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The FBC Fife Ness Seawatching Hide
The Club achieved its long-standing ambition of providing a seawatching hide at Foreland Head, Fife Ness in the latter part of 1997. This was due in large part to the co-operation and support of Crail Golfing Society, and the Club is indebted to them for allowing us to build the Hide. The concrete foundations of the Hide were constructed in October and the wooden superstructure built in early November. A good omen was the sighting of a Balearic Shearwater by observers sitting on the concrete base a week after it had been made! The Hide was officially opened on 22nd August 1998 by Stuart Housden, Scottish Director of the RSPB. Jutting out into the North Sea as it does, Fife Ness is an obvious seawatching site and had already logged an excellent range of species including many of the rarer seabirds which frequent Scottish waters such as Cory's, Great and Balearic Shearwaters, Sabine's Gull and even Black-browed Albatross. The provision of the Hide and the shelter it affords from the elements has lead to greater observer coverage than ever before, and has lead to more regular recording of Cory's and Balearic Shearwaters and daytime records of storm-petrels. In addition, Little Auk, Sooty Shearwater, four species of skuas and Black Tern are recorded annually. A White-winged Black Tern on 26th August 1998 was the first BBRC species to be logged from the Hide, while other notable sightings include Surf Scoter, Great Shearwater, Leach's Petrel, Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, White-tailed Eagle, Osprey, Hobby and several Sabine's Gulls.
Hide Entry: A Fife Bird Club Hide Key is required for access, (note: the same key also opens the Fife Ness and Edenside hides). A Hide Key can be purchased from the Club Membership Secretary for a one off payment of £5.00.
FIFE NESS HIDE LIST OF SPECIES - as at July 2007
145 species (July 2007)plus phalarope sp. (R-n ?) 05/10/1998
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