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| Peregrine |
Despite Saturday's non-appearance of Ian Ford's great find from Friday, the Blyth's Reed Warbler, I was keen to do some birding on Sunday though I was rather undecided where to actually go. The weather was to get warm and sunny later in the day, which can make for a less enjoyable experience for me - though there are plenty of others who love those sorts of conditions. They mostly, though again not all, tend not to be walking for miles carrying a load of birding gear though. I decided after some thought that I might as well have a wander along the Dighty with the option of going elsewhere later in the morning, depending on just how tired I was feeling. I'd had more sleep overnight than was the case between Friday and Saturday which was very welcome.
I headed out just after 0830. Feral Pigeon, House Sparrow, Blackbird, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon and Jackdaw were all noted before I'd even left my street. Starling, Carrion Crow, House Martin, Goldfinch, Blue Tit, Swift, Pied Wagtail and Chaffinch were then found on the walk from the end of my street to Swannie Ponds. There I was able to add Lesser Black Backed Gull, Coot, a slightly unexpected Common Gull, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Moorhen and the local Mute Swan pair (with their rapidly growing 9 cygnets). From there I wandered down Pitkerro Road to the Dighty Burn. In addition to Magpie on the way there I was soon able to get a few more species on the list with Willow Warbler, Wren, Chiffchaff, Dunnock, Robin, Blackcap, Great Tit, Song Thrush and Dipper all spotted as I walked through the little stretch of woodland by the burn.
Other than another singing Dipper the walk along to the underpass below the main road produced very little. Further on I was able to find a Grey Heron and I could hear a flock of Long Tailed Tits across the far side of the burn. Sedge Warbler and Reed Bunting were around at the reedbeds near the footbridge. A Pheasant called from in among the trees to the north. There was a mixed flock of Swifts, House Martins and Swallows speeding around above the same trees. Whitethroat and Oystercatcher were next onto the list as I slowly made my way along the path towards Baldovie Road. Continuing on along the short stretch of path opposite Sainsbury's I added a Great Spotted Woodpecker.
A Roe Deer with a misaligned jaw and apparent injury to one eye (road accident victim?) watched me from just across the burn, which meant I was able to get frame filling shots, in decent light - though it perhaps wasn't the most photogenic of individuals but it should be easily recognised if I happen to encounter it again. There were a few Rooks around, and a Stock Dove called from among the trees behind the industrial estate. A pair of Buzzards drifted off towards Broughty Ferry as I double-backed on myself rather than move on elsewhere. Back on the other side of the road, I happened to look up as I wandered along behind the Harry Lawson premises. A raptor was gliding northwards high above the trees. A quick look through the binoculars confirmed that it was an Osprey - a first for me over this particular part of Dundee. It drifted off out of sight after a few minutes in view. A Bullfinch showed briefly in a tree by the burn. What was likely the same Osprey appeared overhead and soared higher before heading off northwards.
I spent the next half an hour or so photographing butterflies - Small White, Orange Tip, Green Veined White and Small Tortoiseshell along the earth bank behind the recycling plant. Further on, a pair of Grey Squirrels ran out in front of me, then froze while they decided how to react to discovering me stood watching them. After a lengthy pause they returned to the tree by the burn they'd appeared from. A Collared Dove flew out from another tree a little further on. I chose to head home via Eastern Cemetery in the hope of adding something new there. I successfully added Greenfinch (and Rabbit) in the Cemetery then popped in at Swannie Ponds again where a few Black Headed Gulls had arrived, but the earlier Common Gull had departed. A little later at home, I looked out when the local Feral Pigeon flock all took flight. A pair of Peregrines were hunting seemingly cooperatively and one caught a pigeon. It appeared the second had also almost had a successful hunt with what appeared to be a feather and some blood visible on the talons as it stretched them just before flying over my roof. I finished the day's birding with 51 species though nothing particularly out of the ordinary, though the Osprey was an unexpected sight given where I was when it flew over and the successful Peregrine hunt was something I rarely witness.
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Mute Swan
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Pied Wagtail
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Reed Bunting
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| Dipper |
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Tree Bumblebee
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| Magpie |
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Lesser Black Backed Gull
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| Wren |
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Great Tit
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Roe Deer
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Carrion Crow & Buzzard
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| Osprey |
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Pied Wagtail
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Bee(?) sp.
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Small White & Orange Tip
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Orange Tip
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Lacewing sp.
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Small Tortoiseshell
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Green Veined White
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Grey Squirrel
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| Coot |
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Black Headed Gull
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| Peregrine |
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| Peregrine |
Birds - Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Coot, Dipper, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sedge Warbler, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Swift, Tufted Duck, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies - Green Veined White, Orange Tip, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White.
Mammals - Grey Squirrel, Rabbit, Roe Deer.
