Lainy messaged me during the week to tell me a Gadwall drake had turned up on her patch (Clatto Reservoir, here in Dundee). Although last year one turned up at Swannie Ponds (and Lainy tipped me off about that one too), they are by no means a guaranteed bird in Dundee on an annual basis. This meant that I would have to hope it stayed put until the weekend at least so I could get it onto my Dundee list for the year, as my target figure of 140 species is going to be difficult to achieve if I miss more than a few birds that are available in the city this year. Unfortunately, Saturday had to be written off as I was ill overnight and didn't feel like I would be able to walk the 3 miles to Clatto and 3 miles back again. However, on Sunday I felt like I might be able to give it a go, and a messgae from Lainy letting me know the bird was still there gave me the final push to get out and try for the bird.
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Lesser Black Backed Gull
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I headed out at noon for the 45 minute walk to the northern edge of the city beyond Downfield from where an access track would take me into the reservoir. Taking this route rather than via Ardler Pond would give me the chance to potentially add Pheasant and Yellowhammer and it also feels like I get the opportunity to do some actual birding before I reach the reservoir. Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit and House Sparrow got the list underway. Magpie, Jackdaw and Starling were added as I passed Dens Park football stadium. Robin, Blackbird, Great Tit and Woodpigeon were noted before I reached Clepington Road.
An Oystercatcher called as I passed the council depot and Black Headed Gull and Common Gull were seen at the Fairmuir Park football pitches. Wandering up through Downfield I was able to add Goldcrest and Goldfinch. A party of Long Tailed Tits were in the shrubbery behind the houses as I headed up the long access track towards the reservoir. A small group of Goosander flew over in the direction of the water. A Siskin flew into the trees at the western end of the track and scanning north over the fields I added 6 distant Roe Deer, seemingly on alert due to shooting somewhere nearby.
A small flock of Linnets were in the trees a little way down the north-south section of track past the building site. A Grey Wagtail was heard as I checked the area where Lainy and I had watched Garden Warbler last Spring, for Snipe or Jack Snipe. Not unexpectedly I failed to find any. There were Greenfinches, Great Tits and Goldfinches in the bushes there though. A Grey Squirrel scampered up a tree on the daigonal track back towards the gated entrance to the reservoir at the northeastern corner of the 'site'. It was around 1315 by this time and the relatively exposed area at the eastern end of the reservoir was open to the cold winds.
I scanned across the water noting Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Goldeneye and Goosander as well as Black Headed Gull, Common Gull and Herring Gull. Continuing on along the northern edge I stopped to scan a few more times finally picking out the hoped for Gadwall drake before it flew towards the southwestern corner with a Mallard drake. This was a nice year and Dundee tick. Checking through the gulls I was slightly surprised to find a relatively early Lesser Black Backed Gull on the wooden pontoon near the toilet block on the south side. This was another welcome Dundee and year-tick for me. More scanning added a Red Breasted Merganser (another slightly unusual bird there also found by Lainy last week) as well as Coot, Wigeon and Moorhen. Coal Tit and Jay were heard from the trees.
Having exhausted the possibilities around the reservoir, I decided I might as well check the small wood to the north though I wasn't really optimistic that I'd find anything. I'd brought the thermal imager with me, with the intention of checking Templeton Woods in the hope of finally catching up with Woodcock. I figured there was no harm in switching it on and scanning across the slightly muddy parts of the wood. There didn't appear to be much life at all in the wood but I did spot a 'white hot' blob a bit further into the wood, away from the main tracks round the edge. I moved towards it but it gave no indication that it wasn't just a piece of rubbish that was warmer than the surrounding ground and vegetation, as is often the case.
I had to step across a small channel to get closer. The blob was now close enough to view through the binoculars. No sooner had I finally managed to focus on where it was camouflaged among the vegetation and realised that it was actually a Woodcock's head that I was looking at, the bird took flight and weaved away through the trees to the north before I could raise the camera to attempt to get a photo. Still it was a nice bonus year-tick and a very welcome Dundee tick. It also meant I wouldn't need to explore Templeton Woods (or make the already much-postponed early start to check Camperdown Park). I messaged Lainy to tell her that I'd got the Gadwall and a Lesser Black Backed Gull as well as the Woodcock.
I decided I would wander along the track past the farm buildings in the hope of getting Yellowhammer for my Dundee list. As I'd headed into the small wood a few birds had flown up from the corner of the field and into the trees before I managed to get a decent view. I had suspected they were Yellowhammers but chose not to add them to the list, as I wasn't 100% certain. Walking along the track, a flock of around 40 Linnets flew up from the field to the north before landing and practically disappearing again among the scrubby vegetation. As I neared the farm buildings, two cyclists pulled up beside me. It was Lainy and Adam. We headed back along the track to the reservoir and I showed Lainy where I'd had the Woodcock so she could try for it sometime soon (hopefully it will be in roughly the same area).
As we left the wood, a few Yellowhammers landed in the trees behind Adam and I managed to get a few photos. We continued round the reservoir chatting as we went. We found a ringed Black Headed Gull (red 2KN3) on a small piece of exposed mud before Lainy and Adam headed for home and I did likewise. I stopped off at Ardler Pond where I heard a Water Rail 'sharming' and noted House Sparrows, Coot, Moorhen, Goosander, Black Headed Gull, Common Gull and Mute Swan. As I left the pond some nearby Feral Pigeons took to the air and I was able to spot the reason, a very high flying Sparrowhawk overhead. As it turned out it was the first of four I saw on my walk home with others upsetting the Pigeons and Gulls near the Crematorium, at the 'big' Tesco and over the allotments on Arklay Street. Other birds seen on the walk home included Siskin, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Chaffinch.
I arrived home just before 1600 having noted 40 species of which 4 were new for my Dundee list which takes me to 77, which is more than half-way to my target figure of 140. 3 of these were also year-ticks (in bold) which takes my year-list to 106. Seven species of duck at one site in Dundee is also rather unusual, but very welcome. Although I still wasn't quite feeling 100%, I'd had some exercise and fresh air and had actually quite enjoyed the afternoon's birding and managing to get a catch-up with Lainy and Adam, which is always good. As the amount of available daylight gets longer I will be hoping to get out and about a bit more and hopefully it won't be too long before I'm able to add a few more species towards my Dundee target figure.
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Roe Deer
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| Linnet |
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| Starling |
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Mallard, Gadwall & Black Headed Gull
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| Gadwall |
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Carrion Crow
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Lesser Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull & Goosander
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| Goosander |
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| Gadwall |
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Gadwall & Black Headed Gull
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Gadwall & Black Headed Gull
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Coot & Wigeon
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| Moorhen |
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Red Breasted Merganser
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Lesser Black Backed Gull
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Black Headed Gull
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| Goosander |
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Herring Gull
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| Linnet |
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| Linnet |
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| Linnet |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Goosander |
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Black Headed Gull (Red 2KN3)
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Black Headed Gull (Red 2KN3)
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Black Headed Gull (Red 2KN3)
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Lesser Black Backed Gull
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Lesser Black Backed Gull
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Lesser Black Backed Gull
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| Goosander |
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| Goosander |
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| Goosander |
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Lesser Black Backed Gull
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Birds - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Coot,
Gadwall, Goldcrest, Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay,
Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Red Breasted Merganser, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Tufted Duck, Water Rail, Wigeon,
Woodcock, Woodpigeon, Yellowhammer.
Mammals - Grey Squirrel, Roe Deer.