bird flew off. Getting the binoculars focused the bird turned into a male Red-Backed Shrike! A new lifer and my fifth tick. Isn't it always the way that whenever you see a wonderful thing like this there is no-one around for miles! I had no problem with the identification of the Shrike, but wouldn't it have been nice to have someone confirm that I saw it?

Forvie is the fifth largest sand dune system in Britain and the one least disturbed by people, it has the largest breeding colony of Eider Ducks in Britain and is one of the best examples of coastal heathland in Scotland. These exceptional features led to the declaration of Forvie as one of the first National Nature Reserves in Scotland in January 1959. The reserve was extended to include the Ythan estuary in July 1979, and is held under lease and agreement with a number of land owners but managed by Scottish Natural Heritage. Visit their website at http://www.snh.org.uk/ for more information.

Visitors are welcome and a number of well signed footpaths allow you to discover all the major features of interest at Forvie. Visitors have unlimited access to the dunes except between April and August when you are obliged to stay on the footpaths. This minimises the disturbance to the thousands of ground nesting birds. Overlooking the upper estuary, at the mouth of the Forvie burn, is an observation hide that is easily reached by car, and is open all year round.

The bird life is the best known feature of the reserves natural history The numbers and diversity of species are outstanding at all times of the year and the bird life can be appreciated by even the casual visitor. To date, 225 species have been recorded here, with 43 of these as regular breeding birds.

The Eider is the bird that most people associate with Forvie. The breeding population is the largest in Britain and some 5,000 birds come to the area in the summer. Some can be seen along the coast, but the majority are found in the lower estuary, where they feed on the abundant supply of mussels. They nest on the ground among heather or long grass, the female alone incubates the eggs. The young are taken to the estuary where they join up with other ducklings to form large crèches for protection. During the birds' moulting period in July, they are unable to fly and form large flocks offshore. From there a majority move down the coast to the Tay estuary where they overwinter, but usually about 1,000 birds remain on the Ythan estuary. From studies on these ducks it has been found that they can live up to 20 years or more. Disturbance from people and dogs together with predation from other birds and foxes in recent years have forced the Eiders to abandon much of their nesting ground and concentrate on a small area near the estuary. Very few chicks have fledged recently. Management is aiming to reduce these pressures on the birds.

Attracted here by the abundant fish and other food sources, four species of Tern breed on the reserve and occupy an area of embryo dunes and pebbles on south Forvie. Migrating here most springs the Sandwich Tern is the most numerous and forms a breeding colony of up to 1,500 pairs. The Little Tern, which is one of Britain's rarest breeding seabirds, is present in far fewer numbers, but the colony of up to 50 pairs is nationally important. The elegant flight and spectacular diving abilities of the Terns can easily be seen as they visit the estuary for sand eels and other small fish. The Arctic Tern travels approximately 32,000 km a year in pursuit of perpetual daylight, flying here from its wintering grounds in the Antarctic. Common Terns which are very similar to Arctic Terns, do not travel so far and spend the winter in West Africa.

The estuary, with its wealth of marine life within the mud flats and the nesting areas on its banks is a favourite haunt for birds. The Shelduck, a specialist feeder on marine snails, nests in old rabbit burrows amongst the dunes and, like the Eider, takes its chicks to the estuary within days of hatching. Curlew are common throughout the reserve, nesting on the moorland and feeding on the estuary. Their long, specialised bill allows them to probe deeper into the soft mud here to extract their prey of lug-worm and other burrowing worms. Oystercatchers prefer the shore and nest on the upper beach just out of reach of the tide. The strong chisel-like beak of these birds is superbly adapted for opening mussels and other shellfish.

As the seasons change, so do the bird populations. Some species such as the Terns travel south in the Autumn with their newly fledged young, but other species arrive in their place. The most notable winter migrants are the geese which can number 30,000 or more on and around the estuary. Pink-footed are the commonest species visiting Forvie from Iceland but occasionally others are seen. There are also large numbers of other wildfowl including, Mallard, and Teal, with smaller numbers of Goldeneye and Long-tailed Duck. Another important migratory species is the Whooper Swan which also visits the estuary from Iceland. This yellow-beaked species with its haunting call joins the large flock of resident Mute Swans. Both species of Swan feed on the estuary but the Whooper can sometimes be encountered in the surrounding fields where it eats grain and seeds left after the harvest.

In winter the estuary also supports an increased number of waders especially in the upper reaches of Inch Geck where roosts are found at high tide. Flocks of 1,000 birds or more can be seen, including Golden Plover, Dunlin and Redshank with smaller numbers of Greenshank, Knot, Ruff and Bar-tailed Godwit.

