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Tree Pipit
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Having managed to reach a record total of 66 species for a day visit to the park around the same time last year, I was convinced that it was possible, (though perhaps not particularly likely), to be able to get 70 species in one day if (a lot of) luck was on my side. The end of August sees the park summer visitor species mostly still in place as well as some passage of migrants overhead (Pipits, Wagtails and Hirundines in particular) and often some less regular migrant waders passing through the bay. Once September gets underway things do quieten down a little making the sweet spot around 31st of August. Having arranged to help Lainy out on Saturday the 31st and with Lainy being interested in the 'record attempt', Wednesday was decided upon as our chosen time to try. The weather forecast was relatively favourable as was the high tide time. Things looked promising.
I decided I would try to get to the park for sunrise then see what was passing overhead before concentrating on the waders and gulls down in the bay, then while the tide was in we would see what else we could find around the park before checking through the gulls and waders again while the tide was on its way back out again. Lainy would join me when she was ready but following a full day's seawatching she was unlikely to be able to make it for sunrise. I was running a few minutes late when I left the house around 0507. As it was still relatively dark an hour before sunrise, things were rather quiet on the walk down to the park. Herring Gull, Robin, Carrion Crow, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Blackbird and Magpie were all I'd managed before I stumbled upon a (probable Pipistrelle) Bat fluttering around near the southwestern corner.
Before I reached the park, Goldcrest, Sandwich Tern, Dunnock and Woodpigeon (plus a number of Rabbits) were also added to the list. The sun was just clearing the horizon (though unseen from where I was) when I reached the park and things felt rather quiet. Robin, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Wren, Chiffchaff, Feral Pigeon, Goldfinch, Woodpigeon, Buzzard, Dunnock and Blue Tit got the record attempt underway. Unsurprisingly, I found Moorhens at the Lochan but nothing else. Herring Gull, Jackdaw and a pair of Whitethroats in a bramble bush next to the path were seen as I made my way round to check the bay before I headed up the hill for some vis-migging. However, the tide was already further in than expected which meant a change of plan.
Having not heard anything passing overhead this didn't appear to be a problem and as most birds that pass over the hill would still pass over where I'd be scanning the birds in the bay from, it wasn't likely to be a major problem anyway. Mallard, Black Headed Gull, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Curlew, Sandwich Tern, Grey Heron, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Dunlin and Common Sandpiper were all seen down in the bay. A Grey Wagtail gave me the first indication that there might actually be a few migrants passing overhead. A small flock of Starlings then flew over towards the recycling area. I could see a large flock of Canada Geese sitting on the water off Kingoodie. The first Tree Pipit of the day flew over and a Pied Wagtail was heard doing likewise.
More scanning of the bay produced Black Tailed Godwit and Teal while in the bushes Blackcap and Greenfinch were seen. A few more Tree Pipits and Meadow Pipits headed out over the bay and more scanning with the scope got me Little Egret, Cormorant and Common Gull. Lainy had messaged to say she was on her way down and I let her know I wasn't at the top of the hill where I had planned to be. I heard a 'tu tu tu' call from the bay. Greenshank, surely. I searched for it but couldn't see it due to the incomplete view that is available these days. Thankfully, the bird flew out from the bay and I was able to confirm that it was indeed a Greenshank, though it really was never in doubt. Greenshank was a bit of a bogey bird for me this year so I wanted to be doubly sure it wasn't just wishful thinking.
Lainy arrived with her 'good' scope and tripod and this proved to be a big bonus with Ringed Plover and Knot being picked out quite easily among the distant waders beyond the pipe. A short burst of Willow Warbler song gave us another species for the list and the first Swallows of the day sped over. A Great Black Backed Gull appeared on the pipe but overall the numbers of gulls were well down, to nearer a few hundred compared with the much larger numbers from Sunday. While this did make checking through them quicker and easier, it did decrease our chances of getting Mediterranean Gull and so it proved. Song Thrush and Stock Dove were both added before Lainy found a Bar Tailed Godwit across the bay amongst the Sandwich Terns, Curlews and Gulls. Lainy then found a Turnstone on the pipe. I found a distant group of Goosander out on the river and having been surprised that we hadn't yet seen an Osprey, we were less surprised when one did finally appear, upsetting some of the birds down in the bay.
