Tuesday was another one of those days where I spent too long in bed and then when I finally decided to get out somewhere I couldn't decide where to go. I eventually decided to catch the X7 bus to Montrose where I'd pop into the visitor centre to see if the Long Eared Owl seen on Monday was still around, though my expectation levels of that being the case were low. I would then possibly head up to Usan to see if any migrants were around or do a spot of seawatching from Scurdie Ness. I wasn't feeling particularly motivated though.
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| Red Breasted Flycatcher |
I headed out at 1055 to catch the bus at 1120 from the bus station. Within a very short distance I'd managed to see Feral Pigeon, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon and Herring Gull. From the bus I spotted House Sparrow, Common Gull and Collared Dove on the way out of Dundee before a text message from Paul arrived saying he was headed for Kilminning if I was around. I replied that I was on a bus and wished him luck in Fife. Black Headed Gull, Jackdaw, Rook and Starling were more additions before the first Buzzard of the day was seen as the bus neared Montrose. A stubble field by the road held a few thousand Pink Footed Geese.
I wandered under the railway bridge to check the Basin after getting off the bus. Most birds were distant though Oystercatcher, Eider, Shelduck, Curlew and Redshank were all seen. Redwings passed overhead, calling loudly as I walked up to the visitor centre in the hope of adding another owl species to the year-list. A small group of Cormorants flew over as I reached the gate into the site. From inside the centre I spent time scanning using their fixed scopes. Pheasants, Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Great Tit, Blue Tit and Greenfinch were all seen around the feeders along with Woodpigeon and Collared Doves.
Out in the Basin, Red Breasted Merganser, Mallard, Black Tailed Godwit, Knot, Lapwing, a Greenshank, Dunlin, Teal, Great Black Backed Gull and Grey Heron were all found relatively quickly, as were both Common and Grey Seals. A few Bar Tailed Godwits were also seen and among the Lapwings I found a single Golden Plover. A Goldeneye was found out on the water and a distant flock of Swans were identified as Mutes. I spoke to Alison O'Hara who showed me where the owl had been the day before as well as confirming it hadn't showed at all that day. I searched for it as well as pointing out a few birds to two elderly gentlemen from Monifieth before eventually deciding that if I didn't try elsewhere I would end up going for the bus home with a list a bit shorter than it could and should have been.
I worked out I had time to walk to Mains of Usan and back in time to catch the 1640 bus home with some searching time built in to the plan. I wasn't certain I had the energy though but set off anyway. Goldfinches, Linnets and Pied Wagtails were seen in a field just south of the railway line behind Ferryden. I eventually took the camera out of the bag for some photos as I walked on. Fieldfares, Redwings and Blackbirds passed over in small groups and a Yellowhammer was seen on wires by the bridge over the railway further on. The wall of the walled garden held a number of Tree Sparrows plus Yellowhammer, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and a Song Thrush. Continuing on to the pond I added a Robin, at last, as well as a Moorhen and a young Goldeneye which proved to be rather skittish.
I decided not to continue on down to the farm. Instead I chose to check the trees between the pond and the walled garden. I eventually found a Chiffchaff in the smaller trees along with a few Blue Tits. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew in and landed on a tree behind me before flying off again. A Pheasant could be heard behind the hedge and as I wandered slowly along the edge of the wall, a bird landed on a tree branch just ahead of me. A quick look up with the binoculars gave me very good news. It was a
Red Breasted Flycatcher, and though one had been seen on Sunday, it hadn't been reported on Monday or Tuesday. It flew to a different tree across the road though again branches blocked my view. It eventually flew back to a Rhododendron bush where I managed a few more photos, though the light made it impossible to get set up for a video clip before the bird flew deeper into the trees.
Walking back to Ferryden to catch the bus home a small skein of Pink Footed Geese landed in a stubble field and more thrushes passed over. A Stock Dove was one final addition and the Linnet flock had by now seemingly disappeared. House Sparrows were in bushes by the road and railway line. The bus was running slightly late (as usual) and there was very little to be seen on the way home, though we did pass under a few thousand Pink Footed Geese as they flew acrss the road near Lunan Bay.
A better than expected afternoon's birding with a different year-tick (in bold) to the one I had hoped I might get. A total of 55 species were seen, and 2 mammals though no butterflies.
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| Fieldfare |
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| Pink Footed Goose |
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| Blackbird |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Feral Pigeon |
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| Redwing |
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| Tree Sparrow & Linnet |
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| Tree Sparrow |
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| Redwing |
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| Starling |
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| Fieldfare |
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| Blackbird |
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| Redwing |
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| Redwing & Goldfinch |
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| Goldfinch & Blackbird |
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| Tree Sparrow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch |
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| Song Thrush |
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| Jackdaw |
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| Fieldfare |
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| Goldeneye |
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| Goldeneye |
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| Goldeneye |
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| Goldeneye |
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| Goldeneye |
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| Goldeneye |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Great Spotted Woodpecker |
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| Red Breasted Flycatcher |
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| Red Breasted Flycatcher |
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| Red Breasted Flycatcher |
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| Red Breasted Flycatcher |
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| Red Breasted Flycatcher |
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| Pink Footed Goose |
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| Starling |
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| Pink Footed Goose |
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| Stock Dove |
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| Blackbird |
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| Teal & Redshank |
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| Redshank & Black Tailed Godwit |
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| Redshank, Lapwing, Knot, Oystercatcher, Teal |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Black Tailed Godwit |
Species seen - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Eider, Fieldfare, Golden Plover, Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Greenshank, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lapwing, Linnet, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose,
Red Breasted Flycatcher, Red Breasted Merganser, Redshank, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Shelduck, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Teal, Tree Sparrow, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Yellowhammer.
Mammals - Common Seal, Grey Seal.
