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Grey Heron
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Getting to my target figure of 78 species before I returned to work after having the first week of January as a holiday proved slightly trickier than it probably should have been. A possible Raven on Friday the 6th at Clearwater Park, that looked the part but not fully convincingly was followed by the Peregrine that wasn't (but looks like it was the escapee Saker Falcon) on Saturday on Cox's Stack, viewed from the Law. Having posted about both birds on Twitter before I'd really looked at the photos properly, probably wasn't the best idea, but having seen folk argue black is white (or that their clear Buzzard IS a White Tailed Eagle), I'd much rather hold my hands up and admit to my mistake(s). Everyone makes them, but not everyone admits to making them. For Sunday's birding, I needed to try to get something that couldn't be anything else, and preferably up close for a 100% certain identification. An early start with a number of possibilities was planned. Unfortunately, it appeared that the weather was once again not going to be completely in my favour.
I wanted to be out very early, in darkness so that I could arrive at my first location around 30 minutes before sunrise. My target was Water Rail, which is never an easy bird to see out in the open in Dundee, though I've had brief glimpses of at least one in recent weeks at Trottick. Both Aberdeen and Edinburgh seem to have locations where the birds have got used to people and show nicely from time to time. Lainy had managed to photograph one the previous day before sunrise, so nothing ventured, nothing gained.... I had a plan B, C and D, and finally a plan E, if I didn't manage to catch up with a Water Rail. However, I already had the bulk of the species I'd expect to see in Dundee in early January, so none of the birds were anywhere close to 100% certain. At best, 50% was maybe as good as I could hope for. However, I only needed one to be successful.
Herring Gull, Robin, Blackbird, Redwing, Carrion Crow and Wren were noted in the early morning half-light gloom as I hurried to where I was going. A Buzzard was seen and heard briefly over the Crematorium and a Magpie was added before I reached Ardler Village Pond. There was just enough light under the rather grey sky to be able to see some semblance of colour. There was a trio of Mallard type ducks on the pond - it appears that someone got fed up of their domestic ducks and let them go. There were a few House Sparrows, Dunnocks and Blackbirds around the section of fence where it is possible to see down to the water's edge from. I used the thermal imager to check among the closer parts of the reeds. A Moorhen rushed across the gap at one point.
Two small birds popped up to the tops of the reeds a little to the right of the gap. Raising the binoculars for a better look I discovered that it was a pair of male
Reed Buntings. Although they weren't one of the species I'd targetted for the day, they were actually a bird species I'd yet to see in 2023. Number 78 at last, and without any element of doubt. They didn't hang around and I didn't take any photos, due to the rather poor light and length of their brief visit, but they were safely 'in the bag'. I could now relax. I still hoped I could get a
Water Rail but it was no longer a major priority. A few minutes later I heard one call from the reeds part way down the length of the pond on the south side, which was answered almost immediately by a second bird from the north side. After a short exchange of grunts they again went silent.
A Woodpigeon flew over and small groups of Starlings departed from their roost among the reeds and off to wherever they were going to spend the daylight hours. A Siskin flew over and a small group of Black Headed Gulls dropped in. A Blue Tit and a Robin showed close by. A Water Rail called repeatedly from somewhere much closer, just among the reeds to my right. I readied the camera and waited. I checked with the thermal imager but the bird clearly wasn't quite as close as it sounded. I took a sound recording using the Merlin app on my phone. Eventually, the bird went quiet again, without giving me any sort of a view. Still, it was on the list, as a 'heard only' (at least for now).
I decided that I had best move on to try for another target before the dog walkers started to amass at Clatto. The walk up got me Feral Pigeon, Bullfinch and Goldcrest as well as a Mistle Thrush. There was a flock of Goldfinches and a single Siskin plus a flock of Starlings not far from the main driveway into the country park. There was still around a third of the reservoir frozen with a mixed group of Herring Gulls and Black Headed Gulls standing around on the remaining ice. In addition I was able to pick out Mallard, Goosander, Mute Swan, Common Gull, Wigeon, Coot and Tufted Duck on the water as well as a few Moorhens wandering round on the path. A Coal Tit was seen down on the ground and in one of the bushes on the western side of the reservoir.
I was hoping to use the thermal imager to get me a Woodcock in the wood to the north, as I had done last year. However, a dog walker talking loudly on his phone followed me into the wood within a few seconds of my arrival. After that a Wren was the sole bird seen among the trees and bushes until I'd navigated round most of the rectangular wood. There was a small flock of Siskins feeding down on the path while a couple of Great Tits picked around by the wall. I checked the reservoir again before calling it quits there. The sky was looking a little ominous and I decided I should probably head to my next location - Trottick Ponds, once again. Jack Snipe (and maybe a Water Rail sighting) was the reason for a return visit there.
A skein of Pink Footed Geese were seen to the north before it began to rain. A small group of half a dozen or so Yellowhammers landed on the wires as I headed down the track past the new housing development site. I reached Trottick Ponds around 30 minutes later. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was at the very top of a tree by the path. I scanned from a little further down the path but there was no sign of any birds at all down among the boggy area. However, when I moved to a different spot a few Common Snipe flew up and away. As it was still raining a little I chose not to linger after checking the area where I inadvertantly flushed a Jack Snipe from late last year. It was now after 1100 and with more rain likely I decided to head for home via a quick look at the ponds in Caird Park. I managed to get Long Tailed Tit and Chaffinch on the list for the day on the walk between Trottick and the 'Cairdie'.
A Dipper on the Gelly Burn just downstream from the ponds but before the 'big' bridge was a nice surprise, but other than Mallard and Moorhen the only other bird seen was the very relaxed Grey Heron which was stood by the footbridge between the ponds. I still expected it to walk away as I climbed the steps but despite me being about 12 feet away the bird stayed put. I took a couple of quick photos and continued on away from the bird. As I wandered the length of the pond, the bird took flight and landed up in the tree on the end of the island, due to a dog walker with a large dog coming down the path from up the hill. I got a few more photos and then headed for home. A surprise at the Regional Performance Centre was a small flock of Curlew. I ended the morning's birding with a total of 43 species of which 2 (in bold) were new for the Dundee145 list, and for the second half of that list. My first target figure had been reached making it worth the early start. I know the second half won't be anything like as easy though, but it will be interesting to see what it brings.
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| Blackbird |
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| Moorhen |
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Goldfinch & Siskin
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| Starling |
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Mistle Thrush
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| Goldeneye |
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| Goosander |
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Great Tit
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Pink Footed Goose
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| Redwing |
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| Yellowhammer |
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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| Siskin |
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| Snipe |
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| Dipper |
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Grey Heron
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Grey Heron
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Birds - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Coot, Curlew, Dipper, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Pink Footed Goose, Redwing,
Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Snipe, Starling, Tufted Duck,
Water Rail, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
