This is my 900th blog post. When I started doing these back in 2014, I would likely not have believed I'd have managed to keep going this long, but here I am with just another 100 posts to type up to reach 1000. As is customary on these milestone posts, I'd like to thank everyone who takes the time to read these posts. There is a lot of work goes into them (not made particularly easy with Blogger's 'improvements') and knowing that there are folk reading them (and hopefully enjoying them) is what keeps me going. Additional thanks also to everyone on Chirp Birding (it's sort of like Facebook for birders) who have helped keep my numbers of views per post at a level that justifies the effort for me. Also a big shout out to my regular birding buddies who have continued to help to ensure that this isn't all just posts about birding in Dundee during these 'interesting times' we are living in. Knowing roughly how many words I tend to use in these posts, I think it is safe to say I've typed over ONE MILLION words about my birding since I started. If anyone fancies counting them t6o double check, please feel free.... ;-)
For this post I've decided to publish the full bird list for Riverside Nature Park which celebrated its 10th anniversary in June, with dates and observers (as I have them).....so here you go....enjoy.
On the 18th of June 2011, Riverside Nature Park in Dundee officially opened to the public. For those who don't know where it is, it is sandwiched in between the recycling centre to the west of Dundee Airport and Riverside Avenue and overlooks Invergowrie Bay to the west. It is made up of a few fields near the main road, one of which has a large flooded pool (known as "The Lochan"), some small wooded areas, including "Buzzard Wood"near the eastern end, some small hedgerows and the wildflower meadow up on the hill in the upper section of the park, to the west of the car park. There is a wooden screen overlooking the burn outflow into Invergowrie Bay, though each year, the vegetation encroaches further and further rather limiting the views available of the inner section of the bay - something which the fencing off of the grassy slope to the south of the 'hide' has made even worse. Another wooden screen is at "The Lochan".
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Red Backed Shrike
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The semi-official bird list for the park currently stands at 151 species. When I first started keeping a record of the species seen (and latterly heard also) at/from the park it was just my own sightings. Over time sightings posted on BirdForum mostly by Charles Rough were also added. When the Friends of Riverside Nature Park group was formed I got involved which brought in more sightings from Ian Ford, the chairman of the Friends group. Conversations with the few local birders who I ran into at the park added a few more species and over time the list grew. Latterly the pandemic restrictions have meant an increase in visits by experienced birders who have added a few new species in a bit of a burst with 6 new species added since October 2020.
First sightings dates are the dates I have recorded my own sightings or have been given, or found from other sources, and may not be the first time a bird was actually seen. (I can obviously only work with the information I have). Names of observers, (where known) or source of info for other sightings are shown. Any sightings without details will be my own. Birds I have yet to see myself at the park are marked by an asterisk *. (My own list currently stands at 129). I can be contacted via this blog with any further additions/info.
There are a number of possible species which have yet to be recorded (though some were seen in the general area before the park opened) including Avocet, Gannet, Cuckoo, Ring Ouzel, Hobby, Merlin, Great White Egret, White Fronted Goose, Garganey, Golden Plover, Temminck's Stint, Green Sandpiper, Great Skua, Black Tern, Little Auk, Ring Necked Parakeet, Tawny Owl, Redstart, Grasshopper Warbler, Firecrest....
The Riverside Nature Park list - as at 18/6/21 stood at 149. The 150th species was added on 15/9/21 and the 151st on 6/10/21.
