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Tufted Duck
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Following on from Friday's enjoyable birding in the sunshine I decided I wanted to make the most of Saturday's similar weather conditions. I decided I would wander out along the Dighty eastwards once again and just see what I could find. I wasn't expecting anything too unusual but as always there would be a possibility of running into something good. I wasn't certain what I would do once I reached the West Pitkerro area but I knew I wouldn't be short of options. I set the alarm for another early start.
It was a bit later than intended when I headed out at 0720. I wandered up to Swannie Ponds where the still conditions gave me some decent photo opportunities with the new rocks providing something a bit different from previous visits. A Meadow Pipit was heard passing over and a Chiffchaff was heard singing from the trees nearby. I headed down Pitkerro Road to the Dighty Burn and followed the path eastwards. A Sparrowhawk male was seen flying into a tree by the first footbridge after the roadbridge as I took the camera out of the bag. A larger bird which was most likely a female Sparrowhawk (but which had looked rather Goshawk-like) had prompted the taking out of the camera but it diappeared behind the trees before I got onto it with the camera.
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| Moorhen |
Following the burn onwards I was able to add Long Tailed Tit, Bullfinch, Goldcrest, Common Gull, Collared Dove, Reed Bunting, Pheasant and Grey Heron amongst other more common birds. A pair of Roe Deer watched me from the fenced off area to the west of the Police station. A Buzzard took flight when it spotted me from within the Police station grounds. The first Dipper of the day flew past a few minutes later. I almost stood on a Common Frog sitting on the path but fortunately noticed just in time. I was able to get plenty of photos and even a video clip of the Frog before it reluctantly moved off the path when a few dog walkers stopped for a look.
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| Bullfinch |
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Roe Deer
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Common Frog
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Grey Wagtail and Pied Wagtail were seen a little further on before I wandered through the trees behind West Pitkerro industrial estate, adding a Treecreeper. There were Curlews and a Stock Dove in the ploughed field but the grassy field was now full of cows and their calves, rendering it a no-go area. I managed to find a Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming in a tree by the end of Barlow Avenue. I decided to do a spot of exploring. Rather than continue north through the trees I wandered up the edge of the field on the eastern side of the burn. A Peacock butterfly was seen along the field edge as it sunned itself.
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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| Small Tortoiseshell |
At the top end of the field I found there was actually a footpath of sorts and decided to follow it east. A fallen tree blocked the way around halfway along but I was able to skirt round the roots end. A few Yellowhammers were seen and a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly flitted past. A track leading off to the north looked interesting for future visits so I decided to check that out too. It did look like it might be at its best in early May when the bulk of the summer migrants are back. A few Skylarks were seen and a male Pheasant flushed as I wandered slowly up the track.
I followed the track back south again through the Clearwater Park housing estate where a Jay flew over. I then headed back west to the Dighty again. I was watching the Dippers squabbling on the burn when I spotted a distant bird circling out to the northeast. It looked too big to be a Buzzard and a quick check with the binoculars confirmed that suspicion. It was a White Tailed Eagle but for a change it wasn't the Fife female but a younger bird. I watched as it soared higher in the sky before drifting off to the north. Not a year-tick, or a Dundee tick but it was my 4th sighting of one of these big birds from Dundee in 4 months - one in each month since December. It is great to see these huge birds in the air over and around the city.
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| Jay |
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| Dipper |
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White Tailed Eagle
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| Buzzard |
Nothing else of note was added as I wandered back along the burn though I did still manage to take more photos. I decided that as it was still only around lunchtime that I would wander down to the Stannergate to scan out across the river. This did add Eider, Cormorant, Turnstone and Redshank to the list for the day but the wind felt quite chilly so I decided not to linger too long. Instead I chose to follow the cycle path back towards City Quay. I intended to check out City Quay but instead I settled for a visit to Baxter Park for some photo opportunities at Spring Grove. Although there was nothing too unusual seen there I did manage to get some nice photos. My first Dark Bordered Bee Fly of 2022 was seen hovering near one of the small trees and a Wren was seen gathering nest material and disappearing at the same spot near the fence repeatedly.
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Rook |
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| Rabbit |
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| Wren |
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Dark Bordered Bee Fly
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| Dunnock |
I decided to finish the day's birding with another visit to Swannie Ponds. The male Mallards weren't giving the females any respite and I got some behavioural photos showing the drakes' less 'cutesy' side. A male Goosander was noted before I finally called it a day and headed for home. Despite not adding anything new to my Dundee 140 list, it was good to get another White Tailed Eagle and do a spot of further exploring that could hopefully prove productive in future. I ended the day with 56 species of bird recorded as well as 1 of amphibian, 2 of butterflies and 2 of mammals.A long but worthwhile day out once again.
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| Mallard |
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| Goosander |
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Feral Pigeon
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Birds - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dipper, Dunnock, Eider, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Treecreeper, Tufted Duck, Turnstone, White Tailed Eagle, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Amphibians - Common Frog
Butterflies - Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell.
Mammals - Rabbit, Roe Deer.
