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| Redwing |
 |
| Cormorant |
 |
| Red Throated Diver |
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| Red Breasted Merganser |
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| Shag |
 |
| Red Breasted Merganser |
 |
| Rock Pipit |
 |
| Little Grebe |
 |
| Great Black Backed Gull |
 |
| Woodpigeon |
I left home about 1220 to head for Swannie Ponds but the streets around my start point were very quiet with only a lone Herring gull perched atop a chimney to get the list started. A little further on however things livened up slightly. I could hear but failed to see Robin and Blue Tit, but ahead of me I did see a few Blackbirds, Starlings and a Carrion Crow. On a lamp post on Clepington Road I found a Black Headed Gull perched preening. A probable Dunnock, though unconfirmed, flew across the road in front of me at the top of Mains Loan. A small flock of Feral Pigeons overflew.
Blackbirds, Carrion Crow and House Sparrows were seen at the junction of Castle Terrace and Mains Terrace with a few Feral Pigeons perched on a roof round the corner. A Robin was singing in a garden at the end of Lammerton Terrace by Forfar Road. Reaching Swannie Ponds, I could see the usual suspects out on the water - Herring and Black Headed Gulls plus Mallard, Mute Swans and Tufted Ducks with large numbers of the gulls as well as the swans being fed by a couple further round the path. A Dunnock flew into the bushes as I walked along and a few of the Mallards stood on the path dropped into the pond as I passed by. I managed eventually to spot a single Common Gull among the throng of Black Headeds and a juvenile Herring Gull fought its corner against an adult bird emerging the victor of a short and violent tussle out on the water.
I heard Redwing but didn't manage to see any, and Long Tailed Tit was another heard-only species here. There was no sign of any Magpies, unlike my last visit. I headed down past the radio-controlled ship enthusiasts and crossed the road to head for Eastern Cemetery. A Collared Dove was in a small tree in a garden but again birds were in short supply. As I reached the gate of Eastern Cemetery I spotted two Redwings flying over. Robin was heard down the path past the house, but not seen. Blackbird and Carrion Crow were the first species seen in the cemetery, with another flock of Feral Pigeons overflying.
A Sparrowhawk flew out from a conifer and away from me. Two Woodpigeons were seen further towards the main road flying westwards. A Coal Tit was in the top branches of a tree, its call announcing its presence, unlike the rather silent Redwing perched at the top of another tree nearby. Mistle Thrush was another heard-only bird. I debated whether to head for Stannergate or City Quay next, and checked the time of the next bus after crossing the road. With a fifteen minute wait in prospect I headed down towards Broughty Ferry Road. Although the time of the next bus here was around eight minutes I decided to walk towards City Quay instead of waiting. I did end up catching a bus further on and got off at the top end of the new Olympia Leisure Centre.
Crossing the dual carriageway I found a small group of Blackbirds and a couple of Blue Tits in the bare trees opposite. A Pied Wagtail overflew as I reached City Quay a few minutes later. The dock area by the lightship was flat calm with no birds at all to be seen. I wandered along through the units towards the clock tower flats finding a single Cormorant on the water which subsequently dived. I crossed the footbridge to the Unicorn. A dead Seal pup was in among the debris behind the ship, no doubt a victim of the rather severe weather earlier in the week.
Starlings, House Sparrows and a Grey Wagtail were seen by the flats with the latter two species landing atop the scaffolding on the boat. A Cormorant with a white belly was perched on one of the lamp posts on the dry dock section. I scanned the outer quay area as I neared the car park. As I had hoped, "Dave" the resident Red Throated Diver was still alive and kicking and happily swimming around. Nearby was a small group of mostly male Red Breasted Mergansers which dived periodically. A Cormorant and a Herring Gull completed my initial finds here.
Flyover Linnet and Rock Pipits were next with a Shag with a red leg ring fishing near the lock gates being a nice surprise. A further slightly unexpected find was a Little Grebe, easy to overlook round towards the two old fishing boat hulks. Herring Gulls perched upon the rooftops in the main dock area. I headed round to check the river catching a glimpse of a Seal's back as it submerged again. A small flock of Starlings fed on the ground at the end of the flats. A few Cormorants were out on the rocks in the river, their wings outstretched in characteristic pose. Others were seen in the water towards the road bridge. A Great Black Backed Gull was on a small rock before it flew in to join the main group of Cormorants. Another small group of Red Breasted Mergansers were seen, again mostly males resplendent in breeding plumage.
I headed up into the city centre where only a Herring Gull or two were seen until I reached the Howff. It was rather quiet, as elsewhere, with few birds around. I did manage to see a few species though with Dunnocks and Blackbirds feeding on the ground among the gravestones. A Grey Wagtail overflew and another Robin was found. Blue Tits fed among the branches of a bare tree before flying to the buildings which back onto the old graveyard. A Feral Pigeon wandered along the path ahead of me and a few Chaffinches flew up into a Willow tree. Four juvenile Woodpigeons harassed a parent bird for food with at least two of the youngsters choosing to stand on top of their siblings to try to get close to the hoped for food. I headed off to catch a bus for home a few minutes laster.
In just over 2 hours I had managed 30 species seen, with a few more heard-only. Photos were of the record shot only sort, but the goal of getting out and about for a wee while had been achieved.
Species seen were -
Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Cormorant, Dunnock, Great Black Backed Gull, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Linnet, Little Grebe, Mallard, Mute Swan, Pied Wagtail, Red Breasted Merganser, Red Throated Diver, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Shag, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon.