 |
| Osprey |
 |
| Chaffinch |
 |
| Buzzard |
 |
| Woodpigeon |
 |
| Swallow |
 |
| Bullfinch |
 |
| Swallow |
Hurrying home from work as quickly as the bus would allow, I was out again for 1710 to meet up with Jacqui at our usual rendezvous spot. I didn't have time to spend too much time looking for birds en route but I heard Starlings, House Sparrows and Blackbirds before I had gone too far but managed to see none of them. A Herring Gull was the first bird actually seen. While waiting by the side of Lidl I added a Feral Pigeon on a tenement roof and a Magpie flying over Balmore Street. A Lesser Black Backed Gull glided around above the car park, and House Martins could be heard, and seen, flying around the primary school. Jacqui arrived with the top down on her wee convertible, so we could enjoy the sun on our way up the dual carriageway and hopefully spot a few birds as well.
Passing Mill O'Mains a Carrion Crow was seen but until we reached the junction to turn off the dual carriageway towards Forfar we had seen nothing else. A Starling flew into bushes by the roadside as we negotiated the junction, and a wee bit further on we heard and then saw a Skylark quite low above a field. At the car park behind Forfar Leisure Centre, we could hear a Goldcrest singing loudly. A Goldfinch flew over, and a Woodpigeon landed in a tree. Jacqui spotted a few Oystercatchers feeding over on the grass some distance away. One or two Blackbirds hopped around by the bushes. A few House Sparrows were in the trees by the side of the centre.
We headed round to check the Loch itself. The sun was in front of us, so there was some strong glare off the water and the backlighting made taking photos of the nesting Coots and Great Crested Grebes not particularly worthwhile despite their closeness to shore. Black Headed Gulls in small numbers were out on the water with a few flying around also. Scanning through the waterfowl we added Mallard, Tufted Duck, Gadwall and Mute Swan. We wandered up to the right through the trees, we could hear a warbler which sounded as if it was a Garden Warbler but it stayed well hidden offering tantalising glimpses of bits of bird behind branches and leaves but nothing more. Willow Warbler was heard here too, but went unseen too.
At the wooden viewing platform, a Great Tit was in the trees as well as a few House Sparrows chirping noisily. Sand Martins were flying around out over the water and swooping over our heads. Jacqui spotted a Moorhen on the water. We wandered along the path and my attention was drawn to a large bird flying east over the Loch. I had to hurry to keep the bird in view as the gap between the trees was quite small. As I suspected it was an Osprey, and I managed a quick photo to confirm the ID. Slightly further on we found a Blue Tit. As we reached the path to the sailing club I called to Jacqui to point out what she had walked past, a Buzzard perched on a fencepost at the top of the sloping field. A Song Thrush was singing from a tree nearby.
Two Jackdaws overflew 'chacking' loudly. Sand Martins were flying down to the mud by the water's edge, so I edged closer to watch, hidden by the boats. Black Headed Gulls hawked for insects above the Loch and Swallows flew around the sailing club hut where they nest in the summer. We headed back towards the car park, spotting a male Bullfinch in a bush by the path and a few Lesser Redpolls circling round above the taller trees. Jacqui spotted a pair of Swifts well to the south of us which I eventually managed to see through binoculars. Another species for the list. We could hear Reed Bunting in the reeds but it proved elusive with only a 'possible' flying into the trees.
We stopped off in Forfar to get some money and something for Jacqui to eat before heading off to Loch of Kinnordy. Arriving there it was very quiet compared to the usual cacophony of the Black Headed Gulls. The water levels were slightly higher than of late and the bogbean was making it much harder to pick out birds on the islands. It was still possible to pick out a few Lapwings and Oystercatchers. Two Common Sandpipers were picked up by their repetitive calls. On the water there were only a few ducks, Mallards, Shoveler, Tufted Ducks as well as Mute Swan. A Sedge Warbler flew low over the water into the reeds to the right of the hide.
A few Swallows darted in below the hide and then were gone just as quickly. Scanning over the bogbean islands it became apparent that there were actually a few more birds around than were readily apparent, with a few Black Headed Gulls settled quietly. A Redshank foraged along the muddy edge of one island and a Pied Wagtail joined it on the same island. One of the Common Sandpipers landed close by as well. A Moorhen swam between two of the smaller islands. There was no sign of any Osprey or Marsh Harrier and as Jacqui was starting to feel a bit tired we decided to call it a day and head for home around 2015. There was a distinct lack of Pheasants but we did manage to see a Great Spotted Woodpecker fly over the car near Glamis. Jacqui spotting it from her side of the car, and I managed to see its undulating flight before it landed in a tree as we passed. Walking back down the road after being dropped off I saw House Martins near Mains Loan and Swifts high above the tenement blocks on Court Street. Blackbirds in the gardens and a few Herring Gulls overhead rounded off a decent evening's birding.
Species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Common Sandpiper, Coot, Gadwall, Goldfinch, Great Crested Grebe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Lesser Redpoll, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sand Martin, Sedge Warbler, Shoveler, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling, Swallow, Swift, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon