0821 : Review of 2020.

As I type this we're into the final 6 hours or so of 2020. A year (hopefully) like no other, and certainly one to remember for the entire planet, though one I suspect we'd all probably much rather forget. From a birding point of view it was sort of a year of two halves - a very small and relatively productive 'half' and a much longer less productive though sometimes quite interesting 'half'. Hopefully 2021 will at some point return to something resembling what used to be 'normal' though I suspect that may yet be a while off. However, once again thanks to those who I did manage to spend some time birding with (Ian, Jacqui, Paul, Susan as well as Matt, Carolyn, Roy, Will and John) and also those who I showed a few sights in the local area to (Ros, Steph and John from Northumberland, and Dougie from Ayrshire), as well as those who I was able to chat to about birds when we were allowed out.

White Tailed Eagle & Raven


On with my review of my birding in 2020 then...

On January the 1st I usually go for a walk in Dundee and see if I can rack up more than 50 species. However, for 2020, Jacqui offered to pick me up and drive me round some sites in Fife to see how many species we could see. We somehow managed to see 84 species depsite missing out on a few like Snow Bunting and Black Redstart. Among the ones we did see were Crossbill, Pintail, Slavonian Grebe, Brent Goose, and Smew. On the 2nd I headed back to Fife with Ian but visiting mostly different sites from the 1st. Glaucous and Iceland Gull were seen at the landfill site near Ladybank, Whooper Swans at The Wilderness and we even managed to see the Black Redstart at Roome Bay in Crail before it began raining too heavily and resulting in us cutting short our birding for the day.

On the 3rd, Jacqui and I headed into the Angus Glens where our luck was really in with Red and Black Grouse, Red Kite, Peregrine and best of all a Golden Eagle followed by a White Tailed Eagle. Another pair of distant Golden Eagle and a Peregrine were also added, as well as a number of Ravens. A Mealy Redpoll was found at Montreathmont Forest and we finished the day watching a flock of Waxwings in trees by East Kingsway in Dundee. The Golden Eagle was my 100th species for the year and in just 3 days. Jacqui suggested a trip north for Crested Tits for the 4th and we were successful in our search. On the way back we watched 2 more Golden Eagles soaring on either side of the A9 from the car, then popped into Killiecrankie where Nuthatch was seen well near the feeders after a very brief visit that I missed.

The weather put paid to Ian and I's plan for the 5th so instead we came up with an ambitious plan to head south and west instead. Although we did miss out on 2 target species we picked up 2 unexpected ones (Canada Goose and Lesser Black Backed Gull) as well as 6 of those we'd hoped to see, including a lifer for me, a Yellow Legged Gull near Parkhead in Glasgow (my only lifer this year). Ring Necked Duck, Taiga Bean Goose, Ring Billed Gull, Mandarin and finally Greenland White Fronted Goose rounded off what was a really good day out.

I had my first trip out with Paul on the 8th and we tried for a few species in Angus. Great Grey Shrike at Backwater, Twite at Montrose Basin and a Green Winged Teal at Murton were all new for my year-list while Paul added a few more to his. Dougie Edmond from Ayrshire asked me if I would help him see a few species in Angus including the Great Grey Shrike and as it meant the chance to add a few more species to my own list I was happy to oblige. We lucked into a pair of White Tailed Eagles and even better, a Hen Harrier, though overall we struggled to get most of Dougie's targets.

On the 15th Paul and I had a run round Fife managing to add a few more species - Grey Partridge, Meadow Pipit, Green Woodpecker and Kingfisher as well as a showy Otter. The following week I had a solo trip to St Andrews for Snow Bunting which proved tricky but I was successful eventually and also added Grey Plover and Skylark for the year. Ian messgaed me to tell me he'd found a trio of probable Siberian Chiffchaffs behind the Overgate in Dundee so I stopped off on the way home and had good views of the birds, though the light affected how the plumage looked.

On the 25th Ian and I headed for Lothian for some of the goodies there and were quite successful with both White Winged Scoter and Surf Scoter seen at Musselburgh, then onto Torness for a Tundra Bean Goose in with a flock of Pink Footed Geese. We managed to find a Water Pipit on the beach at Skateraw and a final stop near Cramond added a Black Necked Grebe to the list. On the 26th I headed back with a DSLR to the Overgate for the (Siberian) Chiffchaffs. The site security paid me a visit as they had on Wednesday but as it began to rain I cut short my visit anyway. Riverside Nature Park added Greenfinch for the year.

