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| Kestrel |
With relatively limited options for where to go birding around the city, it is easy to get demotivated visiting the same sites over and over, seeing largely the same species on each visit. Despite the 'sameness' there is almost always something of interest that happens - perhaps some behaviour I haven't seen before, or an unusual encounter between two species. It is very rare that I return home feeling bored or completely disappointed after being out birding. For Saturday's birding I tried to think of where I could go. A visit to Broughty Ferry seemed to be an idea but I decided that I would walk out along the Dighty Burn (or "The Burnie" as we called it when I was a kid.....a wee while ago now!) first, perhaps routing out to the back of Clearwater Park before continuing down to the estuary then home back along the river.
A later start is becoming a regular occurrence despite my best intentions. I headed out at 1015 for the walk to Clepington Road and Swannie Ponds for a look, before continuing down to the Dighty Burn. House Sparrow, Starling, Robin, Herring Gull, Carrion Crow and Dunnock provided a bit of immediate variety when I stepped outside. Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Goldfinch and Blackbird continued the decent start to the day's list. The Jackdaws on Clepington Road were rather vocal and active as I passed the tenements by the building site where new houses are rapidly taking shape.
Swannie Ponds held a rather predictable mix with Herring Gulls, Black Headed Gulls, Mute Swans (the 3 remaining youngsters were still around as well as the adults), Mallard, Tufted Duck, Coot, Moorhen and there was still a single Goosander drake hanging around. Magpie and Blue Tit were noted before I set off down the Kingsway. As I neared the Dighty I heard Chaffinch and Goldcrest in the roadside bushes. There were Oystercatchers on the grass by the car park when I finally reached the burn. Greenfinches and a flock of Redwings were in the tall trees bordering the football pitches.
A Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen high in the trees a little further on. Continuing on turned up Grey Wagtail, Great Tit and Bullfinch. Song Thrush, Wren, Long Tailed Tit soon followed as I slowly wandered along the path. A lone drake Goosander was on the burn. I heard a Curlew calling somewhere to the north. A pair of Dippers were collecting nesting material at the junction of the 2 burns from the bank on the east side. I spent some time watching them before crossing the road and headed through the trees on the other side. Things were relatively quiet behind the industrial estate though. I crossed the burn at the end of Barlow Avenue and walked along the burn to the next field and then along to the main part of Clearwater Park.
I then wandered north past the stables adding a distant Buzzard and a pair of Stock Doves in the field. I headed east at the crossroads but turned back when I realised there were a few folk ahead of me which would likely limit the amount of birds I might see. I went north at the crossroads. A Kestrel was spotted perched in the trees in the fenced off area but it flew off when it spotted me. It circled over the cemetery. Unfortunately the gate which was previously open had been padlocked shut meaning I couldn't get through to check out along the fenceline as I've done previously.
Walking back down to the crossroads again added Yellowhammer to the day's list and a second Kestrel overflew heading east. I decided against heading to Broughty Ferry and decided to head back along the burn instead. A male Pheasant was seen in flight within the fenced off area, and a Roe Deer buck watched me for 20 seconds or so before running off down the edge of the field. I headed west when I reached the crossroads, along the dirt track. As I watched a skein of Pink Footed Geese passing overhead, movement in the field in front of me caught my eye. There was a flock of around 30 Skylarks foraging together. They were joined briefly by another flock of a similar size from the field to the north in flight before they all flew further down the field to the south, after I'd watched them for 5 minutes or so.
A Rook overflew as I wandered back to the burn where once again I spent some time watching Dippers near the bridge at the eastern end of the path. There were a few others further on and I was able to stand and watch a pair of Dippers and a Grey Wagtail all foraging in the water within a few feet of each other. The drake Goosander was a bit further upstream by this time and seemed a lot more wary than it had been earlier. There was a Treecreeper near the feeders and a ringed Long Tailed Tit was also photographed there. What was rather surprisingly the first Sparrowhawk of the day was seen as I wandered up Douglas Road towards Longtown Road. A Common Gull pair were stood on a lamp post down the side of CJ Langs' depot. I had another look at Swannie Ponds but failed to find anything new for the day there. I made it home having recorded a total of 46 species with a selection of fairly decent photos once again. Although I hadn't made it down to the Tay it was still a pretty good day's birding.
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Black Headed Gull
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| Mallard |
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| Goosander |
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Herring Gull
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| Dipper |
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| Wren |
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Song Thrush
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Stock Dove
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| Robin |
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| Kestrel |
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Roe Deer
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| Skylark |
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| Dipper |
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(Buff Tailed?) Bumblebee
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Buzzard & Jackdaw
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| Dipper |
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Long Tailed Tit
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| Dipper |
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| Dipper |
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Grey Wagtail
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| Goosander |
Birds - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Common Gull, Coot, Curlew, Dipper, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Kestrel, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pink Footed Goose, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Treecreeper, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Mammals - Roe Deer.
