Today's outing was a trip north of the border into Scotland, and to St Abb's Head. This is a Scottish National Trust reserve, looking after dramatic sea cliffs, that fall sheer to the sea. Now a seabird cliff out of season, whilst beautiful in landscape form doesn't hold much ornithological interest. Where three months ago the area would hold tens of thousands of birds, by early September they had gone and now held only the odd FULMAR, JACKDAW and PIGEON. As is obvious this wasn't a trip to see birds, rather a reconnaissance to get a view of someplace I've never been to before.
The trail whilst being spectacular, is only for the fit. It rises from a low point to travel high into the cliffs along a mule track. Its also good to get there early, as I was returning around eleven in the morning, there were hordes of people starting their hike up. As with a lot of our most beautiful and dramatic places in this country, everyone wants a piece of it. And whose to stop them? Can you deny people access to our most beautiful places?
People come to see the landscape, and the view of St Abb's village from a neighbouring cliff is monumental. The area of cliffs where the seabirds nested is stained white with the guano of the bird's droppings. Just back from the cliffs the land is tightly grazed by sheep, as so much National Trust land is, a landscape poor for wildlife. We often view this kind of landscape as natural, but its as manmade as any in this country. On this cliff top land, the only migrants I was able to get were three WHEATEAR, a bird I was assuming to be common here, but surprisingly wasn't. I have had difficulty finding this bird this Autumn, so I'm hoping it is just me and not news that another bird is in difficulty.
The walk takes a lasso shape and stretches behind the cliffs, moving inland. There was this long thin piece of water called Mire Loch, which held small numbers of TUFTED DUCK and COOT, as well as a family party of SWANS. By this loch was a family party of STONECHAT in the gorse. After that the path went all the way back to the car park.
Mire Loch
Today was just a morning's grasp of birdwatching, but enough to broaden my horizons. I now know what to expect if I ever do get a chance to visit again, maybe sometime in the summer's long days. Then I can look for what you want from sea bird cliffs - sea birds. I live in hope. As always stay connected with me and I can share my bird watching tales with you.
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