1003 : Coastal Collection (24/8/22)

Little Gull

It has been a while since I have been able to get out birding with Susan. A brief trip out to Easthaven and a slight detour to twitch a Little Stint near Friockheim on the way home late last September being almost exactly 11 months ago. So when Susan got in touch to see if I fancied a spot of birding on Wednesday, it was an easy decision to say "yes". I suggested trying the Angus coast for Roseate and Black Terns and Susan agreed. We arranged for a 1000 start and thankfully the rather wet weather earlier in the morning had fizzled out by the time I left the house to head to our usual rendezvous spot.

Rooks and Curlew were the main highlights as we headed for Arbroath. We decided to start at Victoria Park and to work our way back from there with a stop at Westhaven, and possibly Easthaven too. When we reached the esplanade area at Victoria Park it was clear that the weather conditions had brought a LOT of birds closer in to shore than they might have been. There were easily thousands of birds to be searched through, both out on the water and strung out along the stony shoreline. It was difficult to know where to look and it didn't take long to build up a decent length list - Oystercatcher, Sandwich Tern, Rock Pipit, Cormorant, Kittiwake, Redshank, Gannet, Fulmar, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Razorbill, Guillemot, Grey Heron, Linnet, Turnstone, Common Gull, Black Headed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black Backed Gull, Arctic Tern and Common Tern.

There were also numerous Little Gulls in a variety of plumages around, and we had a nice close flypast by a couple of juveniles. Around 40 minutes after arriving I managed somehow to find a young Black Tern out over the sea and even more incredibly I managed to direct Susan onto the bird. House Martins and Swallows were passing by along with Pied Wagtails. Lainy messaged me to let me know there was a Black Tern showing nicely down on the beach near the kids' paddling pool area and that Adam and her were on their way to try to see it. Having already had one ourselves, albeit distantly, there was no rush to hurry round for a look. We managed to find an adult Mediterranean Gull among the other gulls in one of the roosting flocks on the shore.

We eventually set off for the harbour to check the high tide roost flocks for Roseate Tern but as we left Victoria Park I spotted some smaller birds roosting on rocks relatively close in, so I suggested we stop for a look. These turned out to be mostly Little Gulls and some terns and we spent a bit of time photographing these before eventually heading round to the harbour campervan free-for-all car park where we found Lainy and Adam. Thankfully, we managed to get parked next to them and Lainy pointed out the Black Tern down on the shore in front of us. We were able to add a few Goosander from here and I managed to find another Black Tern in the same group below us, with both birds in view at the same time. A Mediterranean Gull was also noted here. The weather brightened up a little with the visible horizon moving a few more miles further out to sea.

Lainy and Adam headed of for a look at Lunan Bay as we continued to scan the birds both nearby and further out. Movement down on the beach turned out to be a rather large Brown Rat wandering around, which did seem to upset a few of the local Rock Pipits. Despite lots of searching we failed to find any sign of any Skuas, Sabine's Gulls or even a Roseate Tern. With time increasingly against us, I suggested we head for Westhaven to check the terns there. We added a Buzzard from the road on the way to Easthaven where we made a short detour to check the beach there. Greenfinch was noted there but although there were plenty of birds around we decided that if we wanted Roseate Tern then Westhaven was the better option.

We scanned for a short while out over the rocks to the west where there were plenty of gulls and terns but drew a blank on anything remotely Roseate-like. Yet another Black Tern landed for about 15 seconds before relocating a bit further away. A juvenile Mediterranean Gull was sat on the rocks nearby. To the east there were 1000s of (mostly) gulls visible on the rocks so we set off for the Craigmill Burn mouth. Unfortunately we ran out of time and had to give up before we'd even scratched the surface of the gull flock numbers or even walked very far though we did manage to find a single Skylark which flew off towards the railway line. With Yellow Legged Gull, Caspian Gull and even an unseasonal Glaucous Gull being seen further up the coast since then among the many, many birds around at the coast in Angus and Aberdeenshire, it does make you wonder what we might have found had it been possible to be able to methodically search through all the birds we saw on Wednesday.

We ended the day's birding having seen a total of 46 species, 1 of which was new for my year-list (in bold). The Little Gulls in particular were nice to see up close though given the numbers of birds around it was really surprising that we didn't even see a hint of any Skua species, not even as a distant speck out on the horizon (though that horizon was missing for a large chunk of the morning's birding). Part of that is probably down to the damage that Avian Flu has done to the breeding Bonxies up north, in particular, though both those and Arctic Skuas are being seen elsewhere so it isn't a completely forlorn hope that I might yet catch one or both species over the Tay at some point soon. All in all, it was a good day out with Susan (and Lainy and Adam for a while too).

