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| Tree Sparrow |
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| Chaffinch & Yellowhammer |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Dunnock |
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| Little Grebe |
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| Goldeneye |
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| Whooper Swan |
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| Whooper Swan |
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| Whooper Swan |
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| Whooper Swan |
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| Whooper Swan |
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| Dead Mole |
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| Common Gull |
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| Black Headed Gull (J5RC) |
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| Redshank & Turnstone |
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| Redshank |
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| Turnstone |
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| Redshank |
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| Redshank |
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| Wigeon |
For a variety of reasons it had been a while since I last managed to get out and about with my pal Rhona for a day's birding, and circumstances almost put paid to today's outing with my health and the weather forecast putting up a late challenge to the trip going ahead, but we made it in the end. With wintry showers forecast inland the coast seemed the obvious choice despite strong winds and cold temperatures being forecast.
Rhona was running a bit behind schedule so I amused myself while I waited with a wee bit of birding from my living room window. Herring Gull, Jackdaw and Starling were seen at the first attempt, with a number of Woodpigeons flying around a few minutes later. House Sparrows and Feral Pigeon were next and finally Carrion Crow and Blackbird were added before Rhona arrived. We headed first to Swannie Ponds to get a few birds on the list. As we got out of the car I heard Redwings and picked up a small group of five overflying. A nice start. On the water were Mallard, Mute Swan and Tufted Ducks but the gull flock was only just arriving. It was mostly Black Headed Gulls with a few Herring Gulls scattered through but no sign of any Common Gulls, or anything more exotic. A Magpie and some Woodpigeons were over in the mature trees by the Forfar Road junction.
We decided to head for Arbroath first then onwards up the coast to Boghead Farm and Lunan Bay before reaching Ferryden and Montrose Basin area. A Herring Gull was on the central reservation as we headed down the Kingsway. Two Buzzards were seen in quick succession by the side of the road passing to the north of Monifieth. A small skein of Pink Footed Geese flew west as we neared Arbroath. We stopped near the harbour but there were only a few Curlews and Herring Gulls around so we headed for the cliffs. A Pied Wagtail flitted around on the road as we passed. Common Gull, Black Headed Gull and Great Black Backed Gulls were out by the water, with a few Redshanks foraging around among the rocks and pools. Oystercatchers were on the grass but overall it was pretty quiet so we headed northwards for our next stop.
There was no sign of any birds in the trees at Boghead Farm when we arrived but within a few seconds a small flock of Tree Sparrows flew up into the trees behind the houses. They were soon joined by a few Yellowhammers. A bit of scanning through the flock as it milled around added Chaffinch and Reed Buntings to the list with House Sparrow also seen as the birds perched in the rose bushes by the field edge. A Pheasant flew into the field to the west, just showing above the dyke as it did so. A pair of Blue Tits flew into the trees by the road as we headed back to the car. As we headed off again I spotted a Kestrel hovering above the scrub in the field.
A Mistle Thrush was the next addition, one flying up from the roadside into a tree as we headed for our next stop at Lunan Bay. A male Pheasant ran across the field when we parked the car. The gardens by the houses on the way to the hide held House Sparrows, Woodpigeons and Blue Tits as well as a Robin and a possible Song Thrush. A Dunnock foraged around beside the chickens. From the hide we could see over a thousand gulls strung out along the sand as well as out on the water. A mixture of Herring Gulls, Common Gulls and Black Headed Gulls with some Great Black Backeds among them. A scope and a lot of patience might have reaped further reward but instead we had to make do with just binoculars. A few Sanderling scurried around by the water's edge and one or two Carrion Crows could also be seen on the sand.
A dog running along the beach lifted all the gulls creating a huge cloud of birds strung out just offshore. I spotted a Red Throated Diver just beyond the waves and a few Long Tailed Ducks further out. A flock of Rooks flew in to feed on the opposite side of the river. We set off again for Ferryden, our progress hurried on by a car behind us. On the river at the end of the harbour were Eiders and a few Herring Gulls could be seen over on the sand near a small roosting flock of Oystercatchers. Black Headed Gull and Feral Pigeon were seen from further on. We headed over into Montrose to search for the few Waxwings which had been lingering in the area but we drew a blank.
We headed for The Lurgies next but with the tide well on its way in, there wasn't too much to see. A Robin was loitering around by the car park. Blue Tits were in the trees. A few Goldeneye were out on the water although a bit distant. Further out were Wigeon, Mallard and Whooper Swans. Little Grebes were close in to the shore and we attempted to get closer without being seen, although predictably the birds dived and resurfaced further out as soon as they saw us. A Buzzard circled up to the west and Woodpigeons could be seen in the trees further over. A few Blackbirds were down by the drainage ditch. Further on by the bend in the river we found a few more wader species - Oystercatcher again, Curlew likewise, a few Lapwings and some Redshanks. A Great Black Backed Gull was nearby on the water with a few more Herring Gulls close in to the far shore.
