0833 : Sunny Saturday Stuff (27/2/21)

Although I had intended another very early start for a trip to Riverside Nature Park before the dog walkers turned up, in the hope of adding Snipe and maybe even Woodcock, I went back to sleep again when the alarm went off before 0500. When I eventually did get up I worked out that I could possibly make it to the park in time for the high tide roost developing though with such a high tide forecast it can be tricky to judge just how early you need to get to the park.

Great Spotted Woodpecker

I headed out at 1315 to find all the local Feral Pigeons in the air. High above a Sparrowhawk spiralled higher. I headed for the Hilltown and down through Dudhope Park. A few skeins of Pink Footed Geese heading northwards and a pair of Long Tailed Tits were the avian highlights however my first definite Bumblebee of the year was spotted in a garden on Kinghorne Road disappearing into a Crocus. As I wandered down through Dudhope Park a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly flitted by in the sunshine. A Grey Wagtail flew over as I walked down Edward Street. A Lesser Black Backed Gull glided by a little later. Just over an hour after leaving the house I spotted a flock of Curlews on the runway at Dundee Airport and a few minutes later I reached the park.

A Song Thrush was singing loudly and I managed to see a Greenfinch near the entrance as well as a number of Siskins, Goldfinches, Chaffinches and Blue Tits. A single Coal Tit showed well as it acted like a Crossbill, feeding on pine seeds from a cone. A distant Skylark was seen over the airport. Despite the boggy area actually being a bit boggy there were no Snipe to be found. I found a Bullfinch male singing very quietly in the hedge near the Lochan and a Yellowhammer was seen flying over the hill before it too landed in the hedge. A pair of Moorhens were seen on the Lochan along with a few Teal and a pair of Mallard. There were people everywhere and it was proving difficult to find many birds.

The tide was already well in and with kids playing noisily on the brae to the south of the hide the gulls had vacated the bay, so I decided to cut my losses and try Ninewells Arboretum where it was likely to be a lot quieter, people-wise. A Jay and a Treecreeper were the highlights in the Arboretum, but better was to come when a Peregrine was seen in flight near the tall chimney before it stooped in the direction of Invergowrie Bay. A welcome year-tick, though the camera and binoculars were back in the bag, as I was near the nurses' residences at the time. I headed next for Balgay Hill where a few Stock Doves and another Jay were seen. I watched a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers chasing each other a little as well as partaking in some drumming.

Above one of the Woodpeckers were a few Blue Tits and Finches. As I scanned through them I spotted one of the now resident Nuthatches but it flew off to a different tree before I managed to get a photo of it. A Buzzard was heard calling from somewhere on the hillside but not seen. I headed for home via the Law slightly disappointed with the afternoon's birding - despite the year-tick (in bold) and my first Bumblebee and butterfly of the year. I managed a total of 42 species which was relatively disappointing, given that I can sometimes manage to see that amount in the park alone.

Greenfinch

Coal Tit

Coal Tit

Carrion Crow

Herring Gull

Rabbit

Carrion Crow

Robin

Robin

Moorhen

Moorhen

Jackdaw

Yellowhammer

Long Tailed Tit

Long Tailed Tit

Long Tailed Tit

Jay

Carrion Crow

Carrion Crow

Woodpigeon

Jay

Jay

Stock Dove

Stock Dove

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Birds - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Curlew, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Nuthatch, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Teal, Treecreeper, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.

Butterfly - Small Tortoiseshell.

Mammal - Rabbit.


Riverside Nature Park - italics
Outside Park - underline
Year-Tick - bold

0832 : Early Finish (26/2/21)

I've decided to set myself a target of seeing 125 species in Dundee this year. I managed 114 last year without properly exploring everywhere the city has to offer for finding birds. Already this year, I've widened the possibilities to include a few more potentially decent spots. With almost 2 months down I've managed to rack up a total of 85 species though there are some species which have so far eluded me and there are birds that I didn't manage to see last year which have put in an appearance already. One of these species is Gadwall, which thanks to Lainy McCormack, I found out had been seen at Swannie Ponds. I should have gone for the bird on Wednesday afternoon after the parcels I had to wait in for had arrived but decided not to.

Black Headed Gull

However, as I was not looking like being particularly busy at work and with a half-week break coming up to start March off I asked if I could finish at 1500 on Friday. With a positive answer gratefully received I headed home to pick up my birding gear. Lainy had confirmed the bird was still around having photographed it on Thursday afternoon, so fingers were crossed that it would still be around. I headed out just after 1600 noting Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw and Carrion Crow before I'd left my street. Blue Tit was heard nearby and as a Sparrowhawk sped over Court Street with a Carrion Crow in hot pursuit a few Feral Pigeons flew from the tenement roofs.

A Woodpigeon landed on a lamp post and a Wren was heard singing on Clepington Road. A Great Tit flew across the road near the Forfar Road crossroads. When I reached Swannie Ponds I found most of the birds towards the far end of the top pond. Unfortunately there was a crowd of young girls (probably around 10-12 year old or so) also hanging around in the same area. I left the camera and binoculars in the bag and had a slow wander round the pond. A Bullfinch was heard calling from a tree near the southeast corner. Black Headed and Herring Gulls hung in the wind overhead. A few Mallard and Coots were near the small ramp halfway round.

There seemed to be lots of Tufted Ducks about as well as a few Goosanders still lingering. As I passed the girls I was able to pick out the Gadwall with a small group of Mallards. A Common Gull was swooping down repeatedly to pick something off the water. On the island tucked in below the trees at the north end were the local pair of Mute Swans as well as a Grey Heron. By the time I had reached the end I'd started at, most of the girls had moved down to the lower pond.

A Chaffinch and 5 Greenfinches perched together in one of the trees near the corner I'd heard the Bullfinch. I wandered along again to the area where the Mallards and Gadwall as well as some of the Goosander were coming to where some bread had been dumped in the water. Once I had passed the girls I took out the camera and took a series of photos of the Gadwall drake as well as some of the other birds. I wandered back again to head for home with the low sun shining in my eyes. I detoured via Mains Terrace but only added Starling and Blackbird there with Goldfinch spotted before I made it home around the same time I'd have been getting home had I finished work at my usual time. I had managed to see 23 species including the hoped for year-tick (in bold). Worth starting my half-week holiday early for.

Gadwall

Gadwall

Gadwall

Gadwall

Gadwall

Gadwall

Mallard

Gadwall

Grey Heron

Mute Swan

Coot

Common Gull

Coot

Goosander

Mallard

Gadwall

Woodpigeon

Grey Heron

Coot

Mallard

Tufted Duck

Tufted Duck

Tufted Duck

Black Headed Gull

Herring Gull

Black Headed Gull

Herring Gull

Herring Gull

Herring Gull

Herring Gull

Herring Gull & Black Headed Gull

Black Headed Gull

Herring Gull

Herring Gull

Herring Gull

Herring Gull

Birds - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Coot, Gadwall, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Mallard, Mute Swan, Feral Pigeon, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon, Wren.