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Scotland Fife

Fieldfare Turdus pilaris ŠNigel Blake http://www.nigelblake.co.uk/

Fife is predominantly rural, with a small industrial belt (mostly mining) lying in central and west Fife around Lochgelly and Dunfermline. The Kingdom is bounded to the north by the Tay Estuary (stretching from Newburgh out past Tentsmuir Point) and to the south by the huge Firth of Forth. At the eastern tip of Fife lies Fife Ness and the North Sea.

North-east Fife is rich cultivated arable land, with few trees and hedgerows. The River Eden runs through Cupar and opens into a two-mile long estuary at Guardbridge, by the historic university and golf city of St Andrews. The East Neuk is the collective term for the south-east fishing villages of Crail, Anstruther, Cellardyke, Elie, Pittenween and St Monans.

Fife contains almost no natural woodland of any size, with the two biggest areas of trees being the forestry plantations at Tentsmuir and Devilla Forests. The long Fife coastline is composed of both rocky shore and sandy beaches. The Isle of May lies about 5 miles south of Crail at the entrance to the Firth of Forth.

top sites

AA Fife

has few upland areas but in the west of the Kingdom are the Cleish Hills, and more central the Lomond Hills near Falkland and Leslie. There is often a good autumn passage of skuas and terns in the Firth of Forth, best viewed in Fife from Kinghorn Harbour, North Queensferry and Inverkeithing Harbour. To the west of Dunfermline (near Culross) Torry Bay and Valleyfield Lagoons host waders and wildfowl. Map References in the list below.

AA Lochs & Reservoirs

Those worth a visit for winter wildfowl, waders and gulls include Loch Gelly; Lochore Meadows CP; Cameron Reservoir behind St Andrews; Ballo Reservoir and Holl Reservoir; Birnie and Gaddon Lochs near Collessie; Lindores Loch; Craigluscar Reservoir near Dunfermline; and the delightful Kilconquhar Loch in the East Neuk. Map references in the list below:

AA Near Tayport

are Tentsmuir Point, Morton Lochs and Kinshaldy Beach, offering extensive forest and shoreline walks. Map references below.

Ballo Reservoir

(NO225050)

Birnie and Gaddon Lochs

(NO292129)

Cameron Reservoir

(NO472112)

Cleish Hills

(NT043958)See above

Craigluscar Reservoir

(NT070906)

Fife Ness

(NO639098)Best known birding site in Fife. Rocky shore, farmland, scrub, tidal pond, and the famous Patch on Fife Ness Muir with Heligoland traps and a ringing hut. There is a Seawatching hide built by Fife Bird Club adjacent to the pillbox at the Ness. It is a great migrant spot in spring and autumn. Also visit Balcomie Farm walled garden (NO625099); Kilminning coast (NO632086) and Denburn Wood in Crail (NO614081).

Holl Reservoir

(NO226037)

Inverkeithing Harbour

(NT130822)

Isle of May

(NT650995)Bird Observatory established in 1934. Regular boat trips to island from Anstruther on pleasure cruisers in spring and summer. Birders (six) can stay on the island for a small charge. Celebrated migrant hot spot; wonderful seabird colonies.

Kilconquhar Loch

(NO488018)

Kinghorn Harbour

(NT261851)See above

Kinshaldy Beach

(NO500237)

Largo Bay

(NO420010)has a large sandy beach from the River Leven stretching past the town of Leven, through Lower Largo to the Cocklemill Burn (NO468013) and Ruddons Point (NO454005) and Shell Bay (NO459002). Thousands of winter seaduck present in the area, especially around the outfall of the Leven by Methil Power Station (NO382003). The best place in Britain to see Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata, with up to 5 birds off Ruddons Point (access via Kincraig Caravan Park) in the winter.

Lindores Loch

(NO265165)

Loch Gelly

(NT201925)

Lochore Meadows CP

(NT165955)

Lomond Hills

(NO198067)See above

Morton Lochs

(NO463265)

North Queensferry

(NT134804)

St Andrews & NE Fife

(NO478195)is a good area for winter wildfowl and passage waders. There is a public hide on the Eden Estuary LNR (NO478195) at the Guardbridge Nature Centre (NO452192); which offers panoramic views over the mudflats and Leuchars RAF base. Other hides are at Edenside (NO457192) and Balgove Bay (NO485185); but keys are needed for these. Also visit Outhead (NO494197) at the end of the West Sands in St Andrews, to view the estuary mouth.

Tentsmuir Point

(NO505280)

Torry Bay

(NT020855)

Valleyfield Lagoons

(NT005855)

contributor

Dr Rob Lambert
(St Andrews, Fife)
ral2@st-andrews.ac.uk

county recorder

Isle of May Bird Observatory - Iain English
21 Grant Court, Avon Grove, Hamilton, S Lanarks ML3 7UT
I.english@talk21.com

Rab Shand
33 Liddle Drive, Bo'ness, West Lothian EH51 0PA
01506 825101
rabshand@blueyonder.co.uk

numbers

Number of bird species:307

useful reading

A Checklist of the Birds of Mainland Fife

Fife Bird Club, (3rd edn, 1999) ?2 from Fife Recorder.

Annual Fife Bird Report

Produced by Fife Bird Club, edited by DS Fotheringham. Annual Isle of May Bird Observatory Report from Isle of May Recorder.

