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| Brambling |
This weekend was rather windy and with tide times not being particularly helpful (high tide around sunrise and sunset) I only managed a relatvely short walk on Saturday that didn't prove to be particularly worthwhile, so I won't bother with a blog-post for that one - highlights were Grey Wagtail and Meadow Pipit. I had the day off on Monday so I decided that with the conditions promising lighter winds I should get up early and head out in time for sunrise. I had a choice of Riverside Nature Park, Balmossie or Dundee Law (with the option to move on elsewhere when things quietened down, or even if they didn't get going). In the end I settled for a spot of vis-migging from Dundee Law. I had hoped to fit in a lot more of this sort of birding this Autumn but unfortunately it hasn't really happened, for a variety of reasons.
I headed out at 0700 for the 15 or so minute wander to the top of the hill. Things seemed rather quiet for the pre-dawn walk with no migrants heard overhead at all. Blackbird, Robin, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Herring Gull, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Dunnock, Starling, Blue Tit and House Sparrow were all seen or heard though. I reached the top of the hill a little later than intended and as I got organised 2 Meadow Pipits passed overhead. The light wasn't particularly great with the sun disappearing into a bank of grey cloud just a minute or so after appearing above the horizon. The first skein of Pink Footed Geese headed over from the direction of Invergowrie Bay around 10 minutes or so into my stint at the top of the hill.
More Meadow Pipits passed by before I heard a high flying Skylark that I failed to see. A distant gull turned out to be a Black Headed Gull. A few slightly larger groups of 7, 3 and 4 Meadow Pipits were seen heading south and southwest. A pair of Redwings were heard calling as they flew to the south of the hill. I had seen what appeared to be quite a heavy shower of rain approaching down the Carse of Gowrie and as things were relatively quiet I decided to call it a day. However as I walked down off the hill, another Redwing and a flock of around 10 Swallows went over. That made me wonder what the weather might bring down with it. I decided to seek shelter from the rain beside the toilet block instead of heading home. Thankfully, it was possible to still see some of the birds from there while staying dry below part of the roof which extended out over a cut-off corner. Another Redwing, a single Meadow Pipit then a large flock of 19 Meadow Pipits headed over. Another few Redwings followed suit before the rain had finally passed.
I wandered back up to the hill-top again. A few more skeins of Pink Footed Geese were seen, to the east, north and south. The first few Song Thrushes were seen passing and a small flock of Bullfinches showed nicely around the trees and even on the mast for a few minutes. There was a bit of a lull for around 15 minutes, though the Blue Tits, Great Tits, Goldfinches, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, squabbling Carrion Crows, Magpies and others stopped me from getting too bored. Thankfully the next trio of birds caught my attention as they flew by, despite being seemingly silent. These turned out to be a new bird for my Dundee140 list and a welcome one at that - Brambling.
It was more Meadow Pipits, Pink Footed Geese and Song Thrushes for the next half an hour or so. A Mistle Thrush rattled loudly away as it headed southwest. A flock of 8 and another of 4 Skylarks passed overhead before 10 unidentified thrushes were seen heading away to the northwest (though I suspect Mistle Thrush). Another 6 Mistle Thrushes were spotted around 0955 before a Skylark and a Redwing were heard but not seen. A few more Meadow Pipits and a pair of Skylark were noted before I decided I was unlikely to add much else. I packed up and wandered down the road to check the trees and bushes. There was plenty of activity with tits and finches in one large group working their way through the branches. I had decent views of Coal Tits eating seeds from pine cones just a few feet in front of me.
The flow of migrants hadn't quite stopped and from the west side of the hill I was able to add another 6 Mistle Thrush, 2 Starlings, 2 Song Thrushes, 1 Skylark, another 3 Song Thrushes and finally 2 Meadow Pipits before heading down the road towards the Hilltown and then home. I managed to add a Lesser Black Backed Gull and a Grey Wagtail near Gussie Park to take the list for the day to 32 species. The Brambling was a very welcome Dundee140 tick and takes me to 134 species, just 1 short of last year's 135. I now have just under 3 months to find another 6 species from somewhere. Grey Plover and Razorbill should hopefully be gettable, but the other 4 will likely take a bit of luck and a bit of effort to get. Fingers are crossed....
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| Goldfinch |
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Pink Footed Goose
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Carrion Crow
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Meadow Pipit
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| Brambling |
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| Chiffchaff |
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Song Thrush
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Carrion Crow
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Mistle Thrush
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Blue Tit
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Great Tit
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| Magpie |
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| Magpie |
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| Skylark |
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Carrion Crow
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| Bullfinch |
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| Bullfinch |
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Carrion Crow
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Racing Pigeon
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Herring Gull
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Coal Tit
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| Goldcrest |
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| Starling |
Birds - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Brambling, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Pink Footed Goose, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Skylark, Song thrush, Starling, Swallow, Woodpigeon, Wren.
