0982 : Getting Back On The Horse (28/5/22)

Nuthatch


If you are a regular reader of this blog you've probably noticed there has been a bit of a lull lately despite me being on holiday for the first week of the past fortnight. My Tuesday trip to Riverside Nature Park instead of Balmossie that week, when nothing seemed to go right, 'scunnered' me. I did make a very brief trip up to the top of the Law on the Friday morning but I only lasted a rather bird-less half an hour before giving up and returning home. The following day I did venture out but I decided to focus on insects and spent a couple of hours searching for those around the Law, paying little attention to the few birds that were around. Other than my walks to and from work, which have been relatively quiet too, I've just not been in the mood to get out birding at all. I needed to take a break from visiting the same places over and over. The two recent trips to the Angus Glens may have played their part at emphasising just how 'same-y' things felt like they had been getting.

Thankfully, Lainy messaged me on Thursday with some news that prompted me to attempt to make the effort to get up early on Saturday morning and to head for Clatto Reservoir. The Garden Warblers had returned. They would help me claw back one of my 'missing' species and take me to just 30 species short of my 140 target. If I managed to see them, of course. Although they have been singing throughout the day, I figured an early start would be my best bet. My alarm was set for 0415. When it went off, I actually got up and organised and was out and heading for Clatto around an hour later. The walk was relatively unproductive with Pied Wagtail, Collared Dove, Oystercatcher, House Martin and Swift the main highlights.

I reached the dirt track at the northern edge of the city around 0610. Yellowhammer, Whitethroat and Pheasant were quickly noted along with another Pied Wagtail on the wires and singing Willow Warbler and Skylark. Chiffchaff and Song Thrush were heard near the top of the track. Blackcap, Sedge Warbler and Long Tailed Tits were added as I headed down through the trees towards the area where the Garden Warblers were active last year. A Grey Squirrel, a Roe Deer and a Great Spotted Woodpecker visiting a nest were next onto the list. I set the Merlin Sound ID app going and it picked out a Garden Warbler among the songs and calls that I could hear.

I ventured out into the open and soon found the Garden Warbler (110) singing from the top of a tree. I tried to get a video clip but the warbler moved. When it reappeared at the top of the tree I started filming, only to find that the bird I could see was actually a Willow Warbler rather than what had been a Garden Warbler. Thankfully, it reappeared and I managed a short clip of the bird singing. A Dunnock and a Song Thrush were noted before I wandered down to the field edge again and along to the west. A quick check of the Reservoir gave me Grey Wagtail, Mute Swan (with 6 cygnets), Moorhen and Great Crested Grebe. There were a handful of Herring Gulls and Lesser Black Backed Gulls on the water too.

I had another look at the Garden Warbler and saw a Buzzard circling to the north. House Martins and Swifts passed high overhead. I decided I would head out along the track to the farm then into Templeton Wood. I had decent views of Swallows hawking over the fields and around the farm buildings. A pair of Skylarks tussled a few feet above the ground. I added Siskins along the edge of the wood  to the north of the park. I followed the track down through the trees running parallel to the houses. Thankfully I found a gap in the fence in one of the small cul-de-sacs and continued down the main road to Ardler Pond. Mallard, Mute Swan, Moorhen and a very welcome Dundee 140 tick, in the shape of a pair of Little Grebes (111 - possibly the ones normally at Clatto). A Common Gull was perched atop a nearby lamp post.

I continued on southwards. I decided that rather than head for Riverside Nature Park I would visit Balgay Hill instead. Although I was unlikely to add anything unusual there were 2 or 3 species I could reasonably expect to see. Stock Dove was added quickly and within half an hour I had also added both Nuthatch and Jay. I found an area where Nuthatches were coming close to the path and ended up spending a bit of time photographing them. An elderly gent left some food out for the birds which brought in Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Woodpigeon and Robin while Magpie and more Jays were in the trees, along with a Blackbird. I could hear a raptor calling and managed to eventually track down the source - there was a Buzzard nest high in a tree, with at least one youngster calling from within it. Unfortunately it was impossible to get any sort of view of the top of the nest.

I wandered right around the western end of the hill and eventually returned to where I'd watched the Nuthatches earlier. Once again I had some really good views as the birds landed nearby. A pair of Jays also dropped down to grab some peanuts despite me standing relatively close to where the food was. I eventually headed for home via the Law. Unfortunately other than a few gulls there were no birds passing over the top. I made it home around 1445 having seen or heard a total of 52 species of which 2 were new for my Dundee 140 list. It was worth getting up early and making the effort to get out and about. Hopefully now my birding 'batteries' have been recharged and I can once again start to get out regularly.


