As I type this it is already Autumn, at least as far as my birding is concerned, with the sound of Summer, the Swifts having departed for the most part early this past week. It is 5 weeks since I last provided an update on my birding as I walk to and from work and the weather has mostly been warm and sunny with a few spots of rain thrown in for just a bit of variety. Overall the birding has been relatively settled, almost same-y. The background noise of bird song and calls has really quietened down recently which does make things a little trickier when trying to keep a list of what is around as those calls and songs can be a huge help. Without them it is possible to walk past a bush or tree oblivious to the birds that may be perched inside, out of sight. The gulls have started to reappear in increasing numbers at the football pitches and some of the local raptors have been more obvious than usual, owing no doubt to families requiring feeding.
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| Peregrine |
On Monday the 12th of July I managed a total of 28 species with a rather untypical mixture including a fly-over Curlew and Grey Wagtail. Slightly more commonly encountered species included Chiffchaff, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Siskin and Stock Dove. The following day produced 29 species including Whitethroat and Blackcap along with Black Headed Gull, Bullfinch, Chiffchaff, House Martin, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Siskin and Stock Dove. Thursday the 15th was marginally less successful with 27 species noted. The best of that day being Bullfinch, Chiffchaff, House Martin, Jay, Pied Wagtail, Siskin and Stock Dove. The Friday could only muster 25 species with Buzzard, Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, House Martin, Peregrine and Siskin the main highlights. Meadow Brown and Small White butterflies were a welcome sight, adding to a Large White seen on the Thursday.
On Monday 19th of July the stand-out species among 26 recorded were Bullfinch, Common Gull, Oyetercatcher, Sparrowhawk and Stock Dove along with Small White butterfly. Only 25 species were noted on the Tuesday that week with Black Headed Gull, Chiffchaff, House Martin, Oystercatcher and Siskin the main high-spots. Two days later on the 22nd there was slightly more variety noted with Bullfinch, Jay, Pied Wagtail and Stock Dove added to the Chiffchaff, House Martin and Siskin. Small White butterfly was noted once again. The week ended with 25 species on the Friday of which Black Headed Gull, Buzzard, Chiffchaff, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Peregrine and Siskin were the notable sightings.
The following Monday was a local holiday which meant a day out along the Angus coast with Ian. By Tuesday things seemed quieter than the previous week though the 25 species total was similar to the Friday before. Black Headed Gulls at the football pitches, as well as Bullfinch, Buzzard, Chiffchaff, House Martin and Nuthatch around Balgay Hill proved to be as good as it got. Around this time last year I was hearing and seeing Tree Pipits passing over but this year so far has proved to be the complete opposite (though Ian Ford did at least manage to get one over the Nature Park and others have been noted in Fife). Thursday the 29th of July was disappointing with only 22 species noted of which Black Headed and Common Gull on the football pitches and a Peregrine were the closest things to highlights.
August began with quite a low total with only 23 species found on Monday the 2nd. The numbers of Black Headed Gulls were increasing slightly at the football pitches. Buzzard, Nuthatch, Stock Dove and Bullfinch did provide some interest among those noted. Things were even quieter the folowing day with just 22 species seen and heard. The Cox's Stack Peregrine was seen once again along with Pied Wagtail and Siskin a bit later. The Peregrine was noted again perched on the Stack on the Thursday morning and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen flying over the football pitches. I took a slightly different route home after work which gave me the addition of a young Sparrowhawk calling loudly from the same area as last year's regular sightings of similar at Balgay Hill. Friday was rather wet meaning I only managed 17 species of which Siskin was the closest thing to a highlight.
Things picked up a bit on Monday the 9th with 24 species recorded of which Nuthatch, Peregrine and Buzzard were the main highlights. I checked through the Black Headed Gulls for Mediterranean Gull but unsurprisingly drew a blank. There were still a few Swifts around, despite the bulk of those around my area having disappeared the previous day. As in previous years the 8th of August appears to be departure day for those that nest in my general area. Tuesday the 10th proved more productive than expected with a total of 27 species being noted. A family of Jays on Pentland Avenue after work was a surprise. The calling Sparrowhawk youngster(s) sounded quite vocal as I passed by. A Great Spotted Woodpecker, House Martins, Pied Wagtail and Stock Dove also provided a bit of variety. As I reached my street, a late lingering pair of Swifts flew over.
Unfortunately the latter half of the week was noticeably quieter with only 20 species on Thursday the 12th despite the weather being quite decent. The Cox's Stack Peregrine, a House Martin at the football pitches, with around 15 or so Black Headed Gulls there in the morning and a lone calling Bullfinch near work being the decent stuff for the day. Friday the 13th proved quite unlucky from a birding perspective with only 19 species to show for the same level of effort as shown every other day. A Buzzard upsetting the gulls as I neared work and another over Dens Road/Provost Road doing likewise on my walk home were very welcome additions. A House Martin seconds after the latter bird was also good to see.
Overall, despite 5 weeks having passed since the last update things do not feel like they've advanced all that much towards Autumn - other than the obvious lack of song, the increasing numbers of gulls at the pitches and the Swifts disappearing. Other than possibly one or two wagtails there has been no obvious migration movements. Last year I was regularly getting Crossbills and Tree Pipits around the July/August changeover but this year things have been very quiet. Somehow I've managed to rack up a total of 43 species of bird as well as 4 of butterfly but mammals have been oddly completely absent. Fingers are crossed for some decent visible migration over the next few weeks - though I do have a lot of holidays off work coming up which will likely mean the next few of these update posts will feel slightly disjointed. All photos here are from summer 2017.
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| Greenfinch |
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| Wren |
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| Whitethroat |
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| Jackdaw |
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House Sparrow
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| Curlew |
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| Siskin |
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Song Thrush
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| Swift |
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House Martin
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| Magpie |
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| Chaffinch |
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Black Headed Gull
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| Woodpigeon |
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Collared Dove
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Stock Dove
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Pied Wagtail
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| Starling |
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Black Headed Gull
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Carrion Crow
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| Peregrine |
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| Peregrine |
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| Peregrine |
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| Peregrine |
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| Buzzard |
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Sparrowhawk |
Birds - Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch,
Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove,
Common Gull, Curlew, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted
Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House
Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Nuthatch, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pied Wagtail,
Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock
Dove, Swift, Whitethroat, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies - Green Veined White, Large White, Meadow Brown, Small White.
