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Pied Wagtail
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I was lacking energy when I got out of bed on Saturday morning, but as the sun was shining I was still relatively keen to get some birding in, rather than sit about at home wondering what I might be missing. I decided to head up to the top of the Law to see if anything might be passing by on migration. My expectation levels were rather low but you just never know for sure, unless you actually go and take a look. If I was still there later in the morning, it was likely I could see some displaying raptors and the local Kestrel always seems to pose rather nicely for photos these days too, even if and when the hill-top is busy with people. It was 0745 before I was finally ready to head outside, almost 2 hours after sunrise, which wasn't really ideal, but I went for it anyway.
Blackbird, Dunnock, and Starling got things off to a very slow start soon followed by the equally as uninspiring Herring Gull and Lesser Black Backed Gull duo, as well as Blue Tit and Carrion Crow. House Sparrow and Feral Pigeon were noted as I wandered down to Dens Road. Goldfinch, Jackdaw, Woodpigeon and Magpie were next onto the list as I headed onwards in the direction of the Law. Chaffinch, Great Tit, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff provided some slightly more interesting birds in the area between the allotments and the foot of the steps up the final part of the route to the top. Things were quiet when I got there. I hadn't had any obvious migrants (not even a Meadow Pipit) which didn't particularly bode well for a productive morning.
I got organised though fell into conversation with a dog walker who was already there when I arrived. We chatted about birds for a while before he headed off down the hill. During the time we had been talking I hadn't noted anything passing overhead. A Goldcrest could be heard from the trees on the eastern side. Just after 0830, the first migrants were noted when 2 Siskins flew over northwards. A singing Blackcap and a Wren doing likewise around 10 minutes later were both noted next. There was no sign of any raptors on Cox's Stack but at 0850, I had another migrant - the first 2 Meadow Pipits of the day. A pair of Bullfinches landed in a tree to the east and from somewhere to the northeast, a Great Spotted Woodpecker called loudly a couple of times.
Things remained rather slow on the migrant front, though 3 more Meadow Pipits headed over northwards together and a Sparrowhawk put in an appearance before another Meadow Pipit flew over. Coal Tit and 2 Greenfinches were next onto the list around 0940. A Sparrowhawk circled to the south around 5 minutes later. The Kestrel finally put in an appearance at around 1000, which kept me occupied and distracted from the low number of migrants, for a while. A couple of Qatari helicopters out to the west were also an unusual and welcome distraction. There were a few more sightings of Sparrowhawk between 1015 and 1030. Another 2 and then a single Meadow Pipit(s) were seen at 1036 and 1041. A skein of around 100 Pink Footed Geese headed northwards over the Tay and up over the city around 1045. A Sparrowhawk was seen tussling with a corvid and then what appeared to be a different bird put in a few appearances over the next 30 minutes or so. Another Siskin was heard and one was seen a few minutes later too. A Lesser Redpoll was heard around 1125, though it was over an hour before the main highlight of the day's birding appeared - a pair of Ravens. In the intervening period another Siskin flew over, this time heading south. A Small Tortoiseshell butterfly flitted past. A Sand Martin headed north at around 1220.
A Buzzard which looked like a reasonable contender for a Rough Legged Buzzard was spotted belatedly as it continued on to the north and west around 1236, though the consensus on Twitter seemed to be slightly favouring an 'odd' Buzzard. A Sparrowhawk displayed close by before sweeping low over the hill, between me and the monument, giving me some nice action photos as a result. The Kestrel provided me with plenty of photo opportunities around the early part of the afternoon, and somehow I managed to spin things out until just after 1500 when I decided I had finally had enough and headed homewards. A Swallow went north at 1400, and a distant Buzzard with prey was pursued back to Balgay Hill by corvids. Robin and Long Tailed Tits were the final additions as I headed home after 7 hours atop the hill. I ended the day's birding with a total of 36 species and a lot of rather nice Kestrel photos. Despite long periods of nothing much happening, it was an interesting enough spot of rather lazy birding.
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The weather forecast on Sunday was for rain for much of the day - to the extent that it looked to be pointless heading anywhere at all. This was rather disappointing as I had been planning on searching for a Grasshopper Warbler from early morning. As things transpired the rain seemed to be almost completely absent over the course of the morning and as the clock ticked slowly towards noon, I decided that I should probably try to fit in at least some birding. Both Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler had been seen elsewhere in Scotland so I was hoping that I might find at least one of them at Trottick Ponds which seemed to be the best compromise for the day. I got organised and headed out at noon.
House Sparrow, Herring Gull, Blackbird, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow and Blue Tit were all noted in the first few minutes as I set off for Clepington Road. Starling was added near the top of Arklay Street and both Dunnock and Collared Dove were found near the church on Graham Street. Goldfinch and Magpie were spotted around the end of the football pitches. After crossing the Kingsway and heading down into Caird Park, I added Coal Tit, Chaffinch, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest and Wren as I wandered along the Gelly Burn to the ponds. Things were very quiet there with a single Moorhen on the top pond and no sign of any Mallards at all, which is unusual. A Song Thrush was noted down by the Dighty Burn with a Robin further on along the old road. Mute Swan and Moorhen were both noted at Trottick Ponds where it began to rain rather heavily.
I had a wander round to the parts of the small reserve where I've seen both of my target species before, but drew a blank on both. A Chiffchaff and a Wren were feeding along the edge of the small SuDS pond behind the line of trees where a Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen in flight after hearing it call. A Pied Wagtail flew over and a Grey Heron was stood motionless at the western end of the main pond, half hidden by reeds, looking rather misearble in the now rather heavy rain. A Bullfinch was spotted in the top of a tall tree but warblers of any sort were in very short supply. I had to make do with Great Tit and Long Tailed Tits as I headed back towards the Dighty to head homewards.I found a Dipper on the burn though views weren't great. As I set off again, a flash of white signified that I'd just spooked a Jay. I had a few more glimpses of the bird before I headed back towards Caird Park and homewards.
A Jackdaw was noted in Caird Park but my focus was primarily on getting out of the rain. The downpour finally abated as I headed back down Court Street, though I wasn't particularly in the mood of going anywhere but home by this time, so home it was. I finished the brief birding foray with a total of 32 species, with neither of the hoped for warbler species being found. Sooner or later, Whitethroats in particular will be easy to find, and Sedge Warblers won't be particularly difficult either, though there are fewer reliable sites for those within the city.
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Herring Gull
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| Woodpigeon |
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
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| Buzzard |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Raven |
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Carrion Crow
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
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| Magpie |
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Small Tortoiseshell
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
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| Woodpigeon |
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| Moorhen |
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Grey Heron
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Dipper
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| Jay |
Birds (20/4/24) - Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Lesser Redpoll, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Pink Footed Goose, Raven, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sand Martin, Siskin, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Swallow, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies (20/4/24) - Small Tortoiseshell.
