As Paul had eventually managed to get back onto terra firma last week, this week's Wednesday outing was a case of normal service resumed. As there wasn't too much of note around we decided on a trip around Angus with Green Sandpiper at Murton, Corn Buntings at Boghead Farm and some other relatively common birds which had so far eluded me the main target species for the day. Given our planned route I predicted somewhere around 75-80 species. We arranged an 0800 pick-up though Paul arrived early meaning we had an extra 10 minutes or so to play with.
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| Siskin |
Our first stop was Loch of Kinnordy where there were a few possibilities but none of those put in an appearance for us. Next we headed for Forfar Loch to kill a few minutes as Murton wouldn't open until 1000. We scanned from the eastern end and managed to pick up the distant Great White Egret at the west end for Paul. Murton failed to deliver on Green Sandpiper despite us doing a complete circuit of the reserve. We missed the turn for Rescobie where Pochard was to be the target, so we continued on to Montreathmont Forest. Crossbills, Jay, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a flock of Lesser Redpolls at least provided some decent birds there.
The Lurgies at Montrose Basin added Pintail, Greenshank and a few unexpected Rock Pipits but nothing on the list of target species. A quick stop at the Bank of Scotland hide added Kingfisher and Little Egret as well as Black Tailed Godwit before we headed for an attempt at seawatching from Boddin Point. Common Scoters, Razorbill, Purple Sandpiper, Red Breasted Merganser, Red Throated Diver and Long Tailed Duck were all seen. My first year-tick of the day was
Guillemot with a few dotted around on the sea. A Kestrel and a Raven were also noted before we moved on again.
At Boghead Farm we spotted a small flock of birds in a tree at the farm - a Goldfinch, a few Yellowhammers and 7
Corn Buntings - my 2nd year-tick of the day. It had begun to rain so Arbroath was checked from the car but none of our 3 stops there delivered anything of note and gulls were in unexpectedly short supply. It wasn't raining at Westhaven where we added Bar Tailed Godwit and Grey Plover from the car park. However, there were plenty of birds around at Balmossie though scanning through the gulls didn't result in anything of note, except for a Little Egret in a pool - my first here. With the time around 1700 we called it a day and headed homewards having managed to see 81 species (2 year-ticks in bold) and 4 species of mammals. A decent enough day without any major highlights - though 2 Egret species in Angus in 1 day is still, for now, relatively unusual.
Species seen - Dundee to Loch of Kinnordy - Starling, Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Blackbird, Jackdaw, Grey Wagtail, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Woodpigeon, Rook, Pheasant, Buzzard, House Sparrow, Oystercatcher.
Mammals seen - Brown Hare, Rabbit.
Loch of Kinnordy - Redwing, Great Tit, Teal, Mallard, Goldeneye, Tufted Duck, Greylag Goose, Reed Bunting, Mute Swan, Chaffinch, Wigeon, Wren, Goldcrest, Lapwing, Goosander, Coot, Tree Sparrow, Coal Tit, Dunnock, Moorhen, Long Tailed Tit, Robin.
Mammals seen - Roe Deer.
Forfar Loch - Gadwall, Great White Egret, Black Headed Gull, Cormorant.
Murton - Yellowhammer, Skylark.
Montreathmont Forest - Siskin, Jay, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Lesser Redpoll, Common Crossbill.
Montrose Basin (Lurgies & Bank of Scotland hide) - Pintail, Grey Heron, Redshank, Greenshank, Great Black Backed Gull, Rock Pipit, Curlew, Little Grebe, Dunlin, Common Gull, Little Egret, Kingfisher, Eider, Black Tailed Godwit, Shelduck.
Boddin Point - Kestrel, Shag, Razorbill, Purple Sandpiper, Guillemot, Common Scoter, Fulmar, Raven, Red Breasted Merganser, Red Throated Diver, Long Tailed Duck.
Boghead Farm - Corn Bunting, Goldfinch.
Arbroath - Sanderling.
Westhaven - Bar Tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, Turnstone.
Balmossie - Linnet.
Mammals seen - Grey Seal.
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| Greylag Goose |
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Roe Deer |
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| Mute Swan, Tufted Duck & Great White Egret |
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| Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Mallard & Great White Egret |
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| Greylag Goose |
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| Wigeon |
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| Goldeneye |
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| Goldeneye |
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| Common Crossbill |
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| Common Crossbill |
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| Common Crossbill |
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| Pintail |
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| Greenshank & Redshank |
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| Rock Pipit |
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| Goldeneye |
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| Mute Swan |
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| Mute Swan |
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| Little Egret |
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| Shelduck, Eider, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Redshank |
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| Common Scoter |
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| Raven |
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| Yellowhammer, Corn Bunting & Goldfinch |
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| Corn Bunting & Yellowhammer |
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| Guillemot |
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Herring Gull, Oystercatcher, Redshank & Turnstone |
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| Oystercatcher, Common Gull & Turnstone |
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| Carrion Crow, Little Egret & Oystercatcher |
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| Carrion Crow, Little Egret, Oystercatcher, Redshank |
Species seen - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Common Crossbill, Common Gull, Common Scoter, Coot, Cormorant,
Corn Bunting, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Eider, Fulmar, Gadwall, Goldcrest, Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Great White Egret, Greenshank, Grey Heron, Grey Plover, Grey Wagtail, Greylag Goose,
Guillemot, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Kestrel, Kingfisher, Lapwing, Lesser Redpoll, Linnet, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Long Tailed Duck, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pintail, Purple Sandpiper, Raven, Razorbill, Red Breasted Merganser, Redshank, Red Throated Diver, Redwing, Reeed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Rook, Sanderling, Shag, Shelduck, Siskin, Skylark, Starling, Teal, Tree Sparrow, Tufted Duck, Turnstone, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Mammals seen - Brown Hare, Grey Seal, Rabbit, Roe Deer.
