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Tree Pipit
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Saturday's rather uninspiring visit to Riverside Nature Park coupled with a lack of motivation and energy meant that I didn't really want to go anywhere on Sunday but I also didn't want to waste the day sat at home while the sun shone outside. The thought of a wander to Swannie Ponds didn't particularly inspire me, and most other locations just felt like too much effort would be required to get to. In the end I decided I might as well pop up to the top of the Law to see what birds were migrating over. Tree Pipits had been noted sporadically passing overhead on my walks to work over the previous week or two, so there was a decent chance of at least a few of these.
I headed out at 0810 for the 15 minute or so walk to the hill. Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, House Sparrow and Blue Tit were all noted within my first minute outside in the sunshine. Compared to the previous day, it was rather pleasant in the sunshine, though not yet especially warm. A Lesser Black Backed Gull was perched atop Dens Road Primary School and both Robin and Dunnock were heard as I crossed the road which gives the school its name. Jackdaw and Starling were added at the top of the Hilltown and Goldfinches were added at Law Road.
Some of the local House Martins were flying around as I reached the final uphill stretch where a few Magpies were advertising their presence in typically vocal Magpie fashion. A Tree Pipit headed over southwest as I reached the foot of the steps for the last leg up to the top. It was 0830 when I set the sound recorder going and my 'vis-migging' proper got underway. My expectation levels were low but you just never know what you might see when you look up, especially in Spring and Autumn as birds move through on migration. Tree Pipits were the only birds passing through during the first 20 minutes or so. Wren, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff provided some background noise from the slopes of the hill. A couple of the local Bullfinches put in an appearance as they flew round the sides.
A Swift headed over at 0853 - potentially one of the last I'll see this year. A Sand Martin was seen out to the west. A few minutes later I spotted a large-ish bird arriving from the south side of the hill. It was an Osprey. Not my first from the top of the hill, but always a welcome sight anywhere in Dundee away from the river. It slowly headed over northwest, giving me decent photo opportunities as it went. There was a brief run of Meadow Pipits over a 5 minute period before a Swallow flashed through westwards. Another Sand Martin was spotted off the western side of the hill. Coal Tit and Chaffinch were both heard from the trees on the east side. A trio of Goldfinches flew from one side of the hill round to the opposite side. A Great Black Backed Gull passed by southbound.
A trio of Tree Pipits flew low overhead next, giving me the chance of some decent photos just before 0930, with another pair 10 minutes later. Another Meadow Pipit was heard but not seen at the same time. Another 2, then another 3, Tree Pipits rounded off the bulk of the obvious migrants other than another Swallow just after 1000. A Sparrowhawk circled up to the north and another Sand Martin at 1015 was the last of the obvious migration noted, despite sticking things out until 1100 when I did a spot of exploring around the slopes of the hill before heading homewards. Blackbird, Goldcrest, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit and a Grey Squirrel gave me a few more species for the morning's efforts. I finished my birding for the day with a total of 32 species. While not a classic vis-migging session, it was interesting enough, and certainly better than sitting at home.
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Sand Martin
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| Bullfinch |
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| Swift |
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| Swift |
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| Osprey |
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| Osprey |
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| Osprey |
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Meadow Pipit
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Tree Pipit
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Great Black Backed Gull
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House Martin & Swallow
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| Goldfinch |
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| Woodpigeon |
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Tree Pipit
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Tree Pipit
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Tree Pipit
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| Sparrowhawk |
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Herring Gull
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Sand Mrtin
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Carrion Crow
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Grey Squirrel
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Birds - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Tit, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Osprey, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sand Martin, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Swallow, Swift, Tree Pipit, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals - Grey Squirrel.