Little Gull

Ringed Plover

Mixed Auks, Gulls, Terns etc

Rock Pipit

Black Headed Gull & Mediterranean Gull

Turnstone

Black Tern

Little Gull, Common Tern, Black Tern & Arctic Tern

Little Gull

Little Gull & Black Tern

Black Tern

Sandwich Tern

Arctic Tern

Grey Heron

Common Tern

Little Gull, Black Headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull & Common Tern

Brown Rat

Mediterranean Gull

Arctic Tern, Mediterranean Gull & Common Tern

Kittiwake

Black Tern

Common Tern

Mixed Gull flock (& others)

Birds - Arctic Tern, Black Tern, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Common Gull, Common Tern, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Eider, Fulmar, Gannet, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Greenfinch, Greenshank, Grey Heron, Guillmot, Herring Gull, House Martin, Jackdaw, Kittiwake, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Little Gull, Mallard, Mediterranean Gull, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Razorbill, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Rook, Sandwich Tern, Skylark, Starling, Swallow, Turnstone, Woodpigeon.

1002 : In Need Of My Meds (21/8/22).

Canada Goose

Following Mark Wilkinson's message on Saturday afternoon letting me know about a Mediterranean Gull at Riverside Nature Park as I walked back home from Balmossie, I decided that I would attempt to see the bird on Sunday. The high tide time was relatively favourable but as it was quite a small tide there was a chance that the birds would remain rather distant out beyond the still uncovered mud. I decided to take the additional weight of a small scope with me to counter this likelihood. I also decided to dress for the forecast warming weather rather than have too many layers on.

I headed out at around 0815 for the walk to the park. A Bullfinch between the football stadiums was a bit of a surprise and a Tree Pipit overflew as I walked up Canning Street a few minutes later. A few House Martins were noted above Pentland Avenue. Once I'd exited the other end of Balgay Cemetery, I spotted 2 Buzzards circling over Ninewells Arboretum and then found 3 Crossbills in trees on Ninewells Avenue before they flew off to the southwest. I reached the Nature Park just before 0930. Long Tailed Tits, Goldcrest, Willow Warbler and Swallow were all within the initial batch of birds noted at the park. Chiffchaff and Buzzard were seen as I continued on towards the Lochan.

Moorhens were noted there with the water levels probably as low as I've seen since the park opened back in June 2011. A male Blackcap was in the hedge a bit further to the west. A quick look at the bay added Curlew, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Lapwing, Grey Heron, Redshank and Black Tailed Godwit. The tide was already further in than I had anticipated so I wandered round to the hide for a better view. I managed to get the 3 Greenshanks seen by Mark the previous day, although a 4th bird which I thought was also a Greenshank turned out to be a young Redshank 'hanging out' with the trio. There were plenty of Black Headed Gulls out on the water but the wind direction meant they were mostly turned away from me.

The scope helped but a rain shower that had been forecast looked imminent as the sky darkened and the light worsened. I was now rather cold which also meant I was struggling to keep the scope steady. I kept scanning and scanning again but everything seemed to be a Black Headed Gull. I added Common Gull, Mallard and Teal before once again returning to scan through the Black Headed Gulls. I was still cold and getting increasingly frustrated. Thankfully the rain shower was heavy but brief and I was able to avoid getting wet by tucking myself behind the stone wall at the left side of the hide till it had passed. Eventually the light improved a little and I eventually spotted two very pale wings with no black around the tips. It had to be the bird. It landed and turned side on. Sure enough, it was a Mediterranean Gull. Number 120 for my Dundee 140 list.

Cormorant, Jackdaw, 3 Canada Geese, Dunlin and Grey Wagtail were all added to the list for the day from the hide before I headed back into the park. Away from the shelter of the hide it actually felt warmer and with the frustrations of struggling to find the gull now gone my mood had lifted somewhat. I ran into Lainy and Adam round by the picnic tables as they were cycling through and we had a chat for a while before they headed for home. An Osprey then put in an appearance over the bay, with another seen further west. Whitethroat and Robin were noted along the fenceline in front of me while down in the bay, Oystercatcher, Common Sandpiper, Sandwich Tern and Goosander were welcome finds. Red Admiral and Small White butterflies were on the wing.

A Pied Wagtail flew over the top of the hill and a Sparrowhawk was seen rather distantly to the north. I eventually managed to get a Stock Dove for the list and both House Martin and Sand Martin joined the earlier Swallows on the list. Linnet and Goldfinch were both seen before I called it a day and headed homewards. Siskin, Pied Wagtail, Greenfinch, Long Tailed Tit and Swallow rounded off the day's sightings on the walk back home giving me a total for the day of 57 species (50 at the park and 28 outwith). Despite the frustrations and effort required to get the Mediterranean Gull for the Dundee 140 list, it had all worked out quite well in the end. Now I just need to find another 20 species from somewhere (in Dundee)....

