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| Canada Geese |
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| White Fronted Goose with Pink Footed Geese |
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| Barnacle Goose with Pink Footed Geese |
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| Red Legged Partridge |
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| Red Squirrel |
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| Buzzard |
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| Scaup |
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| Water Rail |
Another cold and windy day but the sun mostly shone. My pal, Steph, who has been busy preparing for upcoming wedding messaged me on Saturday asking if I wanted to head out birding on Sunday. The answer was naturally in the affirmative, and I said I would look into what was around and where our best options for getting good birds and photos were.
There have been some really good birds around locally recently, so I planned around these (hoping that not all had moved on). As I was waiting for Steph I received a text from the local bird club grapevine to say that the 2 Common Cranes which had been around a few weeks ago had been relocated. Even better they were more or less on my planned route.
While waiting outside for Steph to arrive, the only birds seen were some of the local Herring Gulls circling around. Our first stop was to be Clatto Park in the hope that a reported Slavonian Grebe hadn't moved on. It hadn't been reported the day before and I knew that the increased number of dog walkers at weekends were likely to have given it cause to move on. En route we saw Carrion Crow and Starling. Having not seen each other since before Christmas there was a lot of catching up to do, so conversation took precedence over gazing out the window looking for birds. At least until we arrived at Clatto.
Turning down t the car park, there were a few Yellowhammers perched in a small tree by the end of the houses. At the car park, a Blackbird was feeding along the edge of the car park in company with a Dunnock, Great Tit, and a Chaffinch while a Robin perched on the small barrier. A Woodpigeon flew down from the trees as we got out of the car, and I cut through the trees to the water to scan while Steph got her camera gear organised.
I scanned around the edges of the reservoir first but drew a blank on the Grebe. There was a mixture of waterfowl - Mallards, Tufted Ducks, Goosanders, Moorhens, Coots, Mute Swans and Goldeneye. single Oystercatcher was stod by the water's edge but a dog spooked it further along. Out in the middle of the water was a large group of Black Headed Gulls with a few Common and Herring Gulls but nothing any more exotic. On my only other visit to Clatto I had found an Iceland Gull but lightning didn't strike twice. We wandered along to the corner of the reservoir so we could scan behind the two small islands. A Goldcrest sang from the pines behind us. Heading back to the car park, I found a Song Thrush in the bushes, while Steph got a few photos of a Moorhen and Goosander.
Next planned stop was Piper Dam where another Slavonian Grebe and a Smew had been sightings in the recent past. My target here was Canada Goose, a year tick. En route we added House Sparrow as we passed through Muirhead. Getting out of the car into a rather bracing wind howling across the open water, we saw a Pied Wagtail scooting around on the grass. Except for a Little Grebe feeding in the shallows by the golf course and the Canada Geese (plus a single Greylag Goose) the birds were similar to Clatto - Mallards, Tufted Ducks, Coots, Black Headed Gulls, Mute Swans, Oystercatchers and Moorhen.
We headed back to Muirhead and turned northwards towards Meigle near where the Cranes had been seen earlier in the morning. We took a wrong turn but did manage to find a couple of Grey Herons stood alng the edge of a flooded field. We turned back and onto the main road but despite searching we drew a blank. Another text had come in to say that there was a European White Fronted Goose in a large flock of Pink Footed Geese near Glamis. As we were on our way towards Kirriemur, away from the planned stops at Backwater and Lintrathen reservoirs, we decided to try for the geese. Steph spotted a couple of birds above the car as we stopped by a marshy area, which turned out to be a rather nice Peregrine Falcon and a Buzzard.
My navigational skills were deserting me slightly and we found ourselves on the road down to Linross Farm away from where the geese had been reported. Our luck was in however, when the flock flew in to a field that we could see across a ploughed field. I took a series of photos and found the European White Fronted Goose on the very first one and a Barnacle Goose in another. The flock was rather restless and unsettled with small groups flying on. Steph spotted movement in the ploughed field which turned out to be 5 Red Legged Partridges. There was also a large puddle with a mixed flock of gulls - mostly Herring Gulls. All the geese then took to the air (at least a thousand birds I think) and flew westwards, our view blocked by a hedge. Carrion Crows, Jackdaws and Starlings joined them in the air. We drove on through the farm and found the flock in a field behind some sheep. Steph spotted a Hare in the field but I was busy trying to ID a raptor which turned out just to be a Buzzard.
