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| Sparrowhawk |
When the weekend came around, I decided on an early start and a visit to Riverside Nature Park in the hope of perhaps finding something passing through before the dog walkers chased them off, or maybe an early morning passage wader down in the bay. Sunrise was before 0500 so getting to the park in time for that wasn't really feasible, requiring as it would a departure from home around 0345. That would need my alarm to be set for something like 0300. There are days when I'm almost keen to get out birding that early, but unless I have transport arranged, I'm unlikely to attempt that one (though I would like to try a Dundee Big Day sometime, probably starting around that time, maybe early next May?).
I decided to try to get to the park for sometime around 0600. This would still likely mean I would more or less have the park to myself for around an hour, with a few dog walkers appearing over the next 2 hours or so before that trickle became more of a constant flow. With sunny and warm weather forecast, the dog walkers were likely to be out in force by around 1000. I stepped outside at 0501. House Sparrow, Starling, Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Robin, Dunnock, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Jackdaw and Goldfinch provided a steady stream of birds as I headed up past the football stadiums. I continued on along Strathmore Avenue which gave me Blackbird, Coal Tit, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Song Thrush and Blue Tit for the morning's list.
Lesser Black Backed Gull was spotted on Loon's Road and an Oystercatcher called loudly as it flew over near the Logie Street junction. Just before I cut across the football pitches at Lochee Park, a Greenfinch was seen perched high in one of the roadside trees. Blackcap and Goldcrest were new for the morning at Balgay Cemetery. A Great Tit was seen near the southwestern corner of the cemetery a few minutes later. A surprise as I wandered down Glamis Road was a pair of Red Squirrels which ran across the road into one of the gardens on the western side of the road close to the roundabout (or circle as they are known here in Dundee) at the end of Blackness Road. From Riverside Avenue Skylark could be heard singing somewhere over the airport. A pair of Linnets took flight from the small trees at the bottom of the steps from Riverside Drive and there were a number of Rabbits around on the grass in the same general area.
I reached the eastern entrance to the Nature Park just before 0610. There was plenty of activity with Blackcap, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Wren, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow and Robin all noted before I'd even reached the wooden gate. There were quite a lot of Rabbits which scurried off under the fence when they spotted me. Willow Warbler, Song Thrush, Oystercatcher and Jackdaw were noted as I wandered along the eastern end of Buzzard Wood. A Whitethroat was seen perched on the roadside wires and a Herring Gull passed overhead. As I headed for the path up to the top half a pair of Stock Dove took flight and circled round before flying over the hedge and on into the upper half. Great Tit, Dunnock and Magpie soon followed the other species onto the list.
The first of the morning's Skylarks within the park could be seen ascending over the hill as I reached the top of the small path up from the lower section of the park. At the Lochan, Moorhen and Mute Swan were both noted. In the hedge I was able to pick out Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer and Sedge Warbler - all vocal and all active. There were also a few Goldfinch around. A Mallard drake flew over as I headed in the direction of the raised banking. A few Blue Tits and Greenfinch were down among the bushes between the bay and the fenceline in front of me. The sudden appearance of a Sparrowhawk caused some panic among the smaller birds. Down in the bay I picked out Common Gull and Lesser Black Backed Gull, as well as Cormorant and Shelduck.
As I wandered on towards the picnic tables I caught a glimpse of a raptor disappearing behind the small copse of bushes that back onto the spot where Keith and I tend to scan out over the bay from. From the split-second view it didn't appear to be either Buzzard or Osprey, nor even a Sparrowhawk or the escaped Saker Falcon. I ran on a little to try to get a clear view. It turned out to be a welcome bonus bird for me, and a new one for my Dundee150 list - a female Marsh Harrier, quite possibly the same bird which has been seen from the park over the past few summers. The Harrier drew some unwelcome attention from some of the local corvids and gulls until I lost sight of it. More scanning from behind the bushes got me Bullfinch, Long Tailed Tit, Curlew and a flock of around a dozen Goosander, over the course of the next 20 minutes or so.
A distant Grey Heron was seen before I headed up to the top of the hill for more of a panoramic view of the area. Feral Pigeon, Swallow, Linnet and Pheasant didn't take too long to get themselves noticed. More scanning introduced Bar Tailed Godwit, some distant Common Seals, Pied Wagtail, Rook and Black Headed Gull to the morning's haul at the park. More slow wandering around the top half added Orange Tip butterfly as well as Starling and Swift near the Lochan. Having made a circuit of the top half I found a Small Tortoiseshell and a surprise Painted Lady at the raised banking. Towards the hide both Peacock and Small White butterflies were noted. I managed to find a few moth species - Common Carpet and Silver Y dotted around in various locations within the park. A Buzzard was seen circling to the north behind Ninewells Hospital as I headed for the exit just after 1130, having spent longer than expected at the park. A total of 50 species noted there was a decent return for the early start.
With the sun shining I was able to add Silver Y moth, Orange Tip and Small White butterflies outwith the park as I made my way up towards Balgay Hill. A spot of searching and slow wandering around trying to find Nuthatch and Speckled Wood only succeeded in finding Bullfinch and Stock Dove which took the 'outwith the park' total to a reasonable 27 species of birds. The combined totals for the day were 53 species of bird (including one year-tick, in bold), 5 of butterflies, 3 of mammals and 2 of moths. In addition to the Marsh Harrier it was good to get my first Painted Lady butterfly and Common Carpet moths of 2024. Although by the time I got home I was feeling rather tired, due to the earlier than usual start and the hotter than I like temperatures, it had been a worthwhile birding outing.
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Red Squirrel
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| Rabbit |
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Great Tit
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Reed Bunting
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| Sparrowhawk |
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Sedge Warbler
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Marsh Harrier
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Herring Gull & Marsh Harrier
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| Blackcap |
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Common Carpet
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Stock Dove
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| Skylark |
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Orange Tip
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| Whitethroat |
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| Goosander |
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Song Thrush
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| Swift |
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| Swift |
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| Curlew |
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Great Tit
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| Buzzard |
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| Chaffinch |
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue
Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch,
Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit,
Greenfinch, Herring Gull,
House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet,
Magpie, Oystercatcher, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon.
Mammals (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit, Red Squirrel.
Butterflies (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Orange Tip, Small White.
Moths (outside Riverside Nature Park) - Silver Y.
Birds
(at Riverside Nature Park) - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Blackcap,
Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit,
Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull,
Cormorant, Curlew, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Tit,
Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Lesser
Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard,
Marsh Harrier, Moorhen,
Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Reed
Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sedge Warbler,
Shelduck, Skylark, Song
Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Swift, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler,
Woodpigeon,
Wren, Yellowhammer.
Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Common Seal, Rabbit.
Butterflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Orange Tip, Painted Lady, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White.
Moths (at Riverside Nature Park) - Common Carpet, Silver Y.
