Week 9

26 February – 4 March 2025

During my big year, I will update my blog most weeks. This is the ninth week's recap. As we enter March, the first signs of spring are starting to appear: Crocuses are flowering, woodpeckers and drumming and songbirds and singing. The number next to the day indicates my year list at the end of that day. Birds written in italics indicate year ticks.

March 1 - Day 60: 126

Today, we planned to meet my friend Felix, who I had met at the MGSYB competition in September 2024. We decided to meet at Loch Leven, since I was missing some birds from there. We went to karate, only to discover that it had been cancelled today, so we had more time to get to Loch Leven. After two hours' drive, we arrived in Kinross, where we got some pastries from the local Sainsbury's. We drove the final few minutes to the RSPB visitor centre, where we had some drinks at the café. As I was scanning from the window, I noted a Lesser black-backed gull on the loch, a year tick. I also spotted a couple of majestic Great Crested Grebes, although in their winter plumage. Before long, Felix and his dad arrived, and we stared walking towards the first hide. At the hide, we saw 3 Great white egrets and many Tufted Ducks, Goldeneye, Mallards and a few Gadwalls, too. At the second hide, we saw much the same species, as well as some Teal and a large herd of cows sitting in front of us. We walked back towards the visitor centre and towards the River Leven. On the way, we got confused when a Chaffinch started making weird calls. Eventually we headed back to the visitor centre to go to Leven in Fife, since lots of rarities had been seen there the day before.

Upon arriving at Leven, we walked along the Promenade towards Leven Stakepark. Along the way we scanned the Firth of Forth, seeing many Long-tailed ducks, Red-breasted Mergansers and Eiders. It didn't take long before Felix spotted a flock of Velvet Scoters. A lifer as well as a year tick! We walked to the stake park where we kept scanning, finding some Razorbills and more Long-tailed Ducks. While we were birding, my sisters were playing table tennis nearby, so Felix and I had to give it a go. It would be fair to say that Felix won, because I got distracted by some Pied Wagtails flying overhead! We walked back south in case the previously reported White-winged and Surf scoters had moved down the river forth. As we approached where our cars were parked, a HUGE flock of Velvet and Common Scoters flew north past us. We estimated at least 1000 birds in total. Despite our best efforts, desperately scanning for the Surf and White-winged scoters, we did not succeed. We said goodbye to Felix and his dad, but we will be seeing each other again in Inverness in 2 weeks at the Scottish Birdwatcher's Conference.

March 2 - Day 61: 128

This morning, news came out of a drake Lesser and Greater Scaup at Loch of Skene, so our plans were already set. My dad and I arrived after breakfast, at about 10am. We met Mark Sullivan and his wife and had a nice chat. As I scanned, I found a tufted duck-like bird with a pale back. It turned out to be the Greater Scaup; a lifer! Soon, another local birder, Craig, arrived. Mark decided to show us the way to the Temple, on the south side of the lake. Craig had to head back since he had forgotten his boots, so my dad and I headed out alone. We got to the Temple hearing Great spotted woodpeckers drumming, a sign of spring. As we scanned the lake, we found a flock of Tufted ducks, with them a bird with a pale back. We eventually decided that, along with the smaller size, it was indeed the Lesser Scaup; my third lifer for the weekend and second for the day! We drove over to the west side with Craig in our wake. Together, we walked along the west side, only to discover that some boaters had flushed all the ducks. We gave it our last try at the east side car park, where we started. Upon arriving, we got a message on ABZ rare birds that the bird was back at the Temple. We looked in that direction and got the Lesser Scaup, although it went out of sight before we could get a photo.

Day 60: https://ebird.org/tripreport/337107

Day 61: https://ebird.org/checklist/S216221471