With Sunday promising overcast skies and warm temperatures I decided I should probably venture out somewhere. The lack of direct sunlight meant that although it would be warm it shouldn't, in theory, be unbearably so as it can be when the sky is clear blue and the sunshine constant. Having managed to catch a B-2 stealth bomber over Dundee on Saturday afternoon, there was also a chance of perhaps catching Donald Trump's Air Force 1 Boeing 747 on its way from Prestwick to Helsinki if he left according to his supposed schedule. I decided to head for Riverside Nature Park.
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| Peregrine |
I headed out just before 1000. Woodpigeon, Herring Gull and Swift kicked off the list for the day followed by a fly-over Lesser Black Backed Gull. As there was a bus on its way doen the road I caught that into town, spotting Feral Pigeons on the way and then didn't have long to wait to catch a bus out to the Nature Park where I arrived at around 1025. Small White and Meadow Brown butterflies were plentiful among the vegetation bordering the path down to the railway underpass.
Carrion Crows were first onto the list for the park and there were plenty of Swifts overhead the park, certainly one of the biggest flocks I've seen this Summer of these charismatic speed-merchants. A Blackbird flew across the path in front of me and disappeared under a bush. A Herring Gull glided over and I spotted a Magpie on the grass. A Woodpigeon flew to Buzzard Wood. A Meadow Brown flitted along the edge of the path before a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew over into the trees near where I stood before flying back to the trees at the back of Buzzard Wood a few seconds later.
A Starling was next to fly over followed by a number of Goldfinches as I walked up the side of Buzzard Wood to check out the flooded area. Here I spooked an almost fully-grown juvenile Moorhen which was a surprise. Unfortunately the vegetation was too thick to see if there were more around though calls did suggest the likelihood of at least another of the species. A Small Tortoiseshell butterfly was photographed on a thistle. A male Yellowhammer sang from the top of a bush as I headed in the direction of the car park.
A Lesser Black Backed Gull sailed overhead while Green Veined White and Small White butterflies chased away competitors from their small patches of vegetation. A Willow Warbler was seen briefly in the bushes at the car park. Swifts provided the main entertainment as they zipped low over the hill as I alked slowly round to the Lochan. A juvenile plumaged Black Headed Gull was on the water, while Mallards dozed around the back edge. A trio of juvenile Moorhens, younger than the one seen earlier wandered around the edges and both adults were also seen. A few Swallows swept down for a drink.
A Buzzard was being harassed by gulls to the north of the park. As Donald Trump's departure time from Prestwick was supposed to be 1100 I headed for the top of the hill next. A flyover Oystercatcher, then a Skylark lifting from the hill and a family group of Reed Buntings were all seen before I got there. More Skylarks were seen around the hill as I sat and waited for a plane that never came. A Pied Wagtail flew directly overhead and scanning out across the bay and river I added Sandwich Tern, Curlew, Cormorant, Shelduck with ducklings and Grey Heron. A Kestrel hovered nearby before flying off towards the river to the south where it hovered and hunted.
Giving up on Air Force 1 as the already small patch of blue sky had shrunk down to almost nothing I continued back round the base of the hill to get a better look at the bay. I found a couple of Redshanks in the burn channel but no sign of any Teal or anything more interesting. Spotting my camera and binocular a couple sat at the picnic tables asked me what could be seen around the park and we chatted for a while about the park and the wildlife in, and around, it. As we were chatting I happened to look up at a bird flying past and realised it was a Peregrine. It gave us great views with one close pass in particular allowing me to get some decent photos of the bird.
I continued on to the hide overlooking the bay but the vegetation in front has rendered it almost useless. I was still able to add a bathing Jackdaw and a couple of Feral Pigeons before walking up to the railway bridge/flyover for a better view of the river. Unfortunately I was unable to add anything more interesting. Heading back into the park I heard and then found a high flying House Martin. A little further on I found a single House Sparrow. A Stock Dove flew past, almost catching me by surprise. Checking the times of the next bus I headed towards the exit at the eastern end of the park adding a few Long Tailed Tits with a flock of Goldfinches near the flooded area in front of Buzzard Wood. A Buzzard flew off as I headed for the bus. House Martin overhead while I waited for the bus back into town to arrive was the only further addition.
Not a classic visit to the park but I still found 35 species despite the time of year. All of the 6 species seen outside the park were also seen inside. By the time Air Force 1 left Prestwick it had clouded over completely and it routed northwards on reaching Perth, so views would have been rather distant anyway, had it been on time. Once again however, dogs on leads were in a distinct minority with only the couple I spoke to and 1 other dog walker with 2 dogs complying with the plentiful signs asking for dogs to be on leads/under control.
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| Blackbird |
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| Small Tortoiseshell |
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| Swift |
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| Swift |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Grass Veneer moth |
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| Small White |
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| Moorhen |
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Swift |
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| Swift |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
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| Buzzard |
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| Curlew, Carrion Crow & Lesser Black Backed Gull |
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| Herring Gull & Shelduck |
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| Peregrine |
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| Peregrine |
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| Peregrine |
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| Peregrine |
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| Peregrine & Herring Gull |
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| Peregrine |
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| Meadow Brown |
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| Rhagonycha Fulva (Soldier Beetle) |
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| Goldfinch |
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| House Sparrow |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Moorhen |
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Stock Dove |
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Buzzard |
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| Long Tailed Tit |
Species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Cormorant, Curlew, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Feral Pigeon, Sandwich Tern, Shelduck, Skylark, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Swift, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Yellowhammer.
Butterflies seen - Green Veined White, Meadow Brown, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White.
