 |
Long Tailed Tit
|
Having not gone birding on Saturday the 21st of September I decided to head to Riverside Nature Park early on Sunday the 22nd. I was hoping that I might find some migrants passing through the park, both in the air and also in the bushes and trees. I wanted to be at the park as early as I could be. However, as is often the case, I didn't quite make it out of my bed in time to make it to the park in time for sunrise. Thankfully the park is usually relatively quiet until closer to 0900 with usually only a few of the regular dog walkers in the park before then.
I headed out just before 0650 to the sound of a singing Robin, the first of many heard over the course of the next hour's walk. Herring Gull and Starling were next just around the corner. Jackdaw and Magpie were in their respective usual spots near the Dens Park football stadium and the first Woodpigeon of the morning was seen on Provost Road. Carrion Crow and a flyover Grey Wagtail along with a Feral Pigeon also seen in flight were noted along the first half of Byron Street. Blue Tit and an unexpected Grey Squirrel were both added in front of the tenements a bit further on along the same street. A Wren was heard from a garden at the top of Loons Road. A Meadow Pipit overflew and a Lesser Black Backed Gull was seen atop a streetlight. Dunnock and Great Tit were in the trees near the bottom of the road.
Black Headed Gull and Common Gull were on the football pitches and a Buzzard was seen above the trees at the hill. House Sparrows were heard chirping from the gardens by the driveway up to the cemetery entrance. A skein of Pink Footed Goose passed overhead. As I entered the area in below the trees I was stopped by a police car which parked across my route and the 2 officers inside got out to talk to me. Apparently someone had been firing an air rifle around the hill of late, and had again been reported that morning. My monopod, despite not looking like a gun of any sort seemingly warranted their attention. After 5 minutes I was allowed to continue on my way, though now a bit more annoyed by the accusatory tone that accompanied a few of their questions, though overall it was probably not too bad.
I added Treecreeper further on in the cemetery then followed that with a Goldcrest on Ninewells Avenue. Blackbird, Chiffchaff and Blackcap were my final additions on my way along behind Ninewells Hospital and the Carseview Centre. I finally reached the park just before 0800. Magpie, Carrion Crow, Herring Gull, Meadow Pipit, Mallard, Black Headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Robin and Wren got things underway . I headed up into the top half of the park where Greenfinch and Feral Pigeon were seen on the walk along to the Lochan. Teal and Moorhen were at the Lochan. Skylark, Swallow and Chaffinch were seen flying over before I reached the bay. Scanning from the raised banking I added Dunlin, Great Black Backed Gull, and Grey Heron. Linnet and Grey Wagtail flew over. A Rabbit was seen near the 'newt pool', and the bushes held Song Thrush, Blackbird and Blackcap. A few Siskins headed over westwards.
I headed back round to check the bay again. Curlew, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Bar Tailed Godwit and a Kingfisher were noted over the nest 10 minutes or so. Chiffchaff and Dunnock were in the bushes and a flock of Starlings flew past towards the airport. A Common Gull was seen down on the mud and a Pied Wagtail flew over. By this time the dog walkers seemed to have arrived en masse with dogs running into the bushes and flushing those birds that were there. More scanning found Goosander and Cormorant out on the river and a few Lesser Black Backed Gulls down on the pipe. A small flock of Lapwings were seen in flight and a skein of Pink Footed Geese, the first of a few, were seen. Jackdaw, Black Tailed Godwit and a few Knot were found as more birds arrived due to the rising tide. A Little Egret was seen across the western side of the bay.I had another look at the 'bowl' but more dogs running riot did nothing to help my mood. A small group of House Martins headed out over the bay.
With grey skies overhead and only common birds seemingly on the move I decided to see what else I could find in the rest of the park before heading homewards earlier than intended. I found Goldfinch, Blue Tit, Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Yellowhammer, Jay and Long Tailed Tit over the course of the next half hour but nothing at all over the following 40 minutes. I called it a day at 1135 having found a total of 52 species of birds and 1 mammal. The combination of weather, dogs and the earlier encounter with the police were all niggling away at me and I couldn't wait to get home. I saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker on Ninewells Avenue, added Long Tailed Tits opposite the botanic gardens then Coal Tit and Nuthatch on my walk through Balgay cemetery. My final addition for the day was a Sparrowhawk over Alpin Terrace. My total number of species for 'outwith the park' was 30 species, giving me a combined total of 60 species for the day. Overall however, it was a very frustrating outing and one that I was glad to see the back of.
 |
| Swallow |
 |
| Greenfinch |
 |
| Linnet |
 |
Great Black Backed Gull
|
 |
| Dunlin |
 |
Pink Footed Goose
|
 |
Curlew, Redshank, Knot & Dunlin
|
 |
Black Tailed Godwit, Dunlin & Oystercatcher
|
 |
Curlew & Black Tailed Godwit
|
 |
| Lapwing |
 |
Redshank, Dunlin, Knot & Herring Gull
|
 |
House Martin
|
 |
| Dunlin |
 |
Black Headed Gull & Little Egret
|
 |
| Starling |
 |
| Yellowhammer |
 |
| Jay |
 |
| Skylark |
 |
| Yellowhammer |
 |
Pink Footed Goose
|
 |
Long Tailed Tit
|
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Common Gull,
Dunnock,
Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow,
Jackdaw, Lesser Black
Backed
Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Nuthatch, Pink Footed Goose, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Treecreeper, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Grey Squirrel.
Birds
(at Riverside Nature Park) - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Blackcap,
Black Headed
Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow,
Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common
Gull, Cormorant, Curlew,
Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black
Backed Gull, Great Tit, Greenfinch,
Grey Heron,
Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Martin, Jackdaw, Jay, Knot,
Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Little Egret, Long Tailed
Tit,
Magpie,
Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail,
Pink Footed Goose, Redshank, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling,
Swallow, Teal, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.
