0386 : Misty March Morning And More (29/3/17)

Although rain was forecast for mid-afternoon on Wednesday, I had made arrangements to get out and about with Nat for the first time in around 7 or 8 weeks though it was highly likely that the outing would be curtailed by the arrival of the rain. Despite Ospreys having already arrived back at Loch of the Lowes in Perthshire there are still no sightings at their usual haunts in Angus that I've heard of yet. Having still not seen a Sand Martin, though reports so far have been fairly sparse, it made sense to head to Loch of Kinnordy in the hope that we might with a bit of luck see a new arrival or two back for the Summer.

Marsh Harrier

Nat arranged to pick me up at 0815, so I headed out just before then. There was a pair of Blue Tits perched on the wires across the street - possibly the same pair that nested nearby last year, and from the roof edge guttering a few House Sparrows chirped loudly as they peered downwards. A Blackbird was seen as I got into the car and a Feral Pigeon was added as we set off. It was very overcast and quite misty. A Magpie flew over as we headed for Clepington Road. Herring Gull and Jackdaw were spotted as we turned onto the main road. Carrion Crow and Woodpigeon were next onto the list as we headed north up the A90 out of Dundee.

Nat spotted a Rook by the roadside before we headed off the dual carriageway to take the more productive back roads to Kinnordy. There were a pair of Moorhens on the small pool at Lumley Den where usually there is only a pair of Mallards (of which there was no sign). Further on we added the first Pheasant of the day in a field and a pair of fighting Chaffinches fluttered up from the roadside as we passed. North of Glamis a Buzzard flew low across the road and an Oystercatcher was in a field. A tree by the farm buildings at Auchindorie held a few Starlings while the next one had a few Yellowhammers perched in it.

Arriving at a very cold and damp Kinnordy we headed into the Gullery hide stopping to watch a Wren and a Robin. Once inside we scanned around the Loch whe there were numerous wildfowl - Mallards, Wigeon, Teal, Tufted Ducks, Shoveler, Greylags and Mute Swans. The bogbean islands held Lapwings and a few Snipe. There were at least 5 Little Grebes dotted around and a few Coots. A Reed Bunting flew past. A few Black Headed Gulls and Common Gulls drifted over. The visibility was rather poor and our chances of picking out an Osprey were looking rather slim, especially one perched in trees to the north, which were almost invisible in the foggy conditions.

Peering out the side window I watched a pair of Long Tailed Tits in the trees and a Mallard, Teal and Moorhen in the small bay below. Water Rails 'sharmed' from various points around the reserve but despite plenty of searching we failed to see any. A Cormorant was picked out on top of a pole against the fog. A Redshank displayed over the islands as did a pair of Lapwings before a few Whooper Swans appeared from behind the reeds. Nat spotted a bird low over the reeds opposite the hide. A female Marsh Harrier. The first of the year. Apparently it had been seen on Monday but with no text message having been put out on the ADBC grapevine I thought it was maybe being kept quiet (being a Schedule 1 species). However, later at home I discovered that there were photos online, along with the location, so there was no obvious reason for no grapevine text message being circulated. Not the first time that a "good bird" hasn't been 'put out', but publicly shared on facebook instead. Gets annoying when you pay for a service and find that facebook users are getting the info for free, before you do.

I heard a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the trees behind the hide and went to the door to look for it. I spotted it flying between two of the tall conifers. A pair of Long Tailed Tits flitted around in the trees by the wooden 'bridge' walkway. Heading back into the hide we added a flyby Pied Wagtail before Nat spotted a Curlew gliding in. We decided to check the other hides. We could hear Siskins calling and eventually found a few in the trees by the fork in the paths. Chaffinches were also much in evidence. A Song Thrush was found by Nat and at the feeders we failed to see Tree Sparrows but did succeed in finding Coal Tit and Great Tit.

