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| Jackdaw |
I arrived at the Invergowrie end and scanned the bay where the tide was beginning to retreat once more. A few Carrion Crows were by the pipe while a little further downstream a mix of Herring and Lesser Black Backed Gulls were in the burn. A few Mallards, a pair of Mute Swans and a few Shelducks were around too, either on the mud or in the water. A Woodpigeon flew out from the trees and across the bay. Further across the bay, there was a small-ish flock of Redshanks strung out along the shore. A few Common Gulls were a bit closer. More scanning found a Black Headed Gull with a single Dunlin in summer plumage behind.
Heading out from the hide to walk into the park, a Blackbird was on the path and a Willow Warbler sang from the bushes. Jackdaws were in the field by the road. A Dunnock skulked in the hedge, I managed brief glimpses only. A Buzzard circled up above the trees at the back of Ninewells Hospital before gliding off to the east and out of my line of sight. Two Shelduck slept by the Lochan and Jackdaws picked around among the Highland Cattle.
There was no sign of any Lesser Whitethroats around their chosen site from the past 2 years, but a 'takking' Blackcap finally showed as it hurried through the branches of a tree. Further on, Chaffinch was added. I headed back over the top of the hill to check the outer bay and river. Curlew and Oystercatcher were seen in flight heading back in to feed on the mud as the tide receded. Searching back along the shore, I noticed that the Redshanks had moved to the park side of the bay, and found a pair of sleeping Teal by the water's edge a little closer to where I was.
A short burst of semi-familiar singing caught my attention. A bird flew up and landed in a nearby tree. Common Whitethroat, one of my targets and my first of the year. Quite probably the same bird which held territory in the same area last summer. I scanned from the wooden gate further round and discovered that two of the four Wheatears from the previous weekend visit were still around (or maybe they were different birds).
A male House Sparrow in a small sapling was an unexpected surprise, although the species does seem to breed in the park in the summer months. Blue Tit and Linnet were next, both species seen in flight. A Robin was in the bushes at the car park. At Buzzard Wood a few Goldfinches were calling from the trees and a Song Thrush was singing towards the western end. I headed for the exit and my bus home at around 5.30pm, adding a Great Tit and a flying Stock Dove near the gate at the eastern end. Lots of Rabbits feeding in the fields on the way out.
32 species seen (including a year-tick - in bold) in just over an hour. It gets a bit harder when the leaves are back in place though....
Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Common Gull, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Mallard, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Shelduck, Song Thrush, Stock Dove, Teal, Wheatear, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon.
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| Redshank |
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| Dunlin & Black Headed Gull |
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| Whitethroat |
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| Rabbits |
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| Rabbits |