Finally my May holiday week has arrived. Normally I would be looking forward to getting around various parts of Scotland adding to my year-list with species such as Pied and Spotted Flycatchers, Wood Warblers, Redstarts, Woodcock and maybe some Manx Shearwaters, Skuas and Terns on the 'hope to see' list. However, with 2021 being rather different to most years (with the exception of 2020 where going almost anywhere was frowned upon, even within Dundee) I'm mostly having to make do and if I happen to add anything new for my year-list at all it will be a bonus. There's still plenty of birding to be done in Dundee. I decided to attempt to see or hear 60 species at Riverside Nature Park on Saturday. High tide was around 0500 so to catch up with the selection of waders I would need to stand a chance of reaching the target, an early start would be necessary.
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Whitethroat
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When the alarm went off at 0400, I decided that having only had around 4 hours sleep I needed a bit more. Around 15 minutes later, I jumped out of bed and got organised. It was just before 0530 when I headed out. I followed one of my routes that I would take on my way to work. With fewer cars and people around birds were relatively easy to see and hear. Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Herring Gull, Blue Tit, Jackdaw, House Sparrow and Blackbird were all noted on my way to Dens Road where a singing Blackcap and a Collared Dove were added.
Carrion Crow, Starling, Siskin and Wren were next as I headed uphill to the top of the Hilltown and Kinghorne Road. I detoured up past the Law which gave me Chiffchaff, Magpie and Willow Warbler. Song Thrush was added as I headed back down the Law Steps on the western side of the hill. Chaffinch and Lesser Black Backed Gull were spotted on the walk to Balgay Park. Great Tit, Stock Dove, Bullfinch and Goldcrest were the additions in the park and cemetery with House Martin, Greenfinch and Coal Tit noted on the final stretch down to the park where I arrived at 0635. I had arranged to meet my birding pal, Jacqui, who I hadn't seen this year, at the park though no time had been specified.
My plan was to head through the park to the western end to scan the bay. Although I would see and hear birds on the way, I wouldn't spend any great length of time checking them out - unless of course I stumbled across anything unusual - which at this time of year is a possibility. However, Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Woodpigeon, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Grey Heron, Willow Warbler, Robin, Whitethroat, Feral Pigeon, Magpie, Chiffchaff, Jackdaw, Skylark, Moorhen, Sparrowhawk, Cormorant (in flight to the north of the park, headed east), Goldfinch, Yellowhammer, Linnet, Blackcap, Starling and Pied Wagtail did not fit the description of unusual but did give me a decent platform to build the list on. A Rabbit was also noted on the walk to the hide.
The tide had still a bit to go before the return of the mud but there were a few gulls around in front of the hide - mostly Herring Gulls and Lesser Black Backed Gulls. A Wren showed briefly in the top of a tree and a few Mallard were asleep on the grass at the burn mouth. As the tide receded more of the pipe became exposed and the gulls took up position along it. A few Black Headed Gulls and Common Gulls dropped in, a pair of Shelduck and a pair of Mute Swan were seen on either side of the pipe. An Oystercatcher flew over the railway line and houses, calling as it went. A Sedge Warbler sang from the bushes behind me and I was briefly able to see it as it flew to the other side before disappearing among the bushes and trees there.
I noticed that a 2nd year Great Black Backed Gull which had shown up on the pipe was fitted with a yellow leg ring. With a bit of effort and some helpful sunshine I was able to read the code "155:M" from my photos. I suspected it was an Isle of May ringed bird - which was confirmed later - ringed in July 2019. Waders seemed very slow to return even as more mud was exposed. Oystercatchers arrived in small groups and a single Black Tailed Godwit - still grey unlike all the recent sightings of the species, also showed up. A pair of Teal were picked out before Jacqui joined me. I pointed out the main highlights to her as we did a bit of catching up.
Around 0810 I spotted what I thought was an Osprey out towards the river and it didn't take too long for the gulls to spot the same bird. Jacqui and I headed away from the hide for a better view and watched the Osprey catch a small flatfish on its second dive before heading off back the way it came followed by the gulls and waders from the bay. A Blue Tit appeared in a tree nearby. More scanning from the hide failed to add anything new. The Osprey returned again and caught a second small flatfish. While Jacqui was attempting to get clear views of a Blackcap for photos I spotted a Swift overhead which was a year-tick for Jacqui.
We were joined by Keith Edwards and the three of us chatted as a Whitethroat carrying nesting material came and went and a Blackcap showed from time to time. A Stock Dove flashed over, spotted by Keith. As Jacqui had things needing done at home she headed off around 0900. Keith and I headed round towards the raised bank overlooking the bay for a better look and hopefully a few more additions. With the lack of waders species my chances of reaching my target of 60 species was looking increasingly unlikely. Keith picked out a distant Curlew beyond the pipe. I found a single summer plumage Dunlin on the pipe - a rather white faced individual which reminded me of some of the photos I've seen of North American birds - though heat haze and distance conspired to render any chance of assigning a race to the bird practically impossible (not that they are particularly easy when seen well).
As more and more mud was exposed we moved further and further along to the south. Keith spotted Swallow and Sand Martin as well as a surprise Turnstone which had joined the Dunlin on the pipe. The local Long Tailed Tit pair flitted past. A pair of Buzzards appeared over the hill. Keith spotted a male Reed Bunting in flight and a couple of butterflies that refused to settle. Keith headed off in pursuit of those and when he returned he decided he'd best head off home. Although it was unlikely I'd add anything else new from the hide I decided to wander back there while I was in the top half of the park. I added a Green Veined White and an Orange Tip butterfly on the way.
