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| Common Sandpiper |
As Rohan was planning on taking some household rubbish to the recycling area next door to Riverside Nature Park on Saturday morning, I had suggested the possibility of meeting up for a wee bit of birding at the park while she was in the area. It wasn't set in stone however and as the day approached I decided that I would make an early start and walk up to Clatto first before heading down to the Nature Park for around 0900 when the recycling area would be opening. I said I would let her know whether I'd headed for Clatto or Riverside Nature Park in the morning, and she could join me at either spot if she wanted to. As things transpired, I had actually managed to get out of my bed and was out the door around 0625 for the walk up to Clatto.
Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Dunnock and Feral Pigeon made for a fairly typical start to the day. Goldfinch and Greenfinch were noted between the football stadiums quickly followed by Woodpigeon and Magpie. Starling and Great Tit were found in Maryatt Street with a Robin on Hepburn Street and a Chaffinch on Clepington Road keeping things ticking along, albeit rather slowly. Oystercatcher and a singing Willow Warbler were around the eastern end of the retail park with Chiffchaff, Song Thrush and the day's first Lesser Black-backed Gulls a little further on. A surprise trio of House Martins overflew Macalpine Road giving me a welcome year-tick. Siskins were at the Crematorium.
Things were rather quiet at Ardler Pond but I did succeed in getting Little Grebe and Moorhen there before continuing on up towards Clatto. Yellowhammer and Long-tailed Tits were seen as I made my way along the driveway and down to the water. I decided to head round the reservoir in a clock-wise direction. Coot, Goosander, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, Jay, Mallard, Goldcrest, Mute Swan, the lingering female Pintail and a Wren added a decent number of species to the day's list. Tufted Duck and Bullfinch were seen from the western end. Skylarks could be heard off to the north. I suspected I was still a bit too early for most of the warbler species and I was correct, though I did manage to add Sparrowhawk, Pheasant and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. I had messaged Rohan a little earlier and arranged to meet her at 0800 by the visitor centre so I headed back round to meet her. We had a wander round some of the same areas I had covered earlier in an attempt to get Rohan a few new species for her year-list, which is rather more casual than my own.
A Pied Wagtail and what was a new bird for both of us - a Common Sandpiper were found but nothing much else of note was around. A Grey Squirrel was seen as we headed off down to Riverside Nature Park to see if we could find anything there and to try to get some of the Wheatears at the airport for Rohan. At the park, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Robin, Dunnock and Herring Gull were noted from around the car park. We headed for the end of the runway next and were soon joined by Keith. Curlew, a number of Meadow Pipits, Skylark and a few Wheatears were soon onto the list, along with Starling, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Oystercatcher and Woodpigeon. A Cormorant was seen overflying the river before we headed back into the park and round to check the birds in the bay. Teal, Shelduck, Redshank and Black-headed Gull were found though the tide was well out.
Without a scope we were unable to find a pair of Shoveler which Keith had seen a bit earlier. We did however manage to get a few more of the smaller birds as we wandered around the park - Greenfinch, Chiffchaff, Chaffinch, Great Tit, Blue Tit and Blackcap, before finally managing to get a couple of raptor species - Buzzard and Sparrowhawk. As Rohan had other things planned for the rest of the day and I was unlikely to add too much else, Rohan dropped me off at home. I finished the day with a total of 55 species (44 outwith the park and a slightly underwhelming 28 at the park) of which 2 (in bold) were new for my #2026Dundee150 list, and Rohan managed to add another dozen to her year-list. All in all, a fairly decent morning's birding with good company.
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| Pintail |
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| Blue Tit |
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| Great Crested Grebe |
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| Common Sandpiper |
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| Pintail |
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| Meadow Pipit |
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| Wheatear |
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| Meadow Pipit |
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| Wheatear |
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| Wheatear & Meadow Pipit |
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| Redshank |
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| Greenfinch |
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Buzzard |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Sparrowhawk |
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Sandpiper, Coot, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Crested Grebe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jay, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Grebe, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pintail, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Tufted Duck, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Mammals (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Grey Squirrel.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Meadow Pipit, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Robin, Shelduck, Skylark, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Teal, Wheatear, Woodpigeon.