Goldfinch
Yellowhammer
Garden Warbler
Pheasant
Swift
Great Crested Grebe
Moorhen
House Martin
Grey Squirrel
Chiffchaff
Little Grebe
Nuthatch
Nuthatch
Bullfinch
Jay
Nuthatch
Carrion Crow & Buzzard
Nuthatch
Nuthatch
Nuthatch
Robin
Jay
Nuthatch
Jay


Birds - Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Dunnock, Garden Warbler, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Crested Grebe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Little Grebe, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Nuthatch, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sedge Warbler, Siskin, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Swift, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.

Mammals - Grey Squirrel, Rabbit, Roe Deer. 

0981 : Spring Into Summer.

Swift


The last time I posted a round-up of sightings from my walks to and from work was way back in early April when migration was just beginning to pick up and there was still plenty of birdsong providing a soundtrack to my morning commute on foot. In the intervening period things have quietened down a bit on the birdsong front though there are still some birds to be heard (and to test the Merlin app sound ID feature's abilities on). Although there is still a very slim chance of stumbling upon an off-course late migrant, for me once the Swifts arrive back then it is officially Summer....and when they leave again in early August that's when Autumn officially starts for me....but I'm getting a little ahead of myself.....

On Monday April the 11th I managed a total of 28 species including Grey Wagtail, Jay and Meadow Pipit as well as Stock Dove and Nuthatch both near nest sites. The following day's highlights were the Nuthatch and Stock Dove again among a relatively low 23 species. Collared Dove, Meadow Pipit, Nuthatch and Peregrine were the best birds on Thursday 14th from a total of 27 species. Friday the 15th was quite productive with a good total of 31 species noted including Bullfinch, Collared Dove and some unexpected Greylag Geese, as well as Nuthatch, Pied Wagtail, Siskin, Sparrowhawk and Stock Dove.

The following Monday proved to be even better with 33 species seen or heard including a much anticipated new addition to the 'on foot commute' list. Buzzard, Bullfinch, Nuthatch, Pied Wagtail, Siskin,  Sparrowhawk and Stock Dove were the best of the rest but the star bird for the day was a Grey Heron which overflew on its way towards Invergowrie Bay around 0720. Oddly, I had just thought about the species when I heard crows and gulls making a bit of a racket to the north as they mobbed a lone Grey Heron heading in my direction. The following day's 32 was also a good total with a broadly similar selection but adding Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Peregrine and Treecreeper while losing both the Heron and the Sparrowhawk.

Thursday the 24th only produced 27 species with another overflight by the Grey Heron, again from the north at more or less the same time as Monday. In addition Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Stock Dove were heard or seen around Balgay Hill. Jay, Peregrine, Pied Wagtail and Stock Dove rounded off the week as part of another 27 on Friday the 22nd. The following Monday I only made it to 24 species with Nuthatch, Bullfinch and Collared Dove the main attractions. Collared Dove and Stock Dove were the best among 25 species on Tuesday the 26th. I was then on annual leave from work until Thursday the 5th of May in the hope of adding some new birds to my Dundee 140 list.

I started May's walk to work lists with a decent haul of 31 species. Bullfinch, both Grey and Pied Wagtails, Siskin, Swallow, Sparrowhawk and Willow Warbler were the pick of that particular bunch. There was slightly less variety among the 27 species noted the following day with Buzzard, Siskin and Swallow the most notable species recorded. The total for Monday the 9th crept back up again to a nice round 30 species of which Bullfinch, Peregrine, Siskin, Stock Dove and Treecreeper were the stars. The following day however the numbers dropped back to just 23. I left work about 15 minutes early to be able to catch the post office where I had a parcel to collect. Although that meant I got caught in a heavy shower of rain, it did bring me my first Swifts (109 for my Dundee 140 list) of the year as I spotted 3 together not far from work. Bullfinch, Nuthatch and Pied Wagtail were the best of the rest on that particular day.

