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| Waxwing |
As I do all of my birding within Dundee these days, I don't often get involved with local (Angus & Dundee) bird club outings, though they were something I used to enjoy previously. With a Dundee outing planned for Sunday the 7th of April, I was asked if I would go along and help out with some local knowledge (of where to go/what might be seen etc). As I enjoy highlighting what Dundee has to offer as somewhere to go birding, this seemed like a worthwhile exercise. As an additional bonus it would also mean I would be able to visit a few different places across the city in just one day, increasing my chances of adding something else new to my Dundee150 list. With a 0900 start time from Riverside Nature Park, I wanted to get there early to carry out a bit of a 'recce' as I knew the tide would be well out - which wasn't ideal for seeing a lot at the park.
The weather forecast promised high winds again, as well as a chance of a heavy shower of rain while I would be on my way to the park - neither of which was ideal. However, these were out of my control (as with the tide times) and I'd just have to make the most of things, and hopefully help to 'deliver' an enjoyable day's birding for those club members who chose to come along. To give myself plenty of time I headed out at 0700. Starling, Blackbird, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Feral Pigeon and Jackdaw got things started in rather unspectacular fashion. Lesser Black Backed Gull, Carrion Crow, Dunnock and Woodpigeon soon followed as I headed up past the football grounds. Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Magpie, Coal Tit, Robin, Siskin, Blue Tit, Grey Wagtail, Greenfinch, Wren and Meadow Pipit provided a steady flow of additions as I headed along Byron Street. Oystercatcher, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Great Tit were noted as I headed down Loons Road.
I decided to check for Waxwings at Ancrum Road Primary School, just in case there were some around and found a flock of 20+ were in the trees in Gibbs Lane. This would likely mean a detour later in the morning to try to get them for the outing group - as Waxwings are always popular. A couple of Nuthatches, Long Tailed Tits, Goldcrest and Great Spotted Woodpecker were found in Balgay Cemetery and a Song Thrush on Glamis Road was the final addition before I reached the Nature Park around 0815. I made a quick 3/4 circuit of the park from the eastern end along past the Lochan and round the front of the hill, to check the bay before a quick look from the top of the hill and down to the car park to wait for others to arrive. I managed to accumulate a decent list in doing so - Robin, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Great Tit, Blackbird, Chiffchaff, Greenfinch, Dunnock, Magpie, Herring Gull and Goldfinch (plus Rabbit) in the lower half. Skylark, Jackdaw, Mute Swan, Moorhen, Teal, Lesser Black Backed Gull and Yellowhammer on my way round by the Lochan to overlook the bay. Redshank, Cormorant, Curlew, Shelduck, Oystercatcher and Bar Tailed Godwit were noted down in the bay and further out on the mud. Blackcap and Meadow Pipit were the final additions before I reached the car park.
There was one birder already there (Eileen?) and we were joined by a small group over the next 5 minutes or so. I knew 2 of the group (Alec Smith and Jonathan Patullo), one of the others knew me but I'm not sure if I've met him before or not, and the other 2 men I didn't know. It was a small group but that can usually be an advantage when trying to get everyone onto the birds found. A Siskin, a flock of Black Headed Gulls and a Common Gull flew over before we set off round to scan out over the bay. Starling and Chaffinch were added on the short walk to get there. We saw most of the same species I'd already found, plus Mallard, Great Black Backed Gull, Goosander and Wren. Jonathan had a few Knot but I didn't manage to get on to them. Rook, Feral Pigeon and a very welcome addition to my Dundee150 list in the shape of a Swallow were noted as we headed back to the car park.
I suggested to Jonathan that we should probably check out Balmossie next, though I suspected that the Waxwings would be a short detour on the way once the group's opinion was sought. Not unexpectedly, Waxwings were indeed on the menu. Thankfully they were still where I'd left them and everyone managed good views of the birds before we set off for the end of the esplanade at Broughty Ferry. Another Swallow zipped across Broughty Ferry Road as we headed along. The wind at Balmossie made viewing slightly tricky and the tide was already much further in than anticipated which meant there wasn't as much variety as I'd hoped there might be. However we still managed to see Wigeon, Dunlin, Turnstone, Common Gull, Black Headed Gull, Eider, Pied Wagtail, a surprise Collared Dove on the beach, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull and Redshank before we set off for somewhere a bit more sheltered - the Dighty Burn between Douglas and Whitfield.
