A (mostly) Dundee, Scotland birding blog by Barry Farquharson.
Twitter : @sfbirding
0757 : Sunshine & Surprises (22/1/20)
Having missed out on birding at the weekend, finally using the time to catch up on some much needed things at home, I was determined to get out birding on Wednesday. The weather was to be unseasonably mild, with relatively light winds and blue skies - ideal birding weather for late January. The Out Head Snow Buntings were my main target for the day, and depending on how long it took to catch up with them, I would head elsewhere afterwards, with even a trip to Lunan Bay to try for the Black Scoter a possibility, if the Snow Buntings showed early enough.
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
The West Sands were relatively quiet when I arrived a litlle before 0900 and I wandered out along the edge of the dunes. There were a few skeins of Pink Footed Geese arriving in off the sea from the north-east suggesting birds that had set off for 'home' only to turn back part way across the North Sea. I walked all the way out to the point and hadn't seen any Snow Buntings. However, round the tip I heard the sound of the birds' call and looked up to see a flock of 8 birds in flight and managed to confirm that they were indeed Snow Buntings by using the rather unsuitable for flight shots, Nikon P900 camera I had chosen to take with me for record shots, as the scope was the prime instrument for the day's birding, despite the Snow Buntings being the main target.
I scanned into Balgove Bay with the scope, hoping and succeeding in finding a few Grey Plover. In addition there were hundreds of Dunlin, Knot, some Bar Tailed Godwits, a Sanderling and much further away a few Shelduck and 2 separate small groups of Brent Geese. As I set off to walk back along the beach I heard a Skylark calling and managed to see it fluttering not too high above the long grass in the dunes. My 3rd year-tick of the morning. I failed to re-find the Snow Buntings and neither did Angus Duncan and another photographer who were out searching for them. I scanned through the Common Scoter flock offshore but only found around 8-10 Great Crested Grebes providing some variety. There were 5 Purple Sandpipers roosting with Redshanks on the lower reaches of the cliff near the restaurant by the Sealife Centre.
Having seen Greenfinch along The Scores before I set off that way but drew a blank on them. Scanning offshore from near the plastic cannons I eventually found a single Red Throated Diver with the Common Scoters and a second bird much further out in the bay. A quartet of Wigeon and a single Pink Footed Goose completed the haul for what was a rather quiet St Andrew's Bay. Ian had found a Chiffchaff behind the Overgate in Dundee on Tuesday, so I was intending to have a look for it when I got back to Dundee. However, Ian messaged me to tell me that the 1 bird was now 3 and they all looked like they might be Siberian Chiffchaffs. I headed for the bus station and Dundee.
Arriving at the Overgate just before 1400 I quickly found a lone Chiffchaff feeding in the trees by the multi-storey car park and set out to get photos of it. The P900 proved less than ideal for photographing a very mobile bird but I eventually managed to get some decent pics. The 'birdwatching' setting on the camera seemed to be 'warming up' the colours and the low winter sun was also providing some colour issues. In shade the bird looked mostly pale grey on the back, with a white-ish underside. There was a bit of green on the tail and wings as well as a few small ares of green feathering on the back. The photos seemed to show a much brighter bird most of the time, but depending on the lighting conditions, it could appear to be a completely different bird. Without binoculars the birds tended to look almost brown-ish grey on the backs.
Security from inside the building came out to see what I was up to and once I showed them that I wasn't photographing the car-park (which isn't illegal anyway) and explained about the bird they headed back inside satisfied that I wasn't up to no-good (even if they don't tend to get many birders - I did once find a flock of Waxwings round the front of the building though). Ian joined me briefly and the other 2 birds flew in beside the first before almost immediately flying off again towards the Howff. A quick search there found Redwings and Goldfinches and a few Chaffinches before the Chiffchaffs were seen flying back towards the Overgate.
I followed them back to the same area. Although it was difficult to keep track of all 3 birds there were a few times when 2 birds were side by side for a second or two. There was little to distinguish them from each other, with both looking quite dull in shadier areas, and out of direct sunlight. The 3rd bird was also rather similar but may have been slightly less like the previous Siberian Chiffchaffs I've seen (Arbroath and Dalgety Bay). What did sound like Siberian Chiffchaff calls were heard very briefly but I was unable to get a recording.
I spent almost 2 hours photographing the birds as best I could with the P900 and did end up with some shots I was happy with (to add to some nice Stonechat photos from St Andrews in the morning) but I probably should have taken 20 minutes or so to nip home for an SLR. Hopefully the birds will stick around over the weekend (might try again on Sunday morning) or even into the latter part of next week when I have a few days off work. All in all, a good day out with 5 year-ticks (in bold) among the 55 species seen. Regardless of whether or not the Chiffchaffs were Tristis race (Siberian) birds or not, Chiffchaff was a year-tick. The closest to the City Centre I've encountered Chiffchaff previously is at Seabraes in the rather overgrown garden of the derelict house at the top of Roseangle in summer, so to see 3 together in the actual city centre was good, and even better in January.
Species seen - Dundee to St Andrews. - Herring Gull, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Rook, Jackdaw, Collared Dove, Common Gull, House Sparrow, Pink Footed Goose.
Out Head/West Sands/Balgove Bay - Starling, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Cormorant, Fulmar, Wren, Red Breasted Merganser, Common Scoter, Curlew, Yellowhammer, Stonechat, Linnet, Great Black Backed Gull, Bar Tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, Knot, Dunlin, Brent Goose, Shelduck, Snow Bunting, Sanderling, Eider, Skylark, Long Tailed Duck, Ringed Plover, Reed Bunting, Dunnock, Mallard, Redshank, Purple Sandpiper, Rock Pipit, Shag.
St Andrews Castle area - Turnstone, Red Throated Diver, Wigeon.
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(When seen without binoculars, this was what the birds tended to look like, out of direct sunlight)
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Grey on upper back shows better in shadow)
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Direct sunlight brought out some colour in the birds, though photos are brighter/warmer and more saturated as a result of camera settings)
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(This looks a lot like the Arbroath bird from a few years ago, plumage-wise - https://flic.kr/p/TcYdpZ )
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Sunlight and camera settings make the colours appear much richer than they actually are/were)
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(The tobacco cheek and crown colours show quite well here though they are exaggerated by camera settings and sunshine).
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Tobacco head markings are even more exaggerated in this view)
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Birds always appeared much darker/browner when foraging in this bush, out of the sun)
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Two of the birds together showing the similar tones of the pair)
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
(Another 'out of the sunlight' shot making the bird look more grey)
(Siberian) Chiffchaff
Species seen - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Brent Goose, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, (Siberian) Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Common Scoter, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Eider, Fulmar, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Grey Plover, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Knot, Lapwing, Linnet, Long Tailed Duck, Magpie, Mallard, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Purple Sandpiper, Red Breasted Merganser, Redshank, Red Throated Diver, Redwing, Reed Bunting, Ringed Plover, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Rook, Sanderling, Shag, Shelduck, Skylark, Snow Bunting, Starling, Stonechat, Turnstone, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
