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Common Gull
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Although Saturday's birding was rather unspectacular overall, I had managed to at least get some birding in. However, my blistered heel was still giving me some grief which did somewhat limit just how far I was likely to be able to walk on Sunday. As with Saturday there weren't any particularly realistic target species around to try for to get me to my target of 140 species from within Dundee in 2022. Everything would be rather speculative. I did want to try to get a better photo of the Kingfisher at Swannie Ponds, but beyond that, more practice with the OM-1 camera would be my main priority.
I headed out shortly after 1105. I had only gone a few steps when I heard a Fieldfare calling from overhead. I looked up and saw 2 of them flying over southwards. Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Starling, Herring Gull, Magpie, Redwing, Black Headed Gull and Feral Pigeon provided a steady stream of new additions as I headed in the direction of Swannie Ponds. Robin, Blue Tit and Greenfinch were also noted before I reached the ponds. There were Long Tailed Tits around, their calls providing some background noise as I checked through the other birds on the water and rocks.
It was mostly a fairly standard mix of birds for the site - Mallard, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan, Coot, Moorhen, Black Headed Gull, Common Gull and Herring Gull. As well as these there was a single Goosander on the lower pond and a Wigeon on the top pond. It didn't take long to get the first views of the Kingfisher though I missed out on photos as it disappeared into the trees on the island. A single Pink Footed Goose passed overhead as I waited on the Kingfisher reappearing. As I was watching one of the ducks, I noticed it tilt its head to one side and hold it there for a few seconds. It was obviously looking at something. High above, I spotted a Sparrowhawk. A few seconds later and a bit lower down, a second Sparrowhawk glided over, with a couple of angry Carrion Crows in tow.
Wren, Great Tit and Chaffinch called from the island before the Kingfisher showed up again, perching in the Willow that overhangs the water at the eastern end of the island. As the light was better than the previous day, I was able to get a few better photos of the bird, though the hanging branches did get in the way a little. Having spent a bit longer at the ponds than I had intended to, I decided to move on to Eastern Cemetery next. Dunnock and House Sparrow were found on the short walk to get there. A pair of Goosander were an unexpected sight as I wandered in to the cemetery at the top end. Goldfinch, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Stock Dove, a hunting Sparrowhawk and Mistle Thrushes were all found there, along with a noisy Grey Squirrel, but it was overall much quieter there than of late with no obvious flocks of winter thrushes, so I continued on down to the Stannergate to check the Tay.
I could see some very distant birds out to the east on the river but they were just too far away to identify. I decided to walk along the esplanade far enough to be able to get a better view. A Rook flew over and there were a few Cormorants close in to shore as I wandered along. As usual there were some Turnstones living up to their name among the pebbles. A single Redshank and a small group of Oystercatchers were photographed. I had brief views of a Rock Pipit which appeared to have a metal ring on one leg, though the photos unsurprisingly don't show any sort of detail that would make it possible to determine where it was ringed. I failed to find any sign of what I thought was probably an auk I'd seen earlier but did get better views of a small group of Red Breasted Mergansers which had drifted further out from the beach.
With time and daylight now increasingly against me, I decided to turn back with the intention of popping into City Quay for another look there, rather than doubling back on myself to Swannie Ponds via Eastern Cemetery. A Grey Seal was seen out on the river muching on a fish of some description. Things proved even quieter than the day before at City Quay though a Grey Heron did fly in from the river. Heading up through the city centre on my way home, a Grey Wagtail became the final bird on the list for the day, taking my total number for the day to a fairly decent 45, an increase of almost a third on the previous day's efforts. Once again, nothing particularly spectacular but the variety at Swannie Ponds was good to see. How much of that added variety is down to the addition of the rock piles in the top pond is hard to be certain of, but it is most definitely good to see.
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| Mallard |
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Carrion Crow & Mallard
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| Wigeon |
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Black Headed Gull
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| Kingfisher |
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| Goosander |
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Tufted Duck
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| Sparrowhawk |
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Common Gull
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Goosander |
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Mistle Thrush
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Stock Dove
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| Rabbit |
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Carrion Crow
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Rock Pipit
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| Redshank |
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| Turnstone |
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Cormorant (probable 'Sinensis' race)
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Grey Heron
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Birds - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Dunnock, Fieldfare, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kingfisher, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pink Footed Goose, Red Breasted Merganser, Redshank, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Rook, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Tufted Duck, Turnstone, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals - Grey Seal, Grey Squirrel, Rabbit.
