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| Kestrel |
April got underway with a welcome Monday off work and although the weather forecast wasn't the best I decided to head back to Riverside Nature Park again. I did originally intend on getting to the park for sunrise (now that the clocks have gone forward an hour, sunrise is once again at a 'doable' time, at least for a short while). As it turned out, rain seemed to be on the agenda for the time I would be walking to the park and potentially also while I was there. Staying in bed proved to be the more appealing option. I did still manage to be out the door for around the time of a rather low high tide at 0740.
Feral Pigeon, Herring Gull and House Sparrow made for a rather subdued start to the morning's birding. It was cold, grey and windy (despite it now being officially 'summer time') and my legs felt rather heavy. I wasn't feeling particularly in the mood but I forced myself to continue on, just in case something good turned up at the park, as it would inevitably do if I headed back home again. Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Pied Wagtail and Blue Tit made it onto the list as I headed up past Tannadice and Dens. Chaffinch was added near the start of Byron Street with Wren noted 5 minutes further on, while a Chiffchaff and a Siskin were heard as I headed down Gardiner Street.
Magpie and Goldfinch were noted as I continued on along Ancrum Road with a small group of Common Gulls seen on the football pitches at Lochee Park. Off to the east, an unexpected Cormorant was seen struggling into the stong wind, heading to the south-east. A Dunnock was heard as I neared the hill and a Sparrowhawk flew past along the edge of the trees. Goldcrest, Robin and Blackbird were the only additions at Balgay Cemetery and Greenfinch was found in the trees near the Ninewells Hospital footbridge at the eastern end of the site. Breeding Oystercatchers and Rooks were rather vocal as I wandered along the rear side of the Hospital. I reached the Nature Park around 0845.
Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Jackdaw, Chiffchaff, Carrion Crow, Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon and a single Redshank were spotted from the bridge over the railway line along with a pair of Mallard and another of Teal. I wandered round to the hide where I spotted Keith arriving just before I did. We added Dunlin, Bullfinch, Song Thrush, Long Tailed Tit, Blackbird, Black Tailed Godwit (including one in full breeding plumage), Oystercatcher and Common Gull from the relative shelter of the hide. Shelduck, Skylark, Red Breasted Merganser, Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Black Headed Gull, Meadow Pipit and Cormorant were all noted a little later from the areas further round overlooking the bay. Keith headed for home and I headed back round to the hide again.
A Yellowhammer flew past as we split to go our separate ways and a surprise Collared Dove overflew as Keith was about to go out of sight. On the walk back to the hide I added Greenfinch, Magpie and Wren. I was surprised to find that almost all the waders had disappeared from view when I reached the hide again, though there were a few Curlews further across the bay. Just as I was considering walking along to the Lochan for a look, a large flock of Oystercatchers, and another of Bar Tailed Godwits dropped in at the edge of the mud. Scanning through them, I also found a trio of Knot. A Lesser Black Backed Gull could be seen through the bushes as it stood atop the outflow pipe.
I headed back round to the raised embankment again from where I scanned through the birds I could see as the tide went back out and more mud reappeared. A Grey Heron was picked out in flight well out over the river to the west and a pair of Goosander, hitherto unseen, flew out from the bay towards Kingoodie. A Robin popped out from the hedge behind me. I eventually wandered round for a look at the Lochan which added Moorhen and Mute Swan to the list for the day's visit to the park. Coal Tit and Stock Dove were found before I headed down into the lower half of the park where Blue Tit and Great Tit were noted. A lone Starling flew north towards the hospital as I was about to leave the park taking my list there for the day to 46 species.
A Great Tit was heard from the garden of the house next to the Botanic Gardens. I spent a bit of time exploring Balgay Hill where I had views of 3 Nuthatches - 1 bird calling repeatedly near last year's sole known nest site and a pair in an area where no nests are known of, but where birds have been heard fairly regularly since at least the breeding season last year. In addition, a Stock Dove, a pair of Treecreepers, a Coal Tit, a Jay, a few Grey Squirrels and a heard only Buzzard added a few more species to the 'outwith the park' half of the list. The local Kestrel showed nicely atop a conifer by the steps up from the allotments on the west side of the Law. The Kestrel was the 35th species outwith the park and took the combined total for the day to 56 species. A slightly underwhelming way to round off 6 days off work birding. In that time I managed to add another 4 species to take me to 110, just 40 species short of my target now with 3/4 of the year still to go...
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Long Tailed Tit
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Black Tailed Godwit, Redshank & Dunlin
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Black Tailed Godwit
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Collared Dove
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Oystercatcher & Knot
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Carrion Crow
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| Dunlin |
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Black Tailed Godwit, Redshank & Lesser Black Backed Gull
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Red Breasted Merganser
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| Goosander |
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| Skylark |
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| Moorhen |
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Mute Swan
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Stock Dove
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Song Thrush
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| Greenfinch |
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| Nuthatch |
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| Treecreeper |
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Grey Squirrel
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| Nuthatch |
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| Chaffinch |
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Great Tit
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Coal Tit
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion
Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Cormorant, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring
Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Nuthatch, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Siskin, Sparrowhawk, Starling,
Stock Dove, Treecreeper, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Grey Squirrel.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Black Headed
Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch,
Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron,
Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Knot, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long
Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute Swan,
Oystercatcher, Red Breasted Merganser, Redshank, Robin, Feral
Pigeon, Rook, Shelduck, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Teal,
Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