There was nothing to be added from the East hide so we wandered along to the Swamp hide finally finding a Tree Sparrow above the path near the feeders on the way. From the Swamp hide we managed to pick out a few pairs of Gadwall among the other wildfowl, but as expected there was nothing much else to be seen. Greenfinches flew over as we walked along the boardwalk. Heading back along the path we stopped to watch a Treecreeper which vanished round the back of a tree trunk and then actually disappeared - neither of us seeing it flying off. A Dunnock was in the cut branches by the path. We decided to head next to Murton and the warmth of the car was very welcome on the way.

A Brown Hare was in the field next to the reserve as we drove back to Kirriemuir. There were a number of Lesser Black Backed Gulls with Herring Gulls in a field at Padanaram. We arrived at Murton around 1135 and headed into the hide by the car park. There were various ducks on the water and a few Oystercatchers and a Herring Gull on the islands but it was rather quiet. We walked down to the other hide. A Green Sandpiper had been present a few days ago, but despite scanning we only found a trio of Snipe by the water's edge. A few Lapwings were dotted around, with lots of Wigeon and a few Goldeneye on the water. A trio of Shelduck dropped in, and a pair of Redshanks were seen near the Herring Gulls and Black Headed Gulls by the water as a few Carrion Crows wandered around..

We decided to do a lap of the reserve in the hope that we might see Sand Martins by the custom made holes. A Skylark was picked out against the grey sky. There were no Sand Martins at the wall, but a Chiffchaff, a Yellowhammer and 2 Linnets were in the trees behind. Goldcrests, A pair of Roe Deer took off at pace along in front of the fence away from us. Great Tit, Coal Tit and Long Tailed Tits were seen in the small fenced-off wooded area. Blackbirds flew across the pool as we walked along. Despite scanning from various points we drew a blank on Green Sandpiper. A couple of male Bullfinches did show near the farm buildings near the road, and a Collared Dove was on wires as we neared the car park.

We had lunch before heading along the road to check Balgavies. Plenty of Cormorants in the trees, with Chaffinches and various tits at the feeders but the only addition was a distant Great Crested Grebe. Jim Smith from Dundee Naturalists was in the hide and we chatted for a wee while before bumping into his wife Stevie as we were about to leave the car park to head for Monikie in the hope of picking out some reported Little Gulls. With the rain forecast to arrive in the area around 1400 it was looking like quite a short window of opportunity and so it turned out.

Thankfully it didn't prove to difficult to see the Little Gulls. There were lots of Black Headed Gulls out on the reservoir and flapping around above them were a few adult Little Gulls and also some youngsters with the dark M-like markings on the upperwings. Doug Milne and another birder (Dave Murray?) without binoculars had failed to see them so I tried to get them both onto the birds - even loaning the one without binoculars mine to help him see them, but despite my best efforts he failed to conclusively see them. As both myself and Nat had seen them and the forecast rain was rapidly moving across the water towards us, we decided to head back to the car and head for home.

Despite the misty conditions we had still managed to see 61 species including 2 nice year-ticks (in bold), so it had been a good, if slightly shortened (and rather cold) outing.

Little Grebe

Little Grebe

Whooper Swan

Marsh Harrier

Marsh Harrier

Wigeon

Curlew

Snipe

Siskin

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Little Gulls & Black Headed Gulls

Species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunnock, Gadwall, Goldcrest, Goldeneye, Great Crested Grebe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Little Grebe, Little Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Marsh Harrier, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Shelduck, Shoveler, Siskin, Skylark, Snipe, Song Thrush, Starling, Teal, Tree Sparrow, Treecreeper, Tufted Duck, Whooper Swan, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.

0385 : Sunshine Saturday (25/3/17)

With rather nice, warm and sunny weather forecast for Saturday I wanted to get out and about somewhere, however I wasn't feeling 100% so I lay in bed later than intended. I was undecided where to go but it eventually fell to a choice between either Guardbridge or Riverside Nature Park. Neither was particularly likely to throw up anything new for the year-list but if I wasn't feeling too great I could get home relatively quickly from either. With high tide at around 1300 I wasn't confident that I would catch either at the optimal time.

