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Curlew Sandpiper & Redshank
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My plan for Monday was to head for Broughty Ferry and Balmossie once more. The good thing with Mondays down there is that with most folk being back at work following the weekend there is a lot less disturbance, so the birds tend to be easier to see. The weather forecast was for heavy rain passing through between 1000 and 1100 but dry after that. If all went to plan I would head out after the rain and arrive at Balmossie for around high tide. I would spend a few hours watching the tide recede checking through the gulls and waders as well as seeing if anything else was passing by further out on the river. I was having a relatively productive morning typing up my blog-post back-log when I received a WhatsApp message from Mark Wilkinson....
Mark had seen 4 Bearded Tits in Invergowrie Bay at 0955. If they were visible from the hide at Riverside Nature Park then I could count them for my Dundee145 list. I rechecked the MetOffice website and discovered that the rain which had been forecast to hit Dundee had now shifted a bit further north. I quickly got organised and headed out around 1045. It was rather windy and the wind was forecast to get a bit stronger as the day progressed, which didn't fill me with too much optimism, with regards actually seeing the Beardies, but if I didn't try I definitely wouldn't see them. Blackbird, Robin, House Sparrow, Carrion Crow, Starling, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Magpie, Feral Pigeon, Blue Tit and a Sparrowhawk circling between the football stadiums all made for a reasonably decent first 5 minutes outside. Goldcrest and what was rather surprisingly the first Herring Gull were added on Canning Street.
Heading down Loons Road I somehow managed to add both Pied and Grey Wagtail as well as Coal Tit. Once across onto Ancrum Road I spotted a Buzzard circling a little to the north. I continued on to the football pitches where Common Gull and Black Headed Gull were both seen. Mark messaged me to say him and Keith had just left the park having had no further sightings, though it was still highly likely the birds were still there. I added Chiffchaff, a couple of Grey Squirrels and a flyover Crossbill (heard only) on my way through Balgay Cemetery. Red Admiral (despite the wind), Great Tit and Wren were noted at Ninewells Arboretum. I reached the western end of the park just after 1155.
Jackdaw, Chiffchaff, Teal, Feral Pigeon and Robin were noted from the bridge before I headed round to the hide. From there it didn't take too long to add a few wader species - Dunlin, Redshank, Ruff (eventually at least 4 seen), Curlew Sandpiper (at least 3), Turnstone (just 1) and Sanderling (still unsurprisingly just the 1). In addition there were Mallard, Grey Heron, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Black Headed Gull and Common Gull also visible. Great Tit, Grey Wagtail and Long Tailed Tits were noted from the hide over the next couple of hours but despite lots of checking of the reeds there was no sign of any smaller birds at all, though the wind was causing a lot of movement of the reeds themselves, so I suspect any birds would be on the ground or at least rather low down amongst the stems.
As the tide began to recede Black Tailed Godwits and Curlew joined the other waders and a squadron of Carrion Crows dropped in to annoy some of those feeding waders on the freshly exposed mud. Eventually I decided to give up on the Beardies and headed round to check the bay from further round. This added Blackbird and Woodpigeon on the way then Cormorant and Lesser Black Backed Gull from the raised banking. A Stock Dove flew over and both Linnets and a Sand Martin did likewise as I wandered round for a look at the Lochan. Having already seen Mallard and Teal in the bay, the only addition at the Lochan was a Moorhen. I made a complete lap of the top half of the park which got me Magpie, Bullfinch, Goldfinch and Oystercatcher.
Heading down into the lower half I was surprised to see a Common Darter dragonfly fly up from the path, though it was largely sheltered from the strong winds by the trees at the top of the slope. Chaffinch, Dunnock, Wren and Greenfinch were all found in the lower half before I called it a day and headed for home at around 1545. The walk home failed to add anything new at all, mostly as a consequence of the strong winds keeping the smaller birds well hidden. I ended the day with a total of 49 species (40 at the park, and 23 outwith) though it was slightly disappointing, though not at all surprising, that the Bearded Tits failed to make it a nice round 50 (as well as give me a new species for both my park list and my Dundee145 list).
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Redshank, Ruff, Sanderling & Curlew Sandpiper
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Redshank, Ruff & Dunlin
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Redshank, Dunlin & Ruff
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Ruff, Redshank & Dunlin
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Ruff, Redshank, Turnstone & Dunlin
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Redshank, Dunlin & Curlew Sandpiper
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Curlew Sandpiper & Redshank
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Curlew Sandpiper & Redshank
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Grey Heron, Redshank, Ruff & Dunlin
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Goosander, Redshank, Dunlin & Ruff
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Redshank & Sanderling
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Redshank, Teal & Curlew Sandpiper
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| Ruff |
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Black Tailed Godwit & Herring Gull
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| Teal |
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| Moorhen |
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| Greenfinch |
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| Greenfinch |
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Crossbill, Goldcrest, Great Tit, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Magpie, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Red Admiral.
Mammals (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Grey Squirrel.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow,
Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Redshank,
Robin, Feral Pigeon, Ruff, Sand Martin, Sanderling, Stock Dove, Teal, Turnstone, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Red Admiral.
Dragonflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Common Darter.
