1279 : Worthwhile Wanderings (22/7/24)

Bar Tailed Godwit

Having not made it to Riverside Nature Park on Saturday, my intention was to rectify this on Monday - a local holiday, and a day off work. The weather forecast wasn't overly promising with light rain looking likely for chunks of the day. I spent the morning largely procrastinating and talking myself out of making the effort to walk out to the park. The thought that a lot of Keith's additions to the park list came either during, or following, wet weather niggled away at the back of my mind. My previous visit to the park had also been surprisingly fruitful. As the clock approached noon, I decided I actually should make the effort and head to the park, so I got organised and was ready to head out just after 1210.

Magpie, Feral Pigeon, House Sparrow and Herring Gull provided the first few species to get things underway for the afternoon. Lesser Black Backed Gull, Carrion Crow, Goldfinch, Woodpigeon, Starling, Swift, Blackbird and House Martin were noted on the stretch between Tannadice Street and Byron Street. Rather than take my usual route to reach Riverside Nature Park, I set off in the direction of Magdalen Green. This did mean that additions were few and far between, though I did eventually add Greenfinch and Pied Wagtail when I reached Riverside Drive, having crossed the old footbridge over the railway line. Long Tailed Tits in the trees behind the Amazon depot, a calling Oystercatcher and a surprise Jay rounded off things before I reached the eastern end of the park.

Things were relatively quiet at the park though Herring Gull, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Goldfinch, Blackbird, Chaffinch and Woodpigeon (plus a few Rabbits) were all noted in the first few minutes. A Swallow zipped over as I headed in the direction of the Lochan. I found a moth on the ground - which appears to have been another July Highflyer. There were a few young Moorhens around at the Lochan but not much else, though a rather vocal pair of Oystercatchers flew over towards Ninewells. Continuing on out to overlook the bay, I noted Reed Bunting, Whitethroat and Linnet. Down in the bay, I was able to add Lesser Black Backed Gull, Black Headed Gull, Common Gull, Redshank, Dunlin, Mallard and Common Sandpiper before getting the scope out of my backpack to scan through the further away birds.

A pair of Black Tailed Godwits were picked out further round in the bay, and there were a number of Curlew across the far side of the bay, as well as a number of Sandwich Terns in with the gull roost. The reedbed Mute Swan pair and their single cygnet wandered along the front edge of the reedbed. A small flock of Jackdaws circled round and I found a few Lapwings in with the distant waders and gulls across the bay. There were also a small number of Bar Tailed Godwits, a single Knot and also the lingering Little Egret seen on my previous visit. A larger flock of around 80+ Lapwings flew in to roost as the tide moved in further. A Yellowhammer flew over before some of the waders disappeared out of the bay. Blue Tit, Starling, Pied Wagtail, Song Thrush and Cormorant were all added over the next 30 minutes or so.

As I was checking some distant birds out over the river, a small flock of birds flew across my field of view. Terns - but not the usual Sandwich Terns. I was able to get a nice selection of photos which showed that my initial gut feeling - that the 5 birds were Common Terns - was correct, before I lost sight of the birds due to a bizjet on approach into the airport. I headed round to the hide to see if I could find anything among the gulls but despite much searching there I drew a blank. The sky had started to clear a little and the temperature was beginning to creep upwards, so butterflies and other insects were beginning to appear. Small White and Meadow Brown butterflies made up the majority. 

A House Martin was seen to the north from near the top of the hill and a pair of Stock Doves flew off as I reached the top. Towards the hospital, a single Buzzard circled up over the woodland. I added Ringlet, Common Carpet moth, Six-Spot Burnet and a rather worn looking Red Admiral. A Wren was heard and a few Swifts were then seen to the north. Another look at the Lochan saw 2 lots of young Moorhens. There was a single fluffy black youngster which was being fed by one of its slightly older siblings. I spent some time checking out various insects, missing out on an unidentified small butterfly/moth that wouldn't settle. 

There were a number of hoverflies, bees and lots of flies which kept me occupied for a while before I decided I should really head homewards around 1645. I added Bullfinch as I headed for the eastern exit, taking the birds at the park to 45 species. The rather weary walk homewards added Swallow, Great Tit, Coal Tit and Chiffchaff taking the 'outwith the park' list to 22 species for a combined total of 51 species of bird, 4 of butterflies, 1 of mammal and 3 of moth (not including a few micro moth species). While I failed to add anything new to my Dundee150 list, it had actually been a worthwhile trip, with the Common Terns being my main highlight.

Goldfinch
Black Tailed Godwit
Curlew, Bar Tailed Godwit, Black Headed Gull & Common Gull
Bar Tailed Godwit
Sandwich Tern
Black Headed Gull
Sandwich Tern
Black Tailed Godwit
Common Tern
Common Tern
Common Tern
Curlew & Lapwing
Curlew & Lapwing
Stock Dove
Common Gull
Common Gull & Black Headed Gull
Moorhen
Meadow Brown
Buzzard
Six Spot Burnet
Dichrorampha petiverella(?)
Chiffchaff
Empis Tessellata
Ichneumon sp.
Fly sp.

Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jay, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Feral Pigeon, Starling, Swallow, Swift, Woodpigeon, Wren.

Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Common Sandpiper, Common Tern, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Goldfinch, Herring Gull, House Martin, Jackdaw, Knot, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Little Egret, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sandwich Tern, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Swift, Whitethroat, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.

Butterflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Meadow Brown, Red Admiral, Ringlet, Small White.

Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.

Moths (at Riverside Nature Park) - Common Carpet, July Highflyer, Six Spot Burnet.