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| Magpie |
Having had a successful trip to Balmossie on Wednesday with 4 new Dundee145 ticks taking me past the 100 mark at last, I then added a Willow Warbler on my walk to work the very next day taking me to 104. With a few days off work planned for Monday and Tuesday I was hoping to add a few more species to the list. One of these species I was hoping for was Osprey, and with Keith having already had a few sightings in Invergowrie Bay, I decided to target the species from Riverside Nature Park on the Saturday. As well as the Osprey there was also the chance of a Sand Martin, or a House Martin or perhaps something a bit more unexpected. Fingers were crossed...
I was out the door at around 0735, a bit later than I had initially intended. Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Dunnock and Feral Pigeon got the day's list underway. House Sparrow, Starling, Magpie, Blue Tit and Chaffinch soon followed. Carrion Crow, Wren and Great Tit were next as I wandered along Kinghorne Road before I heard a singing Chiffchaff and a calling Bullfinch from the direction of the Law. A singing Robin was heard as I made my way downhill towards Lochee Road. A Jay overflew as I was looking at a Greenfinch in a small tree. A Long Tailed Tit was in another small tree nearby and a flyover Great Spotted Woodpecker was another surprise.
Goldcrest and Coal Tit were added before I stopped for a chat with fellow Dundee birder, Davie (Traynor?) as he waited for a bus. Continuing on again to Balgay Hill, I stopped just inside the gate to listen to a singing Blackcap. A calling Sparrowhawk diverted my attention and I went searching for what I suspect is the nest site of the local pair. Unfortunately, I failed to find it, though I did narrow down the options a little. A Grey Squirrel was spotted scurrying around nearby. Song Thrush and Nuthatch joined the other 'heard only' species already on the list over on the cemetery half of the hill. A pair of Stock Doves rounded off a relatively productive visit to the hill.
As I wandered down Glamis Road a Grey Heron flew eastwards following the line of Perth Road. A minute or so later a small skein of 11 Pink Footed Geese headed over northwards having also arrived from the west. I reached Riverside Nature Park at 0850. Dunnock, Blackbird, a flyover Meadow Pipit, Wren, Chaffinch, Carrion Crow, Robin, Magpie, Herring Gull, Chiffchaff, Woodpigeon, Greenfinch, Skylark and Goldfinch all made for a busy, if unspectacular, start to my day's list at the park. There were a few Rabbits around as well mostly among the recently planted saplings. Moorhen and Mallard were at the Lochan. Continuing on, I added a pair of Reed Buntings and a few Feral Pigeons. A Yellowhammer was spotted in the bushes before I found Keith scanning the bay from near the picnic tables.
Oystercatcher, Shelduck, Redshank, Common Gull, Teal, Bar Tailed Godwit and Dunlin were all down in the bay, while Song Thrush and Blackcap were in the bushes and trees nearby. Further out on the river were a pair of Red Breasted Merganser. A Grey Heron flew in and landed on the pipe, and Keith used his scope to confirm a pair of sleeping ducks across the far side of the bay were Pintail. A few Lesser Black Backed Gulls were with the other gulls in their usual bathing spot in the burn while a Buzzard was seen circling to the north. A Sand Martin overflew us from the west, my first of the year. Black Headed Gull and Cormorant were next onto my list before Keith headed homewards. I stuck around, scanning the bay. A Swallow swept past northwards and I picked out a few Curlew over towards the far side of the bay.
A pair of Jackdaws passed overhead. A pair of Mute Swans were on the burn near the railway line. I headed for the hide noting Long Tailed Tits and Great Tit on the way. A large skein of 500 or so Pink Footed Geese headed past westwards a little to the north of the road. With nothing much to be added at the hide I headed back to the picnic tables. I spotted a very distant raptor crossing the river but it was just too far away to be sure of the ID, though I suspect it was probably an Osprey, though i struggled to see any white, so Marsh Harrier may also have been a possibility (or even Buzzard). As I scanned out over the river, the male Pheasant called from beyond the fenceline at the southwest 'corner'. A definite Osprey, my confirmed first of the year, put in an appearance over the bay but didn't hang around. Around 10 minutes later I had a second sighting of an Osprey as one circled up with gulls a little to the north of the park.
An unexpected bonus bird on the water where the bay met the river was a patch tick for me, a Great Crested Grebe. Trying to get a decent photo proved tricky with the OM-1 thanks to 'heat shimmer'. A drake Goosander popped up by the Red Breasted Mergansers a little further out. I wandered back round the paths towards the car park. The sun was by this time putting out some rather welcome heat and a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly flitted by before tussling briefly with a second one. I added Sparrowhawk to the list as I wandered up over the hill. As I continued on, I noticed there was some commotion over the bay again. I suspected the culprit would be an Osprey and so it proved, with a successful catch of a flatfish the result. A Peacock butterfly was sunning itself on the path and I spotted a pair of Rooks heading for the Ninewells rookery.
I called it quits around 1420 and headed back along the north side of the road. As I was checking my phone, I was suddenly aware of something an inch or two from my face. I stopped walking and focused on the orange shape in front of me. I realised it was actually a Comma butterfly but it flew off along the hedge-line before I was able to snap a photo. A little further on, a Buzzard flew up from a small tree just beyond the hedge and landed in another small-ish tree a little further back, glaring back at me. I took a few photos but there was a twig across the bird's face. Thankfully it turned its head long enough to let me get a clear shot. After 30 seconds or so, the Buzzard flew off across the road dragging a few Magpies and Carrion Crows in pursuit.
I cut up through Balgay Cemetery which gave me views of a Great Spotted Woodpecker preening on a branch, though with the sun directly behind it. I headed for the Law next, noting a Peregrine perched on Cox's Stack. From the top of the Law, a Buzzard was seen being harassed by the local corvids. I made it home at around 1650 having seen or heard a total of 61 species of bird, of which 2 (in bold) were new for my Dundee145 list. That was the combined total of 52 species found at the park and 32 outwith. I also managed to find a total of 3 species of butterfly and 2 of mammals. All in all, a fairly decent day's birding.
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Grey Heron
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Pink Footed Goose
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| Robin |
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Bar Tailed Godwit & Oystercatcher
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Curlew |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Pintail |
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Great Crested Grebe
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| Shelduck |
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Carrion Crow
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| Osprey |
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Meadow Pipit
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| Greenfinch |
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Carrion Crow
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| Osprey |
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Long Tailed Tit
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Blue Tit
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Peacock
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Small Tortoiseshell
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| Chaffinch |
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| Jackdaw |
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| Rabbit |
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Zebra Spider (Saltus Scenicus)
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| Buzzard |
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Grey Squirrel
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Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jay, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Nuthatch, Peregrine, Pink Footed Goose, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterfly (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Comma.
Mammals (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Grey Squirrel.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Crested Grebe, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pink Footed Goose, Pintail, Red Breasted Merganser, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sand Martin, Shelduck, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Swallow, Teal, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Butterflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell.
Mammals - Rabbit.
