My original plan for Saturday was an early start and a trip to Carnoustie again to try for the Ring Necked Parakeet which had been heard on Friday near the same area I tried and failed to see it on Wednesday. If I was successful I would then move on elsewhere to see what else I could find. That was the plan but a warm bed is difficult to get out of when you really don't have to and so it was on Saturday morning. It was around 1000 when I did get up and I got organised to try and catch a bus around an hour later. It was in reality the same plan just with a few hours less to play with.
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| Ring Necked Parakeet |
Herring Gull, Starling and Feral Pigeon started off the list followed by Blue Tit and an unexpected Buzzard to the south of Arbroath Road being harassed by gulls. There is a slim chance that it could have been a Rough Legged Buzzard given that it was in an area where Buzzards have no cause to be, nor is there any suitable habitat, and the species is on the move just now with good numbers showing up this week down the east coast. I have only ever seen one previously, a bird flying out across the Tay on 31st October 2010. Unfortunately, from the bus stop I quickly lost sight of today's bird behind bushes and buildings, so didn't get the chance to have a proper look at it. A small flock of House Sparrows were noted before the bus arrived.
From the bus I added Carrion Crow, Black Headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Oystercatcher and Curlew plus another Buzzard standing in a field then Jackdaw and Rook as the bus passed through Barry village. I got off at the same stop as Wednesday and wandered up the road to look for the Parakeet. Just as Wednesday there was no obvious sign of the bird at the garden where it was seen on Monday and Tuesday. A Blackbird was seen but nothing else. Rather than loiter I continued on to the main road and headed round to the far end of the park to check where Stuart had heard the bird yesterday. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew over and into the trees as I walked along the road.
Unsurprisingly I drew a blank as I wandered slowly through the western end of the park which was quite busy with dog walkers. Woodpigeons seemed to be all that was around. A Chaffinch landed in the trees by the entrance at the eastern end and I stopped for a better look. As I did so, I heard the rather raucous call of the bird I was looking for and crossed the road towards the garden to try and see it. As I did so the
Ring Necked Parakeet flew in the opposite direction and landed in a tall tree. I had my target bird, at last. Ring Necked Parakeet had been the only bird on my life list that I hadn't also seen in Scotland, and now I had.
Despite being bright green and the branches being mostly bare it was surprisingly difficult to see in the tree. Thankfully I eventually found it with the camera and managed to get photos and even a short video clip of the bird. A Great Tit pair arrived as I was photographing the Parakeet. Standing with binoculars and camera in a suburban street did get me odd looks from a passing woman so I pointed out the bird to her and she was able to watch it flying back to the garden. Another local with an open beer can in hand stopped to chat about birds briefly before we all went our separate ways leaving the bird in the garden again.
Rather than head for Craigmill Den as I had done on Wednesday I decided to head down to the waterfront and see what I could find, though expectation levels were low. A Siskin flew into the park as I was leaving. Things were rather quiet down behind the leisure centre with a solitary Redshank on the sand. Black Headed Gulls were on the water among the waves while to the east a number of Cormorants could be seen roosting on the rocks. A few Grey Herons were among the rocks as were Oystercatchers and Curlews. A Common Gull flew past and a flock of Common Scoters in company with a single Eider were seen a few hundred metres offshore. Rock Pipits were seen along the shore.
A Pied Wagtail was photographed as I wandered along the path. Further on I found a small flock of Ringed Plovers on the beach. Turnstones and a Great Black Backed Gull were seen as I reached Westhaven. There wasn't too much else to see so I continued on along the beach where a Redshank and a Pied Wagtail were down by the water and a trio of Oystercatchers were at the top of the beach. I cut up into the grass to walk along the track rather than spook any of the birds ahead of me on the beach. A Stonechat male posed nicely on the fence by the horses. A Dunlin was picked out among more Turnstones further on. A single Rabbit was seen near the railway line.
A small flock of Goldfinches flew on ahead of me. Nearing the mouth of the Craigmill Burn I moved back from the beach to try not to spook any of the birds unnecessarily. Thankfully a pair of dog walkers who had been on the beach ahead of me had decided to head back rather than continue on towards the gull roost. Among the gulls were a number of Wigeon and a Purple Sandpiper was found with Turnstones on the rocks. More Rabbits and a Dunnock were seen in the back garden of the house across the burn. A quick scan through the gulls found nothing too exciting so I headed back towards Carnoustie.
