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Herring Gull
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Saturday started off rather wet but the rain was meant to clear up at around 1245. Having had to ditch the possible Raven from Friday due to uncertainty about the identification meant I was still needing to get 1 more species before Monday to reach my halfway target I had set myself. There were still a few potential birds available, though none that I felt I could reliably get. At best they were all maybe 50/50. I had locations for them, but they were far from guaranteed. I decided to try for Jack Snipe and Water Rail at Trottick as it was a chance at 2 species and it wasn't too far away either.
I headed out around 1235 but decided to take a more direct route to get to the ponds. There was a small flock of Long Tailed Tits around as I stepped outside. Starling, Carrion Crow, Dunnock, Redwing and Herring Gull made for a slightly different start to the list. Heading up to Clepington Road I added Goldfinch, Blue Tit, Robin and Feral Pigeon. A pair of Mistle Thrushes headed south over the houses at Clepington Road. I headed down Old Glamis Road. There were a few Black Headed Gulls on the grass in Caird Park. I added Magpie and Siskin as I headed down the hill.
Great Tit and Woodpigeon were noted at Millburn Gardens. There were a few Common Snipe in the reeds but nothing else other than Blackbird was added. As I was leaving a Cormorant flew over westwards and a Sparrowhawk circled round above the houses before heading off southwards in the same direction I was going. I decided to try the Law in the hope of being able to add Peregrine perched on Cox's Stack. I found Chaffinch as I headed up the steps to teh top of the hill. There was no sign of any raptors on the Stack but a bit later I spotted a bird perched on the northern ledge. Peregrine on the list. My hoped for "halfway" bird. A short while later it went hunting and flew in behind St John's High School before heading back in the direction of the Stack again. I lost sight of it but refound it a few minutes later perched on one of the Lochee multis.
Looking at the photos of the bird on the back of the camera, it was difficult to make out much detail but the birds head looked very pale and I couldn't see any sign of a moustache and something wasn't quite right about the colours. Alarm bells started ringing. I decided to have a better look at home later. A skein of Pink Footed Geese passed westwards over the back of the city. I added House Sparrow and Jackdaw on the walk home. Looking on the computer at home, I got a similar impression about the falcon. I reached the conclusion that it was the escaped Saker Falcon I've crossed paths with numerous times since last February, so once again, I had to change my mind about the bird that I initially thought had got me to my halfway to 145 target, as with the day before's Raven. I ended the afternoon's birding having only noted 24 species which was relatively disappointing, though not as disappointing as realising the Peregrine wasn't one. Despite Peregrine being a bird I thought I'd never ever see, back when I was a kid, I don't think I'll ultimately struggle to get one on this year's Dundee145 list somehow.
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| Siskin |
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Carrion Crow
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| Cormorant |
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Herring Gull
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Herring Gull
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Saker Falcon (escapee)
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Saker Falcon (escapee)
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Saker Falcon (escapee)
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Pink Footed Goose
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Pink Footed Goose
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Saker Falcon (escapee)
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| Magpie |
Birds - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch,
Cormorant, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Herring Gull, House Sparrow,
Jackdaw, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mistle Thrush, Pink Footed Goose,
Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, (Saker Falcon,) Siskin, Snipe,
Sparrowhawk, Starling, Woodpigeon.
