For a variety of reasons, I've been finding it difficult to get motivated enough to actually venture outside for anything other than work lately so the birding has suffered accordingly. Even today, I rolled over and went back to sleep for another 5 hours instead of heading out early. When I did eventually surface I decided that I would force myself to go for a walk, so around 1315 I headed out with my camera gear and binoculars to see if I could find something good - perhaps even one of the Hawfinch influx which has taken place over the past few weeks, though mostly further south.
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| Redwing |
A few Herring Gulls started off the list for the day in unspectacular form, followed soon after by a couple of flyover Feral Pigeons from the local flock. A House Sparrow was seen out in the open briefly while the hedges either side of a tenement garden held unseen, but heard, numbers of the same. A Blue Tit and a Blackbird were in a Rowan tree on the other side of the street. I diverted off Clepington Road to Mains Terrace to see whether there was anything of interest to be found there. More Blackbirds and Blue Tits but also a pair of Magpies and a Dunnock as well as a Robin. Collared Doves were perched on a nearby chimney pot and another Magpie pair were high in another tree as I headed for Swannie Ponds.
The trees behind the former bus depot buildings held Greenfinches and Redwings in good numbers plus at least a single Goldfinch and a Mistle Thrush. The birds shuttled back and forward to the island on the main pond. The Mute Swan family swam over to me expecting food, with the youngster looking increasingly white. A few Mallards were on the path edges while further round most of the Black Headed Gulls were out of the water. Herring Gulls (including a few probable Scandinavian Argentatus race birds) were on the water and a single Tufted Duck was spotted also. I scanned through the Black Headed Gulls looking for ringed birds seeing a single metal ringed bird. There were also a few Common Gulls amongst the smaller gulls and a single 1st winter Herring Gull.
Something spooked the whole lot from off the path as well as most of the birds from the island before I got within range for a look at the ringed bird. Disappointingly the majority chose to settle on the lower pond. A single young Goosander was on the island and a couple of Coots swam into view. There were also four farmyard type Mallards which I suspect someone had 'dumped' at the ponds. A Moorhen put in an appearance before I wandered down to check the birds at the lower pond. I eventually succeeded in finding a regular winter bird - white J4U2 from Norway, perched atop a lamp post.
I headed next to Baxter Park to check the mature tree tops for the hoped for Hawfinch. Blue Tits, Greenfinches, Redwings and a Woodpigeon were found instead. A Carrion Crow picked around on the grass, and another Woodpigeon ignored me as I walked within a few feet as it picked around among the leaf litter. A Wren sang briefly by the small fenced-off spring area, and a Redwing showed well just above it. Another Magpie was added. No sign of any Hawfinches though, not unexpectedly. A Grey Squirrel was collecting material for a drey near the Pavillion building and I was able to get a few photos before it disappeared again into the tree tops.
I decided to visit City Quay next and was able to add a high flying Sparrowhawk as the bus I was on sat at the stop near Princes Street Surgery. A Starling regaled the traffic with a collection of sounds from the top of the old Sailors Rest building. Unsurprisingly, given the recently opened watersport area at City Quay birds were in short supply. A Cormorant flew from the channel linking the inner quay with the outer and good views on the water suggested a probable Sinensis race bird back for the winter. A Grey Heron slept on the quayside. I added a Grey Seal, a Great Black Backed Gull and a Red Breasted Merganser out on the Tay but a Grey Wagtail that I could hear proved elusive. A Robin perched on a car aerial gave me an unusual photo opportunity though the two policemen in the police car that I found waiting to turn when I looked up from the camera must have wondered what I was doing given that I was pointing the large lens down between the buildings.
I eventually succeeded in adding Grey Wagtail to the list when I found one in the small pools near the roadbridge access ramp, though it flew off before I got a photo. The grassy areas at Slessor Gardens held at least a dozen Pied Wagtails most likely feeding up before going to roost somewhere nearby. I headed up through the city centre to The Howff graveyard for a quick look to see if I could add a few more species before it got locked up for the night. Chaffinch and Long Tailed Tits were added rather quickly to the list.
However, movement on the ground caught my eye and I found myself looking at a Brown Rat next to one of the gravestones. It scurried under one of the stones before I was able to try for a photo, but a few seconds later I saw it pop out again, though it was too fast for me this time and no photo was managed. However, it then showed relatively well as it peered out from below the same gravestone eyeing me suspiciously, though seemingly unconcerned, which meant that I was eventually able to get a few photos of a new animal species for me in Dundee, though I have seen them at Guardbridge and Balgavies in the past. With the light rapidly fading I headed for the bus home.
Given my lack of enthusiasm for getting out and about beforehand, I was surprised that I did actually enjoy being out for the afternoon, even if it was just locally. I managed a decent total of 34 species of bird and 3 species of mammal which for mid-November in an urban location isn't bad.
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| Greenfinch & Mistle Thrush |
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| Goosander |
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| Redwing |
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| Farmyard ducks (Mallard cross) |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Black Headed Gull (white J4U2) |
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| Grey Squirrel |
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| Grey Squirrel |
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| Magpie |
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| Cormorant (probable Sinensis) |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Great Black Backed Gull |
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| Grey Seal |
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| Red Breasted Merganser |
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| Robin |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Brown Rat |
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| Long Tailed Tit |
Species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Pied Wagtail, Red Breasted Merganser, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals - Brown Rat, Grey Seal, Grey Squirrel.
