0956 : The North-Eastern Quarter (26/3/22)

Tufted Duck

Following on from Friday's enjoyable birding in the sunshine I decided I wanted to make the most of Saturday's similar weather conditions. I decided I would wander out along the Dighty eastwards once again and just see what I could find. I wasn't expecting anything too unusual but as always there would be a possibility of running into something good. I wasn't certain what I would do once I reached the West Pitkerro area but I knew I wouldn't be short of options. I set the alarm for another early start.

It was a bit later than intended when I headed out at 0720. I wandered up to Swannie Ponds where the still conditions gave me some decent photo opportunities with the new rocks providing something a bit different from previous visits. A Meadow Pipit was heard passing over and a Chiffchaff was heard singing from the trees nearby. I headed down Pitkerro Road to the Dighty Burn and followed the path eastwards. A Sparrowhawk male was seen flying into a tree by the first footbridge after the roadbridge as I took the camera out of the bag. A larger bird which was most likely a female Sparrowhawk (but which had looked rather Goshawk-like) had prompted the taking out of the camera but it diappeared behind the trees before I got onto it with the camera.

Moorhen

Following the burn onwards I was able to add Long Tailed Tit, Bullfinch, Goldcrest, Common Gull, Collared Dove, Reed Bunting, Pheasant and Grey Heron amongst other more common birds. A pair of Roe Deer watched me from the fenced off area to the west of the Police station. A Buzzard took flight when it spotted me from within the Police station grounds. The first Dipper of the day flew past a few minutes later. I almost stood on a Common Frog sitting on the path but fortunately noticed just in time. I was able to get plenty of photos and even a video clip of the Frog before it reluctantly moved off the path when a few dog walkers stopped for a look.

Bullfinch

Roe Deer

Common Frog

Grey Wagtail and Pied Wagtail were seen a little further on before I wandered through the trees behind West Pitkerro industrial estate, adding a Treecreeper. There were Curlews and a Stock Dove in the ploughed field but the grassy field was now full of cows and their calves, rendering it a no-go area. I managed to find a Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming in a tree by the end of Barlow Avenue. I decided to do a spot of exploring. Rather than continue north through the trees I wandered up the edge of the field on the eastern side of the burn. A Peacock butterfly was seen along the field edge as it sunned itself.

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Small Tortoiseshell

At the top end of the field I found there was actually a footpath of sorts and decided to follow it east. A fallen tree blocked the way around halfway along but I was able to skirt round the roots end. A few Yellowhammers were seen and a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly flitted past. A track leading off to the north looked interesting for future visits so I decided to check that out too. It did look like it might be at its best in early May when the bulk of the summer migrants are back. A few Skylarks were seen and a male Pheasant flushed as I wandered slowly up the track.

I followed the track back south again through the Clearwater Park housing estate where a Jay flew over. I then headed back west to the Dighty again. I was watching the Dippers squabbling on the burn when I spotted a distant bird circling out to the northeast. It looked too big to be a Buzzard and a quick check with the binoculars confirmed that suspicion. It was a White Tailed Eagle but for a change it wasn't the Fife female but a younger bird. I watched as it soared higher in the sky before drifting off to the north. Not a year-tick, or a Dundee tick but it was my 4th sighting of one of these big birds from Dundee in 4 months - one in each month since December. It is great to see these huge birds in the air over and around the city.

Jay

Dipper

White Tailed Eagle

Buzzard

Nothing else of note was added as I wandered back along the burn though I did still manage to take more photos. I decided that as it was still only around lunchtime that I would wander down to the Stannergate to scan out across the river. This did add Eider, Cormorant, Turnstone and Redshank to the list for the day but the wind felt quite chilly so I decided not to linger too long. Instead I chose to follow the cycle path back towards City Quay. I intended to check out City Quay but instead I settled for a visit to Baxter Park for some photo opportunities at Spring Grove. Although there was nothing too unusual seen there I did manage to get some nice photos. My first Dark Bordered Bee Fly of 2022 was seen hovering near one of the small trees and a Wren was seen gathering nest material and disappearing at the same spot near the fence repeatedly.