Three more Buzzards, a flock of Rooks and some Jackdaws in Kirriemuir were seen between Linross Farm and Kinnordy. Despite there being cars in the car park the main hide was empty when we got in. Not too much was visible close in, except a Mute Swan. Scanning around it became apparent there was reasonable amounts of waterfowl about with Whooper Swans, Wigeon, Teal, Tufted Ducks, Goldeneye, Goosander (including a very 'pink' tinged drake) Greylags, Coots and Moorhens all to be found out on the water. Oystercatchers roosted on the bogbean islands. We were joined in the hide by another Dundee birder (and RSPB volunteer) Darell Berthon. A Cormorant flew by, and a few Buzzards soared in the wind above the hills to the north. After a while we wandered along to the swap hide, but again it was relatively quiet. We had great close views of a very tame Red Squirrel on the feeders outside the Gullery Hide.
We chatted to the two birders who were already in the Swamp Hide, the subject of Scottish independence coming up owing to my choice of headwear - my Yes hat. It passed the time as the birds weren't showing too well. A couple of Roe Deer bucks fed along the edge of the fields opposite and a male Sparrowhawk flew low over the water without troubling any of the ducks. Three Reed Buntings and two Buzzards passed westwards by the windows, with one of the Buzzards in particular giving great photo opportunities as it flew low over the water not too far out from the hide. A small group of Lapwings flew south towards the fields having lifted from the far side of the reserve.
Bramblings had been seen at the feeders so we took a walk along towards the East Hide but drew a blank when we passed, although the rain starting to fall meant we didn't stop long to look, with a few Chaffinches and Great and Blue Tits the only birds feeding on the peanuts. In front of the hide was a large white domestic farmyard Goose. Out on the water, i managed to find a Scaup that had been reported but I wasn't 100% sure it wasn't a hybrid, though photos suggest it was actually a pure Scaup. There was no sign of the drake Smew which has been around for a while, nor any sight of a Bittern or Bearded Tit, both of which have also been seen on the reserve.
We tried the feeders again, and I did manage to spot a Brambling feeding on the ground but nobody else managed to see it before it flew off into the trees. A female Pheasant had run across behind it as I watched through the binoculars but no-one else saw this either. The feeders were quite busy with a succession of birds coming and going - mostly Chaffinches and tits - Blue, Great and a few Coal. Dunnock, Blackbird, Woodpigeon and Goldfinch were also seen before a second Brambling showed up. Again it showed only fleetingly but third time lucky, a bird perched on a feeder allowing decent views.
Turning down t the car park, there were a few Yellowhammers perched in a small tree by the end of the houses. At the car park, a Blackbird was feeding along the edge of the car park in company with a Dunnock, Great Tit, and a Chaffinch while a Robin perched on the small barrier. A Woodpigeon flew down from the trees as we got out of the car, and I cut through the trees to the water to scan while Steph got her camera gear organised.
I scanned around the edges of the reservoir first but drew a blank on the Grebe. There was a mixture of waterfowl - Mallards, Tufted Ducks, Goosanders, Moorhens, Coots, Mute Swans and Goldeneye. single Oystercatcher was stod by the water's edge but a dog spooked it further along. Out in the middle of the water was a large group of Black Headed Gulls with a few Common and Herring Gulls but nothing any more exotic. On my only other visit to Clatto I had found an Iceland Gull but lightning didn't strike twice. We wandered along to the corner of the reservoir so we could scan behind the two small islands. A Goldcrest sang from the pines behind us. Heading back to the car park, I found a Song Thrush in the bushes, while Steph got a few photos of a Moorhen and Goosander.
Next planned stop was Piper Dam where another Slavonian Grebe and a Smew had been sightings in the recent past. My target here was Canada Goose, a year tick. En route we added House Sparrow as we passed through Muirhead. Getting out of the car into a rather bracing wind howling across the open water, we saw a Pied Wagtail scooting around on the grass. Except for a Little Grebe feeding in the shallows by the golf course and the Canada Geese (plus a single Greylag Goose) the birds were similar to Clatto - Mallards, Tufted Ducks, Coots, Black Headed Gulls, Mute Swans, Oystercatchers and Moorhen.