1. Curlew 18/6/11
2. Buzzard 18/6/11
3. Whitethroat 18/6/11
4. Robin 18/6/11
5. Blackbird 18/6/11
6. Grey Heron 18/6/11
7. Starling 18/6/11
8. Swallow 18/6/11
9. Oystercatcher 18/6/11
10. Swift 18/6/11
11. Song Thrush 18/6/11
12. Coal Tit 18/6/11
13. House Martin 18/6/11
14. Lapwing 18/6/11
15. Jackdaw 18/6/11
16. Redshank 18/6/11
17. Skylark 18/6/11
18. Carrion Crow 18/6/11
19. Dunnock 18/6/11
20. Shelduck 18/6/11
21. Mute Swan 18/6/11
22. Black Headed Gull 18/6/11
23. Greenfinch 18/6/11
24. Lesser Black Backed Gull 18/6/11
25. Herring Gull 18/6/11
26. Goldfinch 18/6/11
27. Linnet 18/6/11
28. Chaffinch 18/6/11
29. Mallard 18/6/11
30. Stock Dove 18/6/11
31. Willow Warbler 18/6/11
32. Feral Pigeon 18/6/11
33. Woodpigeon 18/6/11
34. Yellowhammer 18/6/11
35. Blue Tit 20/6/11
36. Cormorant 20/6/11
37. Pied Wagtail 20/6/11
38. Kestrel 20/6/11
39. Lesser Redpoll 20/6/11
40. Osprey 20/6/11
41. Bullfinch 25/6/11
42. Stonechat 25/6/11
43. House Sparrow 25/6/11
44. Common Gull 25/6/11
45. Long Tailed Tit 25/6/11
46. Blackcap 2/7/11
47. Reed Bunting 2/7/11
48. Sandwich Tern 2/7/11
49. Great Tit 9/7/11
50. Whimbrel 15/7/11
51. Peregrine 19/4/12 (originally erroneously 15/7/11)
52. Sparrowhawk 15/7/11
53. Common Sandpiper 15/7/11
54. Meadow Pipit 16/7/11
55. Wren 16/7/11
56. Chiffchaff 30/7/11
57. Sand Martin 30/7/11
58. Dunlin 30/7/11
59. Rook 30/7/11
60. Greenshank 30/7/11
61. Teal 17/8/11
62. Bar Tailed Godwit 17/8/11
63. Knot 27/8/11
64. Goosander 15/9/11 Charles Rough
65. Pink Footed Goose 15/9/11 Charles Rough
66. Curlew Sandpiper 17/9/11
67. Wigeon 19/9/11
68. Black Tailed Godwit 19/9/11
69. Wheatear 6/10/11
70. Mistle Thrush 11/10/11
71. Goldcrest 16/10/11
72. Grey Partridge 24/10/11
73. Pheasant 3/11/11 Charles Rough
74. Great Spotted Woodpecker 5/11/11
75. Fieldfare 5/11/11
76. Grey Wagtail 5/11/11
77. Siskin 5/11/11
78. Great Black Backed Gull 5/11/11
79. Redwing 15/11/11
80. Whooper Swan 20/11/11
81. Red Breasted Merganser 20/11/11
82. Goldeneye 20/11/11
83. Greylag Goose 17/12/11
84. Dipper 17/12/11
85. Brambling 31/12/11
86. Shoveler 14/4/12
87. Pintail 15/5/12
88. Sedge Warbler 27/5/12 via Bio-Blitz
89. Little Gull 3/6/12
90. Tufted Duck 10/6/12
91. Common Tern 10/6/12
92. Eider* 7/6/12 Charles Rough
93. Turnstone 12/8/12
94. Mediterranean Gull 16/8/12
95. Long Tailed Duck* ?/?/12 Philip Cohen
96. Red Kite ?/?/12 Philip Cohen
97. Lesser Whitethroat 30/8/12
98. Canada Goose 2/9/12 Philip Cohen
99. Ruff 5/9/12
100. Tree Pipit 8/9/12
101. Spotted Redshank 9/9/12
102. Spotted Flycatcher* 15/9/12 Graham Ewen
103. Scaup 17/9/12 Charles Rough
104. Guillemot 26/9/12
105. Little Grebe 28/9/12 Glen Wilson
106. Shag 30/9/12
107. Magpie 1/10/12 Charles Rough
108. Jay 6/10/12
109. Tree Sparrow 6/10/12
110. Collared Dove 18/10/12 Grahame Ewen
111. White Tailed Eagle 29/10/12 Grant Balfour
112. Brent Goose 15/9/12 Harry Holbrook
113. Snipe 3/11/12 Ian Ford
114. Treecreeper* 3/11/12 Ian Ford
115. Kingfisher ?/6/12 Graham Smith
116. Ringed Plover ?/6/12 Graham Smith
117. Waxwing 8/11/12 via Birdguides
118. Short Eared Owl* 8/11/12 Graham Ewen
119. Long Eared Owl 24/11/12
120. Woodcock 1/12/12
121. Green Winged Teal 20/3/13 Ian Ford
122. Jack Snipe 23/3/13 Ian Ford (& me)
123. Green Woodpecker* 25/3/13 Alex Shepherd
124. Mealy Redpoll 21/4/13
125. Common Crane* 2/5/13 English birder (via Gus Guthrie)
126. Wood Sandpiper* 8/5/13 Ian Ford
127. Marsh Harrier* 20/5/13 Ian Ford
128. Red Backed Shrike 20/5/13 Charles Rough
129. Fulmar 30/5/13 Ian Ford
130. Little Egret 8/6/13
131. Yellow Wagtail (Blue Headed subspecies)* 17/6/13 Charles Rough
132. Yellow Browed Warbler* 6/10/13 Ian Ford
133. Iceland Gull* 6/1/14 Charles Rough
134. Garden Warbler* ?/?/13 Surveyor (via Ian Ford)
135. Moorhen 5/4/14
136. Bearded Tit* 10/10/14 Ian Ford
137. Gadwall 25/4/15
138. Raven* 1/10/16 Keith Edwards
139. Rock Pipit* 2/11/16 Ian Ford
140. Little Stint 24/9/17 Stuart Green
141. Coot 29/4/18
142. Whinchat 3/5/18
143. Great Crested Grebe* 24/9/18 Charles Rough
144. Hawfinch 6/10/20
145. Water Rail (heard only)* 22/10/20 Mark Wilkinson
146. Barn Owl* 9/11/20 Kate Treharne
147. Yellow Legged Gull* 12/3/21 Mark Wilkinson
148. Common Crossbill* 1/4/21 Ian Ford
149. Barnacle Goose* 31/5/21 Keith Edwards
150. Razorbill 14/9/21 Ian Ford
151. Red Throated Diver 6/10/21
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| Swift |
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Green Winged Teal
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Spotted Redshank (& Shelduck)
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| Blackcap |
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Buzzard |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Snipe |
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| Woodcock |
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Pink Footed Goose
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| Magpie |
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| Hawfinch |
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Meadow Pipit
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Dunlin (& Oystercatcher)
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| Swallow |
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| Whitethroat |
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| Whinchat |
