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Lesser Redpoll
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As Steph lives relatively close to Riverside Nature Park I kept her in the loop with regards the Bearded Tits. She was able to squeeze in an unsuccessful visit on one of the windy days but was hoping that slightly better conditions for Saturday morning might increase her chances of getting to see the species. Between my return to work on Thursday and the weekend, Keith had seen the remaining 2 birds climbing very high before he too lost sight of them, which suggested that all 6 seen earlier in the week had departed. However, there was still a chance that the birds had dropped back into the reeds unnoticed. I made provisional plans to meet Steph at the park on Saturday morning, though my initial focus would be on vis-mig movements from the top of the hill. I would head down early and Steph would join me if she was able to, a little later.
With sunrise around 0715, I headed out into the darkness at 0610. Not surprisingly things were relatively quiet with a single Robin close to home and a Carrion Crow cawing in the gloom 5 minutes later. Jackdaw and Magpie were added on Byron Street, with a Blackbird shortly after those. What was the first Herring Gull of the morning flew over Ancrum Road. A Wren called loudly from the hedge surrounding the vegetable garden at Lochee Park. Goldcrest was the sole new bird in Balgay Cemetery and a Woodpigeon was finally noted as I headed down the hill at Glamis Road. A Dunnock was calling from by the railway line and the sound of a distant Curlew wafted across from the direction of the river. Song Thrush and Blue Tit rounded off the pre-park proceedings.
I wanted to be at the top of the hill as quickly as I could so there wasn't much time spent around the eastern end. Wren, Woodpigeon, Long Tailed Tit, Bullfinch, Song Thrush, Carrion Crow, Herring Gull, Blackbird and Blue Tit were soon followed by Jay and Magpie. A Chiffchaff called from the bushes by the small stretch of path up to the top half of the park. Robin and Grey Wagtail were next before a Meadow Pipit overflew as I headed up towards the viewpoint at the top of the hill. The first Pink Footed Geese of the morning could be seen departing from the river a bit to the west. From the hill it was a combination of checking what was visible down in the bay and what was flying past. The former included Mallard, Redshank, Great Black Backed Gull, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Cormorant, Black Tailed Godwit, Grey Heon, Bar Tailed Godwit and Goosander.
Although I've seen busier passage over the park in Autumn, things were relatively steady once they got going. Some birds such as Dunnock, Goldfinches and Feral Pigeons were clearly local birds while Chaffinch, Pied Wagtail, Siskin, Linnet, Greenfinch, Tree Sparrow, Mistle Thrush, Skylark, Song Thrush, Lesser Redpoll and Reed Bunting appeared to be migrants - though it was very likely at least some of those also included local birds. Yellowhammer and Starling definitely appeared to be residents. The Pheasant which had seemed to have gone missing until one of my previous visits during the week called again from its Spring haunts. A Buzzard headed south quite high out over the river, suggesting that it too was a migrant. The escaped Saker Falcon had passed me at the top of the hill and was powering west over the bay towards Kingoodie before I noticed it.
Great Tit, Jackdaw, Rook, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a pair of Mute Swans were all spotted before I decided to pack up my vis-mig gear at around 0945 and do a bit of exploring. The first Swallows of the morning passed over as I checked out the 'bowl'. A Blackcap popped out into the open briefly just behind the 'newt pond'. There were a few Red Admiral butterflies despite the increasingly strong wind as the morning progressed. A Common Gull flew over and Teal and Moorhen were found at the Lochan. Steph messaged me to let me know that other responsibilities meant she wouldn't be able to join me. I had a wander round the lower half of the park which got me Goldcrest and Stock Dove before I decided to head for home having managed a fairly decent 56 species during the visit.
A Red Admiral butterfly was noted just outside the park and House Sparrows chirped loudly from a garden on Glamis Road. Long Tailed Tits were in a tree just a few feet above me on Ancrum Road and a Buzzard circled high over Cobden Street before drifting north over The Miley. A Meadow Pipit over Byron Street and a Chaffinch a few minutes later took the 'outwith the park' list to a total of 18 species and a combined total of 57 species. While not a classic visit to the park, the vis-migging session was reasonably productive though I could definitely do with another set of eyes/ears for those sessions. I will be hoping to squeeze in another few between now and the end of October, though the later the visit, the less productive things are likely to be.
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| Rook |
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| Siskin |
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Meadow Pipit
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Song Thrush
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Saker Falcon (escaped)
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| Buzzard |
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Black Headed Gull
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| Skylark |
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Pink Footed Goose
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| Chaffinch |
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Mute Swan
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Song Thrush
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Tree Sparrow
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| Robin |
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Song Thrush
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| Blackcap |
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Mistle Thrush
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| Moorhen |
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| Bullfinch |
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| Jay |
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| Jackdaw |
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Curlew, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Hering Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Robin, Song Thrush, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Red Admiral.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Redpoll, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Siskin, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Teal, Tree Sparrow, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Butterflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Red Admiral.
Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.
