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Great Black Backed Gull
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Having just 2 potential birding days left in which to add another 2 species to my Dundee150 list to reach a fairly unexpected 100 I decided to gamble on a visit to Riverside Nature Park for my birding on Sunday the 28th. Pintail and Greylag can turn up there in late January though are far from guaranteed. Other possibilities like Iceland Gull and Redpoll were also quite unlikely but also not impossible. Having failed at Templeton Woods and Clatto the day before, I figured the rather random gamble of visiting the park made as much sense as trying anywhere else. The tide times weren't particularly favourable with high tide much later in the afternoon, around the time that rain was due to arrive.
With the later high tide it didn't make much sense to head down too early so I chose a later start which would get me to the park for around lunchtime. I could then spend a couple of hours as the tide began to come in scanning through waders etc then heading homewards before the rain appeared. Expectation levels were much lower than Saturday's had been with a similar outcome very much on the cards. The first birds on the day's list were Feral Pigeon, Robin, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Herring Gull and Jackdaw almost as soon as I stepped outside. Heading up past the football stadiums got me Black Headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Starling, Pied Wagtail and Magpie.
I decided to route via the Law as Graham Smith had said Keith often finds Redpoll there. I managed to find Greenfinch, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Wren, Bullfinch, Chaffinch and House Sparrow though the finch that I wanted eluded me. Balgay Hill was my next port of call. Goldcrest was found en route then Common and Black Headed Gulls were seen on the grass to the south of the hill. I added a Coal Tit before stopping to photograph a Buzzard hanging in the wind above the trees. This led to a conversation with a couple and their young daughter about the birds (and animals) that can be seen around the hill (and a recommendation for them to download the Merlin app). A Stock Dove was noted as I neared the Nature Park just after noon.
Greenfinch, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Feral Pigeon, Robin, Long Tailed Tit, Redwing, Chaffinch and Great Tit made for a reasonable start without anything particularly unusual. I searched around with the thermal imager for any signs of Woodcock but drew a blank. Siskin, Pink Footed Goose and Curlew were noted before a hunting Sparrowhawk caused a bit of commotion at Buzzard Wood. Blackbird and Starling were next as I wandered round from there to check the bay. Mallard and Teal were relatively numerous and I was able to pick out Redshank, Oystercatcher, a Great Black Backed Gull and a couple of Shelduck that weren't in Fife unlike the first ones on the list this year, though one was actually in Perthshire waters beyond the pipe.
I found a Knot among a group of Redshank near the gull roost before adding Jackdaw, Dunlin and Skylark to the list. Black Headed, Common and Herring Gulls were in the roost/bathing pool and a Bullfinch flew past as I scanned from the raised banking. I then noticed some rather distant geese across the bay - a favourite haunt for Greylags at this time of year. As the tide came in, these birds were pushed into a better position to confirm that they were indeed Greylag Geese, a new addition (number 98) to my Dundee150 list. I found a Grey Heron along the edge of the reedbed and a few Bar Tailed Godwits in with Curlews around the 'Sandwich Tern rocks'. With the rising tide pushing the birds closer to the hide I decided to wander round for a look from there.
I added a pair of Linnets on the walk to the hide. I refound the Knot and then noticed 8 Turnstones feeding along the base of the railway embankment. I was joined by a couple of younger birders - Emma and Connor, who had decided that birding was a better use of time than housework (I can relate to that!) and had decided to visit the park. We had an enjoyable chat before wandering along to check the Lochan where Emma spotted a male Pheasant behind the vegetation at the back. I wandered on ahead of them to check the lower half of the park which got me Wren and a Buzzard to the north before heading for the exit and homewards. Sparrowhawk and Redwing were noted on the walk home taking the combined list to a total of 45 species (made up of 40 species at the park, and 27 outwith), including 1 year-tick (in bold).
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| Buzzard |
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Pink Footed Goose
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Starling
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Carrion Crow & Great Black Backed Gull
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| Shelduck |
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| Teal |
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Carrion Crow
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Curlew & Bar Tailed Godwit
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Redshank, Dunlin, Herring Gull, Black Headed Gull
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Greylag Goose
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| Curlew |
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Greylag Goose, Teal, Dunlin & Redshank
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Greylag Goose & Teal
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Common Gull
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| Redshank |
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Redshank, Dunlin & Knot
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Redshank, Dunlin & Turnstone
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Redshank, Dunlin & Turnstone
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Starling & Curlew
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| Woodpigeon |
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Pied Wagtail, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion
Crow, Chaffinch, Common Gull, Curlew, Dunlin, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Tit,
Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Knot, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit,
Magpie, Mallard, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pink Footed Goose, Redshank, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Shelduck,
Siskin, Skylark, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Teal, Turnstone, Woodpigeon, Wren.
