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| Osprey |
As is often the case I struggled to get up and out on Wednesday. The weather over the city was cloudy and rain looked rather likely. However there was a bright spot on the horizon, well a bit closer than the horizon, Broughty Ferry. Blue skies were forecast there and as it has been a while since I've popped down there I figured I might as well pay that part of the city a visit. There was a chance that I might manage to catch up with a Sanderling or maybe something else that wasn't yet on my Dundee 140 list. My list at the end of May in 2021 stood at 116 species, so with only 111 on this year's and a higher target figure to aim for, I needed to hope that luck would be on my side. With high tide around 1700, I wanted to be at Balmossie before 1500.
I set off for Broughty Ferry at 1130. I decided to route via Swannie Ponds as I had plenty of time available despite the late start. It was a fairly typical mix of species seen on the walk to the ponds, with Swift and House Martin the main highlights. I had close views of a Grey Heron as it caught a Stickleback just a few feet in front of me at the top pond. There were a couple of returning Black Headed Gulls around too. My attention was grabbed by a commotion on the lower pond. The male Mute Swan was using his size to advantage against a rather shocked looking Herring Gull. Repeated 'whacks' with the wing and swimming over the top of the waterlogged gull meant things didn't look too rosy for the gull's future but eventually the swan seemed satisfied that the gull had 'got the message' and left it alone, looking rather stunned and dishevelled.
I headed down to Eastern Cemetery next, adding a singing Willow Warbler on the way. A Buzzard overflew at the Cemetery pursued by a Carrion Crow. I found a Tree Bumblebee nest below a gravestone thanks to a number of the insects flying around in front of it. Having taken a few short video clips with my phone I set off again. I spotted 3 large birds to the south which looked like they might be geese. They were -
Canada Geese - a new species (112) for my Dundee 140 list, and one that I knew I would probably catch up with at some point over the summer as the birds headed to/from their summer moult site further north, but which was good to get. I added Long Tailed Tits a little further on, with Oystercatcher and Greenfinch both noted on the walk down to the Stannergate.
A Whitethroat was seen behind the small car park there but the walk out along the river was largely bird-less, except for the odd Herring Gull or Oystercatcher. I reached Broughty Ferry around 1300. As I looked towards the castle from around the lifeboat station I thought I saw something large breaking the surface of the river. Hopefully, a Bottlenose Dolphin. A better view confirmed my suspicions. I hurried round the long way due to the still ongoing works to the other side of the castle and down onto the beach. It didn't take long to locate where the Dolphins were, thanks to their attendant Herring Gulls circling above. I spent the next hour and a bit pointing out the Dolphins to others on the beach and having some enjoyable conversations with folk from Dubai, Greenock, London and North America. None were expecting to see Dolphins in the Tay but all were pleased to see them.
As I was speaking to a couple I happened to look up as an Osprey flew overhead, heading inland, carrying a large fish (possibly a Trout?). My photos showed it to be 'blue CR9', which was ringed in Aberdeenshire and is now apparently one of a pair nesting in an Angus Glen. I eventually, much later than intended set off for Balmossie noting a Pied Wagtail on the beach and my second Dundee 140 tick of the day, rather distantly out over the river - a Sandwich Tern (113). I heard a singing Chiffchaff from the small nature reserve but continued on to Balmossie even though I knew I had missed out on any likelihood of waders as by now the tide was almost fully in. Green Veined White and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies were seen on the way.
There were plenty of Mute Swans at the burn mouth along with a pair of Eider, and surprisingly a couple of Goosander. Very distantly I picked out a large number of Gannets circling over the sea. Another new addition (114). There were no waders at Balmossie at all, so there was no point in lingering. I headed back to the nature reserve where Great Spotted Woodpecker and Robin were noted. I photographed a few species of insects though there was no sign of any Speckled Wood butterflies this time. I had closer views of Sandwich Tern later over the river and stopped to chat to a gent with a scope who was scanning for the Dolphins. I let him know they had been around earlier and we chatted about cetaceans in general and other wildlife. It turned out he is the leader of the team which deals with cetacean strandings locally. A Swallow zipped overhead as we chatted. A large dark cloud was looming to the west so I said cheerio and headed homewards.
Thankfully, the cloud was over the Fife side of the river and I didn't have to dodge any rain showers. I spotted a rather sick looking Herring Gull at the lifeboat station which was possibly showing signs of Avian Flu, which isn't good news for the local birds. The birding along the river was just as uneventful as earlier with only a Cormorant added on the walk home, though a Goosander hauled out near the Stannergate was a bit of a surprise. I ended the day with a total of 41 species of bird (1 of which was a full year-tick - in bold. 2 others were also welcome additional Dundee 140 ticks). The Bottlenose Dolphins were my 11th species of mammal in Dundee this year and as always were a welcome sight. They were rather active with quite a few full breaches, though I didn't manage to get too many photos due to chatting or viewing through binoculars rather than being focused on the photography, as most views were relatively distant. All in all though, a surprisingly good day out.
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Grey Heron with Stickleback
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House Sparrow
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Black Headed Gull
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| Coot |
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Mute Swan and Herring Gull
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Lesser Black Backed Gull
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Canada Goose
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| Oystercatcher |
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Osprey with Sea Trout
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Bottlenose Dolphin
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Herring Gull & Bottlenose Dolphin
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Herring Gull & Bottlenose Dolphin
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| Gannet |
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| Eider |
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Common Carpet moth
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Bee sp.
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Wasp sp.
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Hoverfly sp.
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Hoverfly sp.
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Sandwich Tern
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Herring Gull (prospective Avian Flu case)
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| Swallow |
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| Goosander |
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| Rabbit |
Birds - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard,
Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coot, Cormorant, Dunnock, Eider, Gannet, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Martin, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Mute Swan, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sandwich Tern, Starling, Swallow, Swift, Tufted Duck, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies - Green Veined White, Small Tortoiseshell.
Mammals - Bottlenose Dolphin, Rabbit.