The Fife Bird Atlas

by Norman Elkins, Jim Reid, Allan Brown, Derek Robertson, Anne-Marie Smout et al.
ISBN: 0953932427
Buy this book from NHBS.com

Where to Watch Birds in Scotland

Mike Madders and Julia Welstead, (Christopher Helm, London, 3rd edn 1997) see Chapter on Fife, pp. 61-77. ?12.99
ISBN: 0713644877
Buy this book from NHBS.com

useful information

Isle of May Records

Ian Darling, 579 Lanark Road West, Edinburgh, EH14 7BL

clubs

Fife Bird Club

http://uk.geocities.com/fifebirdclub/home.htm
For membership queries contact us at: WMcbay@aol.com - (Established in 1985) Monthly meetings in Dean Park Hotel, Kirkcaldy; produces Fife Bird Report; members can obtain keys to a number of club hides around Fife; regular field trips; runs a telephone grapevine service reporting on regional rarities and scarce migrants; produces a seasonal newsletter Scope. Willie McBay, 41 Shamrock Street, Dunfermline, Fife, KY12 0JQ 01383 723464

Lothians & Fife Swan Study Group

http://www.btinternet.com/~allan.w.brown/swanspage/Index.htm
Concerns were expressed by ornithologists in the Lothians in 1976 regarding an apparent decline in the number of Mute Swans in the area and the population was surveyed in 1977. Annual censuses have been carried out since 1978 and in 1981 the scope of the study was broadened in order to investigate the number of cygnets hatched and their survival to fledging. Colour ringing commenced in 1982 and in 1990 the study area was extended to include Fife. A considerable increase has occurred in the size of the population during the study period...

Scottish Wildlife Trust - Fife & Kinross Branch

http://www.swt-fife.org.uk/
Welcome to this web site which is about the wildlife and the activities of Scottish Wildlife Trust members in the East Coast counties of Fife and Kinross...

Scottish Ornithologists Club - Fife Branch

http://www.the-soc.zenwebhosting.com/fife-branch.htm
(National SOC founded in 1936) Monthly meetings in St Andrews Town Hall; regular outings and a long-weekend excursion; local branch monthly newsletter; runs annual Corn Bunting survey in NE Fife. Branch Secretary: Donald R Stewart, 18 Newmill Gardens, St Andrews, Fife KY16 8RY 01334 475763

reserves

RSPB Reserve - Vane Farm

http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/v/vanefarm/index.asp
Although now in Perth and Kinross, Vane Farm RSPB Reserve on the shores of Loch Leven, sits on the border with Fife and is popular with local birders. It has an excellent tearoom, RSPB shop and bookstore, and a board with recent bird sightings from the entire East of Scotland.

Scottish Wildlife Trust Reserve - Fife Ness Muir

http://www.swt-fife.org.uk/reserve2.htm
Approaching 150 species of birds have been seen from the reserve including 17 species of warbler. During spring and autumn recording is carried out on a daily basis and the reserve is now a ringing station with permanent traps similar to those on the Isle of May...

Scottish Wildlife Trust Reserves

http://www.swt-fife.org.uk/listreserves.htm
Annotated list...

trip reports

Travelling Birder
http://www.travellingbirder.com
The Travellingbirder.com birding trip report search engine guides you to 7,000+ birding trip reports on the Internet. You can search for trip reports from a specific country and time of year. Not all these reports are in English. So, if you cant find the trip report you want on this Fatbirder page give them a try!

tour operators

Birding Pal

http://www.birdingpal.org/Unitedkingdom.htm
Local birders willing to show visiting birders around their area...

places to stay

A Stay in Fife

http://www.astayinfife.co.uk
The Bed and Breakfast Network In Fife, Scotland...

Braemore B&B

http://www.braemore.net/
Newport is well placed for the tourist routes to the Highlands or the North East after you enjoy the delights of St.Andrews and the East Neuk of Fife.

Edenside House

http://www.smoothhound.co.uk/hotels/edenside.html
Edenside House is superbly situated in the country on the shore of the Eden Estuary, SSSI and local nature reserve. The estuary at this point is a bird sanctuary which supports one of the highest densities of birdlife in Britain. Edenside, St Andrews, Scotland KY16 9SQ

Fife & Lothian Bed and Breakfast Association

http://www.rosythferry.com
Find the right place to stay in Central Scotland - Quality Inspected B&Bs...

The Paddock

http://www.thepadd.co.uk/
The Paddock is situated in the small village of Strathkinness, 3 miles west of St.Andrews. The house is a modern residence with outstanding country views positioned in a secluded spot set back from the road...

The Smugglers Inn - Anstruther

http://www.foxinns.com/index.cfm?id=2
This charming 17th Century Inn nestled on the old harbour of Anstruther provides a cosy and ideal location where bird watchers can enjoy comfortable accommodation, friendly service and fresh seafood. Smugglers is situated just five minutes from the harbour where guests can make the boat journey http://www.isleofmayferry.com to the Isle of May nature reserve with soaring vertical cliffs and home to some spectacular seabird colonies with over 200 different species of birds recorded including puffins, kittiwakes, razorbills, guillemots, shags as well as a colony of Atlantic Grey Seal. The Smugglers Inn is offering Fat Birder website visitors a special discount from October to March of Ł25 per person per night bed & breakfast, subject to availability.

Birnie/Gaddon Loch

http://www.surfbirds.com/blogs/scotia54/
Intermittant BLOG from Fife

Forth Estuary Forum

http://www.forthestuaryforum.co.uk
A list of Forth Estuary Forum participants, including the basic website of the North East Fife Ranger Service. A list of environmental bodies & charities & organisations with an interest in the wider Forth catchment area, as well as the Firth of Forth.

artists

Photographer - Howard Grubb

http://www.howardgrubb.co.uk/photos/birds.html
Photograph of some of the seabirds.

Photographer - Steve Mackins

http://www.mackins.co.uk/birds.html
We have 100`s of images of birds including owls, kestrels, swans, ducks, blue tits, seagulls and arctic terns etc...

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