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| Peregrine |
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| Wheatear |
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Stock Dove
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Mediterranean Gull
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| Skylark |
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| Blackbird |
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| Scaup |
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| Moorhen |
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Blue Tit
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Grey Heron (& Common Frog)
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| Greenfinch |
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| Siskin |
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| Redwing |
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Mistle Thrush
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| Teal |
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| Wigeon |
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| Woodpigeon |
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| Starling |
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| Gadwall |
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Coal Tit
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Song Thrush
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| Bullfinch |
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Pied Wagtail
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| Robin |
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Black Headed Gull
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| Goldcrest |
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Reed Bunting
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| Chiffchaff |
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Little Egret (& Herring Gull)
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| Dunnock |
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| Jackdaw |
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| Shelduck |
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Jack Snipe
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| Fieldfare |
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Long Eared Owl
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Mute Swan
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Lesser Redpoll
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| Goldfinch |
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Grey Wagtail
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Greylag Goose
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Shag (& Redshank)
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| Chaffinch |
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Little Grebe
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| Kestrel |
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Ruff (& Redshank)
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| Osprey |
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Sandwich Tern
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| Mallard |
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| Pintail |
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Common Tern, Little Gull (& Sandwich Tern)
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| Linnet |
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Carrion Crow
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Common Sandpiper
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House Martin
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| Stonechat |
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Long Tailed Tit
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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| Goosander |
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| Cormorant |
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Willow Warbler
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| Jay |
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| Kingfisher |
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| Fulmar |
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Tree Pipit
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House Sparrow
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| Rook |
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Curlew Sandpiper (& Mallard & Redshank)
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Canada Goose
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Tree Sparrow
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| Waxwing |
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White Tailed Eagle
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Butterflies (16) - Comma, Common Blue, Dark Green Fritillary, Grayling, Green Veined White, Large White, Meadow Brown, Orange Tip, Painted Lady, Peacock, Purple Hairstreak, Red Admiral, Ringlet, Small Copper, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White.
Mammals (17) - Bank Vole, Brown Rat, Common Pipistrelle Bat, Common Seal, Daubenton's Bat, Field Vole, Fox, Grey Seal, Grey Squirrel, Otter, Rabbit, Red Squirrel, Roe Deer, Soprano Pipistrelle Bat, Stoat, Weasel, Wood Mouse.
Amphibians (3) - Common Frog, Common Toad, Smooth Newt.
