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Stock Dove
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While checking through my photos from Sunday the 27th of August I was a little irked to find that I had somehow managed to overlook a Spotted Redshank near a small flock of Black Tailed Godwits I was photographing. As they didn't hang around long, nor did the other waders nearby, I could understand how I had managed to not see it - there were hundreds of Common Redshanks about too, and it was also preening in some of the Godwit photos which wouldn't have helped to pick it out. Keith had a look for it and managed to find his second Golden Plover of the year in the bay, but there was no sign of the Spotted Redshank. It appeared to be one that got away. However, I drew a blank on both Golden Plover and Spotted Redshank on my visit on the Thursday, so it appeared my chance at the species had likely gone, as they don't tend to turn up much more than once per year.
However, back at work on Monday the 4th, I received a message from Keith, saying that he'd found 2 Spotted Flycatchers in the 'toilet bowl' and also a Spotted Redshank in the bay. An attempt after work proved rather fruitless - not unsurprisingly given the chances of picking out anything against the light, which also reflects strongly off the wet mud, without a scope. It would have to be Wednesday for a 'proper' try at seeing the bird. My intention for a repeat of my 'early' start of the previous week fell by the wayside though I was still out the door just before 0655 for the 1 hour walk to the park. I would have to rely on the waders reappearing relatively quickly as the tide receded, as the more mud there is available, the further away a lot of the birds get. Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Goldfinch, Blue Tit, Herring Gull, Carrion Crow and Robin got my list for the day started. Dunnock, Magpie, Starling and Jackdaw soon followed as I headed past the football stadiums.
The first Meadow Pipit of the day headed over as I walked along Byron Street. Great Tit, Bullfinch, Chiffchaff, Crossbill and Wren were noted as I cut through the trees around the back of the Law. Coal Tit, Blackbird and Grey Squirrel were then found as I wandered down the Law Steps path on the western side. There were Long Tailed Tits around at The Friary. I added Goldcrest at Balgay Hill. I took a new route from there down to Perth Road where a few House Martins were seen hawking for insects high above some of the 'big house' gardens on the north side of the road. A Lesser Black Backed Gull was perched atop a lamp-post near the Botanic Gardens and a few Rabbits were seen on the last stretch before I reached the park at 0800.
It made a change from my recent visits to start at the eastern end of the park. This did mean a slightly less frenetic start to the list but it didn't take long to get going. Woodpigeon, Wren, Feral Pigeon, Meadow Pipit, House Martin, Robin, Herring Gull, Swallow and Magpie made for a steady sort of start. Blackbird, Blue Tit, Siskin, Carrion Crow, Chiffchaff, Chaffinch, Blackcap and a Jay were all noted as I continued on in the direction of the Lochan. Mallard, Teal and a trio of Snipe were seen there and a Grey Wagtail was heard flying over. I added Moorhen before I was joined by Keith. A 4th Snipe showed before we set off for a look at the bay. A Stock Dove flew past before we spotted the first Osprey of the day circling over the bay. A Whitethroat was next to put in an appearance.
The tide was still in as we scanned out across the bay. Some Lapwings in flight and a Cormorant were seen before Keith picked out a pair of Little Egrets flying into the bay from the direction of Kingoodie. They seemed to head for the burn mouth but we lost sight of them behind the trees. Greenfinch and Goldfinch were added along with Tree Pipit and a few distant Goosander before we ventured round to the hide. The mud had begun to reappear by this time. A Great Black Backed Gull was stood among the Herring Gulls on the pipe while a number of Black Headed Gulls drifted around in the water. A Goldcrest called from the trees behind us. Curlew, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Common Gull, Redshank, Black Tailed Godwit and Ruff were soon noted as birds began to fly back in to feed on the newly exposed expanse of mud. A flock of Long Tailed Tits called from within the bushes and trees by the hide.