A trip to Forfar Loch on the 30th for a Great White Egret was another successful solo twitch. Lunan Bay on the 31st to check for the Black Scoter was less successful though I did manage to see my first Razorbill for 2020. A nice surprise on the 5th of February was a White Tailed Eagle low over the bus as I headed for Arbroath. On the 12th of February I met up with a trio from Northumberland (John, Ros and Steph) who were based in Dundee for 6 days who I had helped plan their itinerary. Although we only managed to get them (and me) Jack Snipe for the year we did have a really enjoyable day out.

On the 16th I found a new Norwegian ringed Black Headed Gull at Swannie Ponds (J5M5). A trip out in Angus with Paul on the 19th added Corn Bunting and Guillemot. A trip back to Fife with Ian on the 23rd filled in a couple of seawatching species gaps on the list with Gannet and Kittiwake, as well as Mediterranean Gull. My only trip of the year out with Susan was on the 27th of February, in Angus, and was quite successful with Green Sandpiper and Marsh Harrier noted as well as decent views of a Green Woodpecker and also my first ever Pine Marten running along the road a bit ahead of the car. I rounded off February with a trip to Scone Palace with Paul for Hawfinch and a bonus Nuthatch sighting.

Things changed for the worse globally in March and I decided to walk to and from work rather than risk using public transport. This would allow me to do some casual birding en route while also making me fitter. In March I managed to see Whooper Swans, Jays, Bullfinch, Pink Footed Geese, Redwing and Lesser Black Backed Gull on my 'on foot commute' with 20+ species seen most days. I popped into Baxter Park on the 18th to do some birding close to home and photographed a Bank Vole. I went back a few days later on the 22nd and had a White Tailed Eagle fly over. I had seen 2 Peregrines earlier in the day as I walked to the park and another flew over the park later.

And then lockdown arrived. Birding was limited to what I saw and heard on my walk to work, or what I managed to see from my window. Peregrine, Grey Wagtail, Chiffchaff, Meadow Pipit and Siskin were some of the 'better' birds recorded on my commute. While from home I saw a pair of Greylag Geese as well as at least 3 different Sparrowhawks and a few Buzzards plus a few migrating Meadow Pipits. On my way home on the 9th of April I watched an unexpected Goshawk circle up high above the top of the Hilltown area. Summer migrants began to arrive over the nest few weeks with Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Swallow, House Martin and Swift all noted by early May. In addition an unexpected Shelduck was seen flying over Balgay Hill, and a 1st year White Tailed Eagle being pursued by a swarm of Crows and Gulls was seen low overhead as I left work early on the 24th of April. Unfortunately I missed out on photos despite actually having a DSLR in my bag.

I ventured to Trottick Ponds very early in the morning of the 7th of May adding Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler for the year and to the Law on the 8th but the rest of a week and a half off work on holiday (usually my Spring migrant catch-up time) was spent at home. A Buzzard was forced down into a tree behind my home by the local Crows and Gulls giving me an unexpected 'garden tick' (even though I don't have an actual 'garden list'). Another surprise on the 25th of May was a pair of Crossbills over the Law as I headed to work. More were seen over Balgay Hill (mostly but not exclusively) over the Summer and Autumn with a flock of at least 20 seen low over Pentland Avenue on 26th of October.

An Orange Tip butterfly and a Ruby Tiger moth were both noted on my walk home on the 26th of May and a young Lesser Redpoll was found on Clepington Road as I took a meandering walk home on the 12th of June. An even bigger detour on the 15th added heard-only Whitethroat and Skylark. Peregrines were seen quite regularly in late June though a more unusual sight was a female type Marsh Harrier flying west over Ancrum Road - possibly a wandering bird displaced by the devestating fire at the Tay reedbeds some weeks earlier. The second half of the year was to bring even more surprises....

Having turned down the offer of a lift part of the way home on a rather wet 3rd of July I heard an unusual call on my walk home and stopped to record it with my phone while trying to see the bird in question. As suspected the call was the 'squeaky gate' call of a young Long Eared Owl but unfortunately I failed to see the bird through the multitude of thin conifer branches and rain-stained glasses despite being stood below it as it called loudly. However, it was added to the list for the year, and also for my commute. I had a search early on the morning of the 5th as I headed for Riverside Nature Park but drew a blank. I did manage to add Common Sandpiper and Sandwich Tern at the park however.

