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| Moorhen |
September is the time to catch up with migrant waders at Riverside Nature Park. Birds such as Ruff, Spotted Redshank and Curlew Sandpiper tend to pass through Invergowrie Bay at this time of year, with one or two roosting at the Lochan in previous years. While there is always the chance of something even less common, so far anything rarer has proved to be rather elusive at the park. However, if you don't look, you're unlikely to find. On top of that, the end of August and beginning of September seems to offer the widest variety of species at the park, with 63 species being noted on August 31st 2014 which is still the highest count at the park (that I'm aware of).
I decided on a relatively early start in the hope of catching the tide on its way back out again, before it had gone too far. It turned into a slightly later than intended start with me leaving home just before 0700. A few Meadow Pipits were passing overhead and I contemplated stopping off for a few hours at the top of the Law. This would mean that by the time I reached the park, the tide would be much further out and the birds would be spread out far across the bay and even round towards Kingoodie. Without my 'big' scope and tripod, it would be highly likely that I'd be trying to work out what distant dots might be.
A Sparrowhawk made a half-hearted swoop at a Woodpigeon in Balgay Park as a Goldcrest provided some backing accompaniment to the brief pursuit. Chiffchaff, Jay and Buzzard were also noted at the hill. I reached the Nature Park slightly quicker than expected, arriving almost dead-on 0800. A singing Goldcrest and another flyover Meadow Pipit started the park list for the day off. A Bullfinch was in the trees to the east of the Lochan and I could see an Osprey circling over the bay, just before I had a quick look at the rapidly drying Lochan. A Teal and a few Moorhens were all I could see there.
I headed round to the hide as soon as I realised that there was already some freshly exposed mud near the railway line, but not before noting many waders in flight into the bay - Redshank, Curlew, Black Tailed Godwit and Dunlin. A small group of Goosander were seen flying upriver. Chaffinch, Song Thrush and Whitethroat were found on the walk to the hide. I had a quick look from the hide which added Black Headed Gull and Cormorant as well as an unexpected Jay flying into the trees to the left of the hide. I decided to walk round to the bridge for a wider view which added Lapwing to the list and a Grey Wagtail. When I reached the hide again, Keith was there, just about to message me to let me know there were 2 Ruff in the bay, but they'd just wandered out of view.
I had a look but couldn't see them. I took a couple of quick photos which I only checked once I got home, which showed one of the birds behind the Redshanks. Having not actually seen them (or less likely, heard them), I couldn't count them for my Dundee 140 list. Keith also mentioned that there was a female Shoveler at the Lochan. When I had passed there was only a Teal visible. I decided to try again for the Shoveler rather than try to see the Ruff again, as there was a chance of getting the Ruff somewhere in the bay later as the tide receded, or even at some point over the coming weeks, whereas Shoveler is a much harder bird to see at the park, or in Dundee as a whole. A Tree Pipit flew over as I hurried back to the Lochan. There was still no sign of the bird, though a Mallard was now also there with the Teal and Moorhen. Surprisingly there were 5 Snipe sunning themselves across the western edges of the pool.
I tried all of the available viewing points but still drew a blank. I headed back towards the hide but met Keith before I got there. He reckoned that the bird should still be there somewhere. I said I'd try again later, possibly from the roadside. We scanned out across the bay with our less than optimal scopes adding Common Sandpiper, Oystercatcher and Common Gull. Photos showed that there were also a few Bar Tailed Godwits hidden in plain sight among the Curlews. Pied Wagtail, Goldfinch and Chiffchaff made it onto the list as well as a Great Black Backed Gull. A surprise flock of almost 30 Tree Sparrows flew out over the bay. Keith headed for home around 1020 and I returned for another look at the Lochan.
