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| Jay |
Having dipped on Curlew Sandpiper the previous Saturday, and avoided going out birding on Sunday due to high temperatures again, I was keen to get out birding on Wednesday. Keith hadn't managed to rustle up a Curlew Sandpiper yet either but as they are usually quite reliable at Riverside Nature Park at this time of year, we knew there was a possibility we had just been unlucky so far. With high tide around mid-afternoon (though most of the mud would be covered by around 1330 or so) there was no great rush for me to be at the park early but I had already decided the Nature Park would be my Wednesday destination anyway. With a bit of luck, Curlew Sandpiper would be number 141 for my Dundee145 list...
I headed out just after 0830 for the walk to the park. It was quite a slow start to the list for the morning compared to Saturday's with Starling, Feral Pigeon, Lesser Black Backed Gull and Meadow Pipit first of all, then House Sparrow, Herring Gull, Carrion Crow and Woodpigeon as I headed up past Tannadice Park. Magpie, Blue Tit and Great Tit were added when I reached the end of Sandeman Street. I cut up through the trees on the Law again though Chiffchaff was the only addition this time around. A Robin was seen on Kilberry Street and a Black Headed Gull flew over Ancrum Road a few minutes further on. Chaffinch and Goldcrest called from the roadside trees and the first of the day's many Red Admiral butterflies danced by.
Treecreeper was noted in Balgay Cemetery and a high flying skein of Pink Footed Geese arrived overhead from the north, their calls heralding their approach from quite a distance. Long Tailed Tits were heard on Ninewells Avenue and a Grey Squirrel, Jackdaws and Dunnock were in the Arboretum behind the Hospital. There was nothing new added between there and the western entrance to the park where I arrived just before 0945. I had a quick look from the bridge despite the tide state. Another skein of Pinkfeet passed high overhead and what was surprisingly the first Blackbird of the morning was noted. Chiffchaff, Woodpigeon, Grey Wagtail, Black Headed Gull, Carrion Crow, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Feral Pigeon and Chaffinch made the list before I headed round for a quick look from the hide. Lapwing and Mallard were spotted from there before I continued along into the main body of the park.
Robin, Jackdaw, Goldfinch and Blue Tit were all noted on the walk along while there were already a few Red Admirals very active around the few remaining Buddleia flowers. I spotted Keith ahead of me and hurried along for a quick catch-up as I knew he'd be heading homewards. While we chatted a few Siskins headed out over the bay and a Turnstone was heard calling. A few Meadow Pipits also flew out over the bay before Keith headed off. He'd seen the Saker Falcon hunting the previous morning along the edge of the bay but he'd had no Curlew Sandpiper sightings as yet. I added Whitethroat, Song Thrush, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Blackcap and a flyover Stock Dove while checking the bushes around the 'toilet bowl'. A surprise was a Skylark with a slightly odd, but still recognisably Skylark, flight call as it too headed out across the bay.
A check of the bay added Lesser Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Teal and Curlew to the birds already on the list, while Magpie and Great Tit were active in the bushes nearby. A Pied Wagtail flew over the hill and a Wren scolded loudly from the bushes down the hill. A pair of Rooks headed over eastwards and a Reed Bunting was in the hedge-line near the Lochan. Moorhen, Mallard and Teal were on the water there. I continued down to the lower half of the park as I still had plenty of time to kill before the waders would be close enough in to be able to check through properly. I found a pair of Jays collecting acorns from an Oak tree by the car park then flying into the trees a little further round, to hide their bounty.
Starlings, a lone Swallow and a group of 4 or 5 House Martins were all noted in flight while I was at the eastern end of the park. I headed back for another look at the bay around noon. A Dunnock was heard near the car park and the 2 Jays headed in the direction of Ninewells. I was halfway up to the top of the hill, when I spotted Mark Wilkinson passing the bottom of the track so I wandered back down to join him. We continued round to check through the birds in the bay which thanks mostly to Mark's much better scope (and ability) provided quite productive. Dunlin, Cormorant, Knot, Black Tailed Godwit, Great Black Backed Gull, Ruff, Bar Tailed Godwit, Grey Heron, Long Tailed Tit, Common Sandpiper, Common Gull and Goosander were all added, along with some distant Grey Seals.
As we scanned we chatted about possibilities for additions to the park-list among other bird/birding topics. It is always enjoyable talking birds with those who have far greater knowledge and experience than me and who are quite willing to share their often hard-earned knowledge, and the chat with Mark was no exception. A Buzzard upset things in the inner bay resulting in lots of movement of the waders and gulls. Mark had to head off soon after and I headed round to the hide to scan from there. I had closer views of most of the waders we'd already seen and added a Goldcrest in the trees. I almost missed a skein of Canada Geese as they disappeared over the trees by the railway line.
Yet again I drew a blank on Curlew Sandpiper despite lots of checking and rechecking as the area of exposed mud got smaller and smaller. I had a bit of a slow wander back through the park with a Great Spotted Woodpecker seen in flight having been flushed from roadside trees by two cyclists being the only thing new seen before I left the park just after 1500 taking my total at the park to a surprisingly decent 60 species. Nothing new was added on the walk home though there were a few more Pinkfeet skeins and a Meadow Pipit or two noted. The 'outwith the park' list total was 22 species and the combined total was 62 species of bird, 1 of butterfly and 2 of mammals. The Curlew Sandpipers will hopefully show up sooner or later and fingers crossed I'll manage to catch up with at least one. Time will tell though....
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| Chaffinch |
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| Skylark |
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Pink Footed Goose
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| Rook |
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Pink Footed Goose
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| Swallow |
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Blue Tit
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Great Tit
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| Jay |
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| Jay |
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| Jay |
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| Dunlin |
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Bar Tailed Godwit
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Buzzard, Carrion Crow & Jackdaw
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Redshank, Knot, Ruff & Black Headed Gull
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Dunlin, Redshank & Black Tailed Godwit
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Canada Goose
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Herring Gull
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Ruff, Dunlin & Redshank
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Black Headed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull & Great Black Backed Gull
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| Starling |
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Great Tit, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Starling, Treecreeper, Woodpigeon.
Butterflies (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Red Admiral.
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, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Common Sandpiper, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Martin, Jackdaw, Jay, Knot, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Ruff, Siskin, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Teal, Turnstone, Whitethroat, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Red Admiral.
Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Grey Seal.
