With my chances rather limited to get up the Glens this year through circumstances outwith my control I have to try and take any chance I can get. Paul (Gander from BirdForum) who I met last year on the BirdForum Scottish 'bash' had mentioned on the site that he was contemplating buying a Nikon P900. I offered to let him try out mine on a day out. As mid-May was his earliest opportunity to do so, and suspecting that he would not yet have had the chance to see some of the species on offer, I suggested a trip up the Glens thus giving him plenty opportunity to try the camera on a variety of species as well as hopefully giving me the chance to pick up a few species. To this Paul readily agreed and we chose the Thursday after he was due back onshore from his spell working on an oil platform in the North Sea. Thankfully the weather allowed him to make it home and we were all set to go.
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| Red Kite |
Paul had a number of target species that he hoped to see, and I still 'needed' Woodcock and Redstart having missed out on both on Sunday's RSPB outing. I headed out at 0800 to meet Paul and as expected picked up a few species on the 10 minute walk to our rendezvous point. Herring Gull, Collared Dove, Jackdaw, Blackbird, Starling, Feral Pigeon, Swift and Woodpigeon got the list up and running. I somehow managed to not see Paul's car at the car park though thankfully Paul spotted me and shouted me over. A quick discussion of the plan for the day and we were off up the A90.
Unsurprisingly we added a few more on the way up the dual carriageway with Lesser Black Backed Gull, Mallard, Carrion Crow, Buzzard and Swallow taking the list into double figures. We stopped to check out a small area of woodland and fields at the edge of a village. House Martins and Swifts and a few Swallows were seen overhead. The Swifts were Paul's first of the year due to him having been offshore. In addition we added House Sparrow, Dunnock, a number of Rooks including youngsters from a nearby rookery. Above the fields we spotted a Buzzard, a few Black Headed Gulls and a Lapwing or two. A Willow Warbler sang from a small bush before flying up into the trees near us. Goldfinch and Oystercatchers were seen on our way out of the village.
Into the first of our two Glens we went, adding Pheasant and Common Gull relatively quickly as well as a flyover Curlew. Our first stop was at a site which can be good for Redstart and Tree Pipit. Getting out of the car I could hear Redstart singing from the slope opposite our parking spot just off the road. We scanned for it but it sounded like the bird had flown off the down the hill to the trees further away. We walked down the road noting a Red Kite and a few Sand Martins overhead. A Robin was seen as we turned off the road onto a track through the trees. A Lesser Redpoll circled around overhead, and across the other side of the Glen I spotted a Raven heading eastwards. A Buzzard circled above the skyline above a mountain.
A Stock Dove flew up the Glen, but Paul failed to get onto the bird before it disappeared out of view behind the trees. Our first Treecreeper of the day was much more showy giving us both good views from just a few feet away. We scanned and scanned for our elusive singing Redstart but it seemed to keep one tree ahead of us, just as the one last year had done to myself and Nat. It didn't look like we would have much luck so we double back to the road where I heard a Tree Pipit. This was much easier to find as it was perched on wires, though my initial view was through the branches of a tree in the foreground. We did get good views from a few feet to our left before walking back up to the car.
Nearing the car we could hear the Redstart singing quite close but I couldn't find it. However Paul spotted a bird among the branches of one of the trees opposite. It wasn't our singer, but it was a
Redstart, a female. Target species number 1 for us both in the bag. I knew there would be further chances to see a male so we decided to move on again. From the car we were able to see a few more species - a Mistle Thrush on a roadside fence post, a Chaffinch flying up from the road, my first
Woodcock of the year (and target number 2 for me) flew across the road in front of us, just as Paul spotted another bird on a fallen branch, hawking for flies. A Spotted Flycatcher - a year-tick for Paul. A Red Legged Partridge ran across the road in front of us, giving Paul another lifer.
Meadow Pipits and Song Thrush were expected additions but the next one wasn't on our radar. We stopped to scan the mountains opposite and the fields across the road. I could hear Snipe and we could see Lapwings and Oystercatchers. The bird I could hear singing was familiar sounding. Having heard one the previous day, I knew what it was - Pied Flycatcher. Keith Edwards had heard, and then found, the bird last year at the same place so I knew where to look. We clambered over the fence and headed for a stand of trees above a slightly boggy area. A bit of scanning found us one of the birds - another lifer for Paul, before it flew out to chase a second bird. There were a few short tussles before we had other views of one of them perched. A few photos and a few Long tailed Tits and Redpoll sightings then we headed back to the car as by now it was after 1100, and we hadn't actually made it very far.
Another pied bird was next onto the list - a Pied Wagtail this time and a Reed Bunting flew past as we searched in vain for the Snipe I'd heard. On we went again. At our next stop we added a flyover Great Black Backed Gull. We reached the end of the Glen road at just after 1200 and set off to walk further on to a place where there was a chance of Ring Ouzel. Common Sandpipers were seen on the burn. A drake Wigeon sat in a field was an unexpected sight. I heard another call from the burn which I recognised from the day before - a young Dipper though I did spot the adult first. I picked up a Red Grouse across the far side of the Glen though it proved impossible to give Paul directions to get onto it.
