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.
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| 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).
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| Redshanks & Dunlin |
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| Shelduck |
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| Blue Tit |
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| Blue Tit |
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| Gadwall & Mallard & Redshank |
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| Scaup |
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| Scaup |
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| Jackdaw |
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| Teal |
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| Chaffinch |
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Bullfinch |
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| Dunnock (& Rabbit) |
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| Linnet |
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| Jackdaw |
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| Meadow Pipit |
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| Grey Heron & Frog |
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| Grey Heron & Frog |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Mallard |
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| Buzzard |
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| 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).