Thankfully, numbers for Thursday the 12th made it to a slightly more respectable 28 species including Bullfinch, Collared Dove, Jay, Peregrine and Stock Dove. Peregrine, Siskin, Swift and Treecreeper were the most worthy of mention amongst the 27 species recorded on Friday the 13th. I had another week's worth of annual leave to try to add more species to my Dundee 140 list before returning to work on Monday the 23rd when 26 species were seen or heard of which Jay, Pied Wagtail and Swift were all notable. Tuesday the 24th produced 26 species for the second day in a row though highlights were rather limited with Bullfinch and Stock Dove the best I could manage. Swallow and Pied Wagtail were the best among another low total of just 23 species on Thursday the 26th of May. Friday the 27th's main highlights were Buzzard, a rather showy Jay which was being filmed by a lady using her phone, and a Swallow near Tannadice Park among a total of 23 species.

In addition to the above species, both Chiffchaff and Blackcap were regularly seen or more often heard. Sightings of Grey Squirrels at Balgay Hill were also fairly regular during the period covered in this post. The Merlin app sound ID feature was extensively tested over the past few weeks. Although it did throw up some anomalies it did turn out to be surprisingly effective at ID-ing bird calls and songs, though it was certainly better with birds which were closer to the microphone on the phone. It highlights the birds which are singing or calling in real-time which can be helpful for learning the songs and calls. As the app is free and fairly comprehensive with regards species coverage it is well worth installing on a phone - though being aware that it is not infallible, or 100% accurate should make it easier to spot the 'should that really be in there?' moments when they arise.

During the time-span covered in this post I managed to record a total of 47 species (including 1 year-tick, in bold) while walking to and from work. Things will now start to tail off again over the next month or so, but the gulls will start to return to the football pitches soon enough and newly fledged youngsters will also begin to be seen more often (family groups of Blackbirds and Starlings have been noted recently). With the Summer equinox less than a month away, it won't be too long before the first of the failed breeders etc begin to move through again on their way back south. Hopefully, I will manage to pick up a few of these while on my way to work, to add to my Dundee 140 target. Time, as always, will tell. All photos used here are recent though none are actually from my commute.

Blackcap
Sparrowhawk
Treecreeper
Stock Dove
Buzzard
Chaffinch
Dunnock
Woodpigeon
Coal Tit
Magpie
Blue Tit
House Sparrow
Lesser Black Backed Gull
Bullfinch
Oystercatcher
Swallow


Birds - Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Nuthatch, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Siskin, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Swift, Treecreeper, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren.

Butterflies - Peacock.

Mammals - Grey Squirrel.

0980 : Just One Of Those Days... (17/5/22)

Swallow


Rain stopped play on Monday but winds from the east hinted at the possibility of Tuesday perhaps delivering some migrants. Dundee unfortunately is more or less in the wrong place for getting many of those. However, as I'm still avoiding public transport and trying to concentrate on adding to my Dundee 140 list, Dundee it would have to be. I had 3 options - head up the Law in the hope that some migrants might fly past, head to Riverside Nature Park which does sometimes see the odd migrant turn up though it is at the wrong end of the city for easterlies delivering, or to head for Broughty Ferry and Balmossie really early, before the dog walkers were even out of their bed, let alone wandering around disturbing the birds.

I settled on the third option, and to speed up things I decided to use one of the rental E-bikes that are situated in various places around the city. I figured that by using one of these I could shave quite a considerable amount of time off my journey to Broughty Ferry. There are bikes situated 5 minutes or so along the road from me, and I could finish my rental just the other side of Broughty Castle where there is another recharging site. To use the bike I had to sign up for an account which I managed to do on Monday night. It is a long time since I last rode a bike, but I was hoping that it was quite literally like riding the proverbial bike - something you never forget how to do. My intention was to be out for around 0500 but a lack of sleep pushed my departure back till after 0635.

I hurried along to get a bike. The weather was a bit misty, which did suggest that any migrants would stay put, which was a bonus. To hire a bike I needed to activate bluetooth on my phone, which is something I usually have turned off, but I did so. However, I found I couldn't get it to connect. This was frustrating. I was picking up passing bluetooth connections from cars but wasn't getting anything at all from the cycle hub. I figured that there was a chance there was something within my settings on the phone that was causing the problem but failed to find anything obvious. I decided I would try another cycle hub. The closest one that would be useful for my trip to Broughty Ferry was at the V&A so I set off for there. House Martin and Lesser Black Backed Gull were seen while I tried to get a connection.