Swallows, House Martin and a Dunnock were new for the list as I checked the Lochan again. Still I failed to see the hoped for Shoveler at either the wooden screen or the gap in the hedge west of the Lochan. At the eastern gap however it was possible to see that there was a sleeping duck in the middle of the pool. I hurried back to the screen to doble check, and sure enough it was the Shoveler. A new bird for the Dundee 140 list (number 121) and one that I thought I had probably missed out on this year. After another wander round the top end of the park I returned to the Lochan again for better photos of the now awake Shoveler. A large dragonfly whizzed past and I lost sight of it.
I added a few Common Darter dragonflies on the path and as I was photographing these the larger dragonfly hunted up the slope of the hill. I was quick enough to manage to get a couple of photos before it vanished over the brow of the hill. It was definitely a Hawker, and having checked the books at home, I settled on a Common Hawker - anew species for the park. I'd messaged Lainy a little earlier to see if she fancied joining me at the park. There seemed to be potential for a decent total but I also wanted to try and catch the incoming tide for another shot at getting the Ruff. If I was on my own there was a strong possibility that I'd get tired and call it a day around mid-afternoon.
As Lainy was getting the bus down, it would take her a while to arrive. I added Jackdaw, plus Red Admiral and Large White butterflies to the list before Lainy arrived at around 1225. On my way to meet her I spied a Reed Bunting. We sat at the top of the hill for a while in the sunshine, chatting and seeing what wildlife we could see. We wandered down to the lower half of the park then back to the upper half around 1415. Another look from the hide gave us the Kingfisher perched on rocks in the burn outflow. A distant Buzzard could be seen soaring off to the west. More wandering produced Great Tit, Coal Tit and the first of 2 surprise Swift sightings, as well as a Small White butterfly.
We wandered to the best area of the park for butterfly sightings to kill more time before the tide came in close enough to check through the waders in the bay. Having found Long Tailed Tits in the trees shortly before, Lainy suddenly spotted a Speckled Wood butterfly over the brambles. Thankfully it settled long enough for us to get a few record shots of another new species for the park, and Lainy's second new butterfly for the park in just a few weeks, following on from a Dark Green Fritillary. A male Blackcap showed briefly before we headed back round to the bay where Sandwich Terns were seen across the far side. A Sparrowhawk was the final addition for the day's birding. The strong sunlight made things difficult for checking through the waders so we failed to add the hoped for Ruff or the Greenshank seen earlier in the day by Keith.
Adding them to our list got us to 62 species for the day between the 3 of us. Adding the overlooked Bar Tailed Godwits gave us a total of 63 species for the park, equalling the previous best total. Outwith the park I'd noted 25 species with 60 at the park for a combined personal day total of 62 species. Adam arrived to pick us up around 1800 and I was very grateful of the lift home, having been at the park for almost 10 hours and actively birding for 11. All in all, a very good day, with a new dragonfly species, a new butterfly species and a Dundee 140 tick to show for all the effort we'd put in. Missing out on the Ruff just meant a return visit would be required. With Curlew Sandpiper and Spotted Redshank still credible possibilities, there is plenty of incentive to try again.
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| Redshank |
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Meadow Pipit
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| Osprey |
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Grey Heron
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| Osprey |
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Ruff & Redshank
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| Snipe |
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Tree Sparrow
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| Shoveler |
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| Teal |
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Common Hawker
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Common Darter
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| Osprey |
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Red Admiral
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Light Brown Apple Moth
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Blue Tit
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Long Tailed Tit
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Speckled Wood
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| Blackcap |
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| Swift |
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Long Tailed Tit
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Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Woodpigeon.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Common Sandpiper, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Martin, Jackdaw, Jay, Kingfisher, Knot, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sandwich Tern, Shoveler, Snipe, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Stock Dove, Swallow, Swift, Teal, Tree Pipit, Tree Sparrow, Treecreeper, Whitethroat, Woodpigeon, Wren. (also Bar Tailed Godwit, Greenshank, Ruff present but not seen by me).
Butterflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Large White, Red Admiral, Small White, Speckled Wood.
Dragonflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Common Darter, Common Hawker.
Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.
Moth (at Riverside Nature Park) - Light Brown Apple Moth.
