1192 : Boxing Day & Blue Skies (26/12/23)

Sparrowhawk

Although I haven't done a lot of birding in December, Riverside Nature Park has been missing from my list of birding locations visited since the 19th of November. Although the park tends to be rather quiet in winter, there have been unconfirmed sightings of possible Merlins there around this time of year in the past, but the views have always been fleeting and the species has still to make it onto the list. Although the chances of seeing one, or anything else new for the year, was pretty slim, I decided to make the most of what was forecast to be a rather nice mid-winter day with blue sky and sunshine with a visit to the park. An early start once again was planned.

I had forgotten just how quiet things can be at Riverside Nature Park in the winter when I decided to set myself a target of finding 40 species at the park. I thought 30 didn't seem too hard so rather than go for 35, 40 it was. I headed out at 0800, slightly later than intended, meaning it would be about 15 minutes after sunrise when I reached the park. In the grand scheme of things this wasn't likely to be a big deal. Herring Gull, Carrion Crow and Robin were the first birds onto the list with Venus shining brightly in the clear southern sky. Goldcrest and Siskin were a bit less expected as I passed the open area between the football grounds, and the first Woodpigeon flew out from one of the trees there.

Magpie, Dunnock, Wren, Blue Tit and House Sparrow were all noted as I wandered up to the Law and through the trees bordering the road on the north side. Heading down from the hill again, I had brief views of 2 different Sparrowhawks on their search for a take-away breakfast. A Blackbird was also added near the bottom of the Law Steps. As I was leaving City Road onto Pentland Avenue, an unexpected Cormorant flew overhead heading northwest. Redwing and Starling were in the trees further on. Balgay Hill added Coal Tit, Bullfinch, Stock Dove and Chaffinch. Long Tailed Tits were added at the bottom of Glamis Road and Great Tit was spotted as I neared the entrance to the park just after 0900.

There was a flock of Siskins in the trees by the entrance though a Blackbird, Great Tit and Dunnock were flushed by an early morning runner leaving the park before I managed to get photos of any of them. Coal Tit, Magpie, Chaffinch and Carrion Crow didn't take long to make it onto the list. Things did seem fairly quiet with hardly any birds seen in flight. I had a search among the saplings for Woodcock but drew a blank. Herring Gull, Greenfinch and the first Bullfinches of the morning were found though. There was no sign of any Snipe or Jack Snipe around in front of Buzzard Wood either. I spotted a male Sparrowhawk perched out in the early morning sunshine in the hedge bordering the top half of the park.

I met Keith and we had a bit of a catch-up before he headed homewards and I decided to use the layout of the trees to the northwest of the car park and the strong glare of the low winter sun to try to get closer to the Sparrowhawk. This worked better than expected and despite being stood just a short distance in front of the bird I managed frame filling views of the bird for a whole 2 minutes before it eventually flew off to terrorise the few birds that actually were around in the park. I checked the flooded area in front for Snipe but again drew a blank. Wren, Blue Tit, Jackdaw, Black Headed Gull, Redwing, Robin and Feral Pigeon were next onto the list as I began to explore the top half of the park. The first Rabbit of the morning was spotted using the thermal imager and confirmed by binoculars as it peered back at me, completely still and rather well camouflaged tucked in below the bushes.

A Stock Dove overflew as I headed round to check the extended and mostly frozen Lochan. A single Black Headed Gull, a number of Teal and a handful of Mallard were found there before I headed round for a look at the bay. Redshank, Common Gull, Curlew, Bar Tailed Godwit, and Dunlin were new for the day's park list along with 4 Red Breasted Mergansers on the pipe but it still felt very quiet overall despite the good conditions. I had nice close views of a male Bullfinch in the Buddleia near the picnic tables before heading along to the hide. I had a pleasant bird-filled chat to a younger couple there and we were treated to views of another Sparrowhawk and mobbing corvid crowd in the trees by the hide as well as the Siskin flock. Things were still relatively quiet in front of the hide but the enjoyable conversation helped to pass the time.