I spotted a bird in flight low over the water flying out from the edge of the bay towards deeper water. I expected it to be a Goosander but was surprised to see that it was actually a Grebe. the hastily grabbed photos showed the upper wing pattern confirming it was a Great Crested Grebe, an unexpected bonus bird for the day. We headed round to the hide to check through the birds from there. We found Keith already there and while we compared notes, a Kingfisher was heard. Both Lainy and Keith managed to get brief views of the bird, though it seemed to move every time I tried to see it, though I did eventually manage a few rather brief views of it. There were Long Tailed Tits active in the trees around the hide giving us another addition. Around 0930 we decided to do a lap of the top half of the park to see what else we could find.
This got us House Martin, Great Tit and Chaffinch before we headed up the hill in the hope of picking up a passing Wheatear. We were out of luck on the Wheatear but a pair of Collared Doves dropping into a tree where the Marsh Harrier had been hunting recently was another nice bonus. A flock of Lapwings flew downriver with more heading into the bay. The first Sand Martins of the day flew out towards Invergowrie. We decided to drop Lainy's scope back at the car and to check out the lower half before picking it up again and heading up the hill for lunch and more scanning until the bulk of the waders returned. The sun put in an appearance which brought out a few butterflies - Meadow Brown and Large White initially. Lainy spotted a Coal Tit in the trees at the back of Buzzard Wood just before we both heard the unmistakable call of a Great Spotted Woodpecker, which duly flew into view, though flying away from us.
Peacock, Red Admiral and Small White butterflies were added to the butterfly list when we returned to the top half of the park. Rather than going back up the hill we ended up round on the raised banking once more. Linnets and Yellowhammer were both noted before we continued on round to the hide again. We heard a Bullfinch there and an odd call turned out to be a juvenile Greenfinch. By this stage we were just one species short of matching the current record of 66 species. We had made a list of species we might still have a reasonably good chance of seeing and had crossed off most of these. We headed back round to the bay to try to get something new amongst the waders and the gulls. A small flock of Dunlin in flight had a larger wader with them which didn't have too much white on show. Thankfully we saw where it landed and Lainy got the scope onto the bird and we were able to confirm the ID as a Ruff. Now we only needed one more species to beat the record, and 4 to reach the higher target figure of 70.
We didn't have to wait too long before I happened to look up from the scope just as a previously unseen Sparrowhawk lifted from among the greenery down in front of us. Species number 67 and we had a new record. We spent a few more hours attempting to add the 3 more species we needed to reach 70 but our luck only extended as far as the new record figure. This was still a great result and leaves things open for another crack at getting the 70 next year (or maybe even next week). Lainy bringing the 'good' scope and tripod had very likely got us a few birds that we might not have managed to get using just the smaller scopes, though it is impossible to say for sure. All in all, a great result, as well as a very enjoyable day's birding.
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Mallard ( & domestic variant)
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| Blackcap |
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Black Tailed Godwit
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| Greenshank |
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Sandwich Tern
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Redshank, Dunlin, Oystercatcher, Black Headed Gull, Common Gull & Sandwich Tern
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Great Black Backed Gull
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Black Tailed Godwit
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| Buzzard |
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| Osprey |
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| Osprey |
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Great Crested Grebe
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Grey Heron
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Little Egret
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House Martin
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Tree Pipit
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| Greenfinch |
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Meadow Brown
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| Osprey |
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Grey Wagtail
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| Cormorant |
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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Song Thrush
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Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Dunnock,
Goldcrest, Herring Gull, Lesser Black
Backed
Gull, Magpie, Robin, Sandwich Tern, Woodpigeon.
Mammals (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Pipistrelle Bat, Rabbit.
Birds
(at Riverside Nature Park) - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed
Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common
Gull, Common Sandpiper, Cormorant, Curlew,
Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Greenshank, Grey Heron,
Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Martin, Jackdaw, Kingfisher, Knot, Lapwing, Lesser
Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Little Egret, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Robin, Feral Pigeon,
Ruff, Sand Martin, Sandwich Tern, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove,
Swallow, Teal, Tree Pipit, Turnstone, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren,
Yellowhammer.
Butterflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Large White, Meadow Brown, Peacock, Red Admiral, Small White.
