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| Yellowhammer |
Despite having had a relatively successful weekend's birding with 2 new additions to my Dundee145 list in the shape of Stonechat and Peregrine, I wasn't really expecting to add a further 2 new species on my way to and from work on Monday. The bonus pair were a rather loud kewick-ing Tawny Owl in Balgay Cemetery in the pre-dawn gloom followed by a Blackcap chack-ing loudly as it prepared to go to roost in the cemetery, and in the same area I've encountered the bird late last year, while I was walking home just after sunset. I finally managed a view of the bird as it flew to a different tree too. Keith messaged me on Tuesday morning while I was at work to let me know he'd found a few Pintail in the bay. That was Wednesday's birding destination sorted...
I asked Keith if he'd seen Woodcock at the park recently and he replied in the affirmative. A chance at Woodcock and Pintail was definitely too good an opportunity to pass up. I decided on an early start to maximise my chances. The alarm was set and somehow I fell back to sleep after it went off. Thankfully it was only around 30 minutes I lost. I was still able to be out the door for just before 0730. As it was still rather dark (and cold) at that time birds were relatively few until the sky began to lighten a bit. I did get Blackbird, Herring Gull, Carrion Crow and Robin close to home then a skein of just visble Pink Footed Geese from Byron Street a little later. Magpie, Bullfinch, Wren and Dunnock completed the short list before I reached the park.
I arrived around an hour after having left the house which meant it was still just before sunrise. Carrion Crow got the park list under way and a Redwing was added in the entrance wood. The Pink Footed Geese were leaving their roost on the river and heading over the park northwards. Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Siskin, Blue Tit and Dunnock were noted around the eastern end as I searched for Woodcock unsuccessfully, despite using the thermal imager. I did find a few Bullfinches which are always nice to get. As I wandered slowly along the front edge of Buzzard Wood, a bird took flight from within the fenceline and headed off through a slight gap in the trees. A very nice
Woodcock and bird number 84 for the Dundee145 list.
Seconds after seeing the Woodcock I turned around to see Keith behind me. As his time at the park was rather limited by circumstances we headed round to check the bay for Pintail. Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare and Chaffinch were noted on the walk round. Jackdaws flew over as we headed for the hide. From there we were able to find Curlew, Black Headed Gull, Mallard, Teal, Dunlin, Black Tailed Godwit and Redshank before Keith spotted a pair of Collared Doves flying over the railway line heading away from us. A Snipe was then found by Keith tucked in at the edge of the reedbed. Further along to the south the Greylag Geese flock were nestled in along below the bank. There were a few Feral Pigeons around and a Common Gull was found among the Black Headeds. As always there were also some Herring Gulls around.
We wandered round to check the bay from the area by the picnic tables. Stock Dove, Goldfinch and Yellowhammer added a few more species on the walk there. A Cormorant and a number of Mallard and Teal were dotted around in the bay. Keith managed to find a couple of prospective Pintail but they were asleep. We were both more or less completely sure they were
Pintail but the distance and strong light wasn't really helping, nor was the rather chilly wind. Thankfully, one of the birds raised its head long enough to confirm the ID. New bird number 2 (and 85) for me. Keith had to head off as the clock edged closer to 1000. I found a flock of Greenfinches and a Robin on the way back to the hide for another scan from there.
Wren and Long Tailed Tits were active around the hide and the usual Buzzard was perched in its favourite tree overlooking the bay. As the water levels rose further I scanned and scanned through the birds but failed to add anything else new. I made another slow lap of the top end of the park which gave me a surprise Skylark which dropped in to the grass on the north side of the hill. A Sparrowhawk zipped over upsetting the Blue Tits and Great Tits and another was seen to the north being harassed by a Carrion Crow a while later. I headed down to the lower half of the park around noon. Song Thrush and Goldcrest took my total at the park closer to the target figure I'd set myself of around 45 species.
There's a Border Collie, Hamish, who gets walked at the park around lunchtime that usually growls at me for no obvious reason (maybe he reads this blog and is understandably more pro-dog than I am!). Rounding the corner at the car park, I found Hamish just in front of me. His owner said he'd just seen the Heron which was good news for me. As we were talking, Hamish nudged my hand upwards so it more or less landed on his head. For a change, he let me stroke him, though he still growled away quietly while I did so. He's a strange dog is Hamish but I left with all my fingers intact. It didn't take long to see the Grey Heron but it took flight when it spotted me.
Having been at the park since 0830 I felt I had more or less exhausted the possibilities and decided to head for the exit around 1310. A Coal Tit showed nicely in a small conifer and what was probably the same Greenfinch flock I'd seen earlier were perched in the treetops behind Buzzard Wood. I had a look through them noting a Yellowhammer and a Chaffinch as well as a smaller bird. It was a
Lesser Redpoll so I quickly grabbed a couple of (unfortunately out of focus) record shots before the flock took flight. The Redpoll was easy to see in flight due to its smaller size and I got slightly better photos as it flew off. I wandered back round to the front of Buzzard Wood where I heard the Redpoll again and had a very brief view as it dropped down to the unfrozen water in below the trees.
I headed out of the park having managed a total of 46 species, of which 3 (in bold) were new for the year and my Dundee145 list. I decided to walk back along the river though I knew the chances of anything further were rather slim. That didn't stop me hoping for a Guillemot but it wasn't to be. Woodpigeon, Long Tailed Tit and Starling were seen as I passed by the airport. A Cormorant flew upriver before I reached the railbridge. A surprise on the other side was a flock of Dunlin heading upriver which gained height and went over the top of the bridge rather than the seemingly easier option of passing underneath. Common and Black Headed Gull were both seen on the river near Tesco but things were otherwise very quiet.
I decided to wander on to City Quay rather than detour up through the city centre. This added a few more Cormorants and Feral Pigeons. A Rock Pipit called as it flew towards the roadbridge but I failed to find it with the camera. A Rook passed high overhead going north as I walked round into the quay area. An Oystercatcher and a couple of gulls was all I could rustle up there except for a Pied Wagtail and further up the hill towards home I heard Goldfinches calling which took the 'outwith the park' list to 24 species for a sum total of 51 species for the day. An unexpectedly productive outing given how many species I already had for the year. Neither Pintail or Redpoll were on my 'likely' list for January, so it was definitely good to get them both, particularly having not managed to get Pintail at all last year in Dundee (though Keith and Mark both did). I wonder what will be next...
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Pink Footed Goose
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| Pintail |
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| Skylark |
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Mistle Thrush
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| Chaffinch |
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| Redwing |
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| Buzzard |
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Pink Footed Goose, Dunlin & Redshank
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Mallard & Black Tailed Godwit
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Sparrowhawk & Carrion Crow
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| Robin |
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Grey Heron
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Lesser Redpoll
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Herring Gull
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Common Gull
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| Rook |
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Cormorant, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Herring Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Rook, Starling, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Fieldfare, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, Jackdaw,
Lesser Redpoll, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Pink Footed Goose,
Pintail, Redshank, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Skylark, Snipe, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Stock Dove, Teal,
Woodcock, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