When they headed off to visit relatives, I wandered back round to the picnic tables trying to add a few more species. My target figure was increasingly looking like being almost impossible. I did finally manage to add Woodpigeon - not a bird that is usually hard to get at the park. Looking back into the bay from the picnic tables I could see a Grey Heron on the railway embankment above the waders. There were a lot of families (and dogs) around by this time so I set off back to the hide to check through the roosting waders from there. Keith had mentioned having had Knot and Grey Plover recently, so there was potential to add something. I did manage to find a couple of Knot and a group of 4 Turnstones. I was really struggling to get anything at all new for the list with even Buzzard proving to be elusive. Thankfully, a pair did carry out a flypast over the fields that runs along the northern edge of the park with a Carrion Crow in pursuit but around 1400 I decided that I should call it a day and head homewards having only managed a total of 34 species at the park. 

My list for the whole day was still only at 39 species. As I wandered up the road from the Botanic Gardens on my walk home, a dark bird flew fast and low from the direction of the Invercarse Hotel or maybe one of the large gardens in that area. An unexpected, but very welcome, Woodcock which took the day's combined total to 40 species. I did add one final species to the day's list with a high flying, though silent, skein of Pink Footed Geese as I neared Dens Park. These took the 'outwith the park' list to 24 and coupled with the 34 at the park gave me a final total of 41 species. While not a classic visit to the park, the male Sparrowhawk photos in particular had made it well worth the effort. If the weather behaves at the weekend, I may manage one final visit for 2023. After New Year, with everything 'new' again, I'll definitely be back again in search of something I've been unable to catch up with elsewhere.

Siskin
Herring Gull
Sparrowhawk
Sparrowhawk
Sparrowhawk
Sparrowhawk
Greenfinch
Mallard
Bullfinch
Bullfinch
Bullfinch
Bullfinch
Redwing
Red Breasted Merganser
Dunlin
Bullfinch
Turnstone & Knot
Redshank & Dunlin
Curlew
Teal
Teal
Buzzard

Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Cormorant, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Great Tit, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Long tailed Tit, Magpie, Pink Footed Goose, Redwing, Robin, Siskin, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Woodcock, Woodpigeon, Wren.

Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Knot, Magpie, Mallard, Red Breasted Merganser, Redshank, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Sparrowhawk, Stock Dove, Teal, Turnstone, Woodpigeon, Wren.

Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.

1191 : Same Again (But Different) (25/12/23)

Red Breasted Merganser

I like to get out birding on Christmas Day. Places tend to be that bit quieter for most of the day except for a few hours around lunchtime and early afternoon when entire families venture out for a festive walk together. That early part of the day can mean better opportunities with less disturbance than usual. Unfortunately, this year the weather had other ideas with rain due late morning then continuing for the rest of the day. On the plus side, and in complete contrast to the previous day, there was to be little wind, which was definitely a bonus. Although the rather short window of opportunity wasn't ideal, I decided to make the most of it anyway. I would head out before sunrise and have another go at catching up with the Black Redstart at Broughty Ferry (though obviously there are no guarantees it is even still around, but if you don't try....).

As it takes roughly 75 minutes or so to get to Broughty Castle, I wanted to be there for sunrise. I would only have about an hour after that before I needed to be headed back homewards if I wanted to avoid getting wet. Although sunrise was roughly 0845, I headed out into the darkness a little earlier at 0715. I took my thermal imager with me, so that I could still spot birds, even in the dark - though identifying them does need them either to call, or for there to be enough light for the binoculars to pick out some sort of detail. Robin, Blue Tit and Herring Gull got things underway. 10 minutes later, I added Redwing in Baxter Park, followed by Wren and Blackbird on my way along Bingham Terrace.

Carrion Crow made it onto the list at Old Craigie Road but it was another 20 minutes before the next bird onwas on the list - a Black Headed Gull at the Stannergate. There were a few Rabbits around there and a number of Blackbirds were spotted using the thermal imager, picking around on a patch of Rabbit-cropped grass. I continued out along towards Broughty Ferry and managed to pick out Curlew, Redshank and Oystercatcher in the gloaming. A Grey Heron was stood in the water a little offshore and a Turnstone handily called as it flew off. I found a Dunnock near the sailing club sheds before a Common Gull glided past me as the sky lightened further. A Chaffinch 'pinked' loudly from a large garden on Douglas Terrace, and a Goldcrest was heard from another nearby. Further on, a Starling roost was waking up though still hidden in a large patch of ivy on a house wall.