High up on the weathered cliffs other birds jostle for the best breeding sites. The Herring Gull is one of the most frequently encountered. Kittiwakes nest in some of the most precarious positions and return to them each year. Fulmars can also be seen here gliding effortlessly along the cliff-tops and Razorbills are a recent addition to this community, building their nests on the sheer cliff faces. The reserve provides a summer haven for all of these birds and the easy access along the cliff paths allows visitors to watch them safely.

Reluctantly leaving Forvie, I headed down to the coast to see if I could find a good position for sea watching. I ended up at the small village of Collieston and found a point of land with access steps that jutted out into the cliff surrounded bay. I spent a pleasant hour at this spot surrounded by hundreds of Puffins, Kittiwakes, Fulmars, Guillemots and Razorbills.

Friday 16th June 2000 - Bright, sunny and warm
My work in Aberdeen completed I had decided to head back south on the A90, picking up the A92 and visit Fowlsheugh RSPB coastal reserve. Unfortunately there had recently been a landslide in the heavy rain and the car park was closed. I was able to walk far enough down the path to see a small part of the cliffs. It was very apparent that the seabirds numbered in their thousands and far outstripped anything that I had seen in North Wales two weeks before. I was now at a loss as to where to go, but in the end the call of the Red-backed Shrike was too strong and I headed back through Aberdeen to Forvie. No sign of the Shrike again but I was lucky enough to meet the warden who confirmed that there had indeed been one hanging around the area. Dropping in quickly at Ythan, there was still no sign of the King Eider, it would appear that I had been very lucky on my first visit.

Saturday 17th June 2000 - Bright, sunny and warm
I had the whole day in which to get back to Edinburgh for my flight back to Southend on the Sunday morning. I headed south from Aberdeen on the A90 turning onto the A926 signposted to Kirriemuir. Just past here was my first port of call the RSPB reserve of Kinnordy. A very enjoyable couple of hours was spent here. The Lochs, mires and fens of the reserve are surrounded by farmland. It is one of the best places in Scotland for seeing Black-necked Grebes - except, of course, when I was there as they were breeding and being highly secretive.

Deciding to take a break from looking for the Grebes I headed a further three miles west down the B951 to the Lintrathen reservoir. This proved to be a very wise choice as not only was the reservoir and nearby town beautiful but I was rewarded with the spectacle of an Osprey catching a huge fish no more than 30 metres from me. I went back to Kinnordy for another two hours but still could not locate any Black-necked Grebes and, with a final stop at the viewpoint at Balgavies over the Lochs, headed back to Edinburgh for my flight on Sunday morning - which turned into Sunday evening due to a computer failure of the main UK air traffic control system!

Although not the best time of year for birds I felt privileged to have seen all the wonderful places that I did on this trip. It certainly has wetted my appetite for returning to Scotland in the Autumn or Spring. One thing that will remain with me for ever from this trip is the wonderful advice from a leaflet from Forvie regarding pet dogs and the Nature Reserve. The advice goes as follows:

Tykes an' Deuks Dinna Gyang the Gither
Gin ye tak yer tyke a daaner i' the Forvie bents, ye'll hae ta min' an' pit it on a bit tow else ye'll be brackin' a bye-laa o' the Naitur Reserve. I' the simmer ilka deuks nest richt bye the roadies. E'en a weel-naitured tyke can pit a' the deuks to crockaneetion an the hoodie craws and sea-maws will gaap the gorbelt aigs. I' the hinner-en leevin' is an affa trauchle fa wil' craiturs. A playfu' tyke can rin efter a flaacht o' birds an' they become fair forfochen. This stushie can mak' a the difference atween leevin' an' deein. Muckle his to bi deen tae help the annets so tak tent aa ye fouk wi' tykes an' min' on yon bit tow!

Translation from Doric to English: Tyke = dog, Gyang = go, Daaner = walk, Tow = lead or rope, Crockaneetion = havoc or destruction, Gaap = gobble, Gorbelt aigs = an egg which has a chick formed in it, Hinner-en = winter, Forfochen = exhausted, Stushie = commotion, Muckle = much, Tak tent = pay attention.

Grateful Thanks: Many thanks for the friendliness, helpful and willing advice from: Chief Warden Vane Farm RSPB reserve (especially for the Roseate Terns!) Chief Warden at Forvie NNR (For knowing about the Red-backed Shrike!) Warden at Kinnordy RSPB reserve The Scottish Wildlife Trust Andy Webb from the UK Birding ring for his invaluable email advice on finding 'Elvis' My Cousin Carol for introducing me to chicken stuffed with haggis in drambuie sauce The Trading Standards Departments of Fife and Aberdeen City

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