Other than my walks to/from work, I really haven't done too much birding recently - I've been focusing mostly on insect photography, as is often the case in June and July. It has been around a month since my last update on my 'on foot commute' birding. Although there haven't really been any major surprises in that time, there have been some more minor surprises, which help to keep the interest levels up for me. The weather has been a bit of a mixed bag, though thankfully rain has only really affected one day to any significant extent.
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One of the Cox's Stack Peregrines was the main highlight on Monday 14th of June among the 24 species noted. The following day produced a total of 26 species with a Curlew south over Ancrum Road after work and a Buzzard being harassed by Carrion Crows a little further on the main avian high-spots. A Fox disappearing into a garden on Kilberry Street at 0705 in the morning that same day was unexpected - possibly taking a short cut on its way to the Miley? Thursday the 17th gave me a total of 31 species including Blackcap, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Chiffchaff, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Sparrowhawk. The week was rounded off with 24 species on the Friday. Sparrowhawk and Blackcap were the best of the bunch and a Green Veined White butterfly was also a nice catch.
On Monday the 21st the main highlights among the 25 species were Chiffchaff, House Martin and Pied Wagtail. The following day I went one better with Blackcap, Bullfinch and Collared Dove among the 26 species recorded. Chiffchaff, Collared Dove and a Red Squirrel were all noted on Thursday the 24th among 23 species seen or heard. Friday the 25th was rather productive with a nice mix of good stuff among the 33 species that day including Blackcap, Bullfinch, Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, House Martin, Jay, Nuthatch and Pied Wagtail.
The third week of the four covered in this post began with another decent total with 29 species. Blackcap, Bullfinch, Jay and Peregrine being the pick of the bunch. A Small Tortoiseshell butterfly, a Swallow, a Jay and a Peregrine were among the 27 species on Tuesday 29th of June. The Jay which flew along the road from tree to tree in Byron Street was quite unexpected - though not completely, having seen one fly towards the Law over there previously, but it was still very welcome. I only managed 26 species on Thursday the 1st of July including Chiffchaff and another Peregrine sighting. Friday the 2nd of July gave me another decent haul of 29 species. A Mistle Thrush in flight on Byron Street was another surprise. Blackcap, Bullfinch, Chiffchaff, House Martin and a Jay again were also noted.
Monday the 5th was rather wet meaning that birds were a bit harder to find. The one highlight among the 19 species that I did manage to dig out was a House Martin peering out from one of the few House Martin nests I'm aware of in Dundee this year, on a slightly more modern block of flats than the tenements round about on Strathmore Avenue. The weather on Tuesday the 6th was better though I still only managed 24 species with Chiffchaff, Collared Dove and a calling Nuthatch the best for the day. One of the Cox's Stack Peregrines again, a few House Martins and a Blackcap were among the 26 species on Thursday. There was a bit more variety on Friday the 9th including Bullfinch, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, House Martin and Stock Dove. A Ringlet butterfly was also noted as I walked home in the afternoon.
A Sparrowhawk carrying prey and plenty of noise emanating from a nest somewhere on Balgay Hill a minute or two later was a highlight on the walk to work in the morning. Just as I was almost home I spotted a bird circling to the southeast relatively low and something about it caught my eye, but I couldn't make out what it was. I lingered for long enough to get a much better view as it came much closer. It was a Peregrine - not a bird I've seen too often so close to home (I also saw it a few days later as it swept over my roof and over the roofs of the next street too, before I was able to get my camera - suggesting it may be roosting somewhere local, potentially giving the local Feral Pigeons more cause for concern than the usual Sparrowhawks and Buzzards - though it is just as likely to be one of the Cox's Stack birds trying to get food for assumed youngsters.
While perhaps not the most exciting four weeks of my time walking to and from work, there was a reasonably interesting mix of species to be seen and heard with a total of 42 specis of bird, as well as 3 of mammal and 3 of butterfly. The recent confirmation of breeding success for the Nuthatches at Balgay Hill hopefully bodes well for the future and the Peregrine near home would be good to see more regularly. The Curlew and Mistle Thrush sightings were relatively unexpected for the locations where they were seen but also a sign that it is always worth looking up wherever you happen to be. The next 4 weeks should see Meadow and Tree Pipits start to pass through as they head southwards again and the possibility of Crossbills on the move too. A Hobby or a Honey Buzzard would also be rather nice.... Fingers crossed. (Photos are all from 2009-12)
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Wren
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| Buzzard |
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Song Thrush
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House Martin
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House Sparrow
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| Starling |
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Collared Dove
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Stock Dove
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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| Siskin |
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Herring Gull
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Lesser Black Backed Gull
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| Curlew |
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| Woodpigeon |
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| Swift |
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| Goldfinch |
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Mistle Thrush
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| Jay |
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| Magpie |
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| Bullfinch |
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| Blackcap |
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| Jackdaw |
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| Peregrine |
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Coal Tit
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Oystercatcher
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| Sparrowhawk |
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Long Tailed Tit
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| Chaffinch |
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| Dunnock |
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Great Tit
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Blue Tit
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Pied Wagtail
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Carrion Crow
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Black Headed Gull
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| Blackbird |
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| Robin |
Birds - Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Curlew, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mistle Thrush, Nuthatch, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Swift, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies - Green Veined White, Ringlet, Small Tortoiseshell.
Mammals - Fox, Grey Squirrel, Red Squirrel.
