Despite being off work on holiday for a week with the intention of getting out birding every day for 9 days solid I really struggled to motivate myself to go somewhere on Sunday. The continuing strong westerlies were certainly a factor with the likelihood that most of the smaller birds would be tucked away under cover leaving mostly the wildfowl and waders to look at. I was still undecided where I was actually going to go when I left the house at roughly 1330.
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| Redshank, Black Tailed Godwit & Curlew Sandpiper |
Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon and Woodpigeon were seen before I caught a bus into town. I had decided on my way into town to head out to Riverside Nature Park. I hoped that I might catch the waders in the bay bunching up before high tide in front of the hide though I had a feeling I would be cutting things rather fine. With buses being re-routed and Sunday service it was going to be 1400 before I could catch a bus out to the park. Swallow was added as I waited for the bus out.
I headed along the outside of the park towards the Invergowrie Bay entrance. Feral Pigeon, Carrion Crow, Swallows, Woodpigeon, Mute Swan and Mallard were seen on the walk along. Heading down the track to the hide I found the view mstly blocked but unfortunately the tide was already in anyway. Out in the bay were a number of Mallard and Teal as well as a mixture of gulls - Herring Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Black Headed Gull and Common Gull. Heading further into the park, I added a few Curlew over the bay.
A Painted Lady butterfly was seen near the composting toilet. A flock of Shelduck flew into the bay. Further round I found Curlews roosting beyond the recycling area. A small flock of Black Tailed Godwits were seen in flight and a few Lapwings dropped in beside the Curlews. I headed up the hill for a better look and managed to catch sight of a flock of Redshank flying out of the bay. On the airfiled I could see a flock of Starlings milling around. A few Goldfinches flew over.
I wandered round to the Lochan next. A small flock of Redshank had dropped in to roost. A pair of Dunlin were half-hidden amongst them. One of the local Moorhens took exception to the Redshanks and ran at them pushing them further round the water's edge. The other adult and a pair of young Moorhens were seen at the near side of the Lochan. I was joined by local birder Art Sangster and we chatted away while watching birds come and go. A Magpie flew out of the bushes. A Stock Dove dropped in. A much larger flock of Redshanks dropped in. Among them were a group of 3 Black Tailed Godwits with a single bird further forward in the group. I took a few photos just as the birds took flight again after less than 15 seconds on the ground.
At home later I discovered there was actually a Curlew Sandpiper at the back edge of the flock behind the mass of Redshanks and just behind the Black Tailed Godwits when I looked at the photos I'd taken. Had the birds remained grounded for longer this would no doubt have been obvious but 15 seconds wasn't nearly long enough to check through over 100 tightly packed waders. A few Small White butterflies flitted around in front of us. I headed further round into the park stopping to photograph a pair of Green Veined White butterflies attempting to mate in the strong winds.
A Common Darter dragonfly was spotted hunting along the flank of the hill and a Red Admiral and another Painted Lady were spotted nearer the car park. A Blackbird and a Chaffinch were seen in the bushes as I headed round to check the tide state before doubling back again. I spotted a couple of Greenfinches feeing on rosehips just before I bumped into Keith Edwards who had seen a Chiffchaff. A Song Thrush was seen in flight at Buzzard Wood and another Common Darter was seen before I headed for the bus and home.
Possibly not the most inspiring of visits, but the weather played a huge part in that. I still managed to see 27 species of bird plus 4 butterflies and 1 dragonfly species with the Curlew Sandpiper the un-noticed highlight.
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| Mallard, Herring Gull & Lesser Black Backed Gull |
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| Curlew |
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| Teal |
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| Mallard |
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| Mallard |
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| Shelduck |
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| Black Tailed Godwit |
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| Curlew & Lapwing |
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| Teal & Redshank |
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| Moorhen, Redshank & Mallard |
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| Redshank & Dunlin |
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| Moorhen |
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| Stock Dove |
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| Redshank, Black Tailed Godwit & Curlew Sandpiper |
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| Redshank, Black Tailed Godwit & Curlew Sandpiper |
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| Redshank & Black Tailed Godwit |
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| Redshank, Black Tailed Godwit & Curlew Sandpiper |
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| Green Veined White |
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| Mallard |
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| Redshank & Black Tailed Godwit |
Species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Common Gull, Curlew, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Redshank, Feral Pigeon, Shelduck, Song Thrush, Starling, Swallow, Teal, Woodpigeon.
Butterflies seen - Green Veined White, Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Small White.
Dragonflies seen - Common Darter.