Keith had to head off just before 1000. Before he had gone very far, the Kingfisher called from the burn outflow. A small flock of House Sparrows moved through the bushes down near the burn. A surprise flock of 10 Knot and some Dunlin, flew in and then almost immediately back out again. A Guillemot relatively far into the bay, just beyond the edge of the mud was another slight surprise. An Oystercatcher landed on the mud as the wader numbers continued to rise. Another flock of Dunlin had a Ringed Plover in tow with them as they flew around over the water. I scanned and scanned through all the birds I could see from the hide but there was no obvious Spotted Redshank among them. Dunnock, Jackdaw and Starling were all added before I headed round to the embankment to scan again from there. I heard a few Pink Footed Geese calls but couldn't see the freshly arriving skeins. A few Grey Herons were stood around on the outflow pipe as I continued to scan through all the waders. Some of the birds beyond the pipe were almost at the limits of my scope and a group of these caught my eye.
There appeared to be some of the earlier Knot, some Redshank, some Dunlin and what looked like it might very well be my target bird - the Spotted Redshank. Although the OM-1 doesn't work particularly well on distant birds I took a sequence of photos. Shielding the screen on the camera from the sun, I zoomed in on the bird I hoped would be the Spotted Redshank. It was! Success at last, and species number 140 for my Dundee 145 list. I could now relax and enjoy the rest of my birding with an added spring in my step. Red Adniral and Small White butterflies were seen near the car park and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was again noted in that general area. I found a few Common Darter dragonflies and added some distant Grey Seals hauled out on a sandbank over towards the Fife side of the Tay.
A Collared Dove once again flew over, a semi-regular occurence these days, it seems. Coal Tit, Great Tit and Yellowhammer rounded off the day's list at the park, though a skein of Pink Footed Geese were finally seen as they flew in the direction of the river a bit out to the east, just as I was about to leave. My total at the park for the morning's birding was a pretty respectable 61. As I was in no great hurry to head straight home, I decided to walk along the waterfront to City Quay rather than take my usual route home from the park via Balgay Hill. A Cormorant was out on the river off the airport. Pied Wagtails and Goldfinches were on the football pitches next to the Bridgeview Station restaurant. Between the 2 bridges I counted a total of 10 Guillemots, with a further 8 between the roadbridge and City Quay entrance lock.
There were another 3 in the quay area itself, where a Swallow zipping around was the only other thing of note, other than yet another Red Admiral butterfly. As I slowly wandered up Dens Brae a little later, a Sparrowhawk dropped from the trees on the left and flew up the hill just above the ground before disappearing over the wall on the right. A Grey Wagtail was seen near the old Eagle Jute Mills building and a Collared Dove flew over Dens Road as I neared home around 1600. Despite having found 61 species at the park (including a year/Dundee145 tick - in bold), there were only another 3 species found outwith the park (among the 31 noted) that were different, taking the combined total to 64. An enjoyable and reasonably productive day's birding once again.
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Snipe & Teal
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Little Egret
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Knot, Dunlin & Herring Gull
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| Osprey |
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Dunlin & Ringed Plover
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Black Tailed Godwit & Redshank
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Redshank, Teal, Knot & Spotted Redshank
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Grey Wagtail
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| Starling |
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Little Egret
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| Osprey |
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Common Darter
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| Jay |
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| Jay |
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| Woodpigeon |
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Red Admiral
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Pink Footed Goose
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| Curlew |
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Black Headed Gull
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Pied Wagtail
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| Guillemot |
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| Starling |
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Lesser Black Backed Gull
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| Swallow |
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| Goldfinch |
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Cormorant, Crossbill, Curlew, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Grey Wagtail, Guillemot, Herring Gull, House Martin, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Swallow, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Red Admiral.
Mammals (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Grey Squirrel, Rabbit.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit,
Collared Dove, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldcrest,
Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Guillemot, Herring Gull, House
Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Kingfisher, Knot, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Little Egret, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie,
Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Pink Footed Goose,Redshank, Ringed Plover, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Ruff, Siskin, Snipe, Spotted Redshank, Starling, Stock Dove,
Swallow, Teal, Tree Pipit, Whitethroat, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Butterflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Red Admiral, Small White.
Dragonflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Common Darter.
Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Grey Seal.
