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| Blackbird |
With the weather forecast to be on the warm side on Sunday the 21st of June, I decided on an early start and a visit to Riverside Nature Park for a spot of birding, though I also knew I would very likely get distracted by insects given the time of year, and the weather. My expectations were on the low side.
House Sparrow, Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Blackbird, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Magpie, Wren, Woodpigeon and Swift were all noted in the first 10 minutes as I headed up past the football stadiums. Goldfinch, Chiffchaff and Starling were noted along Byron Street, before I detoured up towards the Law where a Painted Lady butterfly showed nicely and Robin and Blue Tit were in the trees. Heading down the Law steps got me Chaffinch and Carrion Crow. Coal Tit and Oystercatcher were found along Pentland Avenue. There were still a few 2-spot Ladybirds and a 7-spot Ladybird in the small garden area at the southeast corner of Victoria Park. Not unexpectedly, there appeared to be no butterfly activity in the larger trees. House Martin and Jackdaw were also added to the list.
Song Thrush and Greenfinch joined the other species on the list as I headed down to the Perth Road from Blackness Road. Whitethroat, Blackcap and Rabbit were around the steps down by the railway line at Riverside Drive. Continuing along towards the park provided a Great Tit and a Tree Bumblebee. I reached the park just after 0800. First onto the list there were Starling, Willow Warbler, Greenfinch and Blackbird, along with Rabbit, Buff-tailed Bumblebee and an unexpected Roe Deer. Whitethroat, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Skylark, Blue Tit, Song Thrush, Goldfinch, Buzzard, Magpie, Jackdaw, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Chiffchaff and Swift kept the Bird Journal app busy. Insects were relatively few though Small Tortoiseshell butterfly and a Red-tailed Bumblebee were spotted. On the walk round to the bay, House Martin and Blackcap were seen. At the bay, I was able to add Curlew, Oystercatcher, Osprey, Common Gull, Shelduck and Goosander.
I checked the 'bowl' for insects and birds.Wren, Siskin and Dunnock were around as was my first Ringlet butterfly of 2026. More of these were seen later by the Lochan. Black-headed Gull and Grey Wagtail passed overhead before I wandered round to the Lochan. A Sedge Warbler was singing there and a skulking Moorhen was hidden by the vegetation. Nearby were a Painted Lady and a Common Blue Damselfy. A low-flying Mistle Thrush was a bit of a surprise given the time of year. More wandering failed to add much over the course of the next hour though a Common Carder Bee, Grey Heron, Greylag Geese, Long-tailed Tits and Coal Tit rounded off the park visit. I ended up meeting up with Lainy a bit later and we headed out to Little Ballo to search for butterflies and other insects (which will eventually be posted on my Dundee Insects Etc blog - https://dundeeinsectsetc.blogspot.com/ - though these blogs take much more effort and time, due to my relative inexperience in ID-ing insects and the sheer variety of species found on any one day).
Following a successful trip there we headed back to Clatto for a quick look finding Ringlet and a Middle-barred Minor moth at the top field. Down at the reservoir, Tufted Duck, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Mallard, Mute Swan, Moorhen, Great Crested Grebe and Little Grebe were all found without too much difficulty. Goldcrest and Bullfinch rounded things off before I headed home. Outwith Riverside Nature Park (but within Dundee) I managed a total of 37 species of birds, 1 of bumblebees, 2 butterflies, 2 ladybirds and 1 each of mammals and moths. At the park the totals were 38 species of birds, 3 of bees, 3 of butterflies, 1 of damselflies and 2 of mammals. These gave a combined total of 4 bumblebees, 52 species of birds, 3 of butterflies, 1 of damselflies, 2 of ladybirds, 2 of mammals and 1 of moths within Dundee (more outside - see insect blog post eventually. Insect sightings - and photos - from within Dundee will also be listed there too).
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| Rabbit |
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| Rabbit |
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| Buzzard |
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| Osprey |
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| Curlew |
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| Curlew |
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| Whitethroat |
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| Goosander |
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| Wren |
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| Whitethroat |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Shelduck & Common Gull |
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| Shelduck & Feral Pigeon |
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| Herring Gull & Lesser Black-backed Gull |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Greylag Goose |
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| Great Crested Grebe |
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| Great Crested Grebe |
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| "Terry the Terrapin" |
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| "Terry the Terrapin" |
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| Mute Swan |
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Curlew, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Goosander, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, House Martin, Jackdaw, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Sedge Warbler, Shelduck, Siskin, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling, Swift, Whiethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit, Roe Deer.
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Coot, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Crested Grebe, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Grebe, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Song Thrush, Starling, Swift, Tufted Duck, Whitethroat, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.
