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| Jay |
I had high hopes of getting out birding with Steph regularly this year, but for a variety of reasons, that hasn't happened, with actual opportunities turning out to be few and far between. However, Steph had managed to arrange time to get out birding free from other distractions for Saturday the 14th of September. Given the time of year it made sense to meet up at Riverside Nature Park early in the morning and see what we could find over the course of the rest of the morning, at least. Waders in particular, as well as potential migrants, were high on the targets list. With recent visits being relatively productive there was a good chance we would be able to get some new additions for Steph's somewhat stalled year-list.
I had said to Steph that I hoped to be at the park between 0645 and 0715 but that I would let her know when I was at Balgay Cemetery, so that she could potentially time her arrival at the park for the same time as me. I headed out a bit later than I had hoped, at 0605. As it was still relatively dark, with sunrise still around 40 minutes away, birds were in short supply. Herring Gull and a singing Robin were rather unsurprisingly the first on the day's list. Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Goldcrest and Blackbird were all I managed to get before I reached Ancrum Road. Dunnock and Jackdaw were seen on the walk along to the football pitches where a lone Common Gull was noted.
Great Tit, Song Thrush and Bullfinch were spotted as I passed through the Cemetery. Greenfinch was a flyover add at the top of the bottom half of Glamis Road. A Grey Wagtail headed over westwards and a Wren was heard as I neared the park, a little later than intended, though actually having made good time given when I'd left the house. Via WhatsApp I'd arranged to meet Steph at the end of the track along from the hide (or at the Lochan depending on who arrived first). First on the list at the park was Herring Gull, followed quickly by Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Robin, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Magpie, Feral Pigeon, Chiffchaff, Chaffinch and Blackbird.
I found Goldfinch just inside the top half of the park. As I made my way towards the Lochan, the first Meadow Pipit of the morning flew over. A Song Thrush was in the bushes by the path. A bit further on a Wren flew across from the hillside vegetation into the hedge. At the Lochan, I was slightly surprised to find the footless Lapwing which had seemed to have vanished recently. Needless to say there were plenty of Moorhens around there. While waiting for Steph to arrive I was able to add Jackdaw, Dunnock, Pink Footed Goose and Grey Wagtail. Once she arrived we headed round for a look at the bay. Although it was not long after low tide, the exposed mud didn't extend too far out. Oystercatcher, Redshank, Mallard, Dunlin, Curlew, Black Headed Gull, Common Gull, Grey Heron and Lesser Black Backed Gull were relatively easily found as were a single Great Black Backed Gull and a pair of Little Egrets.
A Sparrowhawk flew past, while down in the bushes we spotted Blackcap, Greenfinch and Long Tailed Tit. More scanning of the bay got us Teal and Black Tailed Godwit. Pied Wagtail, Starling, Linnet and Skylark all passed overhead along with a few more Meadow Pipits. We decided to make a quick lap of the rest of the park before heading back to check the bay again. A Jay flew past carrying an acorn in the lower half and a pair of Snipe dropped in at the Lochan, though too quickly to get Steph onto them. Thankfully, we had one calling from above us as we wandered back round to the bay a few minutes later. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard calling loudly from somewhere across the railway line.
We were joined by Keith around 0900 who managed to find a flock of 10 Sanderling which flew in from across the bay, to land on the mud below us. They were also heard calling, something neither Keith or I could recall hearing before (though I have a feeling I've heard a large-ish flock of the birds at Westhaven making some noise before). Bar Tailed Godwit and Turnstone were both picked out before Steph got a phone call from her husband to say that something had cropped up and she would have to cut short her birding for the day. Disappointed, she headed homewards. Keith managed to find the Mediterranean Gull across the far side of the bay and I added a few Goosander out on the river. Whitethroat and Bullfinch were seen in the bushes down in front of us.
I had a wander down to the lower half of the park again with Keith before he too headed home. A Swallow was seen over the recycling area. Things were a lot quieter than earlier in the day so nothing else was added. I headed back for a look around the top half again noting a Buzzard on the airport fence from the top of the hill. By this time the tide was well on its way in. I was able to pick out a few Knot and a few Wigeon in flight. A Reed Bunting was seen as I headed along to the hide to scan from there. Although this failed to get me anything else, I did time my return to the main part of the park perfectly to see a young Peregrine make a failed stoop at something unseen behind the greenery. Steph had glimpsed a probable Pheasant earlier hidden in below the bushes and I saw what was possibly the same bird as it flew in and landed beyond the wooden gate, close to where the Red Backed Shrike was last year.
I made one final addition to my list for the visit to the park, a Stock Dove over the airport, which took my total to 61 species. Rather than head my usual way home, I decided to wander along the river to City Quay. I wasn't expecting much of note but you just never know. Oystercatcher was seen at the airport. Black Headed Gull and Pied Wagtail were on the football pitches near the Bridge Station restaurant, and the first of a few Cormorants was seen fishing in the river just over the seawall. I added more Cormorants on the walk along to the V&A. A few Swallows headed upriver, flying very low to the water. A Great Black Backed Gull was on the old Submarine Rock with more Cormorants. City Quay proved fruitless and my only find on the way home was a Chaffinch at Dens Brae, taking my 'outwith the park' list to 26, for a combined total of 63 species.
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| Sanderling |
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Redshank & Dunlin
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| Lapwing |
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| Curlew |
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| Knot |
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Reed Bunting
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Dunlin, Redshank & Black Tailed Godwit
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| Goosander |
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Redshank & Black Tailed Godwit
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| Peregrine |
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| Whitethroat |
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| Mallard |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Buzzard |
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Curlew & Lapwing
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| Wigeon |
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Stock Dove
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| Greenfinch |
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Pink Footed Goose
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| Jay |
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Herring Gull
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Black Headed Gull
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| Cormorant |
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| Starling |
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| Swallow |
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Common Gull,
Cormorant, Dunnock,
Goldcrest, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow,
Jackdaw, Lesser Black
Backed
Gull, Magpie, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Song Thrush, Swallow, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Birds
(at Riverside Nature Park) - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Blackcap,
Black Headed
Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow,
Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common
Gull, Cormorant, Curlew,
Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black
Backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch,
Grey Heron,
Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Jay, Knot,
Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Little Egret, Long Tailed Tit,
Magpie,
Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mediterranean Gull, Moorhen, Oystercatcher,
Peregrine, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail,
Pink Footed Goose, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sanderling, Skylark, Snipe, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove,
Swallow, Teal, Turnstone, Whitethroat, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren.
