With Saturday having produced an unexpected year-tick in Common Sandpiper, I felt a bit more keen to get out on Sunday. The weather forecast was better and I was hoping that I might manage to pick up something else new for the year-list and my Dundee 140 list. As with the day before I decided I would visit a few sites to increase my chances of getting something new, with Riverside Nature Park my main destination. I was a bit later getting out of my bed than intended but was delayed slightly in getting out by a phone call from my pal, Garry, telling me that there were 2 USAF tanker aircraft just to the east of Dundee headed in my direction. Thankfully, I managed to get some photos before I headed out around 1040.
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Stock Dove
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The birding was a bit slower than recently with Herring Gull, Blue Tit, Feral Pigeon, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Carrion Crow, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Starling added at a rate just slightly better than 1 per minute. I headed in the direction of Dundee Law adding Robin, Magpie and Collared Dove on the way, though I continued on along Kinghorne Road, instead of walking up the hill access road. A small group of Greylags overflew as I headed down the other side. The Law Steps gave me a couple more species with Woodpigeon and Bullfinch as well as Grey Squirrel. I headed up onto Balgay Hill up the muddy track from Saggar Street. I managed to find Blackbird, Great Tit, Treecreeper, Redwing and Coal Tit on the hill and a Sparrowhawk swooped down on a small bird in the cemetery before flying off with it towards Royal Victoria Hospital.
I continued down to Ninewells Arboretum to check the feeders in the Community Garden. The local Jackdaw flock were very active overhead. I added Dunnock, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Stock Dove around the feeders and Long Tailed Tits nearby. Otherwise it was a fairly typical mix of species around the feeders. A Sparrowhawk overhead drew some attention from one of the local Carrion Crows and before I left another Sparrowhawk glided by from the northwest. I spent a bit longer than intended at Ninewells before continuing on to Riverside Nature Park. A tree where I often find Bullfinches once again delivered with a male feeding on buds a few feet above me. I reached the park just after 1230.
Robin, Song Thrush, Carrion Crow and Feral Pigeon were first onto the list, followed by Mallard, Redshank and Teal down in front of the hide. Black Headed Gulls and Herring Gulls were on the water. I found a single Dunlin among the Redshanks roosting on the railway embankment. There was a Mute Swan on the Lochan along with Mallard and Teal and a Black Headed Gull. Wandering round I added Dunnock, Common Gull, Blackbird, Jackdaw and a Buzzard which was harassed by a Carrion Crow from Ninewells to the park. I found a Bullfinch pair while looking for Woodcock with the thermal imager before 'Mikewander' from BirdForum and his daughter arrived. I had a wander back to the car park with them, adding Redwing and Wren on the way.
I wandered back round to the bay where I spotted a distant Red Breasted Merganser across the far side of the bay and a Cormorant further out on the river. A Pied Wagtail flew over. Goldfinch was added from the top of the hill and the Curlew flock were once again seen on the airport grass. On my way to the lower half a Magpie was spotted. A few Siskins were seen in flight. Woodpigeons and Stock Doves were feeding on the grassy area behind the car park and I found a Rabbit in the bushes using the thermal imager. Greenfinch, Great Tit, Blue Tit and Chaffinch were found in the trees and bushes around the lower half of the park.
A Sparrowhawk was seen off to the north and an Oystercatcher was heard from the airport. A group of Long Tailed Tits were seen as I spoke to Ian Ford behind Buzzard Wood. I had been intending on checking for Yellowhammer but as the light was beginning to go, I decided I would head along Riverside to look for Woodcock in the wooded areas next to the railway line. Unfortunately, the road was rather busy and I couldn't get across so decided to comtinue on to check the river where I found a Common Gull. I had a chat to a young photographer who was heading back to her car after photographing the railbridge when she spotted me photographing the Loganair flight on its way back to the airport. I added Pied Wagtails heading to roost along towards Discovery Point and the V&A.
I spent a bit of time wandering around trying to make the most of the sunset sky which was looking rather good before calling it a day and heading for home. I managed a total of 42 species, though with nothing new for either my Dundee 140 list or my 2022 list. Of these, 28 species were noted outwith the park, with 35 at the park. Disappointingly, some of those that I missed out on, would have been new for the year-list/Dundee list, such as Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Shelduck and Skylark. All of those I will catch up with at some point but it would have been good to get at least one or two of them on Sunday. Still, despite not getting anything new it was a decent enough day out.
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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Sparrowhawk & Carrion Crow
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Sparrowhawk & Carrion Crow
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| Chaffinch |
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Grey Squirrel
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| Greenfinch |
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| Greenfinch |
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Bullfinch |
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| Bullfinch |
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| Teal |
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Buzzard & Carrion Crow
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Buzzard & Carrion Crow
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Buzzard & Carrion Crow
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| Teal |
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| Teal |
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| Bullfinch |
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| Bullfinch |
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Stock Dove
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Stock Dove
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Stock Dove
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Oystercatcher |
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Pied Wagtail, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Treecreeper, Woodpigeon.
Mammals (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Grey Squirrel.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Red Breasted Merganser, Redshank, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Stock Dove, Teal, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.
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Bonus USAF tankers - KC-135R and KC-46A
