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| Starling |
Mark Wilkinson messaged me late on the afternoon of Tuesday the 12th of April to let me know he was watching Little Gulls off Broughty Castle and that there were also lots of Razorbills out on the river too. As I still needed both for my #Dundee145 list Mark's message made up my mind as to where I would go birding the following day. I would head for Broughty Ferry and Balmossie in the hope that both species would still be around. However, there can be a lot of activity at high tide then by low tide there appears to be no birds out on the water. I would need some luck if I was to catch up with both - though any new addition would be my 100th species for Dundee this year. I set the alarm for a very early start.
I headed out just before 0610 noting Herring Gull, Blackbird, Feral Pigeon and Dunnock straight away. Blue Tit, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, and Woodpigeon soon followed with House Sparrow and Carrion Crow added before I reached Swannie Ponds. Mute Swan, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Goosander and Coot were on the water there. Greenfinch and Song Thrush were also around in the trees. I had decided to take a rather circuitous route to get to Balmossie going via Middleton Wood to check the pond there and the flooded field to the east (for migrant waders etc), then down through Whitfield to the Dighty Burn which I would follow along to Baldovie Road before heading down Claypotts Road to the river before stopping off at the Castle to scan from there.
As I headed down Pitkerro Road a Cormorant flew over which was a bit of a surprise given where I was. Great Tit, Chaffinch, Wren, Collared Dove and Pied Wagtail gave me a few more species as I headed down to the Dighty then back up Longhaugh Road. Although this route was more direct it was one I had been avoiding as the uphill stretch was something I wasn't really keen on - especially so early in the morning. I reached the road out to Duntrune at 0650. A Fox was wandering across a nearby field and I tried to get the camera out of my bag to get a photo or two. Unfortunately, the Fox spotted me and changed direction. By the time I had the camera in my hand the Fox had disappeared behind a raised part of the field.
A Grey Heron and a Moorhen were all that I could see at the pond. I continued on up the road noting a Buzzard being pursued by crows and a rather noisy Pheasant. Although it was still early, the Skylarks were already singing. The flooded field proved fruitless but there were a few Goldcrests in the trees by the entrance into Middleton Wood. I found a Reed Bunting as I wandered along the paths in the wood. I spooked a few groups of Roe Deer but birds were in relatively short supply. I navigated my way south through Whitfield. On the way down to the Dighty I was able to get Oystercatcher, Coal Tit, Long Tailed Tit and Lesser Black Backed Gull on the morning's lengthening list. As I reached the burn a Sparrowhawk circled over the former football pitches and a Buzzard was on the ground but flew off when it spotted me.
I continued on along the burn but Bullfinch and Dipper were the only new species found between Drumgeith Road and the Tay. I reached the river at around 0825. It was rather windy and relatively chilly. I picked out a few Eider on the water. As I was going to be seaching for Little Gulls between Tayport and the Castle, I scanned first from the jetty just east of the lifeboat station. I saw what I thought might be a Little Gull but it was too far out across the river to be completely confident though the underwing did appear black (though I've seen Black Headed Gulls look like they have a black underwing from a distance). As I looked out over the river, I realised there was a small dark bird skimming the waves. It was a Swallow, my first of the year and my species number 100 for my Dundee145 list. A further trio and another single also passed by before I continued onwards. There were a few Turnstones resting at the edge of the jetty that I hadn't noticed previously and I managed to avoid flushing them as I passed by.
I sheltered out of the wind by the 'Phibbies' shed for another scan out over the river. Again, I had a few possible Little Gulls but they were too far away to be certain with the small scope I was using. I continued on to the eastern side of the Castle where it turned out to be a little more sheltered, though still rather cold. I spotted a few auks which I thought were probably Razorbills but it took a few more groups in flight to be 100% certain. I discovered that the rocks by the southern side of the Castle were relatively sheltered from the wind and being seated meant it was easier to support the scope on the monopod which made viewing easier. A Rock Pipit landed among the rocks beside me but immediately dropped out of sight.
I spent the best part of the next hour and a bit trying to pick out a Little Gull but without any definite success. The OM-1's limitations compared to my old DSLR set-up meant that I couldn't even rely on a photo for confirmation. Although I was unable to nail down a Little Gull I did succeed in getting another species of gull - Kittiwake. There were a few adults and one or two 2nd year birds which showed a bit closer to the north side of the river giving me my 3rd year-tick of the morning. A Common Gull was added and a Redshank was in the harbour. My 4th Dundee145 tick of the morning was a single winter plumaged Red Throated Diver seen struggling into the wind a little out about mid-river.
I headed into the Castle for a bit of heat at 1000. I tried scanning from the viewing room at the top but a number of factors made this less satisfactory than being outside, so once I'd warmed up enough I headed back outside to scan from the former gun emplacements. I added a few more Black Headed and Common Gulls as well as a few more Razorbills before deciding to continue on eastwards towards Balmossie. I added a pair of Linnets and a Meadow Pipit on the walk along the beach. I found a spot on the rock armour far enough away from the burn mouth that I wasn't disturbing any of the birds but close enough to be able to pick out enough detail with the scope. From this spot I was able to note Curlew, Bar Tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Sanderling, Wigeon, Great Black Backed Gull and Red Breasted Merganser. On a sandbank were a few 'hauled out' Grey Seals.
After another hour sat scanning through the birds I decided to wander back westwards. I popped into the small local nature reserve where Stock Dove, Siskin, Robin and a singing Blackcap were all to be found. Unfortunately, as I was about to get a few photos of the Blackcap a dog walker chose to stop to tell me his great plan, which was to remove the fence beyond the flats so it would be possible to walk right along the back parallel to the railway line, rather than have to go around the front. I pointed out that the area this would open up was the least disturbed part of the reserve and doing so would lead to more disturbance to the birds (and probably also those living in the flats). Once he wandered off again, there was no sign of the Blackcap, which was disappointing, though not surprising.
A pair of Starlings near the lifeboat station posed nicely, with the male showing off some impressive variety in his mimicry as he displayed to the female bird feeding beside him. Another Sparrowhawk and a Cormorant were the main highlights on the walk back along the river. I decided to check out City Quay and as I wandered along the cycle path, a driver inside the fence pointed out a Buzzard in a tree over the other side of the railway line, (he said there are usually a pair in the tree). Things were very quiet at City Quay however. Another Sparrowhawk and a final addition in the shape of a Jackdaw were added before I reached home feeling rather leg-weary having walked a little over 16 miles. The 4 new additions to my Dundee145 list did make it feel like worthwhile effort though, even if I had missed out on getting Little Gull on the list. I had managed a total of 63 species of birds which was pretty decent going, as well as 4 of mammal. All in all, a decent day's birding.
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Roe Deer
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| Buzzard |
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| Bullfinch |
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Grey Heron
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| Dipper |
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| Swallow |
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| Turnstone |
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Cormorant (Sinensis race)
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| Kittiwake |
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| Razorbill |
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Rock Pipit
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| Eider |
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Pied Wagtail
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| Linnet |
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| Redshank |
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Blue Tit
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| Bullfinch |
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| Chaffinch |
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| Greenfinch |
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House Sparrow
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Herring Gull
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Birds - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dipper, Dunlin, Dunnock, Eider, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw,
Kittiwake, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail,
Razorbill, Red Breasted Merganser, Redshank,
Red Throated Diver, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Sanderling, Siskin, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove,
Swallow, Tufted Duck, Turnstone, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals - Fox, Grey Seal, Rabbit, Roe Deer.
