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Carrion Crow
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Having reached a nice round 130 species for my #Dundee150 list the previous day, there was no pressure to get out birding on the final day of my Spring holday. However, I didn't want to waste the day though I didn't have a great deal of energy. I had a much needed lie-in before settling on the easy option of popping back up to the top of the Law to see if the previous afternoon's Crossbills might still be around. Even if they weren't there was still a reasonable chance of grabbing some more Kestrel photos as well as potential for a migrant or two passing over, or maybe some raptors displaying or hunting.
I headed out a lot later than usual, at around 1035 for the walk to the Law. Feral Pigeon, Herring Gull and a Sparrowhawk were immediately apparent when I stepped outside, the raptor causing a lot of disturbance among the birds that frequent the surrounding rooftops. Carrion Crow and House Sparrow were both spotted as I wandered up Tannadice Street. Starling, Chaffinch, Dunnock and Woodpigeon were added between Dens Park and Canning Street. Goldfinch and Magpie were noted on Bruce Street with Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Bullfinch all heard from the trees on the north side of the lower slopes of the hill when I reached the top end of Hill Street. A male Orange Tip butterfly and a Chiffchaff were the final additions before I wandered up to the very top of the hill.
Before I had a chance to get organised a Buzzard drifted over on the south side of the hill heading out to the southeast. An Oystercatcher was then heard from the direction of Loons Road. A Sparrowhawk was seen to the south. At around 1115 the local Kestrel showed for a minute or two before dropping out of sight to the north. A Lesser Black Backed Gull passed overhead and 2 Siskins were seen in the trees on the eastern slopes. Another Sparrowhawk was seen to the northeast at 1122. A Jackdaw flew over and 2 Swifts were seen to the south, moving slowly westwards. I had a few more sightings of Buzzard and Sparrowhawk, including 2 overhead, one much higher than the other.
A Bullfinch was heard at around 1230 and an Orange Tip butterfly flitted around by the mast shed. A Goldcrest was heard either side of a couple of further Buzzard encounters, with birds tangling with Carrion Crow and Herring Gull. Another Sparrowhawk was picked out distantly to the east. Long Tailed Tit joined the list of heard only birds for the day. Another couple of Buzzards rounded off my stint at the top of the Law. A Small Tortoiseshell butterfly was seen on the steps on the west side. Great Tit and House Martin were noted on the walk back home a few minutes either side of 1400. The list for the day's almost 3 hours of reasonably steady birding from Dundee's highest point was just 26 species, as well as 2 of butterfly. Unfortunately, there was no sign of the previous day's Crossbills.
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Kestrel |
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Carrion Crow
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| Buzzard |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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Hoverfly sp.
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Carrion Crow
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| Magpie |
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| Buzzard |
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| Buzzard |
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Small Tortoiseshell
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Spider sp.
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Birds - Blackcap, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Oystercatcher, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Swift, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon.
Butterflies - Orange Tip, Small Tortoiseshell.
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| Sparrowhawk |
Later in the week the temperatures crept higher to levels that aren't particularly great when walking for miles carrying a load of birding gear, or even just walking to and from work. I wanted to get out birding on the Saturday morning but I really couldn't muster the energy to walk all the way to Riverside Nature Park or Balmossie, or even just out along the Dighty Burn. Having struggled a bit to get out of bed I decided to head back up to the top of the Law again, though with an earlier start than the midweek visit, though still much later than ideal when migrants might be the main target.
I headed out into the sunshine just before 0845. Blackbird, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Feral Pigeon, Carrion Crow, Dunnock and Lesser Black Backed Gull were first onto the list for the morning. Magpie, Jackdaw and Starling were noted as I headed up past the football grounds. Robin, Swift, Blue Tit, Chaffinch and Goldfinch were all found before I reached Harcourt Street. A Willow Warbler could be heard singing from the trees by the pigeon lofts on the lower eastern side of the hill. Woodpigeon and Song Thrush were the final finds before I made it to the top of the hill and got organised.
A pair of Crossbills flew in from the northeast passing to the south of the hill where they dropped out of my line of sight. A Blackcap was heard singing and a single Swallow went over northbound. Two pairs of Lesser Black Backed Gulls and a Sparrowhawk were seen over the next 10 minute spell. An Oystercatcher was heard out to the west, just like on Wednesday. Another Sparrowhawk flew out to the east from south of the hill. A pair of House Martins and a Swift were hawking for insects out to the southeast. A Great Tit was heard calling from the trees to the north. Another Swallow went north and a couple of Sparrowhawks were noted out to the southwest, with a female flying in past me to land in full view on the mast where it perched for the next while, allowing me to to get some good photos as it did so, seemingly totally unconcerned that I was just below the mast. A Buzzard tangled with a Carrion Crow and a distant pair of Swifts were spotted. Another Sparrowhawk was seen heading east and after around 30 minutes perched on the mast, the female flew off to the south. A Small Tortoiseshell butterfly flitted past.
Bullfinches and Sparrowhawks kept me busy on and off over the course of the next 45 minutes or so. A Chiffchaff was heard around 1130 with further sightings of Swifts and another Swallow. An Orange Tip butterfly tussled with an unidentified white butterfly. There were a few more Swallows passing over, and a Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk drifted overhead before I called it a day after 3.5 hours atop the hill. The walk back from there added Wren, the local Kestrel, Long Tailed Tits and Coal Tit. These took the list for the day to 32 species. Although it had been relatively quiet overall, there was just enough to keep me from getting too bored, with the perched Sparrowhawk and the Crossbills being the main highlights. I keep hoping for a Honey Buzzard or a Hobby to go over, or perhaps even something rarer like a Black Kite. Almost anything is possible, as past experience has demonstrated. What will be next?
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| Crossbill |
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| Magpie |
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| Magpie |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Buzzard |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Bullfinch |
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| Swallow |
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| Swift |
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Carrion Crow
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House Martin
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| Buzzard |
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| Kestrel |
Birds - Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch,
Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Crossbill, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Herring Gull,
House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Lesser Black Backed Gull,
Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Oystercatcher, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Song Thrush,
Sparrowhawk, Starling, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Swallow, Swift, Willow Warbler,
Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies - Orange Tip, Small Tortoiseshell.
