Somewhat unsurprisingly the latest advice with regards the Coronavirus pandemic is to if possible, avoid using public transport, which is what I have been doing now for a few weeks. As it is roughly a 3.25 mile/55 minute walk to work I have been using the walk not only for exercise but also to squeeze in some birding. Although the variety is relatively limited, it has been quite interesting to get to know exactly where along a particular part of my route I can expect certain species (and possibly certain individual birds). There is a pair of Collared Doves that I tend to encounter in one particular tree and a few spots where I know I am likely to hear, if not always see, Long Tailed Tits, as well as numerous Magpies. There is also a Robin which frequents a particular bush. Greenfinches and Chaffinches have been quite prominent singing away from the trees, though the Song Thrushes seem to have gone a bit quiet on the song front.
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| Goldfinch |
As with the previous post, the mix of birds on any particular day has been around 20 or so species. Highlights have been along similar lines to the previous post too - a Buzzard being mobbed by a Herring Gull on my way home last Tuesday. A Sparrowhawk on Thursday's walk into town after work. Lesser Black Backed Gulls have been seen daily too, having now returned from their wintering grounds and slotted in at certain spots alongside the regular Herring Gulls. The Black Headed and Common Gulls I expect to move off elsewhere before too long if the weather improves.
Pink Footed Geese and Redwings are still being seen in small numbers, and this Tuesday I also added another small flock of Whooper Swans heading north over Lochee, lit by the low early morning sunshine. At least 3 Jays were seen together on Monday. Another Sparrowhawk and only the second Pied Wagtail so far were also seen on Tuesday as was what was surprisingly only the second sighting of Grey Squirrel. Interestingly the same 34 species plus Lesser Black Backed Gull have been noted in this batch of 5 days. Photos are all from previous years.
Tuesday 10th March (22 species seen) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Curlew, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Feral Pigeon, Starling, Woodpigeon.
Thursday 12th March (24 species seen) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Carrion
Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Dunnock,
Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Lesser Black Backed
Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Oystercatcher, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Woodpigeon.
Friday 13th March (23 species seen) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Carrion
Crow, Chaffinch, Common Gull, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Lesser Black Backed
Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Oystercatcher, Pink Footed Goose, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Starling, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Monday 16th March (24 species seen) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion
Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Curlew, Dunnock,
Goldfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jay, Lesser Black Backed
Gull, Magpie, Oystercatcher, Pink Footed Goose, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Song Thrush, Starling, Woodpigeon.
Tuesday 17th March (23 species seen) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Carrion
Crow, Chaffinch, Common Gull, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed
Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Whooper Swan, Woodpigeon.
Mammals seen - Grey Squirrel.
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Carrion Crow |
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| Chaffinch |
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| Coal Tit |
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| Robin |
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| Great Tit |
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| Blue Tit |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Buzzard |
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| Pink Footed Goose |
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| Magpie |
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| Jackdaw |
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| Song Thrush |
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| Blackbird |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Lesser Black Backed Gull |
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Goldcrest |
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| Dunnock |
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| Woodpigeon |
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| Bullfinch |
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| Curlew |
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| Whooper Swan |
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| Redwing |
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| Long Tailed Tit |
Species seen (35 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, Lesser Black Backed Gull, 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.
