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| Shag |
Having enjoyed my first trip out on the Tay in many years recently, I was keen to get out again. I had originally booked 3 trips, 1 in July, 1 in August and 1 in September. After the first one, I had booked another to increase my chances of catching something interesting out on the river. My second trip was scheduled for 1445 on the 16th of August. My plan for the day was to head up the Law early for a spot of vis-migging then head home to get organised before walking out to Broughty Ferry where I would do a spot of (sort of) seawatching from Broughty Castle until it was time to get on the boat. Unfortunately rain first thing put paid to the vis-migging but I was organised and ready to go just after 1100.
I wanted to look for Holly Blue butterflies on the way down, though I wasn't even sure I had the right location. I was also aware that 1100 was potentially a bit too early meaning I'd have a few hours to kill once I reached Broughty Ferry. I would be joined on the boat by one of my colleagues from work, who had seen my photos of the Dolphins from my July trip and decided she quite fancied a boat trip. Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon and Magpie made for a slow start when I left the house. House Martins and House Sparrows were noted as I neared the back of the Lidl supermarket as was a Blackbird. A few Swallows were hawking low over the grass at Baxter Park. Woodpigeon, Great Tit and Carrion Crow were also around.
Jackdaws and a Small White butterfly were added as I wandered along towards Eastern Cemetery. On the walk down to the Stannergate I got Wren and Starling. There were a couple of Guillemots close in to shore along the end of the docks and a Cormorant in the bay a wee bit further out. Distantly out across the river I could hear and see some Sandwich Terns. A Black Headed Gull flew past. On the shore were a number of Herring Gulls and Oystercatchers. Things proved rather quiet along the river though Lesser Black Backed Gull and Common Gull were noted on the walk along to Douglas Terrace. I diverted in to look for Holly Blues but drew a blank. A Curlew and a small flock of Turnstones were by the pipe at Douglas Terrace. Very distantly I could see an Osprey hunting over towards Tentsmuir. A skein of Canada Geese headed west upriver.
Near the lifeboat station there was a single Goosander on the water. A pair of Redshanks were stood on the pebbles on the other side. There were a few Sandwich Terns on the railings along with a few gulls. I wandered up into the Castle and found a suitable place to sit and scan out over the river with my small scope. This proved to be more productive than I could have hoped. There were now 2 distant Ospreys across towards the Fife side of the river. A Grey Heron flew past and I managed to pick out a quartet of Arctic Terns out over the river, my first Dundee145 tick of the day. My second didn't have to wait too long either, with a Fulmar seen scything through the air low over the water before gaining height and giving me a couple of relatively close fly-bys before heading upriver.
Pied Wagtail, Rock Pipit, Grey Seal, Eider and Goldfinch were all noted along with a couple of Razorbills before it was time to head for the boat. I was joined by my work colleague on board the boat and we were treated to decent views of Guillemots and Razorbills on the water as well as Sandwich Terns, a few gulls including Great Black Backed, some Eider and a very close flypast by a young Shag which came within arms' reach of the side of the boat at one point. There were no Dolphins seen this time out but the weather behaved and it turned out to be a very pleasant hour out on the water. The main highlight however was a bird I'd missed on my boat trip the month before, a relatively unexpected Puffin which I took to be a Razorbill at first, as I only spotted it after we'd passed it, and on the other side of the boat. Still, Dundee145 tick number 3 for the day, taking me to 137, just 8 short of my target figure.
The walk back home once back ashore added Blue Tit and Greenfinch to the list taking my total for the day to a relatively low 40 species of which 3 were new for my Dundee145 list - though none were new for my year-list. I was a bit tired by the time I made it home around 1715 but I almost immediately checked availability of more trips out on the boat and managed to get booked on a second sailing on one of the days I was already booked to get out. Hopefully next time I'll be lucky enough to see a 'feeding frenzy' from the boat with Roseate Tern, Black Tern, Cory's Shearwater and Great Skua all present..... Now that would be good (though highly unlikely)!
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Hoverfly sp.
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Mother Of Pearl Moth
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| Curlew |
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Canada Goose
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Common Gull
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| Turnstone |
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| Redshank |
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Osprey |
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| Fulmar |
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| Cormorant |
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Pied Wagtail
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| Guillemot |
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Sandwich Tern
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| Eider |
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Grey Seal
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Herring Gull
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| Shag |
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Grey Seal
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| Puffin |
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Sandwich Tern
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Razorbill
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| Guillemot |
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| Razorbill |
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Herring Gull
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Carrion Crow
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| Linnet |
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| Turnstone |
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| Rabbit |
Birds - Arctic Tern, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Eider, Fulmar, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Guillemot, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Magpie, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Puffin, Razorbill, Redshank, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Sandwich Tern, Shag, Starling, Swallow, Turnstone, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies - Small White.
Mammals - Grey Seal.