A Cormorant and an Eider were seen out on the river and the first Red Breasted Mergansers of the morning were seen flying past. A Pied Wagtail and a Rock Pipit were wandering around on the jetty to the west of Beach Crescent. A single Feral Pigeon was seen in flight over the rooftops. I made it round to the castle before sunrise and could hear a Collared Dove calling from somewhere beyond the playpark. There was no sign of the Black Redstart or much else at Beach Crescent or even around the castle. There were quite a lot of walkers, dog walkers and joggers around, despite it still being quite early. A Shag was seen offshore along with another Cormorant. Despite much looking and hoping, it was more of the same with the only birds around being ones already seen on the walk out to 'the Ferry'. 

As the light improved (slightly) I started to take a few photos of the birds at the harbour. Across the Tay I could see a swan on the beach at Tayport and another 2 which flew towards the same area from the direction of the duckpond. I noted these as Mute Swans as theose are resident there, and are far more likely than Whoopers. I photographed a pair of Red Breasted Mergansers off the next jetty as I started my journey back homewards, with the drake catching what appears to be a Butterfish (thanks to a few folk on social media for the ID). A Goldfinch flew past and a Grey Seal was seen heading upriver from Douglas Terrace. There were House Sparrows by the railway line and a Siskin was heard flying over. The first Woodpigeon of the day was perched in a tree to the north of the railway line a bit further on. I spotted a trio of small waders landing down near one of the sailing club slipways and managed to see that they were Ringed Plovers. They flew off as I got closer along with another 4 which must have already been there.

The first Magpie of the morning was finally seen as I neared the Stannergate car park. A Great Black Backed Gull was on the slope at the edge of the docks. Although the sky wasn't looking particularly promising I decided to head along to City Quay as I had done the previous day, rather than head for home directly. There were Long Tailed Tits across the railway line near the start of the Docks Way cycle path. A Greenfinch was in the trees a bit further on. I heard geese and turned to see a skein of Pink Footed Geese approaching from the east. They seemed to hesitate slightly before continuing on upriver. Movement caught my eye by the fence on the north side of the path, which turned out to be a pair of Bullfinches. The female seemed completely unperturbed by me taking photos from about 6 feet away. I heard a Grey Wagtail flying over as I photographed the Bullfinches.

City Quay proved disappointing with only 2 Red Breasted Mergansers noted there along with a probable Sinensis race Cormorant which was perched atop a lampost at the former dry dock - exactly where I found my first of this race back on Christmas Day 2012 - though this time there was no Red Throated Diver (25/12/12 was when I found 'Dave the Diver' - the injured bird which spent the next few years in the quay giving countless photo opportunities before vanishing). It also began to rain quite heavily - almost exactly when it had been forecast, so I headed for home. I found a Mistle Thrush guarding a tree which still had some berries on it, on King Street. This took the total for the morning to 40 species, 8 more than the previous day's haul. While not a classic Christmas Day birding outing, it was good to get out and about for some fresh air and exercise, and the birds weren't too bad either.

Herring Gull
Carrion Crow
Common Gull
Shag (& Rock Pipit)
Black Headed Gull
Turnstone
Rock Pipit
Red Breasted Merganser (with Butterfish)
Rock Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Eider
Cormorant
Curlew
Oystercatcher
Redshank
Ringed Plover
Cormorant
Grey Heron
Great Black Backed Gull
Pink Footed Goose
Redwing
Bullfinch
Bullfinch
Cormorant (probable Sinensis race)

Birds - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunnock, Eider, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mistle Thrush, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Red Breasted Merganser, Redshank, Redwing, Ringed Plover, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Shag, Siskin, Starling, Turnstone, Woodpigeon, Wren.

Mammals - Grey Seal, Rabbit.