Two Whooper Swans, an adult and a youngster, gave us close views as they flew by. Two Snipe lifted from the seaweed by the edge of the water where we had walked past without noticing the birds earlier as we headed back to the car with what looked like a wintry shower heading our way. Scanning across the basin I managed to find a few Shelduck beyond the Wigeon and swans. A few Chaffinches and Blackbirds were seen as we neared the car park again and a Blue Tit was in the trees out front as we sat in the car having a quick snack. We had a few possible Fieldfares overflying but it was impossible to be sure given the views we managed.
A small flock of Twite winters near the Basin most years so we decided to try and see if we could find them. With the grey clouds full of possible snow looming ever larger and the wind chill seeming to increase it wasn't the most enticing of prospects with open fields providing little in the way of shelter. With the exception of a few Woodpigeons overflying there was very little to see as we headed down to the usual site. Rhona spotted something in the middle of the track. It turned out to be a dead Mole, not something you see everyday. The foreclaws are huge compared to the body and it looks like it has lipstick on the end of its snout. There was no sign of any birds at the seed pile, but I heard a single bird as we headed away again. The photo I got suggested it may have been a Linnet but it was pretty inconclusive. Rhona then spotted a flock of birds flying in to the heap. Unfortunately these appeared to be Chaffinches and with the wind making standing still tricky it proved to be too difficult to find anything else among them, so we headed once again back to the car. A Wren flew across the path in front of us into the vegetation by the ditch and I spotted a Kestrel struggling to keep its balance perched on wires beyond the car park.
We toyed with popping in to the visitor centre but with the tide almost fully in the prospects weren't too great for adding too much to the list so we decided to head back towards Arbroath again. A Kestrel was seen over the car as we headed back up towards the main road and two others were seen as we neared Arbroath, one on a fence and another in flight. House Sparrow and Starlings were seen as we headed through Arbroath along with a few Herring Gulls and Feral Pigeons. With the tide in there wasn't too much to be seen close in, though there were plenty gulls out on the water. We did manage to add Cormorant to the list here however, with a couple of birds seen out over the sea. Once again there were a few Oystercatchers on the grass but they proved elusive when Rhona was trying to get close enough for a photo.
A Buzzard was seen over the conifers by the main road about a mile outside Arbroath and we decided to detour down to Westhaven next. An unidentified raptor which may or may not have been just a Buzzard was seen low over a ploughed field as we slowed to turn off the dual carriageway. Cormorants were on the posts out on the water at Westhaven but there was little else to see here. Monifieth was our next stop. Black Headed Gulls were on the grass by the road and I spotted a white leg ring on one as it flew off. Thankfully it settled again and I got out of the car to try and get a photo. Fortunately my luck was in and I succeeded in being able to get a series of photos which showed it to be another Norwegian ringed bird (J5RC). A nice 1st winter Common Gull landed among the flock and a pair of Oystercatchers flew in. Rhona attempted unsuccessfully to get close enough for a photo of them but they took flight before she had even made it across the road.
There were more Oystercatchers and Carrion Crows with a few gulls and Woodpigeons on the football pitch behind the caravan park, as well as a small flock of Starlings, but they were too far away for a worthwhile photo from Rhona. We decided to head for Balmossie for one last stop, with the light rapidly fading as the sky turned darker and the prospect of some precipitation increased. Out on the water were a few flocks of ducks, Wigeon in one, Mallard in another and a smaller group of Eider much further out. A roost of Redshanks and a few Turnstones were on the concrete outflow pipe by the Dighty mouth and Rhona hurried ahead to try and get some photos. I noticed that there were some much closer birds roosting on the rocks much closer and concentrated on photographing these birds instead.
Rain started to blow through so we headed back to the car. From the bridge I could see a flock of smaller waders along towards the car park by the rock garden, most likely Sanderling/Dunlin/Ringed Plover though too far away to be sure. As we managed to miss the turn down to check we decided to head for home although we did make one quick detour down past Broughty Ferry harbour where Mute Swans were close to the path as the rather high tide lapped at the seaweed close by. Out on the river a mixed gull flock bobbed around on the choppy grey water. The rain turned decidedly sleety so we headed back to Dundee, so Rhona could get back before the weather worsened too much.
A good day out with nothing exceptional seen (though Rhona was happy with the Mole) but 47 species seen in total despite the less than ideal conditions.
Species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunnock, Eider, Goldeneye, Great Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Lapwing, Little Grebe, Long Tailed Duck, Magpie, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Redshank, Red Throated Diver, Redwing, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sanderling, Shelduck, Snipe, Starling, Tree Sparrow, Tufted Duck, Turnstone, Whooper Swan, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.