FIRTH OF FORTH

Internationally important: Slavonian Grebe, Pink-footed Goose, Shelduck, Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, Redshank Nationally important: Red-throated Diver, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Whooper Swan, Greylag Goose, Teal, Scaup, Eider, Long-tailed Duck, Common Scoter, Velvet Scoter, Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Golden Plover, Sanderling, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Turnstone

Site description more abundantly at Aberlady Bay. A flock of The Forth is the largest estuary on the east Greylag Geese were at Torry Bay in January. coast of Scotland, extending seawards from The Shelduck peak occurred in November, Alloa out to Fife Ness and Dunbar. Edinburgh with birds widespread including Tyninghame, represents the largest city on the Forth, with Aberlady Bay, Inverkeithing Harbour, Dalgety other towns such as Alloa, Grangemouth and Bay and Grangemouth, where the largest flock Kirkcaldy also present. The inner estuary has was seen in November, perhaps including extensive intertidal mudflats with saltmarsh some birds finishing their moult. between Alloa and Grangemouth. The inner Wigeon numbers fluctuated over the winter estuary banks are heavily urbanised and there with a peak in November. Concentrations were has been severe industrial pollution in the past. widespread with Tyne Mouth (near The outer estuary eastwards of the Forth Tyninghame), Auldhane, Gosford and Bridge widens into a series of exposed bays. Aberlady Bays, Torry Bay, Grangemouth and Here the intertidal flats are predominantly Alloa supporting the largest flocks. Teal sandy and the shoreline varied, with rocky favoured upstream areas, especially Ironmill outcrops, sand-and-shingle flats, and mussel Bay, Grangemouth, and east of the Kincardine beds. Further eastwards are Aberlady and Bridge up to Alloa. Mallard were widespread, Gullane Bays, an extensive area of mudflat, with the largest flock of 285 birds at Scoughall saltmarsh and sand dune. Much of the estuary Rocks near Tyninghame. Numbers of Eider is designated as a Ramsar site and SPA. increased as the winter progressed, peaking at Aberlady Bay is a Local Nature Reserve, and 3,611 in February. Birds were fairly evenly the RSPB own two further reserves. Almost all distributed along both coasts in the outer types of possible human-related activities and estuary (Figure 61). Long-tailed Ducks were disturbance occur, including onshore and limited to two areas, Largo Bay and offshore leisure, heavy industry, an offshore Musselburgh. Common Scoter were low in oil terminal and an oilrig repair site. Shooting, numbers but widespread, with most at Largo bait collecting and shell fishing are also and Gullane Bays and off Methil. Velvet disturbance factors. Scoter numbers increased over the winter to 418 in February, and showed a preference for Bird distribution Musselburgh and Largo Bay, being joined by All eight common diver and grebe species two Surf Scoters in February at the latter site. were recorded. Most Great Crested Grebes Goldeneye and Red-breasted Merganser were were in Largo Bay and off Musselburgh, with generally dispersed along both coastlines, Largo Bay also the favoured area for Red- upriver as far as Alloa, although the largest necked, Black-necked and Slavonian Grebes. concentrations occurred at Musselburgh and Cormorants were widely distributed over the Largo Bay respectively. Small numbers of firth, the only area without any sightings being Goosander were found, with most noted the southern shore between Grangemouth and around Leith. Pintail, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, the Forth bridges. Shags were present in Scaup, Ruddy Duck and Moorhen were also similar numbers to Cormorant, but were noted. concentrated mainly at Auldhane and on Drum Oystercatchers were widespread, Sands. Grey Herons were thinly distributed particularly east of the bridges, the greatest throughout the firth with the most on the inner concentrations at Tyne Mouth, Aberlady Bay, estuary. Mute Swans gathered at Musselburgh Musselburgh and on Drum Sands. Ringed and at Cramond on the southern shore, whilst Plovers were widespread on the southern Whooper Swans were at Hedderwick Sands shore, although Largo Bay held the highest throughout. Pink-footed Geese were recorded density of birds. Golden Plover numbers in two areas, a small flock at Grangemouth and peaked in November but dropped to just 229 in

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February, most birds on the flats near south shore bays. Black-tailed Godwits have Grangemouth, and in Aberlady and Gosford increased since the 1992/93 Low Tide Count Bays. Grey Plover numbers remained fairly with most around Grangemouth. Bar-tailed constant, most birds occurring at Leith and Godwit (Figure 61) and Curlew had similar Largo Bay. Lapwing numbers were the highest distribution patterns, with the greatest densities for three winters, although far below the Low occurring at Tynemouth, Aberlady Bay, Tide Count in 1992/93. However, the favoured Gosford Bay, Musselburgh, Drum Sands and areas remained the same as previously. Knot Grangemouth. Redshank numbers remained were distributed around much of the estuary, fairly constant throughout, with over 3,000 favouring areas where mudflats were counted in each month and an almost extensive, such as at Kinneil. Since 1992/93 uninterrupted distribution around the whole the peak low tide Sanderling count has more coastline. Turnstone showed a fairly even than doubled, most found at Kircaldy and distribution along both shores east of the Largo Bay. Purple Sandpipers were mainly on bridges. Ruff, Jack Snipe, Snipe and the outer sectors of the estuary. Dunlin Greenshank were also recorded. increased over the winter, mostly found in the

Figure 61. WeBS Low Tide Count distributions of Eider and Bar-tailed Godwit at the Firth of Forth, winter 2003/04 (Au=Auldhane, DB=Dalgety Bay, DS=Drum Sands, Ea=Earlsferry, Ed=Edinburgh, GB= Gullane Bay, IB=Ironmill Bay, Ki=Kirkcaldy, Me=Methil, Mus=Musselburgh, NB= North Berwick).

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