 |
Great Crested Grebe
|
I couldn't get motivated to get out and about on Sunday, though I did watch this year's attempts by a pair of Collared Doves to build a nest once again in exactly the same unsuitable spot as last year, from my living room window. At one point, there was a Collared Dove on the 'nest' but once again, the weather managed to remove the pile of weedy stalks and the odd stick very easily. I wonder if they'll try again this time next year. Despite taking a couple of days off work with the sole intention to get out birding, I was struggling again to get motivated on Monday. Eventually I decided I should make some effort even though I really didn't feel like it, both mentally and physically. With Lainy having had some success with House Martins at Clatto, I decided I would try there and then head out to the western edge of the city between Liff and Benvie, in search of a Wheatear.
I headed out at around 0955. I had decided to head down through Caird Park to Trottick Ponds then up to Clatto, then down through Templeton Woods to Camperdown Park, then across the park and out through Liff, down to Benvie before heading back homewards. It would be a long walk and take a good few hours but as there was no real hurry I could take my time. Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Blackbird and Robin were all immediately obvious as soon as I stepped outside. Blue Tit, Feral Pigeon, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Meadow Pipit (overflying) and Chaffinch were noted on the relatively productive walk up to Clepington Road.
I then added Goldfinch and Great Tit as I headed down Graham Street towards Caird Park. Once across the Kingsway into 'Cairdie' I was able to add Chiffchaff, Wren, Treecreeper, Coal Tit, Song Thrush, Goldcrest, Magpie, Long Tailed Tit and Blackcap as I took my time on the walk down across the golf course then along the Gelly Burn. The top pond proved to be very quiet. I did find a few Mallards at the lower of the two ponds as well as a pair of Chiffchaffs. Continuing on downhill to the Dighty Burn I added a Dunnock foraging around on the ground and an Oystercatcher in flight. I found a pair of Dippers on the burn almost immediately after I'd crossed the road.
Heading along the old Claverhouse Road towards Trottick Ponds I heard a Grey Wagtail flying by. There appeared to be some work going on along the road into the ponds and it wasn't immediately apparent if they were even accessible. Thankfully they were and I headed down over the footbridge and into the small reserve. A surprise on the larger of the 2 ponds was a Cormorant which was struggling with a rather large Eel. Although I've seen the species flying over, I've never seen one on the water there. Somehow the bird managed to manouevre the slippery fish into position to be able to somehow direct it down its throat, though it didn't look like it was particularly comfortable trying to get it all the way down. It appeared to manage eventually before hauling out at the end of the island to digest its rather large early lunch, stood with wings spread.
I had a chat to a guy from the council who it turned out knew Lainy. As we chatted a Sparrowhawk tussled with a Carrion Crow to the north of us and a drake Goosander flew past us, having just taken off from the ponds. Moorhen and Mute Swan were both on the smaller of the 2 ponds and I had a brief glimpse of a distant skein of (likely Pink Footed) Geese as I wandered on. A Pheasant called loudly from somewhere a little to the north. I crossed the burn and had a look at the reedbed for Snipe but didn't see any. A Roe Deer that was resting up unseen broke cover when it realised I was there but I headed off again to allow it to return to where it had been. A Buzzard could be seen a little to the south.
I wandered on towards Harestane Road for the walk up the hill towards Clatto. As I wasn't likely to see too much I decided to have a bite to eat on the walk up the long slope. Into my backpack I went only to find that I had somehow managed to leave all my food at home. I had also left my wallet at home ruling out a visit to a shop for supplies. I had brought some juice with me but the lack of food meant that it wasn't going to be practical to walk the extra miles out to the western extremes after visiting Clatto. I messaged Lainy as I neared the top of the hill to see if she was out birding. She had been away at the weekend and was taking it easy at home. I said I'd let her know if I found anything of interest at Clatto, though I wasn't really expecting to.
I headed up the dirt track past the construction site which gave me a few Yellowhammers on the fence and wires and singing Skylarks over the fields as well as a Bullfinch in the bushes behind the houses. I had a look at the area which has been planted up with 1000s of trees and even had a wander up the hill behind the Garden Warbler 'corner'. If it wasn't likely to get so overgrown by the Autumn it would possibly make an interesting spot for some vis-migging. A surprise from there was an overflying Crossbill, a new bird for my Dundee145 list and one that I thought I might get in Templeton Woods later with a bit of luck. A bit more wandering gave me Jackdaw over the fields and a very distant Swallow off to the north before I headed in for a look at the reservoir.
Things were relatively quiet overall though there were plenty of gulls with 59 Lesser Black Backed Gulls counted as well as numerous Herring Gulls, plus a Common Gull and a Black Headed Gull. I picked out the Great Crested Grebe pair over towards the islands at the western end, but surprisingly there was another on the water near the toilet block on the south side. A Moorhen was on the gull raft and there were a few Mallards dotted around as well. I messaged Lainy to let her know about the third grebe. The male Mute Swan was chasing a small group of young Mute Swans (not his own, as they had apparently moved on elsewhere a few weeks ago). A Stock Dove flew past.
I took my time wandering around, stopping to try to photograph the single Great Crested Grebe. A Pied Wagtail flew past and a Sparrowhawk drifted over. A Jay was in the trees by the car park and a Yellowhammer picked around on the mossy slope down to the water in front of the toilets. A bit of a surprise was a Kestrel which flew diagonally across the reservoir with a Carrion Crow in pursuit. A pair of Rooks were in the trees to the west. After a couple of hours hanging around the reservoir area I decided to move on again and wandered up past the kids' play area and across towards the water tower. As I stepped into the woods there, a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew up from the ground just in front of me and landed up in one of the trees a little further back. A second woodpecker was in another tree close by. A third was noted just a little bit further on.
I wandered down through the woods which were relatively quiet overall though I did manage to add Siskin to the list as well as a Grey Squirrel. I had views of a distant Roe Deer and one much closer just the other side of the fence near the houses at the southern edge of the golf course, which wandered off when it eventually spotted me. I decided to have a quick look at the Ardler village pond which did give me a few Reed Buntings and some nice views of a Song Thrush feeding just a few feet away from me. Greenfinch and another Great Spotted Woodpecker were seen on the walk home from there. I finished the day's birding with a respectable total of 54 species including year-tick number 107 for my Dundee145 list. Hopefully I didn't miss out on too much further out to the west by leaving my food at home...
 |
| Blackcap |
 |
| Robin |
 |
| Mallard |
 |
| Chiffchaff |
 |
Cormorant (with Eel)
|
 |
Cormorant (with Eel)
|
 |
Carrion Crow & Sparrowhawk
|
 |
| Goosander |
 |
| Yellowhammer |
 |
Mute Swan (& Black Headed Gull)
|
 |
Great Crested Grebe & Common Gull
|
 |
Great Crested Grebe
|
 |
Lesser Black Backed Gull & Herring Gull
|
 |
Mute Swan
|
 |
| Moorhen |
 |
| Jay |
 |
Great Crested Grebe
|
 |
Carrion Crow & Kestrel
|
 |
Great Spotted Woodpecker
|
 |
| Wren |
 |
Roe Deer
|
 |
Song Thrush
|
Birds - Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Cormorant,
Crossbill, Dipper, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Crested Grebe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Kestrel, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Siskin, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Treecreeper, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Mammals - Grey Squirrel, Roe Deer.
