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| Wigeon |
Sunday was one of those days when I couldn't quite decide if I really wanted to go out birding or not. I was a bit late in getting out of bed and felt a bit leg-weary and just overall a bit drained. The weather forecast wasn't hugely promising. The sky was very grey and the lighting conditions were rather poor. It was also a bit on the chilly side. Despite lacking motivation to get outside I also didn't want to spend the whole day inside, so I forced myself to get out for a while. There was no real plan, no destinations, just a 'see where I end up' kind of day.
It was just before noon when I stepped outside. Carrion Crow, Robin, Starling, Woodpigeon, Herring Gull and House Sparrow started things off followed relatively soon after with Blue Tit and the first of a number of Collared Doves seen during my time outside. Magpie, Jackdaw, Redwing, Wren and Chaffinch were noted around Mains Terrace. Rather than continue down into Caird Park I chose to head for Swannie Ponds. Keith had actually had a Mediterranean Gull there on the 1st of January just a few minutes after I'd passed through on my way to the Dighty Burn. Although I wasn't overly confident that there was any likelihood of that bird, or perhaps an Iceland Gull being at the ponds, there is always a slim chance of something unusual when gulls congregate together.
The ponds were both largely frozen. This actually worked in my favour as one of the largest and busiest pieces of open water was right by the path on the lower pond. Coot, Black Headed Gull, Common Gull, Mallard, Tufted Duck and a drake Wigeon. It was good to get close views of the Wigeon in particular as they are rather photogenic but can also be rather wary, as the often disturbed birds at Balmossie tend to have good reason to be, given the amount of off-lead dogs roaming along the beach as they try to feed just offshore. I had a dark eyed large gull but it didn't look much like a Caspian Gull. I took some photos anyway, just in case, especially when it took flight, to catch the open wing markings. However, what was a surprise when I checked photos was that the eye on the other side was pale. It was just a Herring Gull with 2 different coloured eyes, something I don't think I've knowingly seen before.
It was a bit too chilly at the ponds to hang around for too long so I headed down to Spring Grove in Baxter Park. The light levels were very poor resulting in really slow shutter speeds on the camera despite using quite high ISO numbers (ISO 8000!) but it didn't stop me getting a selection of photos as birds popped in to bathe or drink, or just to look for something to eat. Coal Tit, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Dunnock, Robin, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, House Sparrow, Blackbird, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Siskin, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Treecreeper and a pair of Bullfinches were all noted in the time I was there, providing plenty of variety. Stock Dove was heard calling from the trees somewhere nearby. I eventually called it a day and headed homewards, glad to have got out and about and with some decent Wigeon photos to show for the effort. I managed a total of 33 species of birds, which given I only spent time at 2 locations was a reasonable return.
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Herring Gull
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Herring Gull
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Common Gull
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| Wigeon |
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| Wigeon |
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| Wigeon |
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Tufted Duck
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Mute Swan
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Herring Gull
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Black Headed Gull
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Goldfinch & Chaffinch
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Great Tit
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Blue Tit
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Long Tailed Tit
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| Treecreeper |
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| Robin |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Bullfinch |
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Blue Tit
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| Chaffinch |
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Long Tailed Tit
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| Dunnock |
Birds - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Coot, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Starling, Stock Dove, Treecreeper, Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren.