The following Friday, the 10th of July, as I headed home I stopped to investigate a singing warbler in the hope it might be a Garden Warbler. Brief views of what turned out to be a Blackcap were had but even better was the Nuthatch that appeared on the tree trunk above me as I searched. A few days later the bird was 'discovered' by Keith Edwards and it was twitched by some of the ADBC club members for a few days. On the 12th of July while making a cup of tea I heard a flock of Starlings outside so went to look through them in case of a Rose Coloured Starling hiding amongst them. They took flight for some reason so I wandered through to my living room and saw them circling round. However, above them was a raptor. Not a Buzzard or a Sparrowhawk, but a house tick, and a year tick, in the shape of a radio tagged Osprey (possibly Blue YD?). A great bonus bird for 1900 on a Sunday night at home.

From the 17th for a few weeks I heard and saw quite regularly a noisy Sparrowhawk family early in the morning on the south side of Balgay Hill. Lockdown rules were relaxed somewhat as case numbers of Covid dropped markedly and things appeared to be almost under control in Scotland. Ian and I had a trip out in Angus on the 18th and were able to add Little Gull, Common and Arctic Tern, Sand Martin, Wheatear and Puffin as well as a few Harbour Porpoises. Tree Pipit was heard over Balgay Cemetery on the 30th and 31st of July. A trip to Kilminning with Ian on the 1st of August gave us sight of a flyover one there along with 4 Whinchats at Kilminning and an odd looking Yellowhammer that puzzled us for a while on the golf course. In addition, an Arctic Skua was seen at Out Head in the morning and Manx Shearwater was spotted distantly off Fife Ness in the afternoon.

Migration was increasingly quite obvious on my walk to work in August with Tree Pipit and Siskin both regular. Crossbills were also seen on the 11th and a trio of raptor species (Buzzard, Peregrine and Sparrowhawk) were noted as well. A slightly late pair of Swifts were seen on the 13th. Ian and I had another trip along the Angus coast on the 23rd of August with Black and Roseate Tern both successfully searched for, as well as being photographed together. In addition, Peregrine, Osprey and Goshawk were seen around Montrose Basin earlier.

September and October were broken up by my Autumn holiday weeks though my usual Autumn trips were curtailed by my reluctance to use public transport. A couple of trips to Fife on the 5th and 7th of September with Ian added a few wader species - Spotted Redshank on the 5th and Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff and Golden Plover on the 7th. A large Shearwater (Cory's most likely but Great a possibility) was picked up very distantly off Fife Ness but was another one that 'got away'. Mid-month, I spotted more Redpolls, the first Autumn Pink Footed Geese returning and the Nuthatch calling on the 17th and 18th in Balgay Park, though on the opposite side of the hill from where I found it, and also from where the ADBC bird was reported (more than 1 bird?).

Ian and I headed back to Fife on the 18th for a Pied Flycatcher at Kilminning. Seawatching at Fife Ness gave us a large number of Little Gulls plus Arctic Skua and a 'large' Diver species. The bill on the photos almost appeared pale but it was impossible to be sure, so it stayed as "Diver sp." rather than either Great Northern or White Billed (or even a Black Throated). A trip to Riverside Nature Park on the 25th found a leucistic Dunlin. The first returning Redwing and a Great Black Backed Gull were spotted on the 29th of September on my way to work. A Pipistrelle Bat hawking over the Law Steps at 0705 in the morning on the 2nd of October was a surprise.

A fortnight's holiday followed and after bad weather overnight I headed to Eastern Cemetery on the 4th to see if I could find anything good - there were plenty of Blackbirds, Mistle Thrushes and Song Thrushes around as well as a few unexpected Jays. An out of place Yellowhammer and a flyover Grey Heron were both surprises. Even more of a surprise later in the day was a small skein of 4 Taiga Bean Geese heading silently south towards Slamannan (only identified later from photos - having been assumed to be Pink Footed at the time).

A Siberian Thrush at Kilminning was drawing the crowds but the supporting cast of less unusual migrants alkso caught my eye. The offer of a trip over on Monday the 5th with Ian was gratefully accepted but instead of standing around waiting for a glimpse of the Thrush through the vegetation I chose to see what else I could add to my year-list. This proved to be a good move with Brambling (heard but not seen), Barnacle Geese, Spotted Flycatcher, Ring Ouzel, Redstart, Yellow Browed Warbler and Hawfinch all noted in addition to Jack Snipe from Crail earlier and Little Gull offshore, as well as plenty of Blackcaps, Redwings and Skylarks. Ian managed to see the Siberian Thrush briefly though there was some debate as to whether the bird seen had been it or a Redwing - though as he'd seen it on the Friday it was immaterial.

