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| Norwegian ringed Black Headed Gull (JN69) |
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| Injured Black Headed Gull |
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| Norwegian ringed Black Headed Gull (J4U2) |
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| Common Gulls & Black Headed Gull |
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| Common Gull |
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Tufted Duck |
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| Tufted Duck |
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| Buzzard |
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| Linnet |
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| Cormorant (possible Sinensis race?) |
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| TWO Red Throated Divers (Dave on the right) |
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| Cormorant (another possible Sinensis bird?) |
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| Little Grebes |
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| Red Breasted Merganser |
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| Red Throated Diver (Dave) Vs Cormorant |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Eider |
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| Eider |
My last planned annual leave day off work for 2014 had me weighing up my options for where to go, but the warmth of my bed versus the cold biting wind outside saw the bed win the morning round with ease. Once I did make it out of my bed the lovely blue skies of a Dundee winter day called me out. As I didn't want to waste the whole day I decided to have a wee walk locally and see what I could find to photograph (with light being a scarce commodity at this time of year). I wasn't expecting too much but I was to end up pleasantly surprised and with a reasonable haul of decent photos.
I left the house around 1pm to walk to Swannie Ponds. As is usually the case at this time of day birds were scarce compared to a morning start. A few Herring Gulls gliding over in the wind and a Feral Pigeon on a roof were the first on the list. A little further on, the first Blackbird flew across the road and into a garden. On Clepington Road a Black Headed Gull flew in and landed on top of a streetlight. I detoured down Mains Loan to check the wasteground off Mains Terrace. A few more Feral Pigeons were around the old Keillers buildings, but there was little else to see. The icy pavements almost managed to take me off my feet, but I escaped the indignity of a crash landing by managing to stop myself with a well placed hand (thankfully). The small House Sparrow flock was in its usual place as were a few Feral Pigeons on the roofs nearby.
Heading onwards to Swannie Ponds I heard a Mistle Thrush's rattling call but couldn't see the bird at first. It then flew across the road and landed in one of the taller trees by the northwest corner of the ponds. As expected the ponds held the usual suspects - mostly Black Headed Gulls plus a few Herring Gulls, also a family of Mute Swans, as well as Mallards and Tufted Ducks. Common Gull and Moorhen were both added soon after. As with the day before I spotted a small group of overflying Redwings, having first heard them calling. Woodpigeon and Blackbird were feeding on the ground, the pigeon on the grass and the Blackbird among the bushes. A small bird flew into cover but I couldn't relocate it. I suspect it was most likely a Dunnock.
I got talking to a very pleasant and chatty Catalonian girl, Lali, who asked if I knew what had happened to the third Mute Swan cygnet. I suspected that a fox, or maybe a dog, had killed it in the night as it roosted on the island, but I was speculating as to the most likely suspects. We chatted about the birds at the ponds and I pointed out the two Norwegian ringed Black Headed Gulls (Green JN69 and White J4U2) as well as explaining the different species of gulls to her. As we chatted the gulls all took flight for reasons that weren't immediately clear. Within seconds however the reason became obvious. A rather unexpected Buzzard flew over the island and over the trees behind us. Not a sight I've seen there before. A Carrion Crow gave half-hearted chase. However, as I watched the gull flock milling around, I spotted a second Buzzard among them gliding round. This was even more of a surprise than one Buzzard.
I said cheerio to Lali and wandered off to try and catch a bus into town to pop into City Quay. However, rather than wait ten minutes for the next one, I ended up walking downhill, just missing a bus by a few seconds. A skein of Pink Footed Geese overflew heading towards the river as I neared the junction at the bottom of the Morgan Academy grounds. Further down the road, I heard a Pied Wagtail but didn't see it as it flew off down a side street. A Blackbird fed on the grass opposite the Princes Street Medical Centre.
At City Quay, a Herring Gull was perched on the roof of the restaurant building but there was no sign of Dave or any other bird life. A Feral Pigeon flew in below the buildings to land on the legs holding them up, before flying back out again a few seconds later. As I crossed the footbridge towards the Unicorn, two Starlings flew over westwards. A view of the river as I passed one of the small streets between the blocks of flats allowed me a distant view of a few Cormorants at rest on the 'submarine'. A pair of Pied Wagtails flew past me, and a Blackbird and a few House Sparrows were around the bottom of the flats.
As I neared the eastern end of the quay I spotted a bird out on the water. It looked like Dave, the resident Red Throated Diver with the injured wing. I checked through the binoculars and sure enough it was a Red Throated Diver. There was however a second bird in close proximity. This was also a Red Throated Diver! I hurried on the short distance to get a clear view over the open area of the quay just to make sure my eyes weren't deceiving me. One of the Divers was in full winter plumage while the other was still in partial summer plumage. With it having been a while since my last visit at which time Dave was moulting from his incomplete summer plumage it wasn't readily obvious which bird was Dave. It turned out he was the winter plumaged bird, his damaged wingtip still sticking out at an awkward angle.
The two birds drifted on the water relatively close together for a few minutes. With Dave having been on his own (I assume) for the past two years in the quay, it was heartening to see he had the company of one of his own kind, even if for only a short while (though maybe the other bird will hang around). A short while later the new bird swam off to do a spot of attempted fishing round the edges of the quay. Also in the same area was a single Red Breasted Merganser and a Cormorant which looked like it might be a Sinensis race bird (the subspecies from mainland Europe). The Cormorant flew off, though another soon showed up to take its place. Over the far side hauled out on a small wooden jetty by the Sea Cadets shed was another Cormorant, another possible Sinensis bird with a white front.
Dave then swam a bit closer and indulged in a spot of fishing himself. However, something must have happened while he was under the water as both he and a Cormorant surfaced close together with Dave stretching his neck in what appeared to be a threatening pose towards the Cormorant. After a short stand-off, Dave flapped his way low along the surface to gain some distance from his rival. I spotted a pair of Little Grebes next. These also now appear to have taken up residence in the quay. The Red Breasted Merganser took off and headed west towards the Apex hotel. The 'new' Red Throated Diver swam closer and with the orange glow from the setting sun catching the top of the small waves in the quay gave me some good photo opportunities.
A single Linnet overflew, with another three a few minutes later going in the opposite direction. A Herring Gull dropped into the quay. I wandered round to scan the river, spotting a distant white dot well out on the river. Another Herring Gull. I could see silhouettes of birds on the water below the bridge, which appeared to be Red Breasted Mergansers with two Cormorants much closer in. Scanning across the river I found a drake Eider towards the Fife side of the Tay.
The two Cormorants continued to fish close in to the sea wall as I walked towards the bridge. A few more were still out on the 'submarine'. Strung out on the water beyond the rocks were around half a dozen drake Red Breasted Mergansers. I wandered along the edge of the river keeping an eye on the setting sun to see if it would give any good sunset photo opportunities. A drake Eider swam in the opposite direction not too far out on the river and despite the fading light I managed a few decent photos before I headed into town to catch a bus, passing an adult and juvenile Herring Gull in Reform Street on the way.
An enjoyable few hours with some good photo opportunities and a few surprises produced only 24 species, but was still a very worthwhile exercise.
Species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Common Gull, Cormorant, Eider, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Linnet, Little Grebe, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Red Breasted Merganser, Red Throated Diver, Redwing, Feral Pigeon, Starling, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon.
Later on I pondered how many species it would be possible to see in Dundee (from Invergowrie Bay to Barry Buddon camp fence (- a slight extension to Dundee, I know) in one short winter day. I think 70+ is possible with a bit of luck with 80 not impossible, though unlikely. Watch this space.....