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Reed Bunting
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I struggled to get motivated on Saturday morning. Not just to get out birding somewhere but to do anything at all. The Fife grapevine was alive with news of a Temminck's Stint at Letham Pools which had been found early in the morning by Jacqui Herrington. Letham Pools is having a real purple patch this Spring with a run of decent birds having been recorded lately - Spotted Crake, Ruff, Little Gull, Wood Sandpiper, Jack Snipe, Whimbrel and Marsh Harrier. Most of Fife seemed to be going to see the Stint. Ian messaged me around 1130 to say he was planning on heading over for a look as well as it would be a lifer for him and did I want to go too? Low effort birding with a very good chance of a decent bird? Of course I did, even if it wasn't in Dundee.
Ian picked me up at around 1225 as I watched a Sparrowhawk drift over, acting a little like the escaped Saker Falcon. Around half an hour later we arrived at Letham Pools. A Water Rail wandered across the road in front of us from one lot of reeds to another. Not a bad way to start. We could see birders up towards the southern end with scopes pointed over the eastern pool. A birder was just returning to her car as we were getting our scopes set up and she said there was no sign of the Stint. Within a minute or so there was an exodus from the southern end. It turned out that Alex Kidd had refound the bird in the smaller section of pool at the northern end.
We joined the throng who were headed in that direction. I chatted to Grant Robertson on the short walk along the road. I said hello to Willie Irvine who I hadn't seen for a while. Alex Kidd let me see where exactly to look for the
Temminck's Stint through his scope, which was a big help (thanks, Alex). Angus Duncan and I discussed how best to ensure photos of the rather distant and largely uncooperative Temminck's. Ian and I wandered back along to the car to scan over the pools before heading off to Angus to try Hatton for Wood Sandpiper (and Yellow Wagtail). Shoveler, Gadwall, Greylag Goose, Sedge Warbler, Black Headed Gull, Lapwing, Skylark, Tufted Duck, Shelduck, Coot, Moorhen and Teal were all noted. A Tree Sparrow flew what appeared a 'display' flight overhead.
The adult Little Gull made a reappearance and a few Swallows swept low over the water. I had a chat to Tom Beckett who I met last year with Lainy and Adam at Out Head when another Stint, a Little Stint, landed in front of us all. A Yellowhammer landed on the wires behind us as we scanned from the southern end. A Buzzard put in a brief appearance just as we were heading off. Rook was added just outside Dundee. We arrived at a rather busy car park at Easthaven around 1430. Sandwich Terns were seen offshore as we set off eastwards along the cycle path. Goldfinch, Linnet, Meadow Pipit and Reed Bunting were seen along with a few Pied Wagtails in the fields while on the shore were Curlew and Oystercatcher and more Herring Gulls. A Great Black Backed Gull was found perched out on the rocks.
There was no sign of any waders in any of the pools opposite the water treatment plant. There was however a very welcome
Wheatear on the other side of the railway line. This was my second year-tick of the day. The Rabbits in the field with the largest pool all seemed to be suffering with Myxomatosis, including fairly small young recently born kit(ten)s.We heard a
Whimbrel call from the direction of the beach and crossed the field for a look. We failed to find it though I did add it to my year-list on the 'heard only' basis. We found around half a dozen Ringed Plover among the rocks. One looked like it might have greenish legs but there was a bit of a panic and the bird flew out of view behind a rock with some of the others.
Despite much scanning there was no sign of the hoped for Yellow Wagtail so with time getting the better of us we set off back towards the car park. We stopped to scan across the sea and the rocks at various points on the walk back. From behind us I heard an unusual bird call that didn't immediately ring any bells with me. Within half a second or so it registered what it actually was and I spun round and saw the bird flying away from us and got Ian onto the rapidly departing bird. I managed a couple of poor record shots which confirmed my suspicion. It was a
Yellow Wagtail. Offshore a distant Gannet passed eastwards. To the north I spotted a male Pheasant but nothing else new was seen before we reached the car again.
We headed back to Dundee without adding anything else new en route. Ian dropped me off just before 1700 and as I crossed the road a Collared Dove flew past taking my total for the afternoon's birding to 53 species of which 4 (in bold) were new for my year-list which these days is nowehere near a priority for me. It is always good to get new birds but there is no great urge this year again to jump on a bus to Angus or Fife regardless of what might turn up. My Dundee 140 list feels like more of a challenge and is definitely my main focus for 2022. As most birds were rather distant, I didn't take many photos so those here are mostly rather poor 'record shots'.
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Temminck's Stint
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Temminck's Stint
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Tree Sparrow
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Black Headed Gull, Shelduck, Little Gull, Tufted Duck and Mallard
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| Skylark |
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| Wheatear |
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Yellow Wagtail
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Pied Wagtail
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Birds - Black Headed Gull, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunnock, Eider, Gadwall, Gannet, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Little Gull, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Reed Bunting, Ringed Plover, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sandwich Tern, Sedge Warbler, Shelduck, Shoveler, Skylark, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Swallow, Teal,
Temminck's Stint, Tree Sparrow, Tufted Duck, Water Rail,
Wheatear, Whimbrel, Woodpigeon,
Yellow Wagtail, Yellowhammer.