On the 6th I set off a bit late to Riverside Nature Park which meant I was in the right place at the right time for a rather good Dundee/RNP tick in the shape of a flyover Hawfinch (calling more like a large Pipit). A Brent Goose (a patch tick for me), a Little Stint (year-tick) and a Mealy Redpoll were also seen as was the leucistic Dunlin, a Peregrine, Kestrel and some Meadow Pipits. A trip to Baxter Park and nearby on the 14th gave me an unexpected flock of Bramblings as well as 5 Sparrowhawk sightings. A walk to Balmossie on the 17th gave me a few Red Throated Divers and Guillemots on the Tay. The leucistic Dunlin was still in Invergowrie Bay on the 21st. A Red Squirrel in Balgay Cemetery on the 23rd on my way home from work was a nice bonus sighting.

The first Fieldfares of the winter were seen on my walk to work on the 27th of October. By this time, daylight was dwindling at both ends of the day meaning it was getting tricky to see more than a handful of species each day. On the 9th of November a late Lesser Black Backed Gull was a surprise as I reached work and on the 13th around sunset a flock of Bramblings overflew as I left work. On the 6th of December a new Norwegian ringed Black Headed Gull (white JMK7) was found at Swannie Ponds. An early (and expensive) Christmas present to myself in the shape of a small thermal imaging scope made things a bit more interesting as I headed to work in the dark adding my first Tawny Owl of 2020, and my first in Dundee since I was a child and a good 'view' of a Fox twice at the Law.

A walk to Riverside Nature Park on the 16th of December via Dundee University resulted in finding a pair of Waxwings there, and my first Woodcock of the year later at the park. A Fox near Dens Park in the morning of the 18th was followed by another calling Tawny Owl at Balgay Hill which I managed to find using the thermal scope but which was also visible silhouetted against the fading daylight sky before it flew past me. A visit to Clatto Park on the 23rd added Little Grebe to my Dundee list (as adding greatly to my year-list wasn't going to be practical I'd decided to try and see more than 100 species in the city - or as many species as I could above the century, instead).

One bird missing from my Dundee list for the year was Sanderling so on Christmas Day I set off for Balmossie in the hope of getting one. In addition I set myself a target of at least 50 species. I saw 55 species (and 1 heard only) including a very welcome lone Sanderling. On the 27th Bullfinches seemed to be everywhere and a single Snipe was seen in Invergowrie Bay on a visit to a rather busy Riverside Nature Park. A walk round some of Dundee on the 30th failed to provide much of note and the best bird of the 31st was a Jay on my way home.

In no way could 2020 be described as a vintage year however I did somehow manage to see 185 species in total. My Dundee list reached 114 species with the 'commute' list reaching a respectable 63 species over the 9 months since I started. My personal Riverside Nature Park list is now at 126 species since the park opened in 2011 (20 short of the overall total for the park of 146). Only a single lifer was seen this year - the Yellow Legged Gull in Glasgow but some fairly good self-found birds (Nuthatch, Long Eared Owl and Hawfinch in Dundee in particular) mostly kept the spirits up. On the down side being stuck in Dundee at crucial times meant missing out on birds such as Cory's and Scopoli's Shearwaters in the Forth plus Hudsonian Godwit at the Eden, Rose Coloured Starling in Crail, Red Backed Shrike at Kilminning, a Richard's Pipit at Ruddon's Point, Lapland Buntings everywhere, as well as Black Guillemots, Great Northern Divers, Merlins etc in what was a dream Autumn for Fife birders.

Regardless of any lifting of restrictions I'll be continuing my 'on foot commute' until at least the beginning of March which will give me a full 12 months worth of sightings. The addition of my thermal imaging scope to my arsenal brings some intriguing possibilities for bird finding (and not just 'in the dark'), and my purchase of a digital audio recorder has allowed me to record bird calls passively when I'm out birding - meaning I can check later to hear what I've missed (a Dundee YBW this autumn), or have confirmation of non-photographed calling birds. Hopefully, everyone will stay fit and healthy, including me, and we will eventually be able to get a bit further afield. Although there are some worse places to be locked-down than Dundee, there are also plenty better.

A year ago when I put together my review of 2019 and looked forward to birding in 2020 I had no inkling as to what the year would turn out being like. However, I made it out the other end, and despite not being as far travelled this year as most previous years, I've tried to make the most of the limited opportunities available and in the process have discovered some almost 'hidden in plain sight' gems within Dundee. It wasn't a classic year, but it was an interesting year. Hopefully, 2021 will eventually get things back on track and something like normality will return and I'll be able to meet up with my birding buddies from outwith Dundee (and also those from Dundee). Until then, thanks to everyone for reading my blog-posts, and giving me a reason to continue with it. Happy New Year & stay safe.