Grey Heron & Frog

I headed out at about 1110 and had to run to catch a bus into town. Only Herring Gull and Feral Pigeon were seen from the bus into the city centre. I decided to head for the bus station to catch a bus to Guardbridge. The automatic doors failed to work and the few seconds delay was just enough for me to miss the St Andrews bus. This didn't make me feel any better. I headed along the road to see if I could catch a bus out to the Nature Park. There is only one Xplore Dundee bus which goes that way now - the number 9. I had to settle for a number 5 and a walk from Ninewells.

I did add a few more species from this bus - Carrion Crow, Chaffinch and Woodpigeon. The walk down to the Invergowrie end of the Nature Park added a few extra birds - a Blue Tit in a tree, a Blackbird pair foraging below a hedge, a displaying Coal Tit in a conifer, and a flyover Meadow Pipit. When I reached the Nature Park I was surprised to still see some exposed mud at the mouth of the burn. A quick check from the bridge over the railway gave me Shelduck, Herring Gulls, Dunlin, Mallards, Redshanks, Curlew, Carrion Crow and Teal. I wandered into the park and round to the hide stopping to add a Grey Heron along at the Lochan.

With a better view across the bay I added Mute Swan to the list. A pair of Grey Wagtails landed by the burn outflow. I was distracted by a pair of Blue Tits foraging in the trees to the right of the hide and succeeded in getting some really nice photos of one of them. Another look at the birds in the bay confirmed the ID of a duck I had seen from the bridge. A drake Gadwall. A single Lesser Black Backed Gull drifted over before I headed into the park. A Buzzard glided along the edge of the bay, and a second bird was seen over Ninewells. The field was full of Carrion Crows and a few Jackdaws.

The first Goldfinches of the day flew over and a few Feral Pigeons passed westwards. A Meadow Pipit was another flypast species. I wandered along to the Lochan where Mallards, Teal and Oystercatchers made up the bulk of the birds. A single immature Scaup which has been around for a while showed quite well. A Pied Wagtail landed by the water before flying over to the other side. A pair of Stock Doves landed near the screen but when I attempted a photo they flew off. A few Jackdaws dropped in.

I wandered further along the track adding Yellowhammer and a singing male Chaffinch. A male Blackbird flew off into the bushes. A Bullfinch was heard calling quietly but I couldn't see it. A Chifchaff called nearby and I attempted to see it but again failed. A Skylark lifted from the hill, spiralling upwards singing loudly. Fences marking the limits of where dogs can be walked off the lead outside of the main Skylark breeding area have been added to the park, though one near Buzzard Wood is still to be added. Further on I succeeded in finding the calling Chiffchaff, my first 'Eurasian' Chiffchaff, having seen the Siberian Chiffchaff on Wednesday at Arbroath.

I bumped into Friends of Riverside Nature Park committee member, Graham Cross and we had a wander to look for Snipe at the flooded area. We drew a blank but a Magpie was seen in the trees by the road. A Siskin flew over and a male Bullfinch was seen in the trees in Buzzard Wood. I left Graham and headed on around the park. Coal Tit was added at the edge of Buzzard Wood followed by a singing Robin in the bushes opposite. A Goldcrest was heard singing but I failed to see it. A Peacock butterfly on the wing was a surprise sighting. There were House Sparrows in the bushes between the fields chirping loudly. It took a bit of effort before I managed to actually see one though.

As I walked up the western end of Buzzard Wood I heard a Great Spotted Woodpecker calling. After a lot of scanning the trees from various points I succeeded in seeing the bird. It drummed a few times, but I couldn't get a clear enough view to get a photo. Two Black Headed Gulls glided over westwards. A Dunnock was seen feeding on the ground in front of the only Rabbit I saw all day in front of the trees round from the back of the car park. It appears that the bout of myxomatosis which had blighted the park last year has taken a heavy toll on the population in the park.

