Over the course of the weekend the weather forecast for the week ahead - my week off on holiday, had taken on a predominantly wet feel, with the April showers which April had somehow lacked this year, seemingly due to arrive a few weeks later than normal. This would impact on the plans I had tentatively made. To be fair they were really more vague ideas than concrete plans, but with little in the way of any shelter on the way to some of the destinations, and mostly zero at the destinations themselves, it was clear I'd have to change my thinking. My birding was likely to be seriously curtailed for at least chunks of the week ahead. With rain due in the afternoon on Monday and a lack of energy to get up and out early it was much later than intended when I did finally escape my bed.
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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I had a 50th birthday card for a pal at work to drop off, so made arrangements to drop it off to another pal there so it could be passed on later in the week. I would reach my workplace around 1130 and from there I'd likely continue to Riverside Nature Park, though having been there just two days previously my enthusiasm was limited. As it is one of the best, if not the best, site in Dundee for seeing a good mix of birds it made sense as a destination. I headed out just after 1030. The sky looked relatively threatening with lots of dark grey clouds around. Things were relatively quiet - Feral Pigeon, Herring Gull and Carrion Crow being seen within the first 30 seconds but nothing else for the next 5 minutes.
Another short burst of species followed with Starling, Blue Tit and Woodpigeon noted near Dens Park football ground. Another 5 minute lull before Chaffinch, House Sparrow, Goldfinch and Blackbird were added. A Chiffchaff was heard singing a little further on. Oystercatchers were seen on the football pitches. Surprisingly, I heard Nuthatch calling from the trees in the graveyard on the north side of Balgay Hill. Song Thrush, Coal Tit and Blackcap were also seen and heard as I continued on through the cemetery's wooded section. I added Long Tailed Tit, 2 high flying Swifts, a singing Wren and a Greenfinch before I reached work to hand the card to my pal, Paula.
By now the weather and my enthusiasm for continuing on to the park had both deteriorated abit further. I had considered Kingoodie with the shoreline and the quarries as an option but the additional distance wasn't selling it to me either. I couldn't even decide which way to go to get to the Nature Park. I decided to detour into the Ninewells Arboretum for a look. I was hoping that there was a slim chance of Garden Warbler or maybe even a chance of finding another Nuthatch location in the city. A slow wander round the upper part gave me Bullfinch, Robin, Goldcrest, Jackdaw, Stock Dove and Dunnock. A couple of Rabbits were partially tucked in below trees at the southeastern corner of the site. I continued on until a Roe Deer trotted across the path ahead of me, seemingly oblivious to how close I was.
I watched it cut up through the trees till it stopped towards the top of the slope to eat for a few minutes. The sound of voices approaching saw it move off again. An Orange Tip butterfly was spotted in flight and a Green Veined White landed in front of me. I spotted 2 holes in a tree trunk, relatively high up. One large, one small. I watched as a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew in and disappeared inside the smaller of the two. A short while later it departed again. I decided to try for photos, as it was clear the bird was not concerned by my presence. A Carrion Crow and a Chaffinch male loitered nearby - both I suspect, used to being fed by staff on their breaks.
I spent some time watching both male and female Great Spotted Woodpecker coming and going to the nest hole. The larger hole below seemed to be in use by Jackdaws. There was a brief bit of action when a Jackdaw attempted to raid the Woodpecker nest, clinging to the hole edge to do so. One of the parents was inside which did mean the Jackdaw's attempt was thwarted. A Buzzard glided over pursued by gulls and crows. A Siskin was heard calling from the trees nearby. After a couple of hours at the Arboretum and with the sky growing ever more threatening I decided to head in the direction of home, in case the rain began and to attempt to limit how wet I would inevitably get when it did.
A Lesser Black Backed Gull was seen as I headed for Balgay Hill again. I added Great Tit there before stumbling across another Great Spotted Woodpecker nest - though the visits bringing in food to this one were not as regular as the Ninewells one. Unfortunately, as I watched the nest from a distance it began to rain. Shelter is in short supply at the hill and the rain was heavy. I noticed that one side of the trees was not getting wet and hoped that if I stood against a large trunk on the dry side with a thick canopy above me that I could at least stay drier than if I chose to attempt to find somewhere 'better'. A lot would depend on how heavy and prolonged the shower turned out to be.
It rained quite heavily for around an hour. Thankfully, my plan worked though I did get a little wet by trying to find those 'better' locations when the larger drops started to drip from above me. However, during the time it rained I had good though brief views of Jay, Nuthatch and Song Thrush while Chiffchaff and Blackcap were also heard calling and singing nearby despite the downpour. When the rain finally stopped, rather than head back for more GSW photos I headed for home. My route home added a Collared Dove on a chimney and a flyover Swallow taking my list for the day to 34 species. I did manage to get a couple of decent Woodpecker photos as the birds left the nest hole and spending a bit of time somewhere other than my usual haunts made a pleasant change.
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Goldcrest
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Rabbit
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Song Thrush
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Chaffinch
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Chaffinch
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Carrion Crow
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Carrion Crow
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Carrion Crow
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Chaffinch
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Chaffinch
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Chaffinch
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Chaffinch
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Roe Deer
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Coal Tit
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Roe Deer
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Roe Deer
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Roe Deer
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Roe Deer
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Carrion Crow
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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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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Jackdaw
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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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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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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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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Jackdaw
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Jackdaw
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Jackdaw
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Jackdaw & Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Carrion Crow
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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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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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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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Jackdaw
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Jackdaw
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Jackdaw
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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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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Jackdaw
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Jackdaw
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Green Veined White
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Jackdaw
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Jackdaw
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Jackdaw
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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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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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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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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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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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Birds - Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Nuthatch, Oystercatcher, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Swift, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies - Green Veined White, Orange Tip.
Mammals - Rabbit, Roe Deer.
