For mostly weather related reasons my birding recently has been largely
curtailed. However, I have also started walking to and from work which
is roughly 3 and a quarter miles each way (though the route varies slightly some days). In the morning when the
streets are quiet I do have a decent chance of seeing some birds. I have
been carrying a small set of binoculars in my bag, but have been
relying on my eyes and ears so far for identification, as most of my
route is along main roads with only a relatively short section through a
wooded cemetery giving the chance to use the binoculars if required -
though houses on the other side of the wall do make even that slightly
problematic given that folk are just getting up for work around the time
I'm passing.
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| Bullfinch |
Although I'm not expecting to see anything
too unusual I have managed to see most of the expected species totalling 34 species so far. There are maybe another 5 or 6 that
are possible at this time of year though not overly likely, and plenty of others that are far
less likely, but with birding you just never know what you might see.
As the year progresses, other species will appear as others disappear. The mornings have been quite productive with around 20 species each day
but the walk home has tended to be less productive though I have usually
managed to add 1 or 2 species missed in the morning. The walk is
helping to get my fitness back up after a long spell of not getting much
exercise at work and I'm getting the chance to waken up properly on the
walk too, which is also a plus.
Main highlights so far have been the flock
of 15-20 Whooper Swans seen (and also barely heard) flying up the Tay, with the
female Bullfinch around 3 feet above my head feeding on buds a nice
runner up. Jay, Curlew, Sparrowhawk and Buzzard were all nice to get and
Long Tailed Tits seem to be almost as numerous as Blue Tits along my
route. Pink Footed Geese and Redwings have been noted on the move back
north. Magpies are now most definitely now established in Dundee with
birds encountered along most of the journey to and from work. On most
days I've heard species that I haven't managed to see (usually Wren, Dunnock
and/or Robin). It will be interesting to see how the species encountered
change as the season progresses. (Photos are older photos).
Here are the lists for the days so far.....
Monday
2nd March (19 species seen) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit,
Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Goldfinch,
Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Magpie, Pied Wagtail,
Robin, Feral Pigeon, Song Thrush, Starling, Woodpigeon.
Tuesday
3rd March (23 species seen) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit,
Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Dunnock,
Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Long Tailed Tit,
Magpie, Pink Footed Goose, Redwing, Feral Pigeon, Song Thrush, Starling,
Whooper Swan, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Thursday 5th March (22 species
seen) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow,
Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Curlew, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Herring Gull,
House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Oystercatcher, Pink
Footed Goose, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Starling, Woodpigeon.
Friday
6th March (24 species seen) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit,
Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Dunnock, Goldcrest,
Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jay,
Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Oystercatcher, Pink Footed Goose, Feral Pigeon,
Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Woodpigeon.
Mammals seen - Grey Squirrel (x2)
Monday
9th March (21 species seen) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit,
Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Dunnock, Goldcrest,
Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Long
Tailed Tit, Magpie, Oystercatcher, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Starling,
Woodpigeon.
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| Jackdaw |
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Carrion Crow
|
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| Jay |
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| Magpie |
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| Pink Footed Goose |
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| Chaffinch |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Greenfinch |
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| House Sparrow |
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Common Gull & Black Headed Gull |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Collared Dove |
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| Feral Pigeon |
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| Woodpigeon |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Buzzard |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Starling |
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| Blackbird |
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| Dunnock |
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| Goldcrest |
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| Redwing |
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| Robin |
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| Song Thrush |
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| Wren |
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| Blue Tit |
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| Coal Tit |
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| Great Tit |
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| Long Tailed Tit |
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| Curlew |
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Whooper Swan |
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| Grey Squirrel |
Species seen (34 species) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Curlew, Dunoock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Whooper Swan, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals seen - Grey Squirrel.
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