A Linnet was singing from a Buddliea bush in the compost area, and a Song Thrush flew ahead of me below the bushes. A Cormorant was fishing in the bay. Unfortunately there were two people out on the mud beside the mouth of the burn meaning the waders were all bunched up near the reeds as the tide receded. A single Starling was in the field with the corvids. Reaching the hide I found that the people had moved on but the waders were still along the far end of the mud. A bathing Rook was a surprise in the burn. I popped into the Lochan on the way past again and had good views of a Grey Heron struggling to manoeuvre a large Frog into its mouth. It did eventually succeed just before a couple walking along the pavement behind caused it to take flight. I heard Pink Footed Geese but couldn't see them in the blue sky.

I finished my extended figure of eight around the park adding a trio of Greenfinch near Buzzard Wood and a pair of Long Tailed Tits in the wood as I searched again for the Great Spotted Woodpecker. A pair of Buzzards displayed up towards the hospital. A Wren was heard but not seen. I headed up to Perth Road having seen 45 species in the park. While waiting for the bus a pair of Long Tailed Tits were seen flying around in the garden over the wall and across the road. From the bus into town I added a Pied Wagtail at the University. Starling was seen in Reform Street before  headed for home.

A decent enough afternoon with some nice photo opportunities but I didn't shake the 'not great' feeling I'd left the house with, and was glad to get home again. 45 species seen in the park and 12 outwith, though all of those were also seen in the park (in italics).

Redshanks & Dunlin

Shelduck

Blue Tit

Blue Tit

Gadwall & Mallard & Redshank

Scaup

Scaup

Jackdaw

Teal

Chaffinch

Chiffchaff

Bullfinch

Dunnock (& Rabbit)

Linnet

Jackdaw

Meadow Pipit

Grey Heron & Frog

Grey Heron & Frog

Grey Heron

Grey Heron

Oystercatcher

Mallard

Buzzard

Pied Wagtail

Species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Gadwall, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Scaup, Shelduck, Siskin, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Teal, Woodpigeon, Yellowhammer. (Goldcrest, Pink Footed Goose and Wren heard only).

0384 : Bussing It (22/3/17)

With Nat still unavailable for a midweek outing, I chose to have a slightly longer lie-in and to head out into what was forecast to be quite a cold day. I had no real set plan, other than a start point of sorts. I decided I was going to walk along the coast between Easthaven and Westhaven, preferably with the northeasterly wind behind me, though a lot would depend on which bus I managed to catch. A walk up Craigmill Den was also figured into the plan. With Little Gulls having been seen this week somewhere on the coast by Stuart Green of Angus Birdtours, I hoped I might chance upon one if I was lucky  - though my previous March sightings have always been on inland Lochs, and maybe a Chiffchaff in Craigmill Den too. Having seen Little Gulls in late summer in this area, I hoped that the combination of the beach and Craigmill Den would give me the best chance at the 2 target species for the minimum of effort. Time would tell.

Siberian Chiffchaff

With a bus to catch at around 1010 I headed out at around 0955. With a cold wind blowing, it felt more like December and the birds seemed to be keeping a low profile. Feral Pigeon, Herring Gull and Wodpigeon were still around though and a Blackbird hopped under a parked car as I passed near the Lidl supermarket on Dura Street. While waiting for the bus I added a flyover Blue Tit and a Carrion Crow. A few more species were seen from the bus although the windows kept steaming up which didn't help matters. Oystercatchers on a football pitch, Starlings on a chimney, Collared Dove on a TV aerial, House Sparrows on the apex of a roof were added to the list however. Jackdaws, Rooks and Buzzard were spotted between Monifieth and Barry. A male Pheasant was in a ploughed field as the bus reached the village.

Arriving at Easthaven at about 1055, I found the usually relatively busy car park empty. Goldfinch and Meadow Pipit were both seen flying over, their calls alerting me to them. The exposed nature of the beach meant the wind felt even colder than earlier. I was able to add Pied Wagtail and Linnet on the beach as I walked slowly westwards. Offshore I could see a few Eiders and a few Great Black Backed Gulls, Herring Gulls and Cormorants on rocks. A small group of Ringed Plover lifted from the sand as I approached, and a Curlew did likewise much further ahead. A few Mallards could be seen in some of the pools among the rocks as the tide receded.

