Finders-in-the-Field: Siberian Thrush, Kilminning, Fife Oct 2020
“These days you have to be a man of many islands and many headlands “. My old friend , Andy Carroll, and I were discussing the autumn much of which still lay in front of us. I was not going to Shetland, too many complications, a pre – arranged trip to Tiree had gone well but it was time to ' settle in ' to an autumn on my local patch , Fife Ness, knowing, only too well, that this could end in disappointment.
On the 29th of September Angus Duncan and Willie Irvine found a Common Rosefinch at Lower Kilminning, Fife Ness. I awoke early the next morning and decided to make the five mile journey from Anstruther to look for it. The weather was dreadful so I parked at the ' Eastern Oli ' elderberry bushes and waited in the car. The Rosefinch did not show early. Around mid-morning I saw a small thrush in the middle of one of the bushes. It had its back to me but I could see one wing. The wing pattern was wrong for Redwing and it wasn't a Song Thrush. I would sit and wait. The Rosefinch duly appeared, although difficult at first it became easier. I put it on the local grapevine. The day progressed, there was a turnover of observers, all in their cars and I enjoyed the challenge of getting folk on to the Rosefinch. During a quiet period I googled; images 1st w female Siberian Thrush........mmmmm!
I know Siberian Thrush; ground loving, secretive and difficult, however birds, like us, are creatures of habit! I would ' stick it out '. Around 13.00 I realised that time, which had been a luxury a few hours before, was becoming my enemy! There was one other car present when around 15.30 the thrush was suddenly there again - deep in the bush and ' back on '....of course! However, I saw the face pattern briefly when it turned its head, a flash of the underwing and then as it dipped forward to feed, the undertail coverts!
For rare bird finders knowing when to call a rare and poorly seen bird is an art which is sometimes impossible to get right. Go too early and it could go badly wrong , go too late and you will be accused of suppression. However, as Sherlock Holmes once said ' once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains no matter how improbable must be the truth ' and yes, this one was improbable! From previous birds I know how long it takes to get to Kilminning from Dunfermline, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aryshire. I knew I needed one complete view but I also knew there wasn't time. I had to let it out right now. I informed the folks in the other car, went into the Fife Bird news Whatsapp group page on my phone and, ever aware of getting the formatting right, typed in ' 30/9/20 Lower Kilminning SIBERIAN THRUSH 1st y female Ken Shaw '.
In years gone by I have run long distances across various islands to get the news of rare thrushes out, now all I had to do was press the button.....this was not the autumn of 69! I imagined Fife birders out walking the dog or searching for exotic vegetarian food in the supermarket, looking at their phones and reading this rather unlikely message. I also knew that, in minutes, birders working the Cornish Valleys would get the message, think ' wow ' and continue their search
The locals arrived quickly but sadly the bird was not seen again that day. I have trained myself to deal with situations like this, however, I was relieved the next day as the sightings of the bird got better and better. Then around 10.00 my old pal John Nadin sent me an image by Peter Stronach! I am a hopeless photographer so my admiration for guys like Peter is boundless. I was ' lying low ' in the flat but mid-afternoon we returned to Kilminning to meet another old mate, Steve Howatt, who was up for a week in Fife. Then Harry Bell, a Fife stalwart, found a couple of Hawfinches....happy days. Views of the thrush were brief, but most folks were happy.
It was October 1st, there was six weeks of the autumn to go, I was aware of the favourable weather coming, my pals were finding big birds on various islands, the Scottish rarity finding scene was rocking and for the first time in many autumns I was in ' bonus time '.
Ken Shaw
5 October 2020
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