My original plan for Wednesday was an early start at Arbroath to check through the gulls there for Mediterranean Gull, or something else less common, followed by a stop at the Craigmill Burn mouth to try for Little Gull then onto Balmossie to search through the gulls there. With high tide around noon I would be racing against an incoming tide which given the bus times would make it a bit of a challenge, and maybe not even possible. In the end I stayed in my warm bed way too long and the plan was cast aside.
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| Pied Wagtail |
However, around 1230 I decided that as the tide was on its way out, and the weather didn't look too bad, I might as well give it a go, though on a receding tide. I discovered that the quickest bus was due around 15 minutes later which meant a rather rushed preparation followed by a hasty departure - needless to say the bus was running a bit late anyway. As the bus headed along the A92 towards Arbroath I noticed a large bird appear from above the bus. It was relatively low and it took a few seconds to realise that it wasn't a corvid, or even a Buzzard but an adult White Tailed Eagle with the pale yellow-ish beak clearly visible. I fumbled with my phone trying to get the camera to work before the bus passed some trees rendering the bird hidden from view as it continued away from the bus.
When I reached Arbroath there was very little to be seen on the shore by the cinema though a Grey Wagtail and a Robin down among the seaweed on the rocks were slightly unexpected. I wandered along towards the mouth of the Elliot burn where I could see there were some gulls. By the time I was getting close a dog walker flushed the majority which headed off towards B&Q to the north. I checked the bus times to Carnoustie and discovered there was a bus due within 2 minutes. This meant I had to hurry and a bit of a sprint from the footbridge meant I did actually catch the bus.
There were a few more birds around at Westhaven but despite scanning through them the best were a couple of Bar Tailed Godwits. There were a number of gulls along by the Craigmill Burn but despite scoping through those that weren't hidden by the rocks I failed to find anything unusual. Once again I had to hurry to catch the bus to Balmossie. Although it was still around 45 minutes till sunset when I arrived the light was already beginning to go. There were good numbers of gulls with some bathing, and others roosting. The tide was well out with a sandbank offshore also having gulls on it as well as a number of waders. Scanning through the gulls proved to be rather fruitless again, with a white ringed Common Gull the only thing of interest, but too far away to read. I gave up around 1700 and headed for the bus home.
Overall a rather disappointing afternoon's birding with only 32 species seen, though the White Tailed Eagle so low over the bus was an unexpected bonus bird. Had I gone with my original plan I suspect I would have seen more gulls at Arbroath and had better views at Westhaven, though I suspect I would not have seen as many gulls at Balmossie - and disturbance (of which there was none while I was there late afternoon) might have been more of an issue. At least I now know that it is possible to do all 3 sites in a few hours by bus. Once again, photos were a secondary consideration so the P900 was the camera of choice, meaning the photos taken are few and the quality is rather lacking.
Species seen - Dundee to Arbroath - Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Carrion Crow, Oystercatcher, Common Gull, Woodpigeon, White Tailed Eagle, Rook, Buzzard.
Arbroath - Cormorant, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Turnstone, Grey Wagtail, Robin Jackdaw, Rock Pipit.
Westhaven/Craigmill Burn - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Curlew, Great Black Backed Gull, Sanderling, Mallard, Bar Tailed Godwit, Wigeon, Dunlin, Eider, Stonechat, Starling, Shag, Goldfinch.
Mammals - Rabbit.
Balmossie - Ringed Plover.
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| Redshank |
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| Redshank |
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| Robin |
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| Robin |
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| Rock Pipit |
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| Black Headed Gull & Sanderling |
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| Sanderling & Bar Tailed Godwit |
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| Bar Tailed Godwit, Redshank & Sanderling |
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| Curlew |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Stonechat |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Stonechat |
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| Eider & Herring Gull |
Species seen - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Eider, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Mallard, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Rook, Sanderling, Shag, Starling, Stonechat, Turnstone, White Tailed Eagle, Wigeon, Woodpigeon.
Mammals seen - Rabbit.
