Another of those can't quite be bothered days, but I did eventually got myself out the door and mobile, and headed in the direction of Swannie Ponds, to check on a few things, rather than just perch at the computer for another day, having done so on the rather wet preceding Friday. Would the Coots still be around, and would the possible nest now be an actual nest? Would there still be any Moorhen youngsters left? Would the Portuguese ringed Lesser Black Backed Gull still be around, and would there be any ringed Black Headed Gulls around yet?
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| Lesser Black Backed Gull |
I set off at around 1125 and started the short day list off with Blackbird and Herring Gull, both expected birds in my street. The two species that followed were also regulars on any local wander - Feral Pigeon and Woodpigeon. Jackdaws atop a tenement chimney and a flyover Lesser Black Backed Gull were next and as I walked towards Clepington Road I managed to add a small group of rather high flying House Martins and some even higher flying Swifts to the list. House Sparrows were next and as I walked along Clepington Road I passed more House Martins near the taxi offices and a little further on I could see the Swallows swooping up to under the eaves of a large house, where I suspect they have a nest, though I couldn't really stand and stare to check. With the sun more or less above the house, there was a bit too much shadow under the eaves to be sure, without standing around looking suspicious by what is a main road.
I soon reached the ponds where Herring and Lesser Black Backed Gulls lazed around out on the water and a handful of Black Headed Gulls stood around on the path. A bit of a commotion caught my eye round to my left and I watched the Coot chase one of the Moorhens out of the water and up onto the path, before it swam off a little and the Moorhen wandered on to drop back into the water away from the Coot's territory. In addition to the gulls, there were a few Mallards still around, as well as Tufted Ducks and the local Mute Swan pair. Starlings wandered around on the grass. Walking along the path a little I discovered why the Coot was so aggressive, there was now a fully formed nest by the island with the other Coot sat atop it.
I sat on one of the benches and watched the comings and goings of the birds, adding Dunnock and a male Chaffinch as well as a Blackbird all down on the path. Among the gulls I managed to re-find the Portuguese ringed Lesser Black Backed Gull and it did actually come rather close when someone showed up to feed the birds from next to where I sat. This allowed me a few more photo opportunities of the bird and it will be interesting to see how long it stays around (Lessers are summer visitors mostly on the east coast of Scotland, though they do overwinter to a degree in the west). Checking the Black Headed Gulls produced no ringed birds, though it will be interesting to see if any of the previously seen Norwegian birds re-appear and if they also bring any of this summer's fledged birds along with them. Time will tell.
I watched the Moorhens going about there business, with no sign of any youngsters at first. While watching House Martins skim low over the pond, I caught a glimpse of movement below an overhanging tangle of roses. A Moorhen chick, now much larger and approaching adult size, but still rather fuzzy and black. Although there was only one bird this was still good news as the closer it gets to adulthood the less likely it is to be predated by the larger gulls on the ponds. A Pied Wagtail scurried around the pond edge and House Sparrows were still picking insects from the sides. A pair of Collared Doves appeared in the trees on the island and I was surprised to hear, and then see, a pair of overflying Siskins, the first time I've seen this species from here.
Greenfinch was next onto the list, a single bird singing from the tops of one of the trees behind me. An Oystercatcher alerted me to its approach with its loud piping call ringing out and I managed to spot it as it flew past towards Caird Park. Carrion Crow and Goldfinch were added to the list before I decided that I would head for home. Although I hadn't seen too many species in the two hours I was out, I did get some decent video clips to add to my growing collection and answers to a few questions.
26 species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch,
Collared Dove, Coot, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Herring Gull,
House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Mallard,
Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Feral Pigeon, Siskin,
Starling, Swallow, Swift, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon.
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| Herring Gull |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Lesser Black Backed Gull |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Lesser Black Backed Gull |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Coot |
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| Blackbird |
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| Moorhen |
