As I wasn't feeling particularly well on Wednesday the usual midweek outing was postponed. Autumn seems to have given way to Winter with the temperature plummeting to around freezing with the wind swinging round to a northwesterly direction. having seen the forecast temperatures and with showers forecast I decided not to attempt the Tayport-Leuchars walk that I had thought of doing. Instead, I stayed in bed until after 1100. However, I decided I should go somewhere, rather than sit at home all day, so it was back to Swannie Ponds to check on the gulls.
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| Mallard |
I headed out shortly after 1400. The cold wind seemed to be keeping birds in more sheltered locations meaning that there wasn't too much to see initially. A Herring Gull drifted over on the wind, with a juvenile perched atop a nearby chimney. A Blackbird was perched in a tree where it was joined by a Blue Tit which flew across the street. A small group of House Sparrows was at the other side of the tenement garden, chirping loudly as I walked past. A Carrion Crow was spotted across Clepington Road, with a Woodpigeon seen further on along the road. A detour along Mains Terrace drew a blank except for another Woodpigeon, though a Wren was heard from a garden in Lammerton Terrace, but not seen.
As I neared Swannie Ponds, I spotted a Black Headed Gull on a lamp-post. At the ponds, almost all the gulls were on the water. Most were Black Headed, but there were at least three Common Gulls and a relatively small amount of Herring Gulls. The local Mallards were on the water as well, with five Tufted Ducks to the side of the island. A Dunnock flew up from the path ahead of me and into cover. There were three Moorhens on the water, with a single Coot tucked in at the edge of the island. The Mute Swan family of two adults and two youngsters were lying on the grass near the notice board. The youngsters were preening, but none of the four seemed to be concerned as I passed them. A flock of Feral Pigeons overflew.
With nothing much happening I decided to head for Eastern Cemetery in search of winter thrushes and maybe even a Waxwing or two. A Collared Dove overflew as I wandered along Rodd Road. Things were very quiet at the cemetery, with only a Blue Tit flying into a tree near the entrance and a Carrion Crow atop another tree to show for around ten minutes walking. Eventually I spotted Starlings on a pylon over the far side of the Kingsway from near the eastern edge of the site. Woodpigeon, a few more Carrion Crows and a Greenfinch were seen as I walked back towards the entrance.
I heard, but didn't see, a Robin. A Mistle Thrush alarm call allowed me to see 1 flying off. As I neared the top end of the cemetery again, I spotted a small group of thrushes in the air, circling around above the trees. They were mostly Redwings, though a single Fieldfare and another couple of Mistle Thrushes made up the numbers. They didn't settle anywhere close though, so I headed back to the ponds, adding a few flyover Goldfinches on the way. A single Magpie flew across the ponds before I headed for the relative warmth of home after around ninety minutes or so of birding.
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| Tufted Duck |
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| Moorhen |
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| Mute Swan |
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| Black Headed & Herring Gulls |
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Carrion Crow |
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| Starling |
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| Greenfinch |
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| Mistle Thrush |
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| Redwing |
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| Mistle Thrush |
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| Redwing |
Only 23 species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Coot, Dunnock, Fieldfare, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Magpie, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Redwing, Feral Pigeon, Starling, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon.
