East Coast Mystery, Oct 2023
For our first East Coast Mystery trip on Saturday 14 October, 14 people travelled by minibus to Torness Power station near Dunbar. It might sound weird but the weather was actually too good for the time of year as the wind was from the west and the sun was splitting the sky.
As we walked down towards Thorton Loch Caravan site, we saw skylark, grey partridge, goldfinch and dunnock on the bank, with some curlew and a pink footed goose in the field. Once at edge of the caravan park, patience rewarded us with a female black cap, a flash of a goldcrest, plus mixed tits and lots of red admiral butterflies and flying insects at a large ivy bush.
We then moved down to the beach and the tide was just right for us giving us oystercatcher, redshank, dunlin, ringed plover, one bar tailed godwit, and purple sandpiper. Behind us and further long the beach were tree sparrows, with wheatear, rock and meadow pipits along the strandline. Out to sea beyomg the surf were gannets, red throated diver, red breasted merganser and eider. Walking along the seawall we had painted lady and wall brown butterflies, plus another close view of purple sandpiper.
We found the resident peregrine right in the corner of the power station building with a second one seen later as we headed back to the minibus.
Driving the short distance to Barns Ness passing White Sands Loch we got, albeit distant, goldeneye, moorhen, coot and some linnet. Three species of geese, greylag, Canada and pink footed.
Further along, at Barns Ness we had a kestrel, and a brilliant merlin and then a little egret was spotted flying past the lighthouse.
In total 64 species of bird were seen with good numbers of butterflies also seen.
Day 2 of East Coast Mystery saw 15 people head to Fife Ness and Kilminning. Again the weather was not ideal for Autumn migration but thats the joy of planning trips 5 months in advance.
First bird of note was a pair of stonechat giving great views perched on bushes just beyond the golf course. In the tidal pool behind were redshank, curlew and a lovely close greenshank with shags, cormorants and gannets out to sea.
The Fife Ness Muir wildlife reserve was a bit disappointing with much of the habitat having been cut back/thinned out and a few of the big pine trees blown down. Nevertheless goldcrest, coal and blue tits, robin and wren were seen. There were however lots of insects and butterflies sheltering from the breeze, plus one member had a short view of a bank vole on the path near the ringing hut.
Fom there we headed to the hide beside the lighthouse for lunch and had brilliant views of turnstones and redshanks as well as a pod of bottlenose dolphins, which were very active and leaping out of the water. A purple sandpiper was not noticed by the group until a photographer in the party processed a photo later that night and spotted it amongst the turnstones.
purple sandpiper image courtsey of and copyright Joe Timmins
After lunch we walked along the coast path along the side of the golf course and had excellent views of a grey plover, plus dunlin with herring and black headed gulls.
A short drive to Kilminning, (as far as the height barrier would allow at least) then a short walk to the wooded area at the end of the wooded/scrub area gave a few greenfinch feeding on the dog rose hips. also there we had the first redwing of the season, a mistle thrush and surprisingly a great spotted woodpecker. A buzzard kept us company for a while.
In total 55 species of bird seen, and as with the previous day a few butterflies and of course the pod of dolphins.