Oystercatcher

Rook

Rabbit

Wren

Dark Bordered Bee Fly

Dunnock

I decided to finish the day's birding with another visit to Swannie Ponds. The male Mallards weren't giving the females any respite and I got some behavioural photos showing the drakes' less 'cutesy' side. A male Goosander was noted before I finally called it a day and headed for home. Despite not adding anything new to my Dundee 140 list, it was good to get another White Tailed Eagle and do a spot of further exploring that could hopefully prove productive in future. I ended the day with 56 species of bird recorded as well as 1 of amphibian, 2 of butterflies and 2 of mammals.A long but worthwhile day out once again.

Mallard

Goosander

Feral Pigeon

Birds - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dipper, Dunnock, Eider, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Treecreeper, Tufted Duck, Turnstone, White Tailed Eagle, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.

Amphibians - Common Frog

Butterflies - Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell.

Mammals - Rabbit, Roe Deer.

0955 : Spring And A Surprise? (25/3/22)

Stock Dove

With FedEx managing to screw up the delivery of my parcel on Wednesday I changed my planned final annual leave day off work from Monday to Friday. However, FedEx's ineptitude continued into Thursday and despite me attempting to cancel the delivery they delivered it anyway when I wasn't in. Thankfully, it was still outside my front door when I got home which meant that I had Friday free to go birding. Keith had informed me he'd had an Osprey and a Greenshank from Riverside Nature Park on Thursday so my mind was easily made up. I would head for the park, but first I would have another attempt at Spring vis-migging from the Law.

I headed out a few minutes before 0600 and set off for the Law. The birds I saw and heard on the way there were broadly similar to those I would expect on my walk to work with only a heard-only Meadow Pipit being of any real note. It was also a positive sign that I might see a bit more movement than I had on Wednesday. A Chiffchaff once again provided some background noise as I listened and scanned around looking for birds passing the top of the hill. The bulk of the birds seen were Meadow Pipits (15 noted) and Woodpigeon (27), though I did also see 10 Stock Doves in total, and 3 Siskins. Around 200 Pink Footed Geese were seen moving out to the northwest. A Sparrowhawk put in a brief appearance as well around 0630.

Siskin

Knowing the weather was to be warmer later in the day I had compromised on what I'd chosen to wear meaning I felt the cold more at the top of the hill than I really wanted to. This meant that I called it a morning after just 90 minutes of watching again. I headed for Balgay Hill where I added Bullfinch before I happened upon a pair of Nuthatches to the east of the Observatory. I spent some time watching them and getting some more photos. I eventually moved on again and not far across the bridge I met a trio of dog walkers who happened to have just been talking about the Nuthatches. As they were telling me, I heard one calling and managed to let them see the bird. As I was photographing this bird I could hear another Nuthatch calling from not too far away. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard drumming and a Jay called loudly before I set off for my next stop, at Ninewells Arboretum.

Nuthatch

It was around 0900 when I arrived at the community garden and as I headed in I heard a Bullfinch calling. I stopped and took a few steps back to look for the bird I'd heard. Something above me caught my eye and I was surprised when I looked up to see a Red Kite directly overhead. A nice addition to my Dundee 140 list (number 95) and only my 3rd from the city following on from 2 last year, both of which looked like they would also have been in the same general area. This suggest at least the possibility of a single bird perhaps out to the west of the city, though as Red Kites are wanderers it could also have quite easily been 3 different individuals involved. I messaged Keith and Lainy to let them both know.

Red Kite

Keith replied to say he was at Riverside but as he was at the hide he hadn't seen the Kite. I met him at the hide a few minutes later. Scanning from the hide I started to build a list for the park visit. A slight surprise was a flypast Collared Dove but otherwise it was fairly standard fayre in and over the bay. We headed into the park noting Yellowhammer and Reed Bunting on the walk. Keith mentioned that he'd seen Newts in one of the small ponds and we went for a look. We had lots of good views of both male and female Smooth Newts coming to the surface for a gulp of air before diving back to the bottom as well as a number of  Common Toads. When Keith headed off I decided to try to get some decent photos of the amphibians and did better than expected.