The walk to the V&A added a few more species including Linnet and Pied Wagtail. However, I had the same outcome with regards getting the bluetooth to connect. By this time I'd wasted around an hour of birding time, and the dog walkers were likely to be beginning to appear at Broughty Ferry. I decided to cut my losses and to head for Riverside Nature Park instead. I passed the 'big Tesco' and could see a couple of birds perched on one of the neaby outflow pipes. A Herring Gull and a Ringed Plover. I decided to get a photo of the Plover. Out came the camera. It wouldn't turn on. I quickly realised that there was no battery in the camera. As I was hoping to find migrants wherever I ended up I needed a working camera. I decided I might as well head home and get a battery before heading out again.

Willow Warbler, Song Thrush, Blackcap, Oystercatcher and Swift were all noted on the walk home. I was really frustrated and annoyed at my own part in the morning's misfortunes. I arrived home around 0830 having in effect walked 5 miles for very little return on my efforts. I put my phone back on charge for a while (the bluetooth efforts having run it down further than it would normally be). I googled what might be the issue and was able to fix the problem (I hoped). I was correct that it was something hidden away somewhere in the menus. I debated not going back out but the thought I might miss something good made my mind up for me. I headed out again around 0915.

Riverside Nature Park was my destination, though my route was my more usual one. Lesser Black Backed Gull, Swift, Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, Siskin, Blackcap and Buzzard were noted on the walk to get there. By the time I arrived at the park I had already walked around 10 miles. I wasn't in the best of moods, my legs were heavy and I really needed the birding to be good at the park. I set myself a target of 50 species though given my luck already, I wasn't confident I'd get anywhere close. I quickly racked up a number of species including Song Thrush, Blackcap, Swift, Long Tailed Tit, Skylark, Chiffchaff and Swallow. Reed Bunting was seen in front of Buzzard Wood. An Orange Tip butterfly flew past. A Small Tortoiseshell butterfly was also seen a little further on.

A Buzzard was seen to the north as I headed for the Lochan. A pair of Bullfinches flew past me and perched up on the hedge in the sunshine. Moorhen and Mallard were seen at the Lochan. Continuing on towards the bay I added a Yellowhammer and Whitethroat before I realised there was an Osprey circling up above the bay, with a large flatfish in its talons. A Peacock butterfly fluttered past as I scanned the bay and out towards the river. There were very few waders except a handful of Oystercatchers. There were Herring Gulls and Lesser Black Backed Gulls at the burn. I managed to find a couple of Common Gull and a few Black Headeds too. There were a number of Shelduck out on the mud. I thought I had more well out on the river but they turned out ot be drake Goosanders.

I spotted a few Grey Herons and a pair of Mute Swans were seen in the channel of the burn. A pair of Cormorant stood wings outstretched by the edge of the mud. High above a few House Martins were hawking for insects. A Green Veined White butterfly was seen fluttering around in front of the picnic tables. Unfortunately, despite covering the rest of the park I struggled to find anything else and my list within the park stalled at just 42 species. The sun had by this time come out and it was getting rather warm. I decided I would head in the direction of home. I would see if I could get the bike connection to work. I reached the hire cycles by the University playing fields and managed to get the bluetooth to connect without any problems. I released the bike and got on. There were no instructions on what any of the buttons or switches that you don't see on a 'normal' bike were for, either on the bike, the recharging point, or even the website.

I set off along the cycle path towards the V&A. The bike was very uncomfortable - both to sit on and to operate and my lack of recent experience on a bike made for a frustrating and rather awkward experience, with some rather wobbly moments. I had considered continuing out to Broughty Ferry but the bike itself deterred me from doing so. I added Long Tailed Tits and Grey Wagtail on the walk home which took me to 50 species for the day. As it happened there were indeed some migrants around with a Bluethroat (one of my 'most-wanted' species) turning up at Easthaven and being twitched by birders from outwith Angus, including Ian and Matt. Lainy also managed to catch up with it. I suspect that if I'd gone for it on Tuesday the bird would have flown off northwards a minute or so before I arrived. It was definitely that sort of day.....


Bullfinch
Reed Bunting
Oystercatcher
Goldfinch
Yellowhammer
Osprey
Whitethroat
Grey Heron
Buzzard
Small Tortoiseshell
Orange Tip
Blackbird
Shelduck
Rabbit
Swift
Robin
Large White
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Feral Pigeon

Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Ringed Plover, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Song Thrush, Starling, Swift, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren.

Mammals (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.

Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Cormorant, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Martin, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Shelduck, Skylark, Song Thrush, Swallow, Swift, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.

Butterflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Green Veined White, Orange Tip, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell.

Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.