Long Tailed Duck


Siberian Chiffchaff


Stonechat


Tree Sparrow


Otter


Sparrowhawk


Green Woodpecker


Grey Partridge


Hen Harrier


Great Grey Shrike


Great Grey Shrike


Nuthatch


Treecreeper


Great White Egret


Goldcrest


Whooper Swan


Greylag Goose


Black Necked Grebe


Crested Tit


Water Pipit


Waxwing


Tundra Bean Goose & Pink Footed Goose


Surf Scoter


White Winged Scoter & Velvet Scoter


Greenland White Fronted Goose


Mandarin


Common Crossbill

Ring Billed Gull


Red Grouse


Waxwing


Yellow Legged Gull & Herring Gull


Peregrine & Raven


Golden Eagle


Red Kite


White Tailed Eagle & Raven


White Tailed Eagle & Red Kite


Golden Eagle


Black Grouse


Buzzard


Kestrel


Stock Dove


Siberian Chiffchaff


Bullfinch


Snipe


Song Thrush


Sparrowhawk


Red Kite


Hawfinch


Goosander


Corn Bunting & Yellowhammer


Little Egret, Oystercatcher & Carrion Crow


Rock Pipit


Cormorant


Mediterranean Gull


Green Sandpiper


Pine Marten


Marsh Harrier


Purple Sandpiper


Stonechat

Blue Tit


Greenfinch


Blue Tit & Chaffinch


Wren


White Tailed Eagle


Peregrine


Dunnock


Blackbird


Bank Vole


Goldcrest


Lesser Black Backed Gull


Grey Squirrel


Rabbit


Greylag Goose


Herring Gull


Pink Footed Goose


Jackdaw


Sparrowhawk


Buzzard


Collared Dove


Willow Warbler


Jay


Blackcap


Dipper


Sedge Warbler


Whitethroat


Kingfisher


Grey Wagtail


Dipper


Coot


Mute Swan & Mallard


Swallow


House Martin


Swift


Buzzard


Carrion Crow & Jackdaw


Woodpigeon


Swift


Starling

Yellowhammer


Buzzard


Common Sandpiper


Willow Warbler


Pied Wagtail


Magpie


Whitethroat


Great Black Backed Gull


House Sparrow


Kestrel


Stock Dove


House Martin


Sandwich Tern


Whitethroat


Swallow


Carrion Crow


Osprey


Wheatear


Common Tern & Sandwich Tern


Arctic Skua


Sand Martin


Sedge Warbler


Ringed Plover


Gannet


Cormorant


Sparrowhawk


Black Tailed Godwit


Peregrine


Osprey


Goshawk


Canada Goose


Sandwich Tern


Roseate Tern, Black Tern, Sandwich Tern & Common Tern


Roseate Tern, Black Tern, Sandwich Tern & Common Tern


Roseate Tern & Sandwich Tern


Black Tern, Sandwich Tern & Roseate Tern


Swallow

Carrion Crow


Razorbill


Grey Heron


Ruff & Redshank


Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff & Redshank


Spotted Redshank


Peregrine


Golden Plover


Arctic Skua


Pied Flycatcher


Skylark


Red Throated Diver


Cormorant


Red Throated Diver


Jay


Moorhen


Magpie


Great Spotted Woodpecker & Buzzard


Meadow Pipit


Red Admiral


Dunlin


Tufted Duck


Pied Wagtail


Carrion Crow


Redwing


Grey Heron


Grey Squirrel


Taiga Bean Goose


Goldcrest


Skylark


Jack Snipe


Chiffchaff


Hawfinch


Barnacle Goose


Spotted Flycatcher


Redstart


Yellow Browed Warbler


Goldcrest


Reed Bunting


Black Headed Gull & Little Gull


Great Spotted Woodpecker


Curlew


Hawfinch


Bullfinch


Peregrine


Peregrine & Buzzard


Kestrel


Siskin


Kestrel


Sparrowhawk


Mistle Thrush


Dunlin & Little Stint


Dunlin & Redshank


Redshank, Dunlin & Brent Goose


Black Tailed Godwit, Bar Tailed Godwit & Redshank


Turnstone


Cormorant


Pied Wagtail


Oystercatcher


Redwing


Long Tailed Tit


House Sparrow


Grey Heron


Waxwing


Woodcock


Woodcock


Mallard


Black Headed Gull


Redwing & Fieldfare


Mistle Thrush


Little Grebe


Redshank


Bar Tailed Godwit


Wigeon


Sanderling


Grey Squirrel


Black Headed Gull


Greenfinch


Pied Wagtail


Grey Heron


Cormorant


Fox


Fox


Tawny Owl


Roe Deer