We headed back to Muirhead and turned northwards towards Meigle near where the Cranes had been seen earlier in the morning. We took a wrong turn but did manage to find a couple of Grey Herons stood alng the edge of a flooded field. We turned back and onto the main road but despite searching we drew a blank. Another text had come in to say that there was a European White Fronted Goose in a large flock of Pink Footed Geese near Glamis. As we were on our way towards Kirriemur, away from the planned stops at Backwater and Lintrathen reservoirs, we decided to try for the geese. Steph spotted a couple of birds above the car as we stopped by a marshy area, which turned out to be a rather nice Peregrine Falcon and a Buzzard.
My navigational skills were deserting me slightly and we found ourselves on the road down to Linross Farm away from where the geese had been reported. Our luck was in however, when the flock flew in to a field that we could see across a ploughed field. I took a series of photos and found the European White Fronted Goose on the very first one and a Barnacle Goose in another. The flock was rather restless and unsettled with small groups flying on. Steph spotted movement in the ploughed field which turned out to be 5 Red Legged Partridges. There was also a large puddle with a mixed flock of gulls - mostly Herring Gulls. All the geese then took to the air (at least a thousand birds I think) and flew westwards, our view blocked by a hedge. Carrion Crows, Jackdaws and Starlings joined them in the air. We drove on through the farm and found the flock in a field behind some sheep. Steph spotted a Hare in the field but I was busy trying to ID a raptor which turned out just to be a Buzzard.
Three more Buzzards, a flock of Rooks and some Jackdaws in Kirriemuir were seen between Linross Farm and Kinnordy. Despite there being cars in the car park the main hide was empty when we got in. Not too much was visible close in, except a Mute Swan. Scanning around it became apparent there was reasonable amounts of waterfowl about with Whooper Swans, Wigeon, Teal, Tufted Ducks, Goldeneye, Goosander (including a very 'pink' tinged drake) Greylags, Coots and Moorhens all to be found out on the water. Oystercatchers roosted on the bogbean islands. We were joined in the hide by another Dundee birder (and RSPB volunteer) Darell Berthon. A Cormorant flew by, and a few Buzzards soared in the wind above the hills to the north. After a while we wandered along to the swap hide, but again it was relatively quiet. We had great close views of a very tame Red Squirrel on the feeders outside the Gullery Hide.
We chatted to the two birders who were already in the Swamp Hide, the subject of Scottish independence coming up owing to my choice of headwear - my Yes hat. It passed the time as the birds weren't showing too well. A couple of Roe Deer bucks fed along the edge of the fields opposite and a male Sparrowhawk flew low over the water without troubling any of the ducks. Three Reed Buntings and two Buzzards passed westwards by the windows, with one of the Buzzards in particular giving great photo opportunities as it flew low over the water not too far out from the hide. A small group of Lapwings flew south towards the fields having lifted from the far side of the reserve.
Bramblings had been seen at the feeders so we took a walk along towards the East Hide but drew a blank when we passed, although the rain starting to fall meant we didn't stop long to look, with a few Chaffinches and Great and Blue Tits the only birds feeding on the peanuts. In front of the hide was a large white domestic farmyard Goose. Out on the water, i managed to find a Scaup that had been reported but I wasn't 100% sure it wasn't a hybrid, though photos suggest it was actually a pure Scaup. There was no sign of the drake Smew which has been around for a while, nor any sight of a Bittern or Bearded Tit, both of which have also been seen on the reserve.
We tried the feeders again, and I did manage to spot a Brambling feeding on the ground but nobody else managed to see it before it flew off into the trees. A female Pheasant had run across behind it as I watched through the binoculars but no-one else saw this either. The feeders were quite busy with a succession of birds coming and going - mostly Chaffinches and tits - Blue, Great and a few Coal. Dunnock, Blackbird, Woodpigeon and Goldfinch were also seen before a second Brambling showed up. Again it showed only fleetingly but third time lucky, a bird perched on a feeder allowing decent views.
Forfar Loch was to be the next stop, in the hope of finding Pochard. The rain was just coming on as we reahedthe car park so we decided on having a quick scan from the small wooden viewing platform. The Loch was pretty quiet with similar species to other places we had been already - Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Goldeneye, Mallard, Mute Swan and Tufted Duck. In the bushes around the platform Greenfinches and Goldfinches flitted around calling, and a few House Sparrows chirped noisily to our right. Heading back to the car we added another Goldcrest which though showing brilliantly wasn't keen on being photographed flying off as Steph lifted her camera. Thr Pink Footed Geese and lots of Black Headed Gulls were on the grass behind the Leisure Centre. On our way back to the main road a few Woodpigeons were feeding on the grass by the roadside. We didn't make a diversion to look for Waxwings, instead heading on to Balgavies were Darell had seen a Water Rail earlier in the day.
Walking to the hide, I heard and saw a couple of Siskins overflying. Just as we opened the windows of the hide, I spotted a Water Rail just as it made a sprint for cover. A nice year tick nonetheless. The feeders were busy with Great Tits, Blue Tits and Coal Tits mostly, though Chaffinches and Dunnocks were also feeding around on the ground. The whole area out front of the hide had changed a lot since my last visit, and it seemed to be less suited to Jays, Great Spotted Woodpeckers and Red Squirrels coming to the feeders, being much more open than previously. On the plus side it was much easier to see Water Rail and we managed another couple of views and even got a few photos though it was tricky to get the whole bird unobstructed by branches and reeds. Out on the water, Moorhens, Coots, Mallards, Tufted Ducks, Goldeneye and Greylags provided the interest. The Osprey trees were full of perched Cormorants and a few Woodpigeons, Carrion Crows and a Buzzard overflew.
Our last stop before sunset was to be Monikie in the hope of chasing down some Pochards. The light was beginning to fade as we arrived and the wind was much colder and stronger. We headed along between the two main reservoirs and scanned - Goldeneye, Mallards, Tufted Ducks and what might have been Pochards. Unfortunately they had dived before I had confirmed the ID. Thankfully they were refound quite quickly. two nice drake Pochards though they were hard to photograph in the choppy water with the low light and the distance adding to the difficulty. We detoured slightly to check for Kingfisher but only managed to spook a few Wigeon and a Moorhen from in below the trees by the water's edge. Blackbird and Woodpigeon were added at the car park and then it was time to head for home, via Dobbie's Garden Centre, where Steph had a bit of shopping to do for Valentine's Day.
Total for the day was a respectable 53 species of which 6 were new for the year (in bold). -
Barnacle Goose, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Brambling, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lapwing, Little Grebe, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Pochard, Red Legged Partridge, Reed Bunting, Robin, Rook, Scaup, Siskin, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Teal, Tufted Duck, Water Rail, White Fronted Goose, Whooper Swan, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Yellowhammer
Walking to the hide, I heard and saw a couple of Siskins overflying. Just as we opened the windows of the hide, I spotted a Water Rail just as it made a sprint for cover. A nice year tick nonetheless. The feeders were busy with Great Tits, Blue Tits and Coal Tits mostly, though Chaffinches and Dunnocks were also feeding around on the ground. The whole area out front of the hide had changed a lot since my last visit, and it seemed to be less suited to Jays, Great Spotted Woodpeckers and Red Squirrels coming to the feeders, being much more open than previously. On the plus side it was much easier to see Water Rail and we managed another couple of views and even got a few photos though it was tricky to get the whole bird unobstructed by branches and reeds. Out on the water, Moorhens, Coots, Mallards, Tufted Ducks, Goldeneye and Greylags provided the interest. The Osprey trees were full of perched Cormorants and a few Woodpigeons, Carrion Crows and a Buzzard overflew.
Our last stop before sunset was to be Monikie in the hope of chasing down some Pochards. The light was beginning to fade as we arrived and the wind was much colder and stronger. We headed along between the two main reservoirs and scanned - Goldeneye, Mallards, Tufted Ducks and what might have been Pochards. Unfortunately they had dived before I had confirmed the ID. Thankfully they were refound quite quickly. two nice drake Pochards though they were hard to photograph in the choppy water with the low light and the distance adding to the difficulty. We detoured slightly to check for Kingfisher but only managed to spook a few Wigeon and a Moorhen from in below the trees by the water's edge. Blackbird and Woodpigeon were added at the car park and then it was time to head for home, via Dobbie's Garden Centre, where Steph had a bit of shopping to do for Valentine's Day.
Total for the day was a respectable 53 species of which 6 were new for the year (in bold). -
Barnacle Goose, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Brambling, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lapwing, Little Grebe, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Pochard, Red Legged Partridge, Reed Bunting, Robin, Rook, Scaup, Siskin, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Teal, Tufted Duck, Water Rail, White Fronted Goose, Whooper Swan, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Yellowhammer