The first Rock Pipit of the day wandered around on the rocks and a pair of Shelduck took flight into the wind. I stopped to scan offshore and managed to spot Common Gull, Kittiwake and Gannet out over the sea. More waders were seen among the rocks - Redshanks, Oystercatchers, a few Grey Plover and a large flock of Turnstones. There were also a small group of Wigeon in the water where the rocks met the waves. Black Headed Gull was also seen. I sat for a few minutes out of the wind by the Craigmill Burn mouth but it was more of the same. A Kingfisher was heard as it flew off up the burn.

I walked up to the level crossing to cross the railway line to walk up Craigmill Den. A Greenfinch flew over. The Rooks were very active building nests in the tall trees at the southern end of the Den. A Wren was seen flying low along the opposite bank before disappearing into the vegetation. A Skylark flew upwards from the fields, singing as it climbed higher. A Grey Wagtail flew off up the burn and a Robin showed on the fence. There were Blue Tits around in the bushes just down from the weir but not much else.

Wandering up the road at the top end I found a few Chaffinches and a Pied Wagtail feeding by a small puddle beside the car parking lay-by. More Skylarks and a Reed Bunting were seen as I walked down across the fields towards Panbride House. I hoped I might hear Chiffchaffs calling from the grounds but I only heard Dunnocks, and didn't even manage to see them. There were more Skylarks active by the railway line as I walked back along the cycle path to Westhaven. With a 15 minute wait I chose not to venture down to the beach again, and decided to wait instead. A large flock of a few hundred Starlings flew up from the direction of the beach as I waited.

An ADBC text alert had come in saying that a possible Siberian Chiffchaff had once again been seen at Keptie Ponds, having been originally found on Sunday. As I had failed to see Chiffchaff so far it made sense to attempt to see it. Keptie Pond also meant I would add a few more species to the list for the day. From the bus I added Stock Dove to the list as they fed in a ploughed field with Woodpigeons and some corvids. Arriving at the pond around 1315, I could see Herring Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Black Headed Gull, Tufted Ducks, Mallards, Mute Swans, Coots, a Moorhen and a Goosander on the water. Not a bad start.

A pair of Grey Heron squabbled at a possible nest site on the island. Scanning ahead I could see Blairgowrie ADBC member Doug Milne. A lady stopped to chat and told me about the Heron's nesting and how she goes ringing with an Arbroath resident whose surname she couldn't remember. I had a quick chat with Doug Milne who hadn't managed to relocate the Chiffchaff. He continued in an anti-clockwise direction and I headed further towards the bushes at the south end. Graham Smith of Dundee RSPB was scanning the bushes but hadn't had any luck either. He had re-identified the bird on Sunday after it was initially reported as a Garden Warbler by Mickey Mellon.

We walked along the path to check the bushes further on, chatting as we went. Graham spotted the Siberian Chiffchaff in the bushes next to us and we had relatively decent views though there were too many branches in the way to get a clear photo. The bird was a very cold grey compared to the more usual olive colours of a Chiffchaff. It was quite tricky to keep sight of at times as it picked around near the water among the tangle of branches. After a few minutes the bird started calling, a very flat short, almost monotone, whistle. This matched the Siberian Chiffchaff call on the Collins Bird Guide app and clinched the ID for us.

The bird came closer to the path which allowed me to finally get a few photos. I also managed to record the call on my phone surprisingly well. A pair of Dunnocks and a Great Tit were in the same bushes. We were joined by Bob McCurley and Doug Milne and we all had very good views of the bird. Another birder arrived and the bird decided it didn't particularly like crowds and flew up and into the gorse bushes on the small rise behind the pond.

