I spent last weekend (9-11 Oct 09) in Scotland and opted to spend the Friday ‘birding’ around the capital. I starting off at the RSPB’s Vane Farm reserve at dawn where I hoped to witness the spectacle of thousands of Pink-footed Goose leave the safety of Loch Leven to feed in the surrounding countryside. I wasn’t disappointed although many of the skeins that flew off in no particular direction throughout the forenoon were distant.
Pink-footed Geese, Vane Farm RSPB - Friday 9 Oct 09
Another species I was hoping to connect with at the reserve was Whooper Swan and as the sun rose it was clear that there were a number of birds amongst the Mute Swans towards the eastern end of the Loch. Later in the morning from a lay-by nearer to the birds I counted a minimum of 84 birds that included several juveniles.
Other interest on the reserve included three Greenshank and a single Black-tailed Godwit on the loch shore from Gillman Hide. Although I had got up early to arrive at first light on hindsight I could have waited until the reserve opened at 1000. At 1030 from the comfort of the first floor, indoor observation room at the visitor centre I observed all the ‘birding’ interest that included hundreds of Pink-footed Goose on an island and a thousand strong skein of ‘Pink-foots’ in the distance.
Footbridge East of Aberlady by the car park - Friday 9 Oct 09
My second port of call was Aberlady Bay to ‘twitch’ the Lesser Yellowlegs and Snow Goose. From the car park [NT472805] I spotted thousands of Pink-footed Goose on the Kilspindie mud flats. However, I was initially unable to spot the ‘white’ Snow Goose although I did pick out 42 Barnacle Goose. In contrast, the Lesser Yellowlegs was much more conspicuous. I found the bird in its regularly reported spot immediately East of the wooden footbridge feeding along the river (Peffer Burn).
Lesser Yellowlegs, Aberlady - Friday 9 Oct 09
After I had ticked off the wader I returned my attention to the flock of geese and after several false alarms due to Shelduck walking through the flock I finally spotted the white-morph Snow Goose at 1325 on the far side of the flock.
'White-morph' Snow Goose amongst Pink-footed Geese and four Barnacal Goose, Aberlady Bay - 9 Oct 09
Other interest included a single Bar-tailed Godwit by the footbridge and a minimum of 165 Shelduck on the mud flats.
Bar-tailed Godwit, Aberlady - Friday 9 Oct 09
The most impressive sight of the day though occurred just before I began the journey back to Glasgow. After I had taken a record photograph of the Snow Goose from the western side of the bay the entire flock of geese took to the air. It was a memorable sight (and sound) and was far more impressive than anything I had seen earlier in the day at Vane Farm.
Kilspindie mud flat, Aberlady Bay - Friday 9 Oct 09
Good birding,
Tony T BSc (Hons) Geosci (Open)