As expected there wasn't much to see from the hide with the majority of birds now well out on the mud. I was hoping that there might be a Redshank around - a surprise omission given that they are almost always the most numerous wader in the bay, but I was out of luck. However, a corvid flew over the railway line and dropped down towards the burn. Not a Jackdaw or a Carrion Crow, but a relative rarity at the park - a Rook. That one was not on my list of expected species for the day. I still thought my total was likely to be closer to 55 - whcih is still a very gtood total at the park, rather than the hoped for, but unlikely, 60. I headed back towards the Lochan. A Small Tortoiseshell butterfly gave me my third butterfly species of the day.
I decided to continue on past the Lochan and ahead of me, near where the Lesser Whitethroats used to nest, a small bird was seen for a fraction of a second down at a puddle. I purposely held back to see if the bird would return. Thankfully it did and it was another slightly unexpected species - a House Sparrow. Keith had seen a female in the hedge between the fields by the road earlier, which is usually the best spot for seeing them, so there was a chance I'd get one later there, but it was good to get one on the list regardless of where it was. I continued following the path round, adding a male and female Orange Tip near the car park. I was going to cross the hill and walk back round from the bay but decided to walk round to the bay again and return over the hill.
By this time the tide was well out and the burn's route can be seen clearly. Another pair of Teal were seen sleeping on one of the bends. I spotted a wader on the mud and unbelievably it was a Redshank. I grabbed a few photos and had a quick look on the camera but when I looked up again, the bird had disappeared again. A definite case of being in the right place at the right time. With the exception of the Oystercatchers of which there were plenty all my other waders were singles - Redshank, Curlew, Dunlin, Black Tailed Godwit and Turnstone. Well out in the river a group of Seals were hauled out on a couple of sandbanks. I crossed the hill with good views of singing Skylarks and headed through the car park into the lower half of the park having been in the park for just under 6 hours.
A singing Dunnock was noted along with a Coal Tit before I found yet another butterfly species - a Peacock. While checking Buzzard Wood for something other than a large family group of very vocal Long Tailed Tits I realised I could hear House Martins above me. I looked up to see 3 of the birds catching insects above the wood. The House Martins were my 55th species for the day within the park. I was still missing a few possibilities - Greenfinch and Bullfinch in particular but also Sandwich Tern. I decided that despite tired legs I would do another lap of the whole park before heading for home. This proved to be a decent move with Greenfinch found quite quickly as I headed for the top half.
The tide was on its way back in and I was tempted to hang around until all the mud was back underwater again. While scanning from the picnic tables I discovered another surprise - a pair of Goosanders on the pipe. Number 57, just 3 more needed. I kept checking for Sandwich Terns but drew a blank. I hung around for a while at the hide but the light wasn't great with the sun rendering most birds as silhouettes, so decided it was time to call it a day. I wandered past the Lochan and down towards Buzzard Wood. A calling Great Spotted Woodpecker and a flyover Siskin took me to 59 species, just 1 short of my target. My legs were heavy and the early start was taking its toll. I'd been in the park for just over 9 hours and knew I had a long walk home ahead of me. 59 would just have to do.
Needless to say, 30 seconds after leaving the park I found a Goldcrest - a bird I'd failed to find in the park. The only new addition on the walk home was a Treecreeper in Balgay Park. I arrived home more or less 12 hours after heading out, having managed to record a total of 63 species, of which 59 were at the park. An enjoyable, though exhausting, day's birding. Another attempt at breaking the 60 barrier will now need to wait until
late August (or early September) - the only time it has been done previously was August 31st
2014 with 63 species noted (including a Fulmar!).
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Grey Heron
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Whitethroat
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Whitethroat
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Carrion Crow
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Yellowhammer
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Blackcap
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Common Gull & Black Headed Gull
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Shelduck
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Herring Gull & Lesser Black Backed Gull
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Goldfinch
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Mute Swan
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Chiffchaff
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Black Tailed Godwit
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Shelduck
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Teal
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Great Black Backed Gull (yellow 155:M), Herring Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull
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Osprey & Oystercatcher
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Osprey
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Osprey & Oystercatcher
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Osprey
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Blue Tit
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Robin
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Swift
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Osprey
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Whitethroat
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Whitethroat
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Sparrowhawk
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Blackcap
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Curlew
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Dunlin
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Curlew
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Buzzard
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Goldfinch
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Rook
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'Farmyard Goose' & Mallard
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Small Tortoiseshell
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Skylark
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Pied Wagtail
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House Sparrow
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Orange Tip
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Song Thrush
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Skylark
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Whitethroat
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Green Veined White
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Buzzard
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Buzzard
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Redshank
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Skylark
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Skylark
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Reed Bunting
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Orange Tip
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Peacock
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Buzzard
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Blackcap
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House Martin
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Long Tailed Tit
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Long Tailed Tit
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Long Tailed Tit
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Grey Heron
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Jackdaw
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Oystercatcher
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Yellowhammer
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Grey Heron
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Mallard
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Whitethroat
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Whitethroat
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Whitethroat
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Shelduck
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Whitethroat
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Blue Tit
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Whitethroat
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Robin
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Whitethroat
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Reed Bunting
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Reed Bunting
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Pied Wagtail
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Great Tit
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Whitethroat
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Long Tailed Tit
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Chaffinch
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Birds -
Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Bullfinch,
Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sand Martin, Sedge Warbler, Shelduck, Siskin, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Swift, Teal,
Treecreeper, Turnstone, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.Butterflies -
Green Veined White, Orange Tip, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell.Mammals -
Rabbit, Seal sp..
Riverside Nature Park -
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Riverside Nature Park only -
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Outside park -
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Inside and outside park
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