With much better weather forecast for Thursday than I'd had earlier in the week, I decided that I would once again attempt the Inverkeillor to Ferryden route but this time I would take the intended route via Fishtown of Usan, and Mains of Usan instead of the straight road. It would add an extra mile or two but hopefully the better conditions would lead to better finds (though topping the Sabine's Gull would be tricky). I was also in no hurry.
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| Kestrel |
I was starting just over an hour later than Tuesday with the bus to catch at 0815 I headed out at around 0750. Feral Pigeon, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Blue Tit & Blackbird were seen as I waited for the bus. From the walk down past the Wellgate to the Bus Station I added a fly-over Meadow Pipit, a singing Robin and a Carrion Crow. The bus strip to Inverkeillor wasn't particularly productive either with Black Headed Gulls on football pitches near Claypotts, Starlings by the roadside and Oystercatcher and Rooks in fields added along the whole route.
Arriving in a rather sunny Inverkeillor, I soon added a few more species with a couple of Swallows chittering away on wires above a field, a Pied Wagtail which flew across the same field and some House Sparrows in a garden hedge. Around the corner a small family group of Collared Doves were perched around on a telegraph pole and surrounding wires. Setting off down a road with far more visibility than two days previously, I expected to see more birds. Skylarks passed over in small groups and a flock of Tree Sparrows were in the edge of a field. Hearing some quiet calls I edged slowly closer to the hedge to see if I could see through any gaps, and flushed a covey of Grey Partridges that were closer than expected on the other side.
Linnets and Meadow Pipits were on wires near one of the farms, with Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and Linnets in the field at the junction where the road I was on met the road to Lunan Bay. A few Goldfinches flew around and a Grey Wagtail flew over in company with a Pied Wagtail. Across the far side of the field towards the bay a Buzzard perched atop a fence post. A Goldcrest was foraging around in the gorse bushes by the road opposite the house near the track to the hide. A Coal Tit was in a tree opposite and a Song Thrush flew off as I passed. The first Yellowhammers of the day were seen as I wandered along the track towards the houses. A Stock Dove flew off across the field and a Dunnock showed atop the bushes on the opposite side of the track.
A pair of Stonechats were around the washing line and chicken coops as I made my way to the hide, trying to avoid the Rabbit holes along the grassy tracks. From the hide the view was far better with clear views of all the gulls and terns on the beach. As before the gulls were mostly Kittiwakes, though with Herring, Common, Black Headed and Great Black Backed Gulls amongst them as well as Common and Arctic Terns. Despite searching in better light there were no obvious hidden Sabine's Gulls this time. Offshore I managed to find both Common and Velvet Scoters and a few Shags but no Divers. A Rock Pipit flew past.
Once again I cut up to Red Castle to shave a couple of hundred metres off my journey, this added Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Great Tit and Greenfinch to the list but no sign of any obvious migrants. Wandering round to the car park and dunes, I found that I was behind not just one dog-walker but two, and even letting them get ahead of me, I was then passed by another dog-walker with five labrador type dogs, so needless to say, there were not many birds to be found along the track though patience did produce a single Willow Warbler, a Goldcrest and a Chaffinch in one bush. A Kestrel dropped quickly from high above towards the camera when I pointed the camera at the bird.
The bird seemed rather intrigued by the lens as it flew closer a few times as if tryingt o get a better look, which worked out well for me getting some nice photos, with the bird choosing to hover relatively close. Another Kestrel passed southwards being pursued by Carrion Crows. There were a few Cormorants offshore and a small skein of Pink Footed Geese flew south. I once again managed to scramble up the steep slope to the stubble field where I was able to see this time, though there were less birds actually to be found in the field. A Pheasant youngster flew off from the other side of the railway bridge and landed on the railway tracks across the bridge. Fortunately it moved on again before a train appeared.
I scanned the gulley's opposite side looking for birds but any that were there seemed to be staying in cover, though there were a few fleeting glimpses of birds, one of which had a hint of Red Backed Shrike about it but when I tried to find the tree I had been looking at with binoculars through the camera I couldn't relocate the bird. To be able to do the gulley justice a scope on a tripod would be necessary and preferably more than one set of eyes, and a lot of time and persistence. Reaching the road I set off along my intended route from Tuesday. I encountered lots of Red Admiral butterflies throughout the day, but a lot of them seemed to be routing along the roads, probably feeding along the verges. I had also found the first of the Silver Y moths I was to encounter as I'd walked up the edge of the gulley.
