With the Dunhill Golf tournament teeing off at Kingsbarns, St Andrews and Carnoustie I decided to do my birding a little closer to home and chose Riverside Nature Park for Thursday's outing. I set myself the achievable target of 40 species and headed for the park just after 1100, hoping to catch the incoming tide and perhaps some less common waders to boost the totals. I made it to the park just before 1145. There were 9 Moorhens on the Lochan as I headed for the hide overlooking the bay. The view was almost wholly obscured by vegetation but I did still manage to find 2 Curlew Sandpipers, a Greenshank and a Knot amongst the more usual fare. Around the rest of the park the main highlights were Jay, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Stock Dove, Goldcrest and Bullfinch. A Pheasant was heard but not seen around the hill near the Lochan. I managed an unexpected 51 species seen at the park and 2 heard only, plus 1 other species outwith the park.
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| Magpie |
To/from Riverside Nature Park - (To) Woodpigeon, Starling, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Carrion Crow, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Feral Pigeon. (From) Dunnock, Swallow.
Butterfly seen - Red Admiral.
At the park - Carrion Crow, Swallow, Long Tailed Tit, Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Magpie, Starling, Buzzard, Grey Heron, Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Teal, Mallard, Moorhen, Chaffinch, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Lapwing, Redshank, Dunlin, Knot, Greenshank, Curlew Sandpiper, Black Headed Gull, Robin, Grey Wagtail, Great Black Backed Gull, Goosander, Common Gull, Chiffchaff, Meadow Pipit, Sparrowhawk, Skylark, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Cormorant, Yellowhammer, Bar Tailed Godwit, Curlew, Black Tailed Godwit, Goldfinch, Pied Wagtail, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Goldcrest, Blackbird, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush, Jay, Dunnock, Pink Footed Goose, Stock Dove.
(Heard only - Pheasant, Wren).
Mammals seen - Rabbit.
Butterfly seen - Red Admiral.
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| Greenshank, Redshank, Dunlin |
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| Lapwing, Redshank & Knot |
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| Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin & Redshank |
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| Redshank, Curlew Sandpiper & Dunlin |
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| Great Black Backed Gull |
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| Meadow Pipit |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Skylark |
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| Woodpigeon |
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| Mallard |
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| Lapwing |
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| Goosander |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Lapwing & Grey Heron |
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| Teal |
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| Goldcrest |
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| Goldcrest |
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| Feral Pigeon |
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| Teal |
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| Curlew & Bar Tailed Godwit |
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| Bar Tailed Godwit & Black Tailed Godwit |
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| Curlew |
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| Robin |
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| Blackbird |
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| Robin |
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| Robin |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Jay |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Great Spotted Woodpecker |
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| Pink Footed Goose |
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| Jay |
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| Dunnock |
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| Magpie |
52 Species seen - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Greenshank, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Knot, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Redshank, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Teal, Woodpigeon, Yellowhammer.
(Heard only - Pheasant, Wren)
Butterfly seen - Red Admiral.
Mammal seen - Rabbit.
