As another month gets underway the weather pattern remains the same, with more wet spells and erratic river levels.Although it has been a cooler, wet summer the swallows have faired well, with some nests round the bothies on their third brood.
The sand martins on the estuary also got their young off, and there are plenty young heron to be seen fishing at the water’s edge. Lapwing numbers are well up this year and there have been two sightings of the recently released sea eagles on the estuary.
On Saturday the 18th the community ownership of land at Newburgh waterfront was celebrated with the burning of a boat, the fiery ceremony marking the recent purchase of the land under the Land Reform Act community right-to-buy provision. The boat was set alight by Roger Taylor, who won a draw for the honour.
The boat-burning coincided with the annual salmon boat race which has been held at Newburgh since 1880. The winners of the race this year were locals Barry Roper and Tom Johnson.
Despite the wet summer there are a lot of crab apple, rosehip, elderberry and hawthorn on the banks for the wildlife to enjoy into the colder weather. It is good to see some of these areas a few years after they were planted, knowing they will provide feeding and shelter.
Now that the early wild flowers have seeded, the old net green got cut back and will be kept short over the wintertime for the benefit of the migratory birds coming into the estuary. 
Again the same applied with more cutting to some areas of marsh.
Work began digging out a shallow pond on the marsh to help increase the bio-diversity .
Archivist`s in Scotland for an international conference enjoyed a trip on the estuary arranged by Dr. Mary Young of Dundee University.
Tay Salmon Fisheries assisted Macmillan House with setting up a safety boat at their charity fund- raising zip slide across the river Tay from Tayside Nursing Home to the North Inch. This was supplied by Fife Powerboat Training Centre and manned by chief instructor Darryl Mayer, a good day by all accounts.
The bigger tides at the end of the month saw trade pick up at Perth harbour with timber and grain amongst the main cargos.
Better weather was to be had as the month ended and the water level was more like summer should be, more seal activity also indicating that the salmon and grilse are passing through in good numbers.
Dago.
