Three birders from Northumberland who were basing themselves in Dundee for a week's birding holiday this month were given my contact details by Carolyn Hargest and got in touch for a bit of info on what they might look out for while in the area. I was able to help them out a bit with a few ideas. They said they would be happy for me to join them on any or all of their outings. Paul was due back this week but the weather meant an enforced stay offshore for him, so I arranged to head out on Wednesday with John, Steph and Ros. A trip into Fife was swapped for a run around a few sites in Angus instead as the weather forecast for a trip into the Glens was better for Wednesday than later in the week.
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| Red Kite |
I met up with the trio around 0745 and we headed to Elliot to try for Jack Snipe. Lots of Snipe headed skywards as we searched before we eventually got lucky with the hoped for
Jack Snipe making a very brief flight before dropping back into cover. John had good views and confirmed that we had our first target bird for the day. En route to heading for the Angus Glens for Black and Red Grouse we made a short detour to check a bit of woodland for a slim chance at Mealy Redpoll. A distant Sparrowhawk displaying in a very Goshawk-like manner almost had us fooled but photos showed that it was a male Sparrowhawk a bit closer to us rather than a Goshawk further away. Crossbills, Siskins and Buzzard all gave reasonable views. Bullfinches also showed relatively well.
A few Red Kites were seen as we neared the Glens with more seen wheeling around and even a pair in a tree once we reached the main part of the Glen. Red Grouse were eventually seen well by the roadside. We failed to find Black Grouse but John had a probable Hen Harrier though we had to move on as we had traffic coming from both directions on the stretch of single track road we were on with only a tiny section of potential passing space available. Ravens and a Kestrel were added to the haul. We discussed returning for another shot at the Black Grouse but traffic heading in that way which would also be coming back out again relatively soon after meant we were likely to find ourselves being hurried along, or having to get out of the way again.
We decided to head for our next intended destination but on our way there we discovered the Great White Egret had been reported at Forfar Loch again. As this was a 'needed' bird for the trio we decided to head there instead. Unfortunately when we got there the bird had flown off somewhere and we failed to see it despite walking along to the green shelter near the western end of the Loch. Yellowhammer, Tree Sparrow, Goldeneye and Goosander were probably the best birds seen there. With around an hour's daylight left we decided to head down to the coast in the hope of maybe a Mediterranean Gull or a Little Gull. The tide was in at Westhaven when we arrived and scanning from there and Carnoustie Beach added a few waders but no interesting gulls before we headed back to Dundee.
An enjoyable day out even if we only managed to add 1 species (in bold) to our collective year-lists though Steph was able to get some perched Crossbill photos that she had been after for a while. The Sparrowhawk display was impressive especially an almost vertical dive followed by a rocket climb using the energy from the dive. Snow on the ground in the Glen also meant the light reflected nicely onto the udnerside of the Red Kites. My list for the day finished on 63 species.
Species seen - Dundee to/and Elliot - Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Starling, Magpie, Grey Wagtail, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Common Gull, Oystercatcher, Robin, Great Black Backed Gull, Reed Bunting, Stonechat, Snipe, Shag, Jackdaw, Rook, Meadow Pipit, House Sparrow, Jack Snipe, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan, Mallard, Bullfinch, Cormorant, Wren, Dunnock, Little Grebe, Moorhen, Song Thrush, Linnet.
Elliot to/and Woodland site - Goldfinch, Pheasant, Siskin, Coal Tit, Buzzard, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Long Tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Common Crossbill, Sparrowhawk.
Woodland site to/and Glen - Red Kite, Raven, Kestrel, Red Grouse, Mistle Thrush, Redwing.
Mammals seen - Rabbit.
Forfar Loch - Goldeneye, Coot, Goosander, Grey Heron, Yellowhammer, Tree Sparrow.
Westhaven/Carnoustie - Wigeon, Black Headed Gull, Sanderling, Curlew, Bar Tailed Godwit, Redshank, Turnstone, Eider.
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Snipe |
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| Tufted Duck |
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| Meadow Pipit |
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| Snipe |
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| Snipe |
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| Shag |
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| Song Thrush |
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| Linnet |
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| Bullfinch |
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| Buzzard |
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| Buzzard |
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| Buzzard |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Mallard |
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| Common Crossbill |
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| Common Crossbill |
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| Long Tailed Tit |
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| Siskin |
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| Common Crossbill |
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| Common Crossbill |
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| Red Kite |
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| Red Kite |
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| Red Kite |
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| Red Kite |
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| Red Kite |
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| Buzzard |
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| Red Kite |
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| Red Kite |
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| Red Kite |
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| Red Kite & Raven |
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| Kestrel |
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| Red Grouse |
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| Raven |
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| Red Grouse |
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| Raven |
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| Red Grouse |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Robin |
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| Moorhen |
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| Sanderling |
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| Black Headed Gull & Common Gull |
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Curlew
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Species seen - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Common Crossbill, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunnock, Eider, Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow,
Jack Snipe, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Linnet, Little Grebe, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Raven, Red Grouse, Red Kite, Redshank, Redwing, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sanderling, Shag, Siskin, Snipe, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stonechat, Tree Sparrow, Tufted Duck, Turnstone, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Mammals seen - Rabbit.