A pair of Stock Dove flew over as we waited at traffic lights by the Post Office Bar. Everyone arrived at West Pitkerro Industrial Estate where we had decided to park and we soon set off along the burn. Things appeared quiet at first but things soon picked up with a few Dippers and a welcome Kingfisher sighting followed by a Grey Heron and a Buzzard. A Sparrowhawk flew through as we walked along the burn opposite the recycling plant. We had just crossed the road when I looked up and saw 2 Sand Martins scooting over at speed - my second Dundee150 tick of the day. My brain registered them but my mouth struggled to get the words out though thankfully a few folk did manage to see them when I managed to blurt out something while pointing up at the birds. There were also a few Redwings in the trees by the edge of the industrial estate.
Clatto and Templeton Woods was to be our next location, where we would stop for a spot of much needed lunch. We reached the car park at Clatto around 1330. As we got out of the car, Lainy appeared with some interesting news of what she'd already seen - including Kestrel, Crossbill, Little Grebe and all 3 hirundine species. It didn't take long to get House Martin on the list - giving me my 3rd hirundine species of the year and the day's outing, taking my Dundee150 list to 114 (15 ahead of the same date last year). We had lunch overlooking the reservoir, thankfully relatively sheltered from the wind. Mute Swan, Mallard, Moorhen, Yellowhammer, Great Crested Grebe, Tufted Duck and Goldeneye were all noted without too much effort before we set off to walk round the reservoir.
Reed Bunting and Bullfinch were added before we continued on up to Templeton Woods. We had an encounter with what appeared to be a small flock of maybe 20 Waxwings seen very briefly in flight, though largely obscured by the trees. Just seconds before seeing them, I thought I could hear Waxwings but disregarded the thought, due to where we were. Unfortunately we failed to add anything else at the wood, though a couple of Buzzards were noted, and with one of the party having a sore leg we headed back to the car park. I had suggested one last stop at Balgay but having already done a fair bit of walking I didn't think many folk would fancy an additional uphill walk so we called it a day.
As far as I could tell, everyone seemed to enjoy the outing (bar the windy conditions and possibly the amount of walking I'd inflicted on them) and we managed to see some pretty good birds. Jonathan dropped me off at Trottick as I was hoping to take my own total number of species for the day to a nice round 70. I failed to get a Jay in Caird Park though a Coot at Swannie Ponds took me to 69, which in itself was a decent enough total for a very windy day early in April, and all within Dundee. Had the tide times been more favourable and the weather a bit calmer I suspect we might have managed a total closer to 75-80. All in all though, it was a pretty good day out, and makes me want to do either a Dundee Big Day in early May, or a slightly more likely 'Dundee 12 hours' outing (or possibly 24 hours birding in Dundee over 2 or 3 days) to see what sort of total is actually possible (90?....100?).
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| Waxwing |
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| Waxwing |
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| Waxwing |
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| Waxwing |
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Dunlin, Redshank & Carrion Crow
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Herring Gull & Great Black Backed Gull
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Bar Tailed Godwit & Turnstone
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Redshank, Turnstone & Wigeon
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Grey Wagtail
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Roe Deer
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| Dipper |
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| Redwing |
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| Yellowhammer |
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House Martin
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Sand Martin
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Great Crested Grebe
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Sand Martin
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| Swallow |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Buzzard |
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Great Crested Grebe
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| Moorhen |
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| Bullfinch |
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Tufted Duck
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Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard,
Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Coot,
Curlew, Dipper, Dunlin, Dunnock, Eider, Goldcrest, Goldeneye, Goldfinch,
Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great
Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow,
Jackdaw, Kingfisher, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit,
Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Nuthatch, Oystercatcher,
Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Redwing, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sand Martin, Siskin, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk,
Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Tufted Duck, Turnstone, Waxwing, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren,
Yellowhammer.
Mammals (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Roe Deer.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunnock, Goldfinch,
Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great
Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull,
Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull,
Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher,
Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Robin, Feral Pigeon,
Rook, Shelduck, Siskin, Skylark,
Starling, Swallow, Teal, Woodpigeon, Wren,
Yellowhammer.
Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.
