0900 : 10 (& A Bit) Years Of Riverside Nature Park, Dundee (Post Number 900)

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".

Red Backed Shrike

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

Swift

Green Winged Teal

Spotted Redshank (& Shelduck)

Blackcap

Oystercatcher

Yellowhammer

Buzzard

Sparrowhawk

Snipe

Woodcock

Pink Footed Goose

Magpie

Hawfinch

Meadow Pipit

Dunlin (& Oystercatcher)

Swallow

Whitethroat

Whinchat

Peregrine

Wheatear

Stock Dove

Mediterranean Gull

Skylark

Blackbird

Scaup

Moorhen

Blue Tit

Grey Heron (& Common Frog)

Greenfinch

Siskin

Redwing

Mistle Thrush

Teal

Wigeon

Woodpigeon

Starling

Gadwall

Coal Tit

Song Thrush

Bullfinch

Pied Wagtail

Robin

Black Headed Gull

Goldcrest

Reed Bunting

Chiffchaff

Little Egret (& Herring Gull)

Dunnock

Jackdaw


Shelduck

Jack Snipe

Fieldfare

Long Eared Owl

Mute Swan

Lesser Redpoll

Goldfinch

Grey Wagtail

Greylag Goose

Shag (& Redshank)

Chaffinch

Little Grebe

Kestrel

Ruff (& Redshank)

Osprey

Sandwich Tern

Mallard

Pintail

Common Tern, Little Gull (& Sandwich Tern)

Linnet

Carrion Crow

Common Sandpiper

House Martin

Stonechat

Long Tailed Tit

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Goosander

Cormorant

Willow Warbler

Jay

Kingfisher

Fulmar

Tree Pipit

House Sparrow

Rook

Curlew Sandpiper (& Mallard & Redshank)

Canada Goose

Tree Sparrow

Waxwing

White Tailed Eagle

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.