I was editing my photos from the morning's vis-migging up the Law around lunchtime on Sunday, when my birding pal, Jacqui messaged me about something. As we chatted via WhatsApp I happened to look out of the living room window and noticed that the visibility was really good and the light was rather nice. I decided that I would head out for some afternoon birding and Jacqui decided that she too would head out. Jacqui was going to check some woodland in Fife in the hope of finding Nuthatch and I decided I would likely head for Ninewells Community Garden (via Balgay Hill) to try and see the Nuthatch there, which has recently started visiting their feeders.
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| Nuthatch |
I headed out again just after 1315, finding things a bit quieter than they had been in the morning. Starlings on the floodlights at Tannadice, a Herring Gull on a roof, Magpies on the grass between the football stadiums and a flyover Feral Pigeon got my second outing of the day underway. Blackbird, Chaffinch, Robin and Blue Tit were noted nearby and a few minutes later a Red Admiral butterfly flew past me while a Dunnock called in the background. Having never actually walked the 'Miley' before I decided that as it wasn't too large of a detour I would finally pay it a visit. A slight wrong turn on my way there gave me Oystercatcher and a close view of a Sparrowhawk before Carrion Crow and Woodpigeon were seen further along Clepington Road.
Goldcrest and House Sparrow were added as I neared the 'urban nature reserve' - a mile long stretch of what was once a railway line. Wren and Long Tailed Tits were heard near the northern end and Bullfinch was heard near the southern end with a whole lot of nothing in between. I suspect that in April/May there is probably a lot more bird activity though probably not anything I can't see just as easily elsewhere in the city. As I neared Balgay Hill I added Coal Tit and a Jay which flew over from Ancrum Road towards Loons Road. There were a few gulls on the football pitches - one or two Black Headed Gulls and a few Common Gulls. A Goldfinch flew over.
I decided that I would walk up the hill where things are generally quieter rather than take the flat route around the base of the hill. A Robin and a Great Tit were seen on the ground by the side of a large gravestone surrounded by a wall. As I took the short-cut past the wall, I heard a Nuthatch call, and looked up to see one a few feet above me on a branch. I took a few photos before it flew further up the tree. Another Nuthatch called from a different tree, not too far away, and I was able to glimpse both as they moved around though I failed to get anymore photos. I then spent some time watching a Jay breaking into an Acorn in a tree high above me, before it flew down to the ground near the top of the hill, as if looking for somewhere to cache the contents of its apparently full crop.
Moving on again, a Grey Squirrel was seen near the 'Stock Dove Tree' though there was a Woodpigeon in the tree rather than the now almost expected Stock Dove. I reached Ninewells Community Garden around 1455. The local Jackdaws were making a fair bit of noise. The feeders were relatively quiet with Blue Tit, Great Tit and Chaffinch seemingly the only visitors as I stood and watched from nearby. One of the Garden regulars stopped for a chat, and it turned out he remembered me from a guided walk I led at Riverside Nature Park some years ago. He put out some extra food to try and tempt the Nuthatch in.
A Common Darter dragonfly zipped around, stopping very briefly, mostly along the edge of the roof of the building. A small skein of Pink Footed Geese overflew. A few Jays were seen in flight, as was a Stock Dove. A Pied Wagtail was heard. A Dunnock crept around nearby, with a Robin keeping a low profile further back. A Wren was quite vocal near the Ivy to the north side of the feeders, and a Coal Tit dropped in to the feeders a few times. A Magpie eyed me warily as it weighed up the risk of visiting the feeders with me close by before thinking better of it, and retreating again. Eventually a Nuthatch put in an appearance, allowing me to get a few photos of it on the peanut feeder. Thankfully it came back a bit later and I was able to get a few photos as it waited warily just behind the feeders.
With mission accomplished and time now wearing on, I left the garden at
about 1625. As I closed the wooden gate behind me a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a flock
of Long Tailed Tits flew over me towards the feeders. I quietly headed
back in to get a few photos of the woodpecker on the feeders before
heading homewards again a few minutes later. A Mistle Thrush flew over
as I left the hospital grounds and a Siskin was heard in Balgay
Cemetery. The second part of the day's birding had yielded a total of 32
species (taking the total for the day to 39) as well as a surprise
dragonfly. It was also the first time I've managed to see Nuthatch at
two separate locations in Dundee - hopefully a sign of things to come,
as the species becomes more established within the city.
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| Nuthatch |
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| Jay |
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| Jay |
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| Jay |
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| Jay |
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| Jay |
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Grey Squirrel
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| Woodpigeon |
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| Chaffinch |
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| Chaffinch |
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Pink Footed Goose
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Pink Footed Goose
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Great Tit
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Blue Tit
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Great Tit
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| Dunnock |
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| Magpie |
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| Magpie |
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Great Tit
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Great Tit
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| Dunnock |
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| Chaffinch |
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Blue Tit
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| Nuthatch |
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| Nuthatch |
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| Nuthatch |
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| Chaffinch |
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| Chaffinch |
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Blue Tit
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| Dunnock |
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| Robin |
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Great Tit
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| Nuthatch |
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| Nuthatch |
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| Nuthatch |
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Great Tit
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Great Tit
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Pink Footed Goose
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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, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mistle Thrush, Nuthatch, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterfly - Red Admiral.
Dragonfly - Common Darter.