Ordinarily at this time of year I'd be back and forward to Fife Ness and also checking various places along the Angus coast for migrants. As things have so far worked out, my decision to arrange my time off work so I would only be working 2 days a week for 9 weeks in a row has proved spectacularly disappointing. There has not been very much evidence of migrants on the move or much actual enthusiasm to get out and about from myself for a variety of reasons. With a rather variable weather forecast ahead, I decided I should really make an effort to do some birding on Thursday. I intended on an early start for a trip to Riverside Nature Park and set the alarm accordingly.
 |
| Yellowhammer |
I checked the weather forecast when the alarm went off and found that rain was on the menu for around 2-3 hours from the time I'd be reaching the park. With shelter almost non-existent within the park (there is the option of standing inside the composting toilet with the door open and hoping no-one needs to use it - but that is only really practical for a quick passing shower of a few minutes duration), and the only other options nearby are the two underpasses, one at either end - the rail one opposite the eastern end, and the road one just to the west, I decided to have a few hours more sleep and head to the park later in the morning. As things worked out it was around 1120 before I was able to start my journey to Riverside Nature Park.
I had decided to take a 70-300mm lens instead of my usual gear to lighten the load which would limit the photo opportunities a bit but as I wasn't expecting anything too spectacular it wasn't a big deal and made sense from a comfort point of view. Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Herring Gull, Robins singing and a Lesser Black Backed Gull got the list for the day started. Carrion Crow, Starling, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Feral Pigeon and House Sparrow were next followed by Goldfinch, Great Tit, Magpie and Blackbird. Goldcrest, Song Thrush and a Grey Squirrel were added at Balgay Hill with a Wren heard at the cemetery. Dunnock and Grey Wagtail were the final additions as I neared the park.
Although I had decided against setting myself any target for my visit - having missed out on high tide and the windy conditions and time of my visit making things less than optimal, I thought I could still expect around 40 or so species. Robin, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow and Chaffinch were all noted at the eastern end as I wandered slowly into the park. A Jay was spotted flying between the wooded area north of Buzzard Wood and Buzzard Wood itself. Magpie, Pied Wagtail, Black Headed Gull, Bullfinch and Blue Tit kept the list steadily increasing. A Buzzard flew out from the trees by the field as I headed up to the higher part of the park.
Coal Tit, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Song Thrush were all feeding in a relatively sheltered area at the top of the slope where the paths meet. Around at the Lochan I was able to add Mallard, Moorhen and Teal. Continuing on for a look at the bay, Jackdaw and Wren were noted. The tide wasn't quite as far out as I had expected and Curlew and Oystercatcher were seen from the hide, though they were well out on the mud. A Blackbird was seen in the bushes out in front of the hide and the usual Feral Pigeons were also around. Across the bay, a few Common Gulls were picked out amongst the Black Headed and Herring Gulls.
With a rather limited view available from the hide I wandered round towards the picnic tables, stopping to scan the burn's route through the mud after watching a trio of Yellowhammers in the bushes that border the field. This gave me Redshank and Grey Heron. From the picnic table area I was able to see Black Tailed Godwits, Cormorants, a Lesser Black Backed Gull and 2 distant Great Black Backed Gulls. A Linnet and a Meadow Pipit overflew. There were also small groups of Skylarks passing overhead westwards. The bushes just up from the car park proved very productive and I spent a fair bit of time just watching the comings and goings there. There were at least 2 Chiffchaffs and a number of Song Thrushes.
I stopped again at the trees and bushes just by the northwestern corner of the car park which proved even more productive with Blackbirds, a Blackcap male, a pair of Bullfinches, 2 more Chiffchaffs, Chaffinches, a flock of around 70 Goldfinches, a Dunnock, Great Tits, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Long Tailed Tits, and a Magpie tormenting a Woodpigeon by trying to pull its tail. A Grey Wagtail flew over before I eventually moved on again. As I searched the bottom half of the park a Starling flew over and I also managed to catch a Great Spotted Woodpecker in flight towards the trees by the airport fence.