A second Stonechat gave decent views and a small flock of Sanderling flew low over the water. A couple of Dunlin (including a possible Alpina race bird) were seen with Redshanks and Oystercatchers. I found Stuart Green scoping out over the sea near the horses and stopped for a chat. Things were very quiet out on the water and a single young Gannet was the only addition to the list before we called it a day. I continued on along the beach while Stuart and his daughter headed for the car park but apart from a couple collecting huge bags of seaweed there was nothing to see so I headed for the bus stop.
The bus was around 25 minutes late due to roadworks which was annoying given I'd hurried to try and catch the bus. Collared Doves were spotted in Barry village but nothing else was seen from the bus. I decided to get off the bus at Eastern Cemetery to check for Winter thrushes and maybe Waxwings. As I entered the cemetery a Buzzard flew up from the ground and perched atop a small tree relatively close by. Out came the camera and partially hidden by a large sign I grabbed a number of photos of the bird before it noticed me and flew off. Things were otherwise very quiet in the graveyard with a single Grey Squirrel hurrying up a Monkey Puzzle Tree and a flyover Stock Dove the only additions.
A Redwing flew over near the TA Centre on Rodd Road as I headed for Swannie Ponds. Black Headed Gulls were plentiful with a few Common and Herring Gulls around also. A trio of Tufted Ducks on the lower pond were the first I've seen at the ponds since the water levels were lowered at the top pond. Mute Swan adults were also on the lower pond with a youngster on the top pond. Yellow 2XLD was the only ringed Black Headed Gull noted. A single Coot was also added but there was no sign of any Moorhens. A Magpie was on the roof of one of the large buildings behind the ponds. Despite taking a slightly circuitous route home I only added a few more Redwings, another Magpie and a Blackbird.
At long last a successful twitch for Ring Necked Parakeet - my 4th attempt recently after Glasgow last month with Ian, St Andrews last weekend and the same bird midweek, made it worth heading out. 46 species of bird (1 year tick in bold) and 2 of mammals were seen though there was nothing else particularly exciting amongst them. Still plenty time to add a few more species to the year-list too, with Shorelark, Water Pipit, Ptarmigan, Rough Legged Buzzard, Great Grey Shrike and Bean Goose all still decent possibilities. Fingers crossed...
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| Ring Necked Parakeet |
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| Ring Necked Parakeet |
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| Ring Necked Parakeet |
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| Ring Necked Parakeet |
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| Great Tit |
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| Common Gull |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Redshank |
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| Curlew |
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| Eider & Common Scoter |
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| Ringed Plover |
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| House Sparrow |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Great Black Backed Gull |
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| Great Black Backed Gull |
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| Common Gull |
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| Starling |
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Black Headed Gull & Redshank |
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| Stonechat |
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| Stonechat |
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| Stonechat |
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Mallard |
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| Turnstone |
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| Purple Sandpiper |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Starling & Goldfinch |
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| Wigeon |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Stonechat |
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| Dunlin & Jackdaw |
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| Dunlin |
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| Rabbit |
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| Jackdaw |
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| Common Gull, Herring Gull & Black Headed Gull |
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| Wigeon |
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| Oystercatcher & Wigeon |
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| Wigeon |
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| Wigeon |
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| Wigeon |
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| Redshank & Dunlin |
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| Turnstone |
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| Dunlin |
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| Redshank & Dunlin |
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| Dunlin |
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| Redshank & Dunlin |
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| Turnstone |
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| Sanderling |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Dunlin |
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| Mallard |
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| Stonechat |
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| Gannet |
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| Cormorant |
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| Buzzard |
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| Buzzard |
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| Buzzard |
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| Buzzard |
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| Woodpigeon |
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| Stock Dove |
Species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Common Scoter, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Eider, Gannet, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Magpie, Mallard, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Purple Sandpiper, Redshank, Redwing, Ringed Plover,
Ring Necked Parakeet, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Rook, Sanderling, Siskin, Starling, Stock Dove, Stonechat, Tufted Duck, Turnst, Wigeon, Woodpigeon.
Mammals seen - Grey Squirrel, Rabbit.
