All thoughts of an early start on Monday were extinguished rather quickly when the alarm woke me. Although it was the same time the alarm wakens me for work on any 'normal' Monday, I couldn't muster much enthusiasm to get out of my bed (much the same as any 'normal' Monday...). I went back to sleep again, safe in the knowledge that I didn't actually have to get up. When I did eventually see daylight I decided to keep my run of consecutive birding days going by taking a walk to Broughty Ferry. Although I wasn't really expecting anything too unusual, there was a slim possibility I might chance upon something 'good' or at least, unexpected.
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Turnstone
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It was around 1205 when I headed out. It was a rather grey sort of day, in contrast to the sunshine of the previous day, and rather similar to Saturday's. Herring Gull, Magpie and Feral Pigeon were seen before I had even left my street. Robin and Blue Tit were noted as I walked in the direction of Baxter Park. Starling and Carrion Crow were added nearby and a Wren was heard in the park. I decided to cut down to the cycle path which runs along the northern edge of Dundee Docks to walk to the Stannergate, rather than take my more regular route through Eastern Cemetery. A Woodpigeon was seen wandering around near the entrance to a nursing home just before I reached the docks.
As I wandered along the cycle path a Pied Wagtail was seen in flight. A Buzzard drifted over the trees between the railway line and main road then a Grey Wagtail flew past. A minute or two afterwards a Meadow Pipit did likewise. I reached the Stannergate around forty minutes after leaving home. I decided I was in no rush and took my time to scan for as many birds as I could find. I contemplated walking out to the end of the muddy track which borders the fenceline along the eastern end of the port area but decided against it in the end. Curlew, Black Headed Gull, Herring Gull, Grey Heron, Oystercatcher, Redshank and a few Guillemots were all seen on the beach or on the Tay.
Chaffinch and Goldfinch called as they flew over and a Cormorant on a metal hazard sign, a Common Gull by the water and a roosting Eider were all spotted. As I walked along eastwards a small flock of Siskins flew past me, and disappeared into the fenced off scrubby area by the railway line. A distant Great Black Backed Gull was noted as well as a pair of Jackdaws. A Lesser Black Backed Gull flew in to join the Herring Gull roost down on the shore. The first skein of Pink Footed Geese passed overhead. A Razorbill bobbed around in the river. I spotted a bird of prey over Tayport and photos showed it to be a Buzzard.
I picked out a small flock of ducks far across the river, heading west. I took a few photos and at initial glance I figured they were Wigeon as a result of their white bellies. However, a closer look later showed they were in fact Tufted Ducks. A second similar sized flock heading in the same direction was also noted a little later. A Stock Dove headed out over the river - something I've seen on a previous visit (along with Woodpigeons) around this time of year in 2020. The conditions weren't particularly great and I decided that I wouldn't walk out as far as Balmossie, as had been my initial plan as I had already seen most of the species I could expect to see if I did so.
A Sparrowhawk flew out over the river in the direction of Tayport - perhaps a migrant from Scandinavia moving down the coast. A few more Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails passed westwards following the river and a few Common Gulls and Curlews were seen along the water's edge. I chanced upon a small flock of Turnstones bathing in the tiny waves breaking gently along the pebbles and watched them for a few minutes. Walking down one of the sailing club's slipways I heard a Ringed Plover call and turned to find two in company with a Dunlin not too far away. I took a couple of photos and headed back up the ramp leaving them to roost in peace. It was around 1430 by this time and the thought that the wind would be in my face on the walk back helped me make up my mind that the end of the esplanade at Douglas Terrace was as far as I would go.
I turned as planned and headed back towards Dundee again. I added a
single Red Breasted Merganser out on the water and around half an hour
later I spotted a Cormorant across towards Fife. Then I found another
Razorbill, the previously roosting Eider and also a Red Throated Diver. I
then spent some time watching the Turnstones feeding among the pebbles,
getting some decent photos in the process as the birds went about their
business with me about 10 feet above and away from them. A Rook was
seen flying across the river and a small group of high flying Skylarks
were picked up against the grey of the clouds, their contact calls
alerting me to their presence.
A second Red Throated Diver was
noted a little further upriver as I neared the Stannergate again. A
flock of Long Tailed Tits were heard as they fed near the rainlway line at the bridge.
A Greenfinch and a Collared Dove were added as I walked up towards
Arbroath Road. Detouring along some of the quieter streets to the north I
added a Dunnock to the list for the day but that was the final addition
before I made it home around 1630.
I had managed to record a
total of 44 species including some obvious migrants (Siskins, Pipits,
Larks and Wagtails) and some other slightly less definite migrants
(Woodpigeons, Stock Dove, Tufted Ducks and Sparrowhawk). The Tufted Ducks were
probably the least expected of all the birds noted and it was nice to
see the Red Throated Divers a bit further upriver than usual - though
not quite as far up as the one I saw from Riverside Nature Park the
previous Wednesday.
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| Redshank |
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| Eider |
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Grey Heron
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Cormorant |
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Grey Heron
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| Siskin |
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Jackdaw
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Lesser Black Backed Gull
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Pink Footed Goose
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| Curlew |
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| Guillemot |
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Common Gull
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Tufted Duck
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Stock Dove
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Meadow Pipit
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| Sparrowhawk |
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Common Gull
|
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| Turnstone |
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Herring Gull
|
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Common Gull
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Common Gull
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Pied Wagtail
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| Curlew |
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| Woodpigeon |
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Ringed Plover & Dunlin
|
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Common Gull
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Red Breasted Merganser
|
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Oystercatcher |
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Black Headed Gull
|
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| Redshank |
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Carrion Crow
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Carrion Crow
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Black Headed Gull & Common Gull
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| Curlew |
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| Woodpigeon |
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| Eider |
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| Razorbill |
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Red Throated Diver
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Red Throated Diver
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| Turnstone |
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| Turnstone |
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| Turnstone |
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| Turnstone |
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| Guillemot |
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| Turnstone |
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| Turnstone |
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| Turnstone |
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| Turnstone |
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| Turnstone |
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| Turnstone |
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| Turnstone |
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| Turnstone |
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| Turnstone |
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| Turnstone |
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Red Breasted Merganser
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| Curlew |
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Herring Gull
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Red Throated Diver
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Curlew
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Birds - Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Eider, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Guillemot, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Razorbill, Red Breasted Merganser, Redshank, Red Throated Diver, Ringed Plover, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Siskin, Skylark, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Tufted Duck, Turnstone, Woodpigeon, Wren.