With bad weather having put paid to any birding on Saturday, I was pondering where to go on Sunday. The choice was between Montrose Basin and St Andrews/Eden Estuary. However, a message via Twitter from Dougie, a bird photographer from Ayrshire asking for some assistance in finding a few species that aren't common in his neck of the woods added a third option. Although it was highly unlikely I would add anything to my year-list, the other species I would have been hoping to see elsewhere will all still likely be available for a while yet, so it made sense to head out with him. I arranged to meet Dougie at 0730 on Sunday morning.
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| Hen Harrier |
It had been a cold and clear night despite Saturday's bad weather so the roads weren't great with plenty of frost and some ice around. However, we headed inland with the Great Grey Shrike at Backwater Reservoir our first target species. En route we found a pair of White Tailed Eagles resting in a distant tree. A nice way to start the day. We spent a couple of hours trying to find the Shrike but drew a blank. Crossbills, Lesser Redpoll and Siskin were noted along with a few Kestrels and Buzzards which along with some Carrion Crows loitering probably resulted in the Shrike keeping a low profile. It was reported later by another group of birders from the west who we had spoken to as we left, one of whom I also follow on Twitter.
By then though we were on our way elsewhere to try for some of Dougie's other targets - primarily Red and Black Grouse though Red Kite was also on his wish list as was Red Legged Partridge. A ringtail
Hen Harrier was a surprise addition to the list for the day (and an unexpected year-tick for me too). Despite not finding Red Kite around a few of the more reliable spots we did succeed in seeing a few once we reached the glen we were hoping to see the majority of our targets in. There were quite a few Buzzards around, with a group of 7 milling around at one point, though unfortunately there were no larger raptors around to provide a bit more variety. Red Grouse were seen in smaller than usual numbers along the roadside and we had to work hard for our Black Grouse sighting, with a group of around a dozen males found feeding on the other side of the glen, halfway up a hill. Our views were rather distant but the bird was a lifer for Dougie.
Dougie had tried for the Green Winged Teal at Murton which I had seen on Wednesday with Paul, on Saturday but had only succeeded in getting soaked. We headed for Murton to try for the bird in rather better conditions. As with Wednesday there were plenty of Teal feeding around the reedier parts of the pool where the bird has been seen. We scanned from the Stewart hide at first but had no luck, so headed round to the Gladstone hide for a different angle. We bumped into Susan who told us she'd already scanned through all the birds and drawn a blank but undeterred we gave it a go. We were joined by one of the women from the ADBC (whose name I've forgotten) and Tony Hilton from Aberdeenshire but we failed to find the Teal and headed homewards sometime after 1500. A reasonably successful day with 40 species seen, including a year-tick for me (in bold), and a lifer for Dougie plus a few of his other targets, though photo opportunities were rather thin on the ground.
Species seen - Dundee to/and Backwater Reservoir - Blackbird, Buzzard, White Tailed Eagle, Pheasant, Woodpigeon, Mallard, Kestrel, Goldfinch, Carrion Crow, Goldeneye, Chaffinch, Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, Cormorant, Goldcrest, Dunnock, Coal Tit, Common Crossbill, Jackdaw.
Mammals seen - Roe Deer.
Backwater Reservoir to/and Angus Glens - Rook, Hen Harrier, Feral Pigeon, Raven, Red Grouse, Black Grouse, Stock Dove.
Mammals seen - Red Squirrel.
Angus Glens to/and Murton Nature Reserve - Sparrowhawk, Magpie, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Wigeon, Teal, Tufted Duck, Coot, Grey Heron, Lapwing.
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| White Tailed Eagle |
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| Kestrel |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Jackdaw |
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| Kestrel |
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| Mallard |
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| Chaffinch |
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| Buzzard |
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| Lesser Redpoll |
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| Hen Harrier |
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| Hen Harrier |
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| Hen Harrier |
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| Hen Harrier |
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| Raven |
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| Buzzard |
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| Red Kite |
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| Buzzard |
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| Red Kite |
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| Buzzard |
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| Red Kite |
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| Buzzard |
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| Black Grouse |
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| Cormorant |
Species seen - Black Grouse, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Crossbill, Coot, Cormorant, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose,
Hen Harrier, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Lapwing, Lesser Redpoll, Magpie, Mallard, Mute Swan, Pheasant, Raven, Red Grouse, Red Kite, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Teal, Tufted Duck, White Tailed Eagle, Wigeon, Woodpigeon.
Mammals seen - Red Squirrel, Roe Deer.