A corvid flew over northwards. The photos I took puzzled me, as there was a hint of Raven about it at the front end, but it didn't really look quite right. After posting on Twitter later, the ID was established - it was a young Rook, rather than the Carrion Crow I thought was more likely than Raven, even though it didn't look much like either. For some reason, Rook hadn't even entered my mind as a possibility. I left the park around 1545 having recorded 45 species there and decided I would walk right along the waterfront to City Quay to see if there were still Razorbills or Guillemots around.
After spending a short time at the airport photographing the based Cessna O-1 Bird-Dog I added Long Tailed Tits in the hedge at the flying club car park and a Buzzard perched on the river side airport fence. The football pitches held a mix of Pied Wagtails and Goldfinches strutting around. The first of at least 10 auks on the Tay was a Razorbill under the railbridge, with a Guillemot not too far away with more dotted around further on. A few Black Headed Gulls and a Lesser Black Backed Gulls gave me close veiws as I neared the V&A.
From City Quay I added Grey Heron, Great Black Backed Gull and Cormorant out on Submarine Rock with Herring Gulls. There were at least 8 auks in the outer quay area along with another Cormorant and an Oystercatcher. Another 8 or so auks were in the now renamed Wild Shore aqua park and a Linnet flew over before I finally headed for home having noted a total of 31 species outwith the Nature Park for a combined total of 49 species. Whilst not a classic day out, it wasn't too bad, with an unexpectedly productive time spent in the park in contrast to some of the more recent afternoons spent there in warmer weather.
 |
| Jay |
 |
| Buzzard |
 |
| Robin |
 |
Song Thrush
|
 |
| Teal |
 |
| Moorhen |
 |
| Robin |
 |
| Curlew |
 |
Black Headed Gull & Common Gull
|
 |
| Goldfinch |
 |
| Chaffinch |
 |
Carrion Crow, Cormorant, Teal, Herring Gull & Black Tailed Godwit
|
 |
Black Headed Gull & Black Tailed Godwit
|
 |
Black Headed Gull
|
 |
Lesser Black Backed Gull
|
 |
Herring Gull & Lesser Black Backed Gull
|
 |
Grey Heron
|
 |
Black Tailed Godwit
|
 |
| Buzzard |
 |
| Buzzard |
 |
| Skylark |
 |
| Chiffchaff |
 |
Grey Wagtail
|
 |
Blue Tit
|
 |
Song Thrush
|
 |
Song Thrush
|
 |
Song Thrush
|
 |
Song Thrush
|
 |
| Yellowhammer |
 |
| Yellowhammer |
 |
| Yellowhammer |
 |
| Buzzard |
 |
Carrion Crow & Buzzard
|
 |
| Teal |
 |
| Woodpigeon |
 |
| Blackbird |
 |
| Blackbird |
 |
| Chiffchaff |
 |
| Bullfinch |
 |
| Goldfinch |
 |
| Chiffchaff |
 |
| Chiffchaff |
 |
| Buzzard |
 |
| Buzzard |
 |
| Nettle-Tap |
 |
Woodpigeon & Magpie
|
 |
Woodpigeon & Magpie
|
 |
Woodpigeon & Magpie
|
 |
Carrion Crow
|
 |
| Chaffinch |
 |
| Dunnock |
 |
| Robin |
 |
| Blackbird |
 |
| Chaffinch |
 |
Long Tailed Tit
|
 |
| Goldfinch |
 |
| Chaffinch |
 |
Great Spotted Woodpecker
|
 |
| Rook |
 |
Black Headed Gull
|
 |
Black Headed Gull
|
 |
| Guillemot |
|
| Guillemot |
 |
Lesser Black Backed Gull
|
 |
| Razorbill |
 |
| Razorbill |
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Cormorant, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Guillemot, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Razorbill, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Song Thrush, Starling, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals (outwith park) - Grey Squirrel.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling, Teal, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.