STONEFACTION BIRDING: 0194 : Birds, Beasties And Botany At Barry Buddon (16/8/15)

0194 : Birds, Beasties And Botany At Barry Buddon (16/8/15)

Once a year, most of the local nature/wildlife organisations hold a large joint outing at Barry Buddon military training camp. It is an opportunity to catch up with folk you possibly haven't seen too often as much as it is an opportunity to see some of the wildlife that makes its home in the relative 'safety' of a military training camp. The chance to see a few species of less common butterflies is one of the other reasons to mark the date in your diary. Unfortunately the large numbers participating each year, despite showing a healthy local interest in nature, means that noise and potential disturbance is always an issue, so that what you might see as part of one of the 3 groups may be less than you would on your own. However, the extra pairs of eyes can also have a positive effect, so it is really the proverbial 'swings and roundabouts'.

Cuckoo

Having not attended last year's and needing to pay my membership to the Angus and Dundee Bird Club as well as finally getting around to joining the Dundee Naturalist's Society gave me two reasons to go along this year. Nat was attending with a pal, so I said I would make my own way down and probably see her there. I left the house at around 0850 to walk down to Arbroath Road to waist for the bus to Monifieth.It was quite quiet on the birds front with Blackbird and Herring Gull first onto the list, followed by Woodpigeon and Feral Pigeon a bit further on. Carrion Crow and Lesser Black Backed Gull were both added as I stood at the bus stop. Both Collared Dove and Swallow were added from the bus.

Arriving in Monifieth with roughly 30 minutes to play with, I headed for the football pitches to scan across the beach in the hope of seeing some waders before the number of dog walkers made disturbance a real issue. Starlings, House Martins, House Sparrow and Pied Wagtail were all seen before I reached the corner of the pitches and stood scanning across the bay towards Bary Buddon. Black Headed and Common Gulls were seen in addition to Herring and Lesser Black Backeds, but there was no sign of any Little Gulls. Curlews, Knot, Oystercatchers and Bar Tailed Godwits were all picked out along the water's edge. The Mute Swans on the river towards Balmossie could be seen in the distance while looking in the opposite direction. Cormorants flew low over the river and a Grey Heron wandered along the edge of the beach.

I met up with Darell Berthon, Graham Cross and Roddy McKenzie and compared notes. They had seen a few species that I had missed including an Osprey. Linnet was added as we crossed the football pitch to join up with the growing group of folk. Darell offered me a lift for the day, and I gratefully accepted. While we all chatted and greeted new arrivals, as well as paying my subscriptions, I made sure to keep an eye and an ear to what was around. A few Sand Martins were picked out, along with some higher Swifts behind them. At just after 1000 a convoy of cars headed into the camp for the formalities and the splitting into smaller groups dedicated to insects, birds and plants. I had considered joining the insect group for the day but as Darell was going with the bird group, I did likewise.

While Bob McCurley welcomed everyone to the outing and gave the obligatory health and safety briefing, I kept scanning around for birds. A Buzzard landed on a telegraph pole, while a few Goldfinches flew over, as did a Grey Wagtail. Jackdaws and Rooks could be seen in behind the fenced area. While the group photo was being taken, Greenfinch and a Peregrine were both added. With the photo taken we split into the 3 groups and went our separate ways with a lunchtime meeting up point arranged for just after 1300.

Our group headed for a shooting range with a large bank behind. Wheatear and Whinchat were seen here as was a distant Sparrowhawk circling up in company with 2 Buzzards. A Yellowhammer was also seen. A few years ago on a previous outing while at the same place, I had spotted a juvenile Cuckoo flying in and landing on the wires nearby giving reasonable views. So I was a bit surprised that history repeated itself as another young Cuckoo flew in low across a small reedbed and landed on a fencepost just in front of us. I shouted out "Cuckoo" to alert the crowd as the bird was in flight, so everyone had good views when it landed. It sat quite happily for a few minutes in open view of everyone before flying over the back of the shooting butts and out of my line of sight. Willow Warbler was added as it foraged around in the gorse below us, and a Wren was heard but not seen.

We moved on to a more coastal area from where it was possible to scan over a bit of the beach and out over the water. Eiders and Goosanders were seen out on the river, while Sanderling scurried along the sand and Sandwich Terns could be seen fishing out in the bay. I failed to see the Grey Plovers that others said they could see. Meadow Pipit was added, as well as Great Black Backed Gull and a fly past by a Stock Dove. We then headed for a quick visit to the Falklands memorial garden where a Spotted Flycatcher was a nice find in the trees when we got out of the car. A Common Darter dragonfly posed for photos on Brian Brocklehurst's shoulder. Robin was heard but not seem though a few Willow Warblers in the trees were. I wandered along the road to get away from the noisy masses and saw a few butterflies but little else.

The lunch stop by the Yeomanry Ponds was next on the agenda. While folk sat near the moth traps I wandered off on my own to investigate the pools while they were quiet. In addition to a mewing Buzzard in the distance I could also hear what I though might be young Long Eared owls but having never heard them before, and the distance involved, I couldn't be anywhere near certain though the species was seen in the same area a few years ago on an outing.Emerald Damselfly, Blue Tailed Damselfly and Common Blue Damselfly were all seen, as well as Common Darter dragonflies, while on the ponds, a Little Grebe and 3 Mallards were watched briefly. Among the rushes at the far end, a pair of Moorhens could be seen. As folk started to move across into the area, I went in the opposite direction.

A flock of Lesser Redpolls were milling around, while Chaffinch and Reed Bunting were als in the area. Great Tit was added before a juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker flew over. I had a quick look at the moths which had been trapped before the convoy moved off again to the lighthouse area. With the tide quite well in, there wasn't a huge amount to be seem, though there were good numbers of Sanderling with a few Dunlin among the flock, along to our left. To the right, a few Dunlin, Sanderling and Ringed Plover could be seen. A Gannet cruised along following the coast towards the point, and a Cormorant headed upriver. There was no sign of any 'pink' Grasshoppers, but I did find the tattiest Dark Green Fritillary butterfly I've ever seen among the grass. A Wheatear showed within the lighthouse compound, with another on the road.

Happy Valley was our last stop to search for Grayling butterflies but we drew a blank, though Kestrel and a Coal Tit were seen. As it was now after the 1600 planned finishing time, a halt was called to proceedings and we all headed for home. Considering the numbers attending, it had been a reasonable outing, though there were a few hiccups along the way, involving locked gates and stuck cars. Somehow I had managed to see 59 species of bird which was pretty good.

Species seen - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Cormorant, Cuckoo, Curlew, Dunlin, Eider, Gannet, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Knot, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Lesser Redpoll, Linnet, Little Grebe, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pied Wagtail, Reed Bunting, Ringed Plover, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sand Martin, Sanderling, Sandwich Tern, Sparrowhawk, Spotted Flycatcher, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Swift, Wheatear, Whinchat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Yellowhammer.