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| Osprey |
Following on from Monday's failed expedition to the westernmost parts of the city, I had decided to head to the opposite end, the eastern extremeties on Tuesday with Balmossie my main destination. When I got up I wasn't feeling 100%, with a bit of queasiness making me ponder the wisdom of going for a long walk. However, once I got organised I had convinced myself that I should give it a go to make up for not getting out on Sunday and Monday's partial failure to get where I was actually meant to be going. The weather forecast was a bit variable too, starting off cold but brightening up and warming up later. That in itself presented the dilemma of what exactly to wear. I got organised anyway and headed out at a little after 0850.
Blackbird, Jackdaw, Blue Tit, Herring Gull, Starling, Robin, Woodpigeon and Feral Pigeon were all noted as I headed for Clepington Road. My stomach wasn't feeling particularly great and it was much colder than I had dressed for. It felt like a very bad idea so I turned around and headed back home. Balmossie would have to wait. I got back home a few minutes later and put the kettle for a cup of tea on to try to warm up a bit. As I had a few blog-posts to catch up with, and lots of photos still to edit, I knew I had plenty to keep myself busy, so a day at home wouldn't (or at least shouldn't) really be wasted. Around 0925 I got a text message from Keith telling me he'd just found a summer plumaged Golden Plover in Invergowrie Bay, which was a long overdue park tick. I messaged him back to say 'well done' and also to say I didn't really feel up to trying for it.
However, given that Golden Plover is a difficult bird to catch up with in Dundee these days, I knew I would struggle to claw that one back. It would also be a patch tick for me. I had to give it a go. With luck I could walk down, see the bird and following a quick once around the park, head back home for around lunchtime. My bag was already packed so I messaged Keith back to say, I was on my way. Carrion Crow was the first 'new' bird of my second attempt to get out birding that morning, followed by House Sparrow, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Chiffchaff. I discovered that this time I was a bit over-dressed, rather than under-dressed as I hurried on along Byron Street. Keith had messaged me back as I headed down Provost Road to say the plover had just flown off but he was trying to relocate it out on the rather plentiful low tide expanses of exposed mud.
I added Lesser Black Backed Gull near the end of Byron Street, a Peregrine on Cox's Stack and a singing Blackcap and Coal Tit at the end of The Miley. Cutting through Balgay Cemetery I then added Nuthatch and Chaffinch. Goldcrest and Siskin soon followed as I passed the Botanic Gardens with Magpie finally being seen as I neared the park. I somehow managed to reach the park a bit ahead of schedule by about 5 minutes. There were a few Rabbits in amongst the saplings at the eastern end. Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Robin and Woodpigeon got the list for the park visit underway. Continuing on towards the bay, I noted Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Willow Warbler, Blackbird, Feral Pigeon, Wren and Chiffchaff.
Skylarks were plentiful above the hill and Song Thrush and Blue Tit were spotted near the path up to the hill viewpoint. The tide was still quite far out when I reached the bench at the southwestern corner of the park's publicly accessible parts. Dunlin, Redshank, Teal, Curlew, Bar Tailed Godwit, Oystercatcher and Mallard were all picked out on my initial bout of scanning using binoculars. Out came the small scope for a hopefully more in-depth look. Grey Heron, Shelduck, Cormorant, Herring Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull and Common Gull were soon also on the list, but there was no sign of the Golden Plover. As the tide was on its way in, I knew there was a chance the bird would come back in on the tide. I also knew I would need to be patient.
A Peacock butterfly flitted around on the slope in front of where I was standing and a Linnet flew over. The Mute Swan pair were once again visible in the burn outflow and as the tide pushed more birds into the inner part of the bay I managed to find a colour ringed Black Tailed Godwit (though the OM-1's sensor size and image resolution made it difficult to decide how many rings, and what colour they all were). A Meadow Pipit flew over just a few minutes before an Osprey arrived over the bay. Unlike Saturday, an attempt at fishing was made and a small-ish flatfish was caught and carrried off. Goldfinch, Black Headed Gull, Buzzard, Blackcap, Reed Bunting and Swallow were noted over the next half an hour or so as the tide made the mud vanish pushing the birds further and further into the bay.
I headed round to the hide to scan from there but other than another Black Tailed Godwit it proved to be a rather fruitless endeavour. I admitted defeat on the Golden Plover at around 1250 and wandered back into the park. A Yellowhammer was singing in the trees along the path. A Moorhen was at the Lochan as was a Grey Heron and a few Mallards. A Starling flew over before I had a 'run-in' with a dog walker with 2 large off -lead dogs who ignored all the signs to walk over the hill. I managed to get her to head back to the path with some reluctance but the dogs weren't put on a lead, nor were they even kept in her sight. Our paths crossed again a little later, as she wandered round the bend about a minute after her dogs had and a 'discussion' was had. She apparently doesn't always see signs when she's driving either....
One of the White butterflies (Green Veined?) and a few Small Tortoiseshell were seen along the track round to the right from the car park. A Sparrowhawk was spotted before I eventually headed homewards shortly before 1400. Willow Warbler and an Orange Tip butterfly were noted on Riverside Avenue while Skylarks could be heard singing from above the airport. Long Tailed Tit, Sparrowhawk and Stock Dove were seen in Balgay Cemetery as were a Peacock butterfly, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay and Grey Squirrel. I also had decent views of a pair of Nuthatches near one of the nest sites from last year, which hopefully bodes well for this year. Collared Dove was seen on Kinghorne Road taking my total for the day to 56 species (split between 30 outwith Riverside Nature Park, and 45 at the park). I was naturally disappointed not to get the Golden Plover, but well done again to Keith for adding yet another species to the park list which now sits at 159. What will be number 160 (and who will find it)?
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Song Thrush
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Black Tailed Godwit & Redshank
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Herring Gull
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Bar Tailed Godwit & Oystercatcher
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| Osprey |
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| Buzzard |
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Redshank, Teal, Black Headed Gull, Dunlin & Black Tailed Godwit
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| Peacock |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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| Nuthatch |
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| Nuthatch |
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| Nuthatch |
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| Jay |
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| Jay |
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Grey Squirrel
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Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Nuthatch, Peregrine, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Skylark, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon.
Butterflies (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Orange Tip, Peacock.
Mammals (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Grey Squirrel.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Lesser Black backed Gull, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Shelduck, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Swallow, Teal, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Butterflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - (Green Veined?) White, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell.
Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.
