Joined the current goose fest seeing just one of the Tundras Bean currently at Luffness Mill House en route to grey goose survey circuit on Sunday. Same plus friends further east at West Fortune Tuesday morning, including two Barnacles, one above, and a very pale leucistic Pinkfoot. Missed the two European Whitefronts found later by Jim at the Luffness Mill House field.
Actually 4 tundras seen but only three together, in foreground above separate from main flock; note the distinctive appearance of mantle on sleeping bird immediately above (left, orange legs), much browner than Pinks, moreover tertials with more distinct pale fringes.Also on Sunday another Bean Goose briefly in the stubble by East Fortune pond, then cereal east towards Waughton. Presumably also a tundra but view too brief to nail it, just possibly the returning taiga from last winter. 485 Greylag there were only ones found for the survey (also f Merlin like a small rocket over stubble at East Fenton). Looked for this Bean again in quick circuit round early Tuesday but no Pinks in area, though 340 reported early afternoon by Mark, including a pale-bellied Brent - pretty rare inland here and completing set of 6 species of geese East Fortune to West Fortune on Tuesday morning! All part of a remarkable east coast goose influx, with single flocks of 90+ Tundra Beans and 120+ (now 140+!) Whitefronts up in NE Scotland - if lucky we may get a few more later in the winter?
Saturday vismig off Ferny Ness gave great flyby views of GND, 4 ad Whoopers and a juv f Peregrine, full counts. Even better was an SEO past the previous morning, way offshore when picked up but black wing tips confirming species - tracked it NW towards Inchkeith, then veering slightly N towards Kinghorn - presumably an incoming migrant heading W?
No comments:
Post a Comment