Greenfinch

Blackcap

Black Headed Gull & Common Gull

Greenshank

Black Tailed Godwit, Redshank, Mallard & Feral Pigeon

Teal

Cormorant

Mediterranean Gull

Mediterranean Gull, Black Headed Gull & Common Gull

Osprey

Osprey

Dunlin

Whitethroat

Buzzard

Osprey

Magpie

Sand Martin

Sparrowhawk

Woodpigeon

Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Crossbill, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Starling, Swallow, Tree Pipit, Woodpigeon, Wren.

Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Common Sandpiper, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Greenfinch, Greenshank, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Martin, Jackdaw, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Mediterranean Gull, Moorhen, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sand Martin, Sandwich Tern, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Teal, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren.

Butterflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Red Admiral, Small White.

1001 : Saturday, Down By The Tay (20/8/22)

Black Headed Gull

As August edges closer and closer to September and the days are beginning to shorten once more, I need to be picking up new birds for my Dundee 140 list almost everytime I go out birding if I am to reach that target figure. With that in mind it can be crucial to choose wisely when deciding where to go birding. Knowing that the likes of Guillemot, Razorbill, Sanderling, Grey Plover, Mediterranean Gull and even perhaps a Little Gull, or Great Skua should all be theoretically possible down by the Tay at this time of year, I decided that my destination on Saturday would be Balmossie.

There was no great rush due to the tide times so waiting for the weather to improve from a wet and windy start didn't make a huge amount of difference to my chances of getting something good. I headed out at 1100 towards Swannie Ponds where Lesser Black Backed Gull, Black Headed Gull (including Norwegian ringed 'Green J63P' - a returning bird), Common Gull, Mute Swan, Mallard, Coot were all added to the Herring Gulls, House Martins, Jackdaws and others already noted on the way there. Disappointingly there was no sign of any Tufted Ducks or Moorhens around but a Grey Wagtail was a nice bonus bird. Swallow was added at Eastern Cemetery along with a few other smaller birds as I headed for the river.

I reached the Stannergate at around 1145 and scanned through the small gull flock which not unsurprisingly failed to give me anything new. There were a few Turnstones down on the shoreline a little further on and a pair of Stock Doves were noted in flight near where I photographed a single bird recently. A Cormorant was seen out on the river and Curlew, Oystercatcher and Redshank were found near the Douglas Terrace outflow pipe. Pied Wagtail and Goosander were added near the Castle, and a few very distant Eider were spotted out around the middle of the river. There were signs warning of a pollution incident dotted along from the Castle eastwards but it didn't stop dog walkers from allowing their dogs, (or in one case, kids paddling), into the water. The roadworks and the earlier wet and windy weather did mean things were relatively quiet along the beach for a while, but that changed as the sun gradually came out and it didn't take too long before there were numerous dogs and walkers all along the shore.

I refound another ringed Black Headed Gull (yellow 2BA7) in much the same place I previously saw the bird back in January. I reached the main congregation of birds near Balmossie a little after 1330. I was able to add Great Black Backed Gull, Ringed Plover, Dunlin and Bar Tailed Godwit there, but failed to find anything unusual despite much scanning of the gull roost and the waders dotted around among the seaweed covered rocks and pebbles, as well as out over the river and towards Monifieth. A few Rooks were added and a couple of Ospreys gave fairly decent views as they struggled into the wind with their freshly caught flatfish. As things weren't looking too promising I decided not to linger too long and headed for home. A Grey Heron posed nicely for photos at the Stannergate before flying off over the road. Mark Wilkinson messaged me to let me know he'd had a Mediterranean Gull at Riverside Nature Park earlier which gave me a target and a destination for Sunday's birding.

I ended the day's outing with 40 species on the list with nothing particularly out of the ordinary having been seen. The Ospreys once again gave good views. We really only have another few weeks of regular sightings of these impressive raptors before they too have all departed southwards for warmer climes. There is already a bit of a chill in the air in the early mornings with the soundtrack of Meadow Pipits passing overhead. It is now more or less Autumn.....my favourite birding season. Hopefully, the time off work I have planned between now and the middle of October will be put to very good use and the 140 target figure will look like a formality by the end....

Common Gull

Black Headed Gull

Grey Wagtail

Woodpigeon

Lesser Black Backed Gull

Cormorant

Curlew

House Sparrow

Oystercatcher

Pied Wagtail

Common Gull

Bar Tailed Godwit

Dunlin

Ringed Plover

Ringed Plover

Osprey

Osprey

Osprey

Osprey

Osprey

Goosander

Redshank

Grey Heron

Birds - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Eider, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Magpie, Mallard, Mute Swan, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Turnstone, Woodpigeon, Wren.

Mammals - Rabbit.