Pink Footed Goose

Smooth Newt

Common Toad

Yellowhammer

When I eventually continued my wanders around the park I added Linnet, Meadow Pipit, Stock Dove, Redwing and Sparrowhawk and a number of other species. Butterflies also began to appear as the temperature crept higher with Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell both noted. Bullfinch and Long Tailed Tit were seen before I decided that I'd exhausted the possibilities around 1400. A 'White' butterfly was seen near the steps up to Riverside Drive at the road bridge over the railway and a Peacock was added nearby.  Despite routing homewards via Balgay and the Law I failed to add anything new for the day on the way. I finished the day's birding around 1600 having noted a total of 50 species - 43 at the park and 33 outwith, 1 of which was a year-tick (in bold). In addition I'd seen 2 species of amphibian, 3 of butterfly and 2 of mammals. All in all a better than expected late March day in (mostly) warm sunshine.

Peacock Butterflies

Carrion Crow & Buzzard

Reed Bunting

Pied Wagtail

Jackdaw

Chaffinch

Bullfinch

Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Nuthatch, Oystercatcher, Pink Footed Goose, Red Kite, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Wren.

Butterflies (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Peacock, White sp. .

Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Mallard, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Redshank, Redwing, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Shelduck, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Teal, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.

Amphibians (at Riverside Nature Park) - Common Toad, Smooth Newt.

Butterflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell.

Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Grey Seal, Rabbit.

0954 : Spring Skywatching (23/3/22)

Crossbill

On Wednesday the weather forecast was actually looking pretty good. Unfortunately for me, I was expecting a parcel delivery meaning I would have to stay in all day. However, I worked out that it should be safe enough to head up to the top of Dundee Law for sunrise and spend roughly the next 90 minutes seeing if there were any migrants passing over on their way further north. Unfortunately if things turned out to be really good I would still have to give up and head for home around 0745 to ensure I was home for 0800. I was hoping that there was zero chance of my parcel being delivered before 0800. I suspected that even 0800 was likely to be a few hours too early but rather than tempt fate it was better to limit my time, just in case.

There was a bit of haze when I headed out. This didn't bode particularly well for there being too much on the move but as it was my only chance to get some birding in - unless my parcel arrived relatively early meaning I could get out somewhere again, I knew I had to make the best of the opportunity. A calling Great Tit was a relatively unusual start to the list for the morning. Oystercatcher, Lesser Black Backed Gull and Bullfinch were also noted on the walk up to the hill-top. A Chiffchaff was singing loudly from the trees at the north side of the hill. I set my small digital recorder going so I would have a recording if anything interesting happened to fly over.

A pair of Pied Wagtails kicked things off, heading north. Five Woodpigeons passed westwards before a Meadow Pipit put in an appearance. I heard a Crossbill a minute or two later, which was a new bird for the year but I failed to see the bird. Woodpigeons were on the move and made up the bulk of the movements seen over the next 30 minutes. A Siskin was heard around 0650. Just after 0700 another Meadow Pipit went over. Visibility wasn't great in any direction which did mean that there were spells where nothing at all was seen, except for the Herring Gull, Magpies and Carrion Crows around the top of the hill. The singing Chiffchaff provided an almost constant soundtrack to my birding efforts.

Pied Wagtail

Meadow Pipit

Herring Gull

Woodpigeon

Meadow Pipit

I heard a Crossbill again around 0725 and once again failed to pick it out against the sky. However, it turned out to be perched on top of one of the conifers on the west side of the hill. I raised the camera to get a photo but before I could press the shutter button the bird flew down and out of sight behind the next tree. I had been beginning to doubt the identification of the previous call so I was pleased to confirm that the bird I had heard was actually a Crossbill. A skein of 20 or so Pink Footed Geese were just visible in the haze out to the east as they passed by northwards. Around five minutes later I finally managed to get a photo of the Crossbill in the top of a tree to the north, though it once again flew off out of sight rather quickly.

Herring Gull

Pink Footed Goose

Crossbill

Crossbill

A pair of Lesser Black Backed Gulls and a Feral Pigeon duo rounded off the movements for my 90 minutes of vis-migging on the hill. Although it hadn't been particularly productive species-wise or numbers-wise (just 26 species for the whole 2 hours out birding) it had added a new bird (in bold) to my year-list (number 122) and my Dundee 140 list (number 94) and put me in a better mood for waiting for my parcel to arrive - which was handy as FedEx managed to fail to deliver it at all on Wednesday despite their website and app both showing that it was on schedule to arrive before 1800, even while it showed as being at a depot in Bedford, meaning that my day off was more or less wasted. A Buzzard and Sparrowhawk were seen in the air at the same time from my living room as they upset the local Feral Pigeons and Herring Gulls later that morning.

