Friday was technically the last day of my week off work on holiday, so once again I was determined to get out birding. However the earlier starts than usual from a few days were beginning to tell on me, and I lay in bed a good bit later than intended. I was also rather indecisive as to where I wanted to go. Fife Ness was considered but I much prefer to get there early so I can make the most of it, otherwise birding in that area feels rushed. Montrose Basin was another thought, but having already seen most of the likely wader species and the thought of over an hour each way on the bus soon dissuaded me of the notion. Eventually I settled for a trip to Carnoustie and Craigmill Den to see if the tide would bring in anything interesting.
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| Pink Footed Geese |
It was just before 1000 when I headed out the door and Feral Pigeon was first onto the list. A high flying skein of Pink Footed Geese were heard and then spotted approaching from the north east as I walked down Maitland Street heading for Arbroath Road. Herring Gull was seen as the bus arrived. The bus journey provided a few more species with Black Headed Gull, House Sparrow, Carrion Crow, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon and Mute Swan, Jackdaw and Starling seen as the bus passed through Broughty Ferry and Monifieth. The slightly more rural section added Curlew, Oystercatcher, Rook and Swallow.
I wandered down to the shore past the golf course hotel. A few Pied Wagtails wandered around on the grass and a small group of Linnets also dropped in briefly. Offshore a single Eider wasn't too far away. Further out, I spotted a small group of dark ducks in flight which turned out to be Common Scoters. A Grey Heron flew over from the direction of the golf course, while offshore a small group of Sandwich Terns cruised around noisily calling. A few Gannets milled around. I headed east along the path up from the beach. A Robin sang from a back garden tree. A small flock of Goldfinches landed ahead of me on some of the weedy plants by the edge of the beach. On the rocks among the Sandwich Terns were a few Curlews and Oystercatchers, as well as a few Redshanks. A Red Breasted Merganser gave a good impression of a Diver species in flight but photos provided an ID.
A few White Wagtails were seen and a few Meadow Pipits passed overhead. A House Martin and more Swallows headed west along the beach staying low. I eventually managed to find a Turnstone out on the rocks. There were also a few Ringed Plover camouflaged quite well against the sand until they moved. Also on the rocks with the Sandwich Terns nearer Westhaven were a number of Kittiwakes. A large flock of Starlings were also picking around on the newly exposed beach. Something caused them all to take flight and as they did so, a Golden Plover which had gone unseen until now, caught my eye as it flew off out over the sea away from the Starling flock which soon settled back down on the sand and rocks.
A small flock of Wigeons flew past eastwards towards the congregation of birds near the Craigmill Burn mouth where I was headed next. Among the Herring Gulls, Black Headed Gulls, Kittiwakes and Common Gulls were a few Great Black Backed Gulls and at least a single Lesser Black Backed Gull. There were a number of Mallards mingling with the Wigeon along the shoreline near the burn mouth. I managed to once again jump across the narrowest part of the burn without getting my feet wet, and I wandered along to a tree trunk section on the beach where could sit and have some lunch. A Redshank and three Dunlin fed by the water's edge.
A passing train put up birds further along the beach, including a few Lapwings. With nothing much of interest, I crossed the railway line at the level crossing and wandered up into Craigmill Den. A Buzzard spotted me before I spotted it and flew off. A Stock Dove flew over when I exited the Rookery tree's cover. A Yellowhammer perched up on the wires. I decided to take my time and see what I could find by being patient rather than hoping for the best on a normal walk through. I wasn't sure whether this approach would be successful or not as things appeared very quiet on the surface.
However, a Blackbird broke cover before a Song Thrush popped up into a small tree. A Wren showed for a few seconds among the undergrowth. The trees and bushes at the slight bend where the burn is closest to the path proved particularly productive, though again lots of patience was required. Chaffinch and Coal Tit were first and gave good views. A couple of Goldcrests picked around in the bushes by the path giving sporadic good views before flitting back behind leaves and branches. A Blue Tit would pop out into the open from time to time, at least until a Sparrowhawk flew in and landed on a fence post behind the trees, until it noticed me across the burn and off it went again.
A Chiffchaff proved elusive before giving a very fleeting view. A Great Tit and a Treecreeper shared a bush before a Grey Wagtail flew over. A Blackcap was another skulking bird but was seen flying from one bush to another. At the top end I was surprised to find that since my last visit a couple of large concrete blocks have been put in the parking spot to deter cars from parking which is going to mean anyone wishing to check the Den for birds is going to have to walk a lot further in future. More Pink Footed Geese flew over, as the sky grew more and more overcast.
I decided to head back towards Carnoustie in the hope of catching the bus back to Dundee. Unfortunately, it was early and passed me as I was halfway between the Den and Westhaven. What I didn't realise until I reached the end of the road was that the bus had been sitting for a few minutes and had I hurried I would have caught it. I checked what time the bus was due at the stop at the end of Carnoustie and it appeared that I had around three minutes so I ran, more in hope than expectation and actually arrived at the bus stop around 30 seconds before the bus.
Although I'd left the rain behind me at Carnoustie, it was moving west too. I decided to get off the bus at Balmossie to check the Dighty mouth in the hope of adding a few more species. There were a few Mute Swans and plenty of gulls along with a mixture of common waders. There were a few Goosanders and Teal by the mouth of the burn and a couple of Bar Tailed Godwits were on the beach a little to the east of the burn. I knew there was a good chance of adding Sanderling to the list so despite the threat of rain I wandered along towards the small car park near the roadbridge over the railway line.
I hadn't gone very far when three of the diminutive waders flew low and fast over the gull flock. There were others on the sand along with a couple of Dunlin and Ringed Plovers while Redshanks were out by the water's edge. By now, the rain seemed imminent so I hurried up the road to the nearest bus stop which I almost made before the rain began to fall. Thankfully, it didn't get particularly heavy until I was under cover, and the bus arrived shortly after to take me home after a shorter than usual day's birding.
Far from a classic day with little in the way of decent photo opportunities or even particularly 'good birds' with a fairly ordinary selection of species among the 60 seen which suggested that I had perhaps made the wrong choice of destination and at times I'd felt as if I didn't even want to be out birding. Maybe I was feeling a bit jaded having done little but birding and looking at photos of birds since the previous Sunday morning.
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| Common Scoter |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Cormorant |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Sandwich Tern, Herring Gull, Redshank, Starling & Turnstone |
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| Ringed Plover |
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| Curlew, Redshank, Turnstone & Starling |
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| House Sparrow |
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| Golden Plover |
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| Kittiwake, Sandwich Tern & Oystercatcher |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Dunlin |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Goosander & Herring Gull |
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Sanderling
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Species seen - Bar tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Common Scoter, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Eider, Gannet, Goldcrest, Golden Plover, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kittiwake, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail (& White Wagtail), Pink Footed Goose, Red Breasted Merganser, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sanderling, Sandwich Tern, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Teal, Treecreeper, Turnstone, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