Having by now managed to see one of my target species for the day (albeit in a more exotic subspecies than I expected) I had a choice to make. Hang around Arbroath, head back to Dundee or catch a bus to Forfar and try the Loch for Little Gull (I saw my first ever Little Gulls there in 2005) and maybe even a Sand Martin or a Garganey. As there was more chance of running into something good there I decided it was the best option and set off for the bus station via a far more circuitous route than I actually needed to. Thankfully I made it in time to catch the bus and arrived in Forfar at around 1500. Following a quick walk I arrived at the Loch at around 1510. Scanning from behind the now closed Leisure Centre I racked up a number of new species for the day.

A pair of Feral Greylags ran from a dog and the Mallard flock flew into the water to escape. A Magpie flew into the trees behind me. There were Great Crested Grebes dotted around and Tufted Ducks and Goldeneye out on the water as well as a few Goosander. In below the bushes along the north side were a number of Teal. Overall though it seemed rather quiet. Instead of going along the north side first as I tend to do, I decided to go along the south side first. Goldfinches and Siskins were heard but only the former were seen. Blackbirds and a Song Thrush foraged around among the leaf litter. Oystercatchers and a pair of Magpies fed on the ground at the rugby pitch.

Towards the western end I stopped to watch a Goldcrest feeding in the trees and a few Robins showed near the path. Coal Tit and Long Tailed Tit were seen where the burn flows into the Loch, but despite scanning along the reedy fringes I failed to find any sign of an early Garganey. A Mallard and a Cormorant flew in from the west. A few Mute Swans and a raft of Black Headed Gulls could be seen on the water. A detour into the bushes near the small wooden bridge over the small burn resulted in finding a small flock of Bullfinches and a few Siskins. The Siskins seemed unconcerned by me and I managed a few nice shots of a male.

A Yellowhammer called from the trees by the path as I headed back towards the Leisure Centre end. A Reed Bunting male gave me good views in a tree. A few Goosander and Teal as well as Mallard and Moorhen were seen near the small bay near the sailing club spit. The trees and bushes were relatively quiet with only Blackbirds and a few Blue Tits and Robins seen, though another Magpie was heard chuckling towards the eastern end. A quick stop at the small wooden viewing platform added Little Grebe to the list. A Grey Heron was also seen flying off down the Loch from here. A nice male Bullfinch feeding on buds above the path gave me good views though the branches below the bird made getting a clear shot difficult. I also had good views of Teal displaying in the northeast corner of the Loch before I wandered back into town to wait for the bus back to Dundee.

Jackdaws were much in evidence above the roofs at the High Street and gave me something to watch while I waited for the bus to arrive. Heading back towards Dundee I happened to look out the window in time to see a displaying Lapwing over the fields by the road giving me one final addition to the list for the day which stood at 67 species, including 1 year-tick (in bold). A pretty good day out despite the weather, showing what is possible in Angus on public transport. Had I headed out a few hours earlier I probably could have added another location and a few more species.

Shelduck

Mallard

Skylark

Siberian Chiffchaff

Siberian Chiffchaff

Siberian Chiffchaff

Siberian Chiffchaff

Buzzard

Magpie

Oystercatcher

Goosander

Lesser Black Backed Gull, Black Headed Gull, Mute Swan, Herring Gull, Goosander 

Lesser Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Cormorant

Chaffinch

Mallard

Siskin

Bullfinch

Reed Bunting

Gadwall

Bullfinch

Teal

Teal

Teal

Teal

Coot & Moorhen

Species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, (Siberian) Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunnock, Eider, Gadwall, Gannet, Goldcrest, Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Plover, Grey Wagtail, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kittiwake, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Little Grebe, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Ringed Plover, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Rook, Shelduck, Siskin, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Teal, Tufted Duck, Turnstone, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.

Having read up a little about Siberian Chiffchaff, I'm not completely convinced that the bird is 100% a 'pure' Siberian Chiffchaff. There is a very slight difference to the call, though it seems very subtle - possibly someone could compare sonograms of the call. I think there is a possibility of it being an intergrade/hybrid between 'our' Chiffchaff and 'tristis' subspecies, either way it is still a Chiffchaff and a year-tick for me.