Late, late autumn

Another quiet morning this morning with not even much on the river. A Linnet and a couple of Greenfinch were all the birds that stood out as even possible migrants.

Diminishing returns

Not much new happening round Divit way these days. Goldeneye up to 3 and RB Merganser up to 29 this morning, but not much else of note and only a few finches which may or may not have been moving.

Dropped into a half frozen Merlin Drive where there were some Wigeon. I think that's a first, but I'll see when I put in the records later (it was).

Goldeneye takes Cullaloe to 89!

A couple of Goldeneye were in at Inverkeithing this morning. not the first of the post-breeding, although only one previous. Worth a scan at Cullaloe just in case and yes! Cullaloe gets its 89th species with one duck feeding in the NW corner. Slightly frozen edges also forced a lot of duck into the open so there were reasonable numbers around of Teal, Wigeon and Mallard too.

Seems Cullaloe just might make that 90 after all.

Divit dearth

Winter is here. -2 scraping the ice off the car while Fieldfares went south overhead (only 14 in this group).

Down to the Divit and a smattering of movers. Lasted half an hour before hot coffee and something to eat called.

Weekend 16-17 Nov (and Monday 18th)

Uneventful weekend bird-wise. Did Netherbeath Road Winter Thrush survey and found a handful of Fieldfare and Redwing. Added Redwing to NT1389 with two flyovers - hanging about rather than migrating.

Cullaloe birding was equally unspectacular with a remarkably empty pond apparently. Maybe lots of duck are hiding in the marshes at the far side, but I have my doubts given the quietness. Still Jays rummaging about in the woodland areas. Found a nice patch of liverwort (Lophocolea bidentata) on an Oak tree that require better photos to be taken.

A visit to the Divit this morning produced a few varied migrant finches (e.g. Siskin 11, Linnet 7) and on the river 8 GG,  and 16 Teal. The sun is rising ever more round the dial, and now rises over Edinburgh. Another month of the darkening to go before we turn the corner! When the wind's quiet and the water's still it makes for exquisite reflections

Weekend 10-11 Nov

Made out for Inverkeithing after de-icing the car in search of Woodpigeon movement. Saw only 2 during an hour, but I did find a nice Kingfisher on the rocks

Black and White Mushroom show

Managed to get one of the outstanding species of the season (as in awaited, not exceptional) this morning - Rock Pipit. Leaves only Waxwing as "expected" in terms of vismig.

My favourite thing of the morning was finding Snowy Waxcaps in a couple of places while shuffling around beneath empty skies. Coupled with the already-present Blackening Waxcap it made a nice black and white show:

Blackening Waxcap

Snowy Waxcap