The winds for Saturday looked favourable for bringing in more migrants to the Angus coast, so I decided I would get up early and head out although I was undecided just how far up the coast to start my searching. When I woke up it was raining heavily but looking at the forecast persuaded me to take a chance and get out as there was a chance that the rain would bring anything passing down at the coast and into shelter. Once the rain abated, the birds would feed up and possibly move on. Hopefully I would be in the right place to find something good.
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| Dipper |
Slightly later than intended I headed out the door at about 0845 to walk down to Arbroath Road to catch a 73 bus. Starlings and a Blackbird started off my list for the day in a low-key fashion. Feral Pigeon and Herring Gull were added on the way to the bus stop and a Blue Tit flying across the road and a Carrion Crow attempting to eat a bit of what appeared to be Mars Bar next to the bus shelter gave me another couple of species. From the bus I added Woodpigeon, Collared Dove and Black Headed Gull before the bus reached the far end of Monifieth. Rooks and Curlews were added between Monifieth and Barry village with a Pheasant and a Stock Dove seen in the field on the outskirts of Barry.
I decided to chance the golf course and potentially Barry Buddon (if the range wasn't active) in the hope that the winds from the east had brought some birds in overnight. As I walked down the western edge of Carnoustie I saw movement across the field and watched 2 Roe Deer clambering up the far bank of the small burn. A flock of House Sparrows were in the bushes along the side of the road. Cutting along the track towards the access road into the camp I was met with a nice mix of birds with lots of activity all around. Coal Tits, Chaffinch, Song Thrush, overflying Jackdaws, Jays, and Carrion Crows plus a Wren, Great Tits and a Robin in the bushes with Skylarks high overhead and more House Sparrows plus a few Blackbirds was a nice way to start things off. A few Woodpigeons and 4 Collared Doves on overhead wires by the road added to the plethora of birds around.
I was pleased to find the red flags were not flying and that the gate into the camp across the railway was open. A Common Gull glided over and another Jay headed north inland. Walking on to near the Yeomanry Ponds a Mallard duck overflew. A few minutes further on found a flock of Goldfinches in the trees. I could hear Redpolls too but failed to pick one out among the birds I was able to see in the treetops. There were a few Blue Tits and a Treecreeper, plus at least a couple of Goldcrests in the same area of trees.
I reached a fork and decided to take the 'north' road (I'd have said it was more easterly) A distant Buzzard was being harassed by a Carrion Crow as it perched in the tops of some conifers. I could hear Long Tailed Tits and eventually managed to see some of the flock moving through the trees. Another bird heard before it was seen was a nice male Bullfinch. A Great Spotted Woodpecker landed in a small-ish tree on the golf course giving me decent views. Pied Wagtila, Meadow Pipit and Skylark were all seen along the edge of the road and the golf course. I could hear the sea just beyond the banking when I reached the end of the road I was on. I chose to go left to see if there was somewhere I could scan the water from.
A Stonechat was in the long grass and I found an opening by a sentry box at the edge of the camp. From here I could see Common Scoters among the waves in small groups. A Cormorant flew past and a Long Tailed Duck went in the opposite direction. A pair of Oystercatchers were next to fly past. More scanning found a Red Throated Diver among the waves and a pair of Rock Pipits dropped into the rocks by the edge of the golf course. I spotted a trio of Gannets flying east quite distantly. I wandered off the camp and along the edge of the golf course stopping to check the small mixed gull roost of Common, Black Headed, Herring and a single Great Black Backed Gull.
Near the leisure centre I scanned the shore picking out a few Oystercatchers among the rocks. I found a couple of Turnstones well camouflaged among the rocks as well as a number of Redshanks and Ringed Plovers. There was a single Eider offshore and a Curlew flew along the shoreline. Further on I heard my first Grey Heron of the day and turned round to see it about to land among the rocks. As I neared the small car park at Westhaven I could see Dunlins and Bar Tailed Godwits by the water's edge. There were birders scanning from the car park (a few I recognised from having met them in the past) and we had a brief chat about what else had been seen. They'd had Knot and Golden Plover at Monifieth. Just as they were packing up to move on to Eliott a Red Breasted Merganser sped by offshore.
I walked on out the road to check out the trees around Panbride House, but they were relatively quiet except for the Rooks and Jackdaws. I managed to find a route into Craigmill Den that didn't involve the rather risky muddy steep slope where the boundary wall of the grounds met the Den. Things appeared rather quiet in the Den but I took my time allowing the Linnets on the wires to get used to me being there, though small groups took flight before settling back again. There were a few Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings with them. Well to the north I spotted a flock of Golden Plover looking like they had been spooked from a field. There were a few Blackbirds, Blue Tits and Wrens around but no sign of any Chiffchaffs or Blackcaps. Despite the favourable winds it appeared that there were only a few Skylarks on the move.
Near the footbridge at the top end I chanced upon the Dipper and was able to grab a few shots in very poor light by the bridge. The bird flew a short distance into a better lit area and I was able to get close when the bird was underwater and succeeded in getting a series of rather nice Dipper shots before the bird moved a little further on upriver. I headed back down the Den adding a Grey Wagtail by the weir and Tree Sparrows, Reed Bunting and Meadow Pipit on the wires. There were a few Goldcrests around but no Redwings. I had a brief chat to the home owner who I'd also talked to just before I'd got soaked the previous Sunday by the heavy rain. As I left the Den to head for the level crossing I heard a Kingfisher call from the other side of the road and crossed over to look over the side of the bridge. Sure enough there was the Kingfisher which spotted me and flew off below the bridge and up the river. Another nice bird to get.
The tide was still quite far out and the majority of the birds were quite distant, across the other side of the burn. A small flock of Wigeon and Mallards flew in. A Stonechat showed near the house and as I turned to walk back the white of a Wheatear's tail caught my eye as it flew up into the longer grass. It looked like it was about to land on a fence post but it didn't. I hurried back up the track to scan along the edge of the field but there was no sign of it. I had one other brief view of it as it once again flew up off the beach, some distance away, but despite lots of searching I failed to refind it. Given that all sorts of Wheatears have been turning up down the east coast, it could have been something good, potentially a lifer for me. It may well have just been a 'Northern' but I'll never know for sure. It went on the list as Wheatear sp.
A shower of rain came on and I tucked myself close in to the sandy bank to try and keep myself relatively dry. Once it had gone off again I continued on, adding a few more Stonechats as well as Pied Wagtails and Meadow Pipits on the beach. A Magpie was in trees by the houses at Easthaven. I checked the bus times to plan my next move. With the sky looking rather heavy and with showers forecast for the next few hours I weighed up the options.In the end I caught the bus to Arbroath after having to shelter from another shower, adding Tufted Duck and Coot at Keptie Pond before catching the X7 coach back to Dundee.
A pretty decent day with some good birds but once again a poor showing on the migrant front. I still managed to see 65 species in all, and was pleaseed to get some nice Dipper shots for a change, even if the ISO had to be ramped up to ISO2000.
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| Jay |
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| Buzzard & Carrion Crow |
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| Bullfinch |
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| Great Spotted Woodpecker |
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| Skylark |
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| Common Scoter |
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| Long Tailed Duck |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Stonechat |
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| Great Black Backed Gull |
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| Curlew & Oystercatcher |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Linnet |
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| Great Tit |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Dipper |
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| Grey Wagtail |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Meadow Pipit |
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| Linnet |
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| Meadow Pipit |
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| Mallard |
Species seen - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Common Scoter, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dipper, Dunlin, Dunnock, Eider, Gannet, Goldcrest, Golden Plover, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Kingfisher, Linnet, Long Tailed Duck, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Red Breasted Merganser, Redshank, Red Throated Diver, Reed Bunting, Ringed Plover, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Rook, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Stonechat, Tree Sparrow, Treecreeper, Tufted Duck, Turnstone, Wheatear sp., Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