A Wren showed in some scrubby vegetation near a farm entrance though a Robin stayed more in cover. I turned off the main road to head for Usan but there was another gulley I had previously seen from a car that I thought looked rather promising. I suspect the lack of sightings is mostly down to lack of nearby parking as it is similar in nature to Seaton Den north of Arbroath though less deep with mature deciduous trees down its length and not too much of an understorey of vegetation below. I explored part of it before a patch of nettles blocked my way. I continued my look from the edge of the stubble field to the north. There were certainly birds there but nothing out of the ordinary was readily apparent.
I walked along the bottom edge of the stubble field parallel to the railway line to join the farm track back up to the 'main' road. A Raven called but my view of it was blocked by a tree, though I did see it shortly after, rolling onto its back in flight numerous times. This was an unexpected bird for me, though apparently they have been seen here before. On the way to Fishtown of Usan I had a sighting of a bird that I couldn't get a good enough view of. In flight, from below the outer wings appeared to be very pale. It had a white throat when it briefly perched in a tree but unfortunately branches block almost all of the rest of the bird and it flew off as I tried to get a better angle. There were a number of Pied Wagtails and Meadow Pipits in the stubble field with a few bathing in a puddle,
At Fishtown of Usan a Lesser Whitethroat gave me nice views for a few seconds before it flew off as I raised the camera. In the bay were a couple of Eiders and a Curlew was out on the rocks with a few gulls. I searched for signs of other migrants but drew a blank. By now my legs were starting to hurt and as the sun had been shining all day, I was rather warm. Regardless I made it down to Mains of Usan. A Sparrowhawk drifted over the trees as I scanned for birds. I could hear but not see a Yellow Browed Warbler but I was more interested in trying to work out what a rather active bird in the tall trees was. I eventually got photos of a Spotted Flycatcher, though there may well have been more than one of the birds here. A Grey Heron was at the pond and a Mistle Thrush perched in the trees before I decided to head back to Ferryden to catch the bus back to Dundee, after a quick chat with Stuart Green from Angus Birdtours who had earlier found Spotted Flycatcher as well as a few Pied Flycatchers for the client he was showing around the local migratory hot-spots.
I did actually cut my journey back to catch the bus rather fine arriving with only 4 minutes to spare. Stuart passed and offered me a lift down the coast, as he was headed to Easthaven to check for migrants, but my legs were so tired that I just wanted to get home so I had to decline (thanks again). Nothing else was added from the bus (actually two buses - as the X7 broke down at Arbroath bus station and we were transferred onto the 39 - which did mean a shorter trip to get home back in Dundee).
Despite the better weather I actually ended up with less species (57 rather than 62) found than Tuesday's outing in the fog, though I had found a couple of migrants myself, though nothing definite in the sites I hoped I might find something, though I probably didn't give any of them quite enough attention to be sure there was actually nothing around. Still an enjoyable, if rather lengthy, walk, and something that I will definitely do again.
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| Meadow Pipit |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Buzzard |
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| Stonechat |
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| Stonechat |
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| Stonechat |
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| Kittiwake, Black Headed Gull, Common Gull & Herring Gull |
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| What happened next? |
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| Rabbit |
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| Blue Tit |
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| Collared Dove |
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
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| Buzzard |
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| Raven |
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| Meadow Pipit |
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| Wren |
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| Silver Y moth |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Spotted Flycatcher |
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| Spotted Flycatcher |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Pink Footed Goose |
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| Mistle Thrush |
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| Yellowhammer & Linnet |
Species seen - Arctic Tern, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal,Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Common Scoter, Common Tern, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunnock, Eider, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Partridge, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Kittiwake, Lesser Whitethroat, Linnet, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Raven, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Rook, Shag, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Spotted Flycatcher, Starling, Stock Dove, Stonechat, Swallow, Tree Sparrow, Velvet Scoter, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