Up on the hillside I thought I could see a potential Ring Ouzel but it didn't seem to be moving. However further down and much closer movement caught my eye and I found a Ring Ouzel. I called to Paul who hurried over for his next lifer. We had views of at least 3 of the birds, including one rather grey-ish looking male. House Martins were visiting a tiny puddle for mud for nest-building and we were able to get close views and a few photos. A Song Thrush gave us good views in a field by the track. Redpolls seemed to be rather numerous overhead and we had more Treecreeper sightings.
Paul spotted a herd of Red Deer stags behind an estate building, quite possibly my first Red Deer of the year.We stopped to look for another singing Redstart which paul eventually managed to find though I failed to get onto it. As a couple of birders who we'd seen at the Ring Ouzels stopped to chat a trio of Woodcock flashed by through the trees. A minute or so later they passed again further back through the trees.
Having almost exhausted the possibilities in this Glen and knowing of sites in another relatively nearby for the 'missing' birds we set off down the Glen again. One of the birds we'd missed so far was Cuckoo, though we'd heard a few throughout the morning. As we headed along the road past where we'd stopped in the morning I thought we'd have to rely on picking one up in our second Glen. However, a mile or so further on, I spied a bird in flight just below some wires up a hill. Paul stopped the car and reversed. There was a bird perched on the wires. A quick look through the binoculars. "Paul, there's your Cuckoo". Yet another lifer for him and one less bird to have to find in Glen number 2. We got our photos and moved on again.
Having successfully added Cuckoo we now only had two targets remaining - Black Grouse and Whinchat. Thankfully I had a fair idea where to get both. We chose not to stop at any of my usual stopping points early in the Glen but stopped briefly to scan the skyline for raptors but not unusually for an Angus Glen things were quiet. On we went to the place where I hoped we'd find our Whinchat. There was no singing, or even calling, though we could hear a Cuckoo in the background. A bird popped up onto a fence. It looked more like a Stonechat. When we managed better views it turned out to be a Stonechat male. On the wires above a small bird turned out to be a nice male Lesser Redpoll which gave us good views.
In a small bush nearby however there was a Whinchat, and I got Paul onto the bird for yet another lifer. The Stonechat and Whinchat proceeded to have a dispute before perching alongside each other giving the chance for an unusual photo of the two side-by-side. That left Black Grouse still to get. There was no sign of them in their usual spot and it was looking like we might actually fail to get one of our targets. However, alongside some Sheep just beyond where the Black Grouse usually are to be found was a single bird, and Paul had his 7th lifer of the day.
We continued down to the end of the Glen just to turn around and come back. We added a second Cuckoo, this time being harassed rather ineffectually by a Meadow Pipit. A Grey Wagtail flew up from a roadside ditch a bit further on. As it was now nearing 1600 we decided to try for one other bird - a Grasshopper Warbler. However, this time we did manage to draw a blank, though we could hardly complain. A Linnet flew into some crops behind us as we searched and a Sedge Warbler was heard but not seen. A second Red Kite circled up to the south. Paul's recent spell of night-shift was starting to catch up on him so we headed back down the road to Dundee.
Paul dropped me off at Swannie Ponds where I added a further 4 species - Mute Swan, Coot, Moorhen and a young Grey Heron to the list for the day. A very successful day out for us both with both my targets successfully added (in bold) and all of Paul's wish-list ticked off too. Paul had missed out on Red Grouse, and I'd missed Coal Tit, but neither was a big deal for either of us. 65 species in total seen.
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| Rook |
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| Willow Warbler |
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| Tree Pipit |
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| Pied Flycatcher |
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| Buzzard |
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| Swallow |
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| Treecreeper |
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| Meadow Pipit |
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| Dipper |
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| Dipper |
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| Wigeon |
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| House Martin |
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| Red Grouse |
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| Ring Ouzel |
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| Ring Ouzel |
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| Ring Ouzel |
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| Song Thrush |
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| Red Deer |
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| Lesser Redpoll |
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| Whinchat & Stonechat |
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| Whinchat |
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| Black Grouse & Sheep |
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| Cuckoo & Meadow Pipit |
Species seen - Black Grouse, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Common Sandpiper, Coot, Cuckoo, Curlew, Dipper, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Lesser Redpoll, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Flycatcher, Pied Wagtail, Raven, Red Grouse, Red Kite, Red Legged Partridge,
Redstart, Reed Bunting, Ring Ouzel, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sand Martin, Siskin, Song Thrush, Spotted Flycatcher, Starling, Stock Dove, Stonechat, Swallow, Swift, Tree Pipit, Treecreeper, Whinchat, Wigeon, Willow Warbler,
Woodcock, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
