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| Black Headed Gulls and Mallards |
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| Magpie |
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| Norwegian ringed Black Headed Gull |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Moorhens |
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| Tufted Duck |
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| Tufted Duck |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Magpie |
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| Carrion Crow |
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| Carrion Crow |
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| Carrion Crow |
A combination of not feeling too great and really lousy weather meant a long lie for a change on a Saturday morning. I hate being stuck in the house at weekends, so as the weather was showing signs of at least remaining dry for a couple of hours I decided to head out to do a wee bit of local birding. I wasn't expecting anything particularly interesting so traveled light (not the usual camera gear), and only had a vague plan.
I left the house initially at about 1325, saw a couple of Carrion Crows then realised I'd left my bus pass at home (easier to get a bus if the rain comes on than walk home in the wet!) so had to turn around and head back to pick it up. Thankfully I hadn't gone too far when I realised. The second attempt was a bit more successful and I headed for Swannie Ponds (Stobsmuir Ponds for those who look for it on a Dundee map). A female Blackbird was feeding in a garden. A Herring Gull called from a rooftop, and a small group of House Sparrows flew into some feeders in a front garden. A little further on a few Starlings landed on a roof.
The first Feral Pigeons were perched on another roof on a wee side street that I decided to wander down instead of staying on the main road. A Robin was singing from a garden near Forfar Road. On reaching Swannie Ponds I could see a few Black Headed Gulls stood around the edges, with Mallards splashing around (bathing?) at high speed in varying directions. There were a few others swimming around rather more sedately along with a couple of Herring Gulls and a Tufted Duck in the pond. A Magpie flew overhead away from the pond. Another was further round the path foraging among the leaf litter. A Song Thrush flew in to land in a tree on the island.
I spotted that one of the young Black Headed Gulls had a green leg ring so tried to get close enough to read it. Unfortunately the bird flew across to the other side before I got close enough. I headed back round that way, keeping my distance by heading away from the pond initially. Unfortunately a couple of other folk were heading towards the bird anyway so I gave up on the more subtle approach and got as close as I could to be able to get a few photos before the walkers on the main path scared all the gulls and ducks into the water. Thankfully I was able to read the lettering from the ring. JN69. Searching online I found that green ringed (starting with a J) Black Headed Gulls were ringed in Norway and later at home that this bird, being a first year bird had been ringed in the summer but had already been reported a couple of times from Swannie Ponds. With at least two other Norwegian Black Headed Gulls at the ponds last winter it would appear that Dundee gets some dispersal from Norway after the breeding season is over. May have to check it semi-regularly for others over the next 6 months or so.
Further round, two Moorhens were side by side at the edge of the island while a third was in the water. Nearby on the pond were two Tufted Ducks and I managed a few photos. A male Pied Wagtail took exception to another nearby Wagtail and a ferocious tussle took place with both birds almost ending up in the water twice before the second bird gave up the fight and fled for safety with the male close behind. Round by the bottom pond the Mute Swan family was out of the water near the pavilion building. Suddenly the air above the pond was filled with Swallows as around twenty of the birds dropped down to drink, skimming low over the water beaks agape as they scooped up a mouthful or two. Within twenty seconds or so, they had gone again as if they had never been there. Obviously migrating birds taking the opportunity to get some fresh water inside them as they headed south. A Blue Tit was in the bushes as I headed for eastern Cemetery.
Things were quiet until I reached the cemetery, where a few Chaffinches were in the bushes, and a few Woodpigeons were down on the grass below the trees. A Blackbird flew off and a Magpie was spotted perched on a grave stone until it spotted me and flew off. A pair of Mistle Thrushes perched in the top of a conifer and watched me pass. A few Herring Gulls were circling round over to the eastern end. A Carrion Crow was the only other bird species seen in the cemetery although I did see two Magpies fly over togeher. Their numbers are definitely increasing across the city this year.
I headed down to the Stannergate, the eastern end of the harbour. There is a derelict building and some overgrown shrubbery which can be good for birds as well as possibilities on the pebble beach and out on the river. Goldfinches and Linnets could be seen on the waste-ground within the harbour site and a couple of Herring Gulls were loitering around a few large puddles. A bit of watching of the bushes produced Chaffinch, House Sparrow, Blue Tit, Robin and a Wren. A little further on I spotted a pale bird fly-catching. It dropped back into a bush, partially hidden. Had I stumbled on something good?
The bird flew into some trees on a more open area on a slope allowing me to see that it was a warbler. A little later the distinctive calls of a Chiffchaff rang out. That nailed the ID of my warbler. I spotted a bird flying over the railway line a bit further along to the east. A Sparrowhawk. Checking the beach I could see a couple of Curlews foraging among the pebbles and seaweed, and offshore was a flock of gulls - Black Headed, Herring and one Lesser Black Backed. A pale bird landed nearby on the beach. Surprisingly this was a Collared Dove - the second time recently I've seen this species foraging on a beach. A Carrion Crow landed on a fence post nearby with some potential foodstuff. I managed to slowly edge close enough to pass by a few feet below the bird as it tackled its indeterminate foodstuff and it even allowed me to take photos within a few feet of it. Walking back up towards the main road I spotted a bit of an airborne tussle as three birds headed away from me. This turned out to be a pair of Carrion Crows chasing a Sparrowhawk (possibly the same one from earlier). A Woodpigeon landed on a roof opposite.
Checking the bus times at a bus stop I found there was a bus into town almost due so I waited for it rather than walking the mile or so to City Quay to check on 'Dave the Diver'. As it turned out when I arrived in town the weather looked rather iffy with a large black cloud overhead so I decided to head for home instead, passing a few Herring gulls in Reform Street almost oblivious to the Saturday afternoon pedestrians.
In around ninety minutes or so I had managed to see 29 species with the Chiffchaff and Sparrowhawk the highlights, as well as seeing evidence of Magpies increasing their range in the city with birds in two locations and also finding a Norwegian ringed Black Headed gull. Not bad for just a wee wander to get out of the house for a wee while. Species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, Curlew, Goldfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Magpie, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Swallow, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon, Wren.