 |
Pied Wagtail
|
I'm never particularly keen on visiting Broughty Ferry and Balmossie at weekends as it is almost guaranteed that there will be more people (and dogs) about, meaning more disturbance, leading to more frustration. However, given the time of year and the lack of 'new' birds showing up at other locations I decided to welcome in November with a trip out to 'the Ferry'. Tide times meant I wasn't in any particular hurry, with high tide around 1500. A later than usual start - around 1040, meant I could expect to get to Balmossie around the optimal time for seeing birds - assuming I didn't get too sidetracked along the way there.
Feral Pigeon was first onto the list for the day with Robin and House Sparrow next just around the corner. Blue Tit, Herring Gull, Magpie and Carrion Crow were found a minute or two later and then followed almost immediately after by Starling and Jackdaw while I made my way towards the wasteground at Mains Terrace, where 'winter thrushes' were the target. I did manage to get Dunnock, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit and Wren in addition to Redwing and Mistle Thrush making it a successful short detour. Siskin was noted on Lammerton Terrace. At Swannie Ponds it was a fairly familiar line-up with Mallard, Goosander, Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Coot, Common Gull, Black Headed Gull and Mute Swan (plus the usual Herring Gulls) all being noted there.
A Sparrowhawk was seen in flight a bit out to the east as I headed for a quick look at Spring Grove in Baxter Park. I was able to put Long Tailed Tits on the list at the park, but there was little else of interest other than Coal Tit and a heard-only Treecreeper. Walking along to Eastern Cemetery produced a Grey Squirrel by the church on Bingham Terrace. Rabbit and Oystercatcher were both found at the cemetery but the walk down to the Stannergate from there proved rather fruitless, though given the timing that wasn't completely unexpected. I wandered in for a quick look at the 'migrant hotspot' but was interrupted by the arrival of the escaped Saker Falcon overhead. It circled round a couple of times before rather surprisingly heading out over the river towards Fife and the estate out behind Tayport, from where gunshots could be heard. Fingers crossed the bird passed overhead unharmed.
With regards the site at the Stannergate, I have recently started paying more attention to, I have recently discovered the planned nursing home development actually failed to be approved by the council, meaning the habitat which was needlessly chopped back, will now hopefully get a chance to grow back and thus increase the desirability of the site for both breeding birds, such as Linnets and visiting birds dropping in for a feed on passage. The walk out to the castle wasn't overly productive though I did manage to see Cormorant, Turnstone, Grey Heron, Eider and Pied Wagtail. As I was running a bit later than I had intended there were already birds roosting on the lifeboat station jetty, among them a Redshank perched on the top rail with Black Headed and Common Gull.
A Rock Pipit was in the harbour by the castle. A skein of Pink Footed Geese passed by and a Greenfinch flew over. From the castle, I picked out a couple of distant Red Throated Divers before a group of Whooper Swans flew upriver. There were thousands of Eider visible off Tentsmuir Point, quite possibly with other interesting but too distant to see, birds amongst them. A mixed group of Teal and Wigeon headed west past the castle but things were rather quiet. I debated continuing out to Balmossie as I had originally intended, but with the tide more or less in already, I chose to head homewards instead. I managed to find Grey Wagtail and Linnet on the walk back which took my total for the day to 49 species (and 1 escapee), as well as 3 species of mammal. Unfortunately, once again I failed to add anything to my #Dundee150 list. That target figure is looking increasingly difficult to reach, though time will ultimately tell if I can do so, or not.
 |
| Blackbird |
 |
| Goldfinch |
 |
Grey Squirrel
|
 |
| Magpie |
 |
| Rabbit |
 |
Saker Falcon (escaped)
|
 |
Saker Falcon (escaped)
|
 |
Black Headed Gull
|
 |
| Cormorant |
 |
| Turnstone |
 |
Grey Heron
|
 |
Common Gull
|
 |
| Oystercatcher |
 |
| Eider |
 |
Black Headed Gull, Redshank & Common Gull
|
 |
Black Headed Gull
|
 |
Red Throated Diver
|
 |
Pink Footed Goose
|
 |
| Eider |
 |
| Greenfinch |
 |
Whooper Swan
|
 |
Whooper Swan
|
 |
Wigeon & Teal
|
 |
| Oystercatcher |
 |
Redshank & Turnstone
|
 |
| Linnet |
Birds - Black Headed Gull, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Dunnock, Eider, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Red Throated Diver, Redshank, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Siskin, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Teal, Treecreeper, Tufted Duck, Turnstone, Whooper Swan, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals - Grey Seal, Grey Squirrel, Rabbit.
