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| Magpie |
I am finding it harder and harder to actually get motivated to do any birding, which might be relatively apparent in my recent blog-posts. I didn't even want to get out of my bed on Saturday morning and it was almost lunchtime by the time I eventually did get out of my bed. I didn't want to stay at home all day so I knew I had to get out somewhere. I had little enthusiasm and little energy, but I decided I would try Trottick again in search of Jack Snipe. Given that it was already half-way through the day, I knew my chances were minimal at best, but getting out into daylight and fresh air were my main priorities for the day.
It was just after 1250 when I headed out. Herring Gull, Carrion Crow, Feral Pigeon, Blue Tit, House Sparrow and Magpie were noted as I trudged up Arklay Street on my way to Caird Park. The football pitches off Graham Street held some Jackdaws, and a single of both Black Headed Gull and Common Gull. A Buzzard was circling high above the 18-hole golf course at Caird Park, while lower down amongst the trees and bushes Goldcrest, Siskin and Wren were noted. At the ponds there were a few Mallards about as well as the 'tame' Grey Heron which is often around. I could hear Bullfinches calling from somewhere on the north side of the lower pond. Also on the other side of the pond was a local birder, Ged, who I haven't seen for a while so I wandered round for a chat. With nothing much to be gained by hanging around at the ponds, Ged joined me to try for Jack Snipe.
Goldfinch and Redwing were added before we headed down to the Dighty Burn. The walk along the old road didn't get us anything but Moorhen and Mute Swan at the ponds were both new for the day, as were Tufted Duck and Goosander. We continued round to look for Jack Snipe but had to make do with Woodpigeon, Grey Wagtail and Great Tit, which although disappointing was marginally better than the 'absolutely nothing' I was half-expecting. We then wandered back up across Caird Park golf course, with Ged then heading homewards and me revisiting the ponds in the hope of getting a few Bullfinch photos. Unfortunately, the Bullfinches were nowhere to be seen, so I had to make do with a few Chaffinches instead, which refused to show as well as the Bullfinches had briefly done earlier (before I'd taken the camera out of my bag).
Heading back up through the park towards the Kingsway added Blackbird, Oystercatcher and Coal Tit. Mains Terrace proved to be almost devoid of birds except for a couple of Collared Doves. Some residents appeared to be cutting back vegetation towards the south-eastern end. Some areas are being used as supplemental gardens by a few of the local residents who have chosen to remove all the greenery in their actual gardens to park their (sometimes multiple) cars there instead. Once again, the wildlife tends to be the 'loser' when this happens - doubly so, with the loss of habitat in the actual gardens and the removal of bushes and trees etc in the 'wilder' central area. Thankfully, there are still a few wildlife-friendly residents around but I would not be surprised to see the whole central area being sold for housing at some point in the next few years.
At the Swannie Ponds, the only addition on the water was Coot, with all of the other species having already been seen elsewhere. The beginnings of the Greenfinch roost flock started to show up just as I was about to leave and a Sparrowhawk swept low over towards the former Bus Depot buildings as I headed homewards. I finished the day's rather underwhelming birding with a total of just 34 species. The late start and the sites visited will have played a part in that fairly low number, but overall it just added to the disappointing 'feel' of birding in Dundee over the last month or so, which increasingly seems to show no signs of improving (though Spring migration isn't all that far away).
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| Grey Heron |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Moorhen |
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| Moorhen |
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| Chaffinch |
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| Woodpigeon |
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| Black Headed Gull (White 2XJH) |
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Goosander |
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| Goosander |
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| Goosander |
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| Goosander |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Greenfinch |
Birds - Black Headed Gull, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Coot, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Redwing, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon, Wren.
