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| Eider |
Having been unable to get out properly during the week due to having some much needed work done at home, I was keen to get some birding done on Saturday. As Lainy had managed to get a Lesser Black Backed Gull at Clatto earlier in the week, I figured there was a decent chance of getting one at Swannie Ponds, the Stannergate or Balmossie and with all three on a single route they provided slightly better odds and the chance of something else than a trip to Clatto did. I decided on a relatively early start though still ended up with a slightly later start than intended.
I headed out at 0815 for the walk to Swannie Ponds. Carrion Crow, Feral Pigeon, Blue Tit, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Robin, Starling, Blackbird, House Sparrow and Great Tit were all noted before I reached Clepington Road where Jackdaw was added to the list. It was a typical mix of species at Swannie Ponds with Mallard, Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Coot, Mute Swan, Black Headed Gull, Common Gull and Herring Gull all on the water. Unfortunately there was no sign of any Lesser Black Backeds.I did find a couple of Bullfinches in the trees again. Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Wren were also noted as was the first Magpie of the day.
Grey Squirrels and Rabbits were found without too much effort as I passed through Eastern Cemetery on my way to the Stannergate. There were a few Redwings around on the slope down to the cycle path just beyond the railway line. I spotted a pair of Eider flying upriver as I scanned out beyond the docks area. Down on the shore there were a few Turnstones and Oystercatchers as well as a selection of gulls but again, no Lesser Black Backeds. I managed to pick out a distant Red Breasted Merganser out on the river as I walked along the esplanade towards Broughty Ferry. A singing Greenfinch was in trees to the north of the railway line.
A Grey Seal was spotted out on the river near the sailing clubs sheds. The first Redshank of the day was around the area of the pipe at Douglas Terrace then a Skylark was heard flying westwards as I scanend out over the river from near the lifeboat station. A Cormorant was off the mouth of the harbour at the Castle. Both Rock Pipit and Pied Wagtail were around at Beach Crescent. Beyond the castle I found a Collared Dove perched in a tree in the garden between Castle Lane and Brook Street. I detoured in through the local nature reserve where Song Thrush and Siskin were both new for the list. Heading back to check the shore again I was able to find a few Wigeon on the water.
There were a few Goldeneye off the mouth of the burn and a couple of Great Black Backed Gulls were in with the other gulls, though unexpectedly there were very few around. Needless to say there were no Lesser Black Backeds there either. A single Dunlin was in among the Redshanks and Turnstones at their roost. Off to the east, towards Monifieth was a single Goosander in the bay. Having spent some time checking and checking again through the few birds that were around off the Dighty mouth, I decided to head back in the direction of home. Another wander through the nature reserve got me Coal Tit and Long Tailed Tit for the day.
The fenced off dunes between the Glass Pavilion and the Castle proved quite productive with a Stonechat, a Meadow Pipit and a Reed Bunting all seen together. A Shag was once again offshore near the marker pole. The walk back along the esplanade proved as disappointing as it always seems to be these days with very little to be seen. There was one final addition to the day's list as I neared home with a Sparrowhawk gaining height until it was a dot in the sky (but still managing to upset the local Feral Pigeons) whch took me to 50 species for the day. Although not managing to find a Lesser Black Backed Gull was slightly disappointing, I did manage to get some reasonably decent photos and it was good to get out birding again.
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| Moorhen |
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| Coot |
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Grey Squirrel
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| Rabbit |
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Herring Gull
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House Sparrow
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| Redshank |
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| Cormorant |
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Pied Wagtail
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| Wigeon |
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| Wigeon |
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| Dunlin |
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| Goldeneye |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Stonechat |
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| Stonechat |
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Meadow Pipit
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| Turnstone |
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| Turnstone |
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Collared Dove
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Black Headed Gull
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| Eider |
Birds - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Dunlin, Dunnock, Eider, Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Red Breasted Merganser, Redshank, Redwing, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Shag, Siskin, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stonechat, Tufted Duck, Turnstone, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals - Grey Seal, Grey Squirrel, Rabbit.