Magpie

Lesser Black Backed Gull

Birds - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Crossbill, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Starling, Woddpigeon, Wren.

0953 : Still Seeking Shelduck... (20/3/22)

Nuthatch

Having had an enjoyable, and productive, day out to Fife with Ian on Saturday, I was keen to get to Riverside Nature Park on Sunday. My main targets there would be Lapwing and Shelduck, with an outside chance of maybe a Little Gull passing through. Shelduck in particular has eluded me so far in Dundee in 2022 though they have been around. With high tide a bit later in the afternoon there would be a decent chance of finally getting that particular species on my Dundee 140 list. I had intended on an early start but Saturday's early start meant that I needed some extra sleep before getting up and out.

I finally headed out around 1035. Things were relatively quiet on the walk to Balgay Park. I added Buzzard as I wandered along Pitfour Street and another as I neared Balgay Hill. Chiffchaff and Long Tailed Tit were noted as I walked up through the park. Movement over the wall at Royal Victoria Hospital caught my eye and I hurried over. It was one of the park's Nuthatches and I spent the next while photographing the bird as it foraged around on the trunks of trees and the hospital boundary wall. I added Sparrowhawk, Bullfinch and Stock Dove before I eventually moved on again over an hour after I'd reached the park. A Treecreeper was seen on a tree by the footbridge at the eastern end of Ninewells Hospital grounds and a pair of Bullfinches were photographed nearby. Things were rather quiet at the feeders in the Community Garden behind the hospital so I chose not to linger too long there.

Nuthatch

Nuthatch

Nuthatch

Long Tailed Tit

Grey Squirrel

Bullfinch

I reached Riverside Nature Park at 1300. The sun was already making things awkward for seeing the birds in the bay against the light. There was a single Mute Swan in the burn and the usual wader species (Oystercatcher, Curlew, Redshank and Dunlin) were all noted. A Chiffchaff sang from the trees by the hide. There were still some Greylag Geese across the far side of the bay. After 20 minutes or so at the hide I decided to head into the park as the tide still had a bit to go before it would bring the majority of birds into view from the hide. Bullfinch, Yellowhammer, Song Thrush and Stock Dove were noted round by the picnic tables. Despite plenty of scanning over the bay I failed to find any Lapwings but I did succeed in adding Shelduck to the 2020 Dundee 140 list with 8 of the birds seen in the bay.

Magpie

Chiffchaff

Yellowhammer

Shelduck

There seemed to be plenty of Skylarks around at the hill and after spending some time back at the hide again I wandered up over the hill, getting some good close views of some of the birds that will hopefully manage to breed in the park (the 'keep to the paths/keep your dogs on a lead' signs have yet to be put up this Spring). There were a few Teal and Moorhens at the Lochan along with a few Oystercatchers and a Lesser Black Backed Gull. A Rook flew over and a female Reed Bunting took my total at the park to 39 species before I called it a day and headed homewards again, via Balgay once more.

Skylark

Skylark

Teal

Reed Bunting

Jay and Great Spotted Woodpecker were both heard at the hill but things had quietened down a lot compared to the morning. One final addition before I arrived home was Collared Dove which took my total outwith the park to 32 species and a combined total for the day of  51 species. The main highlight of the day's birding was the Nuthatch showing so well. Obviously managing to add Shelduck (number 92)at last was also a big plus and another step closer to the year's target figure. Hopefully the Summer migrant arrivals will start to pick up pace very soon taking me past the 100 mark. Although it won't be easy to reach the 140 I'm hopeful that I will certainly run the figure close if I don't quite make it. Even managing to beat last year's 135 figure will be a good outcome.
 

Carrion Crow

Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Nuthatch, Oystercatcher, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Treecreeper, Woodpigeon, Wren.

Mammals - Grey Squirrel.

Birds (Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Shelduck, Skylark, Song Thrush, Stock Dove, Teal, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.