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Lesser Black Backed Gull
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The weather forecast on Sunday looked quite decent, although a little on the chilly side. I decided I would head for Riverside Nature Park to see what I could find there. My plan was to go via the top of Dundee Law and also check out Balgay Hill on the way there. There was no great rush, so I could take my time and just see what I could find. Once again it wouldn't be a very early start but the later start meant that I stood a slightly better chance of seeing some displaying raptors from the top of the Law - which was my main reason for visiting there.
I headed out at 0945. Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Robin, Starling, Woodpigeon, Dunnock and Carrion Crow got the day's list underway though these were largely expected species. House Sparrow, Magpie, Collared Dove, Blackbird and Blue Tit soon followed. I then added Great Tit and Goldfinch on the walk up the hill towards the Law. As I passed the allotments on the eastern side I spotted a Carrion Crow tussling with a Sparrowhawk a little to the south of the hill. Out came the camera as the pair headed off westwards. I made my way up the steps to the top of the Law where I checked Cox's Stack for Peregrine. I could see there was a single bird on the northeast corner. I didn't notice that there was also a second bird on the southeast corner, due to the distance and it having its back to me.
A Sparrowhawk flew past as I was looking out to the west. It passed around the back of the hill before continuing out to the southeast. Within a few minutes, another Sparrowhawk headed past going north this time. A distant skein of (most likely) Pink Footed Geese were seen out to the north. After 20 minutes or so I headed down the Law Steps on the western side of the hill noting Goldcrest, Chaffinch, Long Tailed Tit and Greenfinch on the walk down. At the bottom, I looked up to see a Buzzard circling round not too high above. It was joined by a second bird a little higher. Once again, out came the camera and I got a few more photos.
As I wandered up Saggar Street on my way to Balgay Hill, a Buzzard drifted over and another flew up to intercept it. I suspect the first was one of the pair seen a few minutes earlier. When I reached the open area on the side of the hill (where the council are planting more trees - as they are at Clatto and Riverside Nature Park) I spotted a Buzzard landing in one of the mature trees. I decided to try to get a little closer for a photo. I succeeded, probably because there was also a couple more people in the bird's field of view. I then took a slow wander over the top of the hill which gave me a few more species for the day - Coal Tit, Nuthatch, Jay, Bullfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Stock Dove.
I headed for the western end of the Nature Park via Ninewells Arboretum where Jackdaw and Song Thrush were both found. I reached the Nature Park around 1135 and began a new list, as I always do, solely for the birds seen at the park. Magpie, Song Thrush, Great Tit, Goldfinch, Wren, Redshank, Carrion Crow and Woodpigeon got things started. I spent the next hour or so at the hide scanning through the birds out in front as the tide came in. Curlew, Dunlin, Mallard, Teal, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, Greylag Goose, Feral Pigeon, Black Headed Gull, Common Gull, Chaffinch and Jackdaw were all noted within the first half an hour. Things tailed off slightly though a pair of Shelduck, Dunnock, a Lesser Black Backed Gull, Blackbird, Blue Tit and Long Tailed Tit did all make it onto the list in the second 30 minutes.
Despite the weather forecast being for dry weather it began to rain quite heavily. Thankfully, the overhang of the 'hide' screen did provide some protection, and the fact that at least some of the heaviest of the unexpected downpour turned to hail meant I was able to stay reasonably dry. Once the rain had abated a bit, Pink Footed Goose and Oystercatcher were added. With the sky looking like there might be more rain still to come I decided to cut my losses and make a quick check of the rest of the park before heading for home again. I managed to find House Sparrow, Bullfinch and Robin on my walk round. At the top of the hill I was able to get some fairly close views of a pair of Skylarks feeding by the side of the path near the viewpoint.
Starling, Stock Dove and Greenfinch were all found as I wandered onwards towards the exit. There seemed to be a tree-planting 'event' going on and I stopped for a chat with Ian Ford (the Friends of RNP group chairman) and Alison Abercrombie. The rain began to fall again as we chatted so I left them to the tree planting and headed off again. Thankfully the rain wasn't as heavy as it had been earlier and I decided to walk back home along Riverside Drive. This gave me Pied Wagtail and Oystercatcher near the footbridge over the railway line. A pair of Lesser Black Backed Gulls were hanging around on the seawall as I neared the V&A and Discovery Point. I suspect at least one of these birds is likely to be one I've photographed there a few times over the past 15 years or so, returning for yet another summer in Dundee.
A Cormorant flew downriver. Although my legs were feeling a bit on the heavy side by this time, I decided to continue along to City Quay for a look there. There was a Cormorant on the wooden platform in the corner near the lock gates and a singing Linnet on the far side of the former dry dock. A trio of Oystercatchers and a skulking Dunnock as well as an unexpected pair of Rabbits in the Sea Cadets enclosure, were also around. I spotted a pair of Buzzards chasing each other to the north, and they were soon joined by a third Buzzard before they all drifted slowly in the direction of the city centre. There was nothing else added on my walk home from there and I ended the day having seen or heard a total of 47 species from the combined totals of 35 species at the park and 35 outwith the park. It was a shame the weather cut short my stay at Riverside Nature Park but it was good to get out and see what I could find anyway.
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Sparrowhawk & Carrion Crow
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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Pink Footed Goose
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| Peregrine |
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| Buzzard |
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| Buzzard |
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Grey Wagtail
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| Shelduck |
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Long Tailed Tit
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Herring Gull
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Carrion Crow
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| Shelduck |
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| Redshank |
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Greylag Goose
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Redshank & Dunlin
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| Bullfinch |
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| Skylark |
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| Skylark |
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Lesser Black Backed Gull
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Lesser Black Backed Gull
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Linnet |
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| Buzzard |
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Cormorant, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Nuthatch, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon.
Mammals (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Common Gull, Curlew,
Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit,
Greenfinch, Grey Wagtail, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black
Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Oystercatcher, Pink Footed Goose, Redshank, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Shelduck, Skylark, Song
Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Teal, Woodpigeon, Wren.
