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| Nuthatch |
I headed out to meet Paul around 1005 after a quick trip home to collect my birding gear following my dentist appointment. There were few birds around along the route to our rendezvous point, only Blackbird, Herring Gull and Woodpigeon. We headed out of Dundee, adding Carrion Crow before we made it onto the road to Perth. Starling, Rook and Oystercatcher were seen before we reached Perth. Heading northwards to Pitlochry we added Jackdaw, Pheasant, Common Gull and Black Headed Gull plus a Swallow and a Buzzard.
We stopped off at the Garry bridge to check along a short section of path where I saw both of our target species last year. We failed to see either, though a pair of Common Sandpipers chased up and down the river below us. A Dipper was heard but not seen. Blue Tit and Chaffinch were seen at the car park and Siskin was heard. We headed for KIlliecrankie via the single track road I walked the length of last year, though birds were almost completely absent.
Arriving at the Killiecrankie visitor centre car park a few minutes later, I heard a Wood Warbler singing from the trees across the road almost immediately. I soon pinpointed the tree where I suspected the bird was, and within a minute I spotted a bird flitting around in the branches. Sure enough it was a Wood Warbler and I managed to get Paul onto the bird, which was a lifer for him. There were too many branches between us and the bird so I didn't even attempt a photo. At the feeders in front of the visitor centre we added Coal Tit.
After crossing the small wooden bridge and making our way up to the path I spotted movement on a tree trunk and thought it would be a Treecreeper, but it wasn't. It was a Nuthatch and we had decent views of at least 2 of the birds very close by. A Great Tit was added nearby but despite hunting around for the next hour we failed to add our second target, though a possible Pied Flycatcher was heard singing but couldn't be found. As we headed back to the car park I spotted Dundee bird photographer, Scott Honeyman and had a quick chat while photographing the Nuthatches visiting the feeders a few feet in front of us. A Red Squirrel was a nice bonus. A second Wod Warbler was seen near the far end of the car park.
With the time now around 30 minutes later than I'd intended us to hang around, we headed south for the Tay reedbeds. A flyover Mallard was seen on the way south, while Mute Swan was added at the angling pools by the Friarton Bridge. A surprise addition was an Osprey over the dual carriageway as we turned off at the St Madoes flyover. An attempt to find a parking spot at Port Allen was abandoned quickly and we drove on to Errol to park at Gas Brae. The quicker than usual walk downhill still managed to give us Collared Dove, Goldfinch, Yellowhammer, Tree Sparrow, House Martin and Meadow Pipit. A Skylark was spotted against the clouds high in the sky. Robin and Song Thrush were seen as we walked through the trees to the pools at Port Allen. We also heard Great Spotted Woodpecker, Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Chiffchaff but chose not to spend any time looking for them. Our focus was on getting as long as possible to try and see our 2 targets.
On the water were a Coot, a few Tufted Ducks, Mallard, Wigeon and Great Crested Grebe. A couple of Reed Buntings showed relatively closely. Sedge Warbler was heard but not seen and a possible Reed Warbler was heard. It took a while before I spotted a Bearded Tit flying low along the reed tops, but with no landmarks to describe where it was I failed to get Paul onto the bird in time. Unfortunately this was our only Beardie and we had to give up around 1525. Long tailed Tits were seen as we walked back through the trees and a quick stop at the nettle patch viewpoint produced a distant male Marsh Harrier and a Buzzard perched in a tree. Heading back up to Errol a white butterfly species was seen and a pair of Roe Deer (a different pair from Sunday's) were seen, with House Sparrows added near the top of the hill. Feral Pigeons were added near Inchture but there was nothing else added before Paul dropped me off near home.
A rather rushed outing with only 42 species by me including a year-tick for me (in bold), though Paul had seen more than that before we even met up in the morning. I also took very few photos due to limited opportunities and mostly rather distant birds.
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| Nuthatch |
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| Nuthatch |
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| Buzzard |
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| Marsh Harrier |
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| Roe Deer |
Species seen - Bearded Tit, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Common Sandpiper, Coot, Goldfinch, Great Crested Grebe, Great Tit, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Long Tailed Tit, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mute Swan, Nuthatch, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling, Swallow, Tree Sparrow, Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Wood Warbler, Woodpigeon, Yellowhammer.
Mammals seen - Red Squirrel, Roe Deer.