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Carrion Crow
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Although there were no further reports of the Rosy Starling at Balmossie on Tuesday the 13th of September I decided I would make another visit on Wednesday just in case the bird was still around. Although I wasn't overly optimistic that it was still there,I couldn't see any reason that it wouldn't be and as the local Starling flocks seemed to be roaming relatively widely when we were there on Monday afternoon, the bird could quite literally be almost anywhere in the vicinity. I figured an early start would be a good idea, with less disturbance from dog walkers likely before about 1000.
It was an early start, just a little before sunrise. The mix of birds noted as I headed for the Stannergate for the walk along to Broughty Ferry and Balmossie included migrant Meadow Pipit, Pied and Grey Wagtail as well as House Martin. The early morning light and calm conditions made for some nice photo opportunities. Turnstone, Guillemot, Sandwich Tern, Goosander and Curlew were all photographed before I reached the lifeboat station where more terns, including a single Arctic Tern were noted and a Grey Heron was photographed.
A group of Mute Swans flew upriver as I passed the castle. I reached the Balmossie area around 2 hours after leaving the house. Unsurprisingly Bar Tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher and Redshank were all noted on the shore on that stretch. Goldfinch and Chiffchaff were heard in the background. I could hear Pink Footed Geese calling from somewhere. I discovered later in the morning that the skeins were passing overhead really high in the sky. There were more migrants passing over westwards and a small group of Tree Sparrows dropped down into the hedge at the end of the esplanade.
I scanned out over the river noting Eider and Wigeon. I didn't have to wait too long for the first Osprey of the day to pass by. A few Rooks dropped down onto the seaweed. I was paying attention to the comings and goings of the Starlings as well, but with the strong sunlight coming from almost directly in front of me, it did prove tricky at times. A skein of Canada Geese with a lone Greylag Goose among them flew downriver before cutting over the houses and continuing on northwards. Rock Pipit, Skylark and Linnet were next onto the day's list. A Small White butterfly flitted by and a Grey Seal was seen 'bottling' out on the river. A few very distant Gannets were picked out towards Tentsmuir Point.
It was refreshingly quiet with not many people (and dogs) passing by, though there was some disturbance well out near the edge of the sand by a couple with an off the lead dog. A Buzzard drifted over and a few minutes later a Sparrowhawk was also seen. The second Osprey of the day headed by westwards. To give my legs a bit of a break from just standing around I had a walk along towards the end of the esplanade. I almost stood on a (Field?) Vole next to the car park. I walked back along the beach where a very wary Wheatear constantly flew off ahead of me, while a pair of very confiding Linnets gave some nice close views. There were also a few White Wagtails among the Pied Wagtails feeding along the strandline.
By 1330 I had decided that the Rosy Starling was not going to show and decided to head for home. A Peregrine swept over as I walked back to the Barnhill Rock garden where a Goldcrest was heard and a Peacock butterfly was seen sunning itself. I added a Jay in the local nature reserve and had decent views of a number of grasshoppers. Continuing on past the castle and along towards Stannergate I spotted a small group of ducks out over the water which turned out to be Teal. I added Grey Squirrel and Coal Tit in Eastern Cemetery and a Red Admiral flitted past me between there and Swannie Ponds. Coot and Mallard were the final additions for the day at the ponds and I made it home for around 1615 having noted a total of 64 species of bird, 3 of butterfly and 3 of mammal. Despite not seeing the hoped for target species it was still a decent enough day out.
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Lesser Black Backed Gull
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| Curlew |
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| Cormorant |
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| Goosander |
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Sandwich Tern
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Grey Heron
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| Robin |
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Great Black Backed Gull & Black Headed Gull
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| Starling |
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| Osprey |
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Canada Goose & Greylag Goose
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Rock Pipit
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Grey Wagtail
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White Wagtail
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| Linnet |
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| Linnet |
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| Buzzard |
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| Wheatear |
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| Peregrine |
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| Peacock |
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Grasshopper sp.
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| Jay |
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| Guillemot |
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Common Gull
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| Turnstone |
Birds - Arctic Tern, Bar Tailed Godwit, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Eider, Gannet, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Greylag Goose, Guillemot, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mute Swan, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pied Wagtail (also White Wagtail), Pink Footed Goose, Redshank, Ringed Plover,Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Rook, Sandwich Tern, Skylark, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Teal, Tree Sparrow, Turnstone, Wheatear, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies - Peacock, Red Admiral, Small White.
Mammals - (Field?) Vole, Grey Seal, Grey Squirrel.
