On Saturday the 2nd of January I had decided I would head in the opposite direction from the 1st via Balgay Hill to Riverside Nature Park and back. There was a chance of picking up anywhere between 1 or 2 and 15-20 new species for my year list, though my suspicion was that the former rather than the latter would be closer to reality. Having seen large crowds of people in, and on their way to/from Broughty Ferry on New Year's Day I had a feeling that the park in particular would be busy with families and walkers making things a bit trickier for seeing many birds.
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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I was a little bit later in heading out than the day before, in this case just after sunrise. It was a fairly standard mix of species seen until I reached the Law where a Buzzard was being harassed by a few Carrion Crows and a Magpie by the allotments on the road up. A Grey Squirrel was seen in one of the nearby trees - my first in this particular area of the city. The path down from the hill was rather icy and I had to be careful not to slip, thankfully other than a few wobbles I was fine (I had chosen to wear walking shoes rather than boots as my ankle was still very bruised from the day before). I added Long Tailed Tit in trees across the road from the Friary.
Arriving at Balgay Park soon after, I quickly added Great Tit and could hear a Bullfinch calling, which I eventually managed to track down to a bird high in the top of a tall tree. A distant Oystercatcher was seen in flight having first been heard calling. A Stock Dove pair flew out from the treetops. Nearing the track between the two sections of hill I heard an increasingly familiar call in the area - a Nuthatch. One of my targets for the day but one that I knew I might struggle to see, given it could be in any tree and silent. Thankfully, the bird proved to be relatively vocal, meaning I was able to see it scurrying around on branches high in the trees. There were a few tussles with other birds - a Blue Tit, a Chaffinch and what I think was a second Nuthatch.
I spent the best part of an hour trying to determine whether or not there were 2 birds or just the 1, but eventually decided I should really move on again. The second target species for Balgay Hill was Jay and as I wandered up to the top of the second hill, I saw the white rump as a bird disappeared between gravestones and up into a tree. Peering round a tree trunk I found the bird perched on a low branch and grabbed a quick photo. Movement to the side of me caught my eye and I turned to see a Great Spotted Woodpecker landing on the tree just behind me. I took a few photos then moved on again, this time towards Riverside Nature Park.
A Buzzard was being harassed by a few Herring Gulls as I reached the park and a second flew out from near the railway line pursued by a carrion Crow. The second bird flew directly over my head. A dog walker warned me that the paths in the park were all extremely icy and that it was safer to walk along the edges or on the grass (though with the ground frozen too, some areas were just as treacherous). I was joined by a lady with binoculars who asked if I'd seen anything much. Having just arrived I explained I hadn't but did share my Nuthatch news which was enthusiastically received. We chatted for around 20 minutes or so about birds in Dundee in general before deciding we'd best get on with some birding and heading off along different routes into the park. While chatting we'd been visited by a very tame Robin and seen Wren, Pink Footed Goose, Greenfinch, Blue Tit, Siskin, Redwing, Chaffinch, Coal Tit and Bullfinch.
Further on I added Black Headed Gull and a showy Song Thrush as well as a few Magpies. A couple of Rabbits with Myxomatosis were seen, almost oblivious to my presence nearby. Great Tit was added as I headed for the bay, and Long Tailed Tits were heard but not seen. A lone Shelduck was a pleasant surprise and an addition to the year-list, as was Teal. Redshank, Mallard and Great Black Backed Gull were all noted down on the mud and pipe. A few Jackdaws were added and a Pied Wagtail overflew. My next sighting was another unexpected one - a former birding buddy of mine - Steph, who was waiting patiently for birds to photograph in the bowl to the north of the toilet and picnic tables.
We chatted for around 30 minutes or so before I moved on again, just after another year-tick flew past us - a Reed Bunting. I checked the bay again - the tide was a bit further in, bringing a trio of Wigeon with it. Dunlin, Oystercatcher and Curlew were also noted. A pair of Fieldfares flew over towards Invergowrie as I wandered along towards the hide. After a quick look from the hide I wandered back up the hill where a surprise Jack Snipe flushed from close by and flew off down the hill towards the path out to the hide, landing as far as I could tell, by the side of the path where it likely disappeared in below the vegetation.
A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew over as I headed for the lower half of the park where I met up with Steph again. What sounded like the scream of a Rabbit came from within Buzzard Wood but our view was blocked by the brambles and my thermal imaging scope was unable to see any heat source from any of the places it was possible to get a view into the wood. A Sparrowhawk swept over as I was saying goodbye to Steph. Although I had intended on walking back the same route I'd arrived by, I decided instead to walk back along the railway line and the river to near the city centre. Curlews were seen at Dundee Airport. I discovered a large flock of Greenfinches and Chaffinches going to roost near the back of Harris Academy and a Cormorant was seen in flight near the railway bridge. In total I managed to see 45 species of bird of which 7 were new for the year, as well as seeing both 'heard-only' species fron the day before.
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Buzzard
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Nuthatch
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Nuthatch
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Nuthatch
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Blue Tit
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Nuthatch
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Jay
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Greenfinch
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Carrion Crow & Buzzard
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Buzzard
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Robin
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Robin
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Robin
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Greenfinch
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Pink Footed Goose
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Pink Footed Goose
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Coal Tit
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Blue Tit
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Song Thrush
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Herring Gull
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Song Thrush
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Shelduck
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Great Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull & Carrion Crow
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Carrion Crow
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Fieldfare
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Pied Wagtail
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Goldfinch
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Grey Squirrel
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Chaffinch
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Greenfinch
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Greenfinch & Chaffinch
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Black Headed Gull
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Species seen (year-ticks in
bold) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Fieldfare, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow,
Jack Snipe, Jackdaw,
Jay, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard,
Nuthatch, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail,
Pink Footed Goose, Redshank, Redwing,
Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon,
Shelduck, Siskin, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove,
Teal, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals seen - Grey Squirrel, Rabbit.
