CAITHNESS ST JOHN’S POOL
Seabirds and wildfowl at a well-placed site
St John’s Pool is a work of art, made by the present owner. Tucked next to St John’s Loch, it is a magnet for many birds, having a good edge effect most of the year by controlling the water levels. Of course the owner is a birder, and shows what can be done to improve habitats.
WHERE TO WATCH
1
Start by the A836, with a scan over St John’s Loch. This water often has a large number of diving ducks, with counts of Tufted Duck being as high as 800-plus, and good numbers of Goldeneye in winter. Check for both Ring-necked Duck and Lesser Scaup. Geese use the fields around the loch for feeding, so check the Greylags, as both
Taiga Bean Geese and Whitefronts have been found. Look out for Whooper Swans as well.
2
Leave the main road and scan the roadside fields for breeding waders such as Lapwing, Redshank and Oystercatcher, and passage birds such as Black-tailed Godwit. Listen for Sedge Warbler in the willows, with even Marsh Warbler having turned up in the past.
3
The rough ground here is ideal for Short-eared and Barn Owls hunting, along with Kestrel. Drive/ walk down the lane towards the pool, listening for the songs/calls of warblers and buntings.
4 The pool has a mixture of hides, and is fenced off for both Fox and Otter, to protect the breeding birds. This fence allows a colony of Sandwich Terns to nest here, with Arctic Terns and even Common Terns joining them. About 600 pairs of Black-headed Gulls protect the terns from avian predators. Look out for Little Gull or even a Black Tern. Check the Wigeon for an American Wigeon, and keep an eye open for Red-necked Phalarope.
5
Not only are there bird hides, but also photography hides sunk into the ground – these have to be pre-booked. The experience is amazing when you look a Gadwall or a Garganey straight in the eye! The pool is also famous for rare birds turning up, anything from Pectoral Sandpiper to Two-barred Crossbill. Even Yellow-browed and Barred Warblers have made it this far from the east coast.