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| Wren |
The coronation holiday Monday was spent stuck at home due to rain but as the forecast for Tuesday was much better I decided on an early start and a check on the pool at Middleton Wood and the flooded field in the hope of a passing Wood Sandpiper or something equally as good (or maybe even better). From there I would head down to the Dighty Burn and then wander along to Clearwater Park. From there I would see how I was feeling, what time it was, and weigh up my options. Having already managed to catch up with most of my expected species for this time of year, my expectations were relatively low, but I figured there would be plenty to see regardless.
I headed out just after 0530 but I had a slightly different route in mind to that of most of my previous trips to Middleton Wood. House Sparrow, Herring Gull, Blue Tit, Starling, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Feral Pigeon and Dunnock made for a busy-ish start to proceedings. Blackbird, Magpie and Jackdaw soon followed as I wandered along Clepington Road. Song Thrush, Chiffchaff and Great Tit were noted at Mains Terrace. I cut down through Caird Park which gave me a few Rabbits plus Wren, Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Mallard pair in flight, Chaffinch and Greenfinch. I failed to find any sign of Dipper on the Dighty at Mill O'Mains though. I headed up the Forfar Road to check the open areas at the 'back of Fintry'.
Skylarks sang overhead while numerous Sedge Warblers competed to be the loudest from both sides of the road. A Pheasant was seen in one of the fields to the north. There were a number of Whitethroats around giving the Sedge Warblers some additional competition in the noise stakes. I spotted a Roe Deer running through a small stand of trees at the top end of one of the fields, before stopping to photograph a Linnet which posed nicely in the early morning light. A few Lesser Black Backed Gulls milled around overhead along with some Herring Gulls. A Willow Warbler was heard singing as I neared the end of the road.
As I crossed the Duntrune Road to check the pool at the corner, a Fox stood up and wandered off before I managed to get a photo. The pond itself was very quiet - possibly as a result of the Fox's presence. A few House Martins circled over the houses behind. I wandered up to check the flooded bit of field. The Shelduck from my previous visit was still in situ. Rather than wander through the wood I headed towards the high school. A Fox was seen sunning itself on 'Tarzan's Island'. A few Swallows were seen hawking for flies and a Reed Bunting was perched in a small tree by the school fence. Rather than double back on myself I decided to cut the corner to reach Berwick Drive. This meant cutting through the grounds of the school. As it was still only around 0700 I didn't expect to run into anyone.
I didn't run into anyone but there was a brief moment of 'uh-oh' when I spotted one of those yellow and black chequered, Irish accented R2D2 security camera things. Thankfully it had either been switched off to allow the janitor to do janitorial things, or so as not to harass any early arriving teachers (or pupils) and I slipped past unaccosted by it. An Oystercatcher circled above the school buildings and I almost stood on a Yellowhammer as I headed down the hill from the entrance. It didn't take too long to wander to the Dighty Burn where the first Dipper of the day was to be found. A singing Blackcap was heard and both Robin and Bullfinch were seen as I walked along the path eastwards.
A small flock of hirundines could be seen just to the west of the recycling plant. There were a few House Martins and Swallows but there were also quite a few Sand Martins, some of which gave relatively close views at times. A Kingfisher was seen flying past downstream a bit further on. It appeared to be carrying a fish suggesting that they may be breeding somewhere on the burn. Coal Tit and Collared Dove were both noted before I reached the dual carriageway. On the opposite side I found my first butterflies of the day - Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell. Rooks and Jackdaws were in the field beyond the Murroes Burn and a Buzzard was heard mewing from the trees to the south of the Dighty.
I spotted a few distant Swifts during a brief stop at the end of Barlow Avenue and spooked a Grey Squirrel which hadn't noticed me. The walk round to, and along, Drumsturdy Road proved rather quiet, though things picked up a little once I reached the track along to the crossroads. Long Tailed Tits were in the trees near the large puddles and there were a few pairs of Stock Doves in the trees and on the wires further on. A few Goldfinches were near the junction. Yellowhammer, Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat were all noted as I slowly wandered up towards the cemetery. The same dog-walking van I'd seen there on my previous visit approached from the direction of the stables but as I was in no hurry to move, the driver turned off along the track to the west instead.
It would appear that the area is a regular haunt of this particular dog-walking business which is probably not great news for the birds which nest on the ground or low in bushes in what was previously a relatively quiet area with only a few locals walking their dogs along the tracks. Given that the Council's tree planting at Clatto will have changed the good warbler habitat there in ways yet to be discerned, the track up to the cemetery was looking like becoming the best area for warblers in the city. With an increase in dog (off lead) numbers there on a daily basis it may also lose its appeal for the variety of warbler species that have until now found it to their liking.
The dog walker did bring his charges up the track as I was heading back down, a few on leads but most wandering around. One dog did jump up on me, leaving muddy footprints on my clothes, but as is almost always the case, there was nothing resembling an apology forthcoming. I went exploring along by the old Linlathen iron bridge. The third Fox of the day spotted me before I spotted it and disappeared into the trees. More Swifts were hawking around above the trees and I was surprised to find a Red Admiral butterfly sunning itself in an open area between the burn and some of the houses. There were a few Orange Tip butterflies around as well though none would settle long enough for a photo. A Blackcap was seen briefly before I headed back to the track along to Drumsturdy Road.
I had decided to head back along the Dighty again though I wasn't really expecting to find much that was new. I did find a Pied Wagtail there before running into an older gent who I'd wandered along the burn with on a previous visit earlier in the year (or last year, I can't remember which). We had a slow wander along chatting as we went. As we reached the footbridge a small group of folk with some very large dogs arrived. Rather than head in the same direction as them, I decided I would walk back along the burn with the older gent instead. Nothing new was found, not unexpectedly, but the conversation was interesting enough. Reaching Baldovie Road again, I decided I would head for the Stannergate to try to add a few more species for the day.
I headed over to Dawson Park and wandered on down Ellislea Road where Goldcrest was new for the day's list. I crossed the bridge over the railway line by the sailing club sheds and spent some time following a female Orange Tip butterfly as it flitted around the few Gorse bushes and Dandelions by the path. Common Gull, Grey Heron and a few Turnstones were noted as I slowly wandered on westwards. By this time the sun was putting out a fair bit of heat for which I was a wee bit overdressed. I decided to wander along the cycle path to City Quay. There were a few spots where insects, including Hairy Shieldbugs and a couple of species of Ladybirds (of which 10-spot Ladybird was a new species for me, I think), distracted me and I gave the OM-1 a try-out at photographing them.
The sunshine had been replaced by a rather large dark cloud and at one point it did actually begin to rain though only for a minute or so. I continued on to City Quay but things were very quiet there too, though I did photograph a few gulls with nesting material before heading for home. I ended the day's birding having managed to see or hear a total of 51 species of bird, as well as 4 species of butterflies and 4 of mammals, including 3 individual sightings of Foxes. All in all, another enjoyable birding outing with a few more previously unknown spots investigated.
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| Linnet |
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Sedge Warbler
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Pheasant |
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| Fox |
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| Dipper |
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Sedge Warbler
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Roe Deer
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Sand Martin
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Collared Dove
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Small Tortoiseshell
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| Whitethroat |
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Stock Dove
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Long Tailed Tit
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| Swift |
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Red Admiral
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| Buzzard |
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| Buzzard |
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Buzzard & Lesser Black Backed Gull
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| Buzzard |
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Pied Wagtail
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Orange Tip
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Carrion Crow
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Hairy Shieldbug
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Fly spp.
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Spider sp.
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Cranefly sp.
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| Bluebottle |
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Hoverfly sp.
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Weevil sp.
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10-Spot Ladybird
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7-Spot Ladybird
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Snail sp.
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Birds - Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Dipper, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kingfisher, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sand Martin, Sedge Warbler, Shelduck, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Swift, Turnstone, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Butterflies - Orange Tip, Peacock, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell.
Mammals - Fox, Grey Squirrel, Rabbit, Roe Deer.
Other insects - 7-Spot Ladybird, 10-spot Ladybird, Hairy Shieldbug
