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Canada Goose
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At this time of year, as Autumn creeps in and movements of migrants increase my birding tends to mostly be focused at either end of the city - Balmossie/Broughty Ferry and Riverside Nature Park. Having visited Balmossie on Sunday, Riverside Nature Park was my intended destination for the following midweek outing.At this time of year there is a chance of something 'good' passing through, or over, with waders, gulls and the odd passerine species or raptor all a possibility. There had been a couple of brief glimpses of 'possibles' over the previous days though neither was seen well enough to pin down with an interesting gull flying off westwards (possibly a Yellow Legged) and a large-ish 'warbler' (possibly a Barred) only being seen in a couple of very short flights between bushes. I had decided I would keep an eye out for both, though expectations were low.
I headed out the door at around 0540. Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Lesser Black Backed Gull and Magpie got the day's list underway. Jackdaw, Goldfinch, Feral Pigeon and the first of several Tree Pipits overflying soon followed. I wandered round the back and western end of the Law which gave me Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Long Tailed Tit, a young Sparrowhawk calling loudly and a Tree Pipit which flew out from the trees just above my head as I walked along the track behind the allotments. House Sparrow, Great Tit, Robin, Dunnock and Goldcrest were noted on the walk down the western Law Steps path.
In Balgay Park I found a Black Headed Gull among Herring Gulls on the grass, with Chaffinch and Chiffchaff as well as a Grey Squirrel on the walk through. Coal Tit, Wren and Oystercatcher were heard near the Glamis Road entrance to the cemetery. Blackbird, Starling and Song Thrush rounded off the 'pre-park visit' list for the morning. It was just before 0650 when I headed into the park - Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Dunnock, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldfinch, Herring Gull and Blue Tit providing a busy start to the park section of the day's birding. I headed in the direction of the bay noting Swallow, Magpie, Willow Warbler, Curlew, Grey Wagtail, Wren, Chiffchaff and Robin in the lower half.
As I neared the Lochan, I spotted Lapwings milling around over the bay and a quick look at the Lochan provided a few young Mallards. Exiting the hide there, I spotted a skein of geese headed directly towards me. They turned out to be Canada Geese and I watched them pass by low over the hill. Whitethroats were in the hedge line and a few Tree Pipits overflew westwards calling as they went. A couple of Black Headed Gulls glided over as I neared the hide area. Yellowhammer and Song Thrush were next onto the list. Although some of the vegetation in front of the hide has been cut back recently, it is still largely impossible to see much of the burn outflow these days which is frustrating given that so many birds frequent that area.
As the tide was still on its way in there was some mud still visible beyond the pipe and careful scanning got me Redshank, Dunlin, Grey Heron and an overdue and very welcome Dundee145 tick in the shape of a Little Egret. Long Tailed Tit and Blackcap were noted among the trees and bushes around the hide. A single Black Tailed Godwit and a Common Sandpiper were seen before I wandered up to scan from the bridge. The Little Egret flew off eastwards and Teal and Common Gull were seen before I wandered round to the hide again where I met Keith. Once the mud disappeared we set about trying to relocate the 'warbler'. There were plenty of identifiable warblers in the trees and bushes behind the hide including a Garden Warbler (which may or may not have been the one which was hanging around that area earlier in the summer).
Another look from up by the bridge added Oystercatcher and a Grey Squirrel. Back round behind the hide, a few House Martins and more Tree Pipits passed overhead. Great Tit, Greenfinch, Stock Dove, Feral Pigeon, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Osprey, Swift and a resting Peacock butterfly were scant consoltaion for our lack of success in refinding the potential 'warbler'. We wandered back into the main part of the upper park noting Buzzard, Starling, Sparrowhawk, Meadow Brown butterfly and a Rabbit. Keith had to head off homewards and I made another circuit of the top half of the park. Moorhen was added on my second visit to the Lochan and a trio of Sand Martins headed out over the bay on their way back to their wintering grounds much further south than Scotland.
Over the course of the next hour or so I was able to add some unexpected Tree Sparrows, a few Skylarks, Cormorant, Great Black Backed Gull, Collared Dove and Pied Wagtail. I sat at the top of the hill for a while and wandered back along to the hide again. Someone had vandalised the toilet door (which appears to have been a long-time goal), removing the handle which did mean it was out of commission which wasn't helpful given my intention to stay at the park into the afternoon. I had a few brief views of Common Darter dragonflies which have recently started to appear again. A single Sandwich Tern was picked out perched on the rocks across the far side of the bay with Black Headed Gulls. Throughout the morning I was paying lots of attention to the younger gulls in the bay but couldn't see anything that was sufficiently different from the young Herring and Lesser Black Backed Gulls, though I had a couple that initially threw me a bit.
On another circuit as I wandered back up the track from the car park towards the hill path, I spotted birds up over the bay. That often means that there is a raptor about and at this time of year an Osprey is often the culprit, so I didn't think too much about it. A few seconds later however, I spotted a rather long winged bird flying away from me, out beyond the hill. I realised quickly that it wasn't an Osprey or a Buzzard but it appeared to be a harrier species. Last year on the 10th of August I had a Hen Harrier at the park (and a Marsh Harrier, which was fairly regular over the course of the summer). As either bird would be new for my Dundee145 list, I took plenty photos in the hope that the bird would turn enough to provide some detail - either showing white around the tail base or not, or anything else helpful in providing a firm ID. This did eventually work out and Marsh Harrier went on the list - my second relatively overdue Dundee145 tick of the day. I watched the bird circle up over Ninewells before losing it as I was putting word out locally.
The rest of the visit to the park was fairly uneventful with the only further addition being a few Small White butterflies. My total for the day's visit to the park alone was 59 species including the two 'new' birds - in bold). The slow walk home wasn't particularly productive though there were a few Swallows hawking for insects above the remaining railway line trees, and a Buzzard was seen at Balgay Hill. My heel had begun to feel like I had a blister on the underside and this made the walk homewards a bit uncomfortable - despite rearranging my sock (which appeared to be the cause) so with hindsight, heading for the top of the Law wasn't the most sensible thing I could have done. A Buzzard and what was likely the same Red Admiral butterfly seen previously on the wall of the mast shed were the only additions before I limped the rest of the way home. I finished the day's birding with a total of 64 species of bird, 4 of butterflies, 1 dragonfly and 2 mammal species. All in all, quite a successful day's birding, even if neither of the 'possibles' were refound.
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Canada Goose
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Grey Heron, Little Egret & Mallard
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Black Tailed Godwit & Black Headed Gull
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Redshank & Dunlin
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Little Egret
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Herring Gull
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| Osprey |
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| Peacock |
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Common Carpet
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Carrion Crow, Buzzard & Woodpigeon
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| Moorhen |
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Udea Lutealis
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| Yellowhammer |
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Stock Dove
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Pied Wagtail
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Collared Dove
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Grey Wagtail
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Lesser Black backed Gull
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Marsh Harrier
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| Sparrowhawk |
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Common Sandpiper
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Meadow Brown
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Red Admiral
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Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Oystercatcher, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Swallow, Tree Pipit, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Red Admiral.
Mammals (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Grey Squirrel.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Common Sandpiper, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Garden Warbler, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Martin, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Little Egret, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Marsh Harrier, Moorhen, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sand Martin, Sandwich Tern, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Swift, Teal, Tree Pipit, Tree Sparrow, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Butterflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Meadow Brown, Peacock, Small White.
Dragonflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Common Darter.
Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Grey Squirrel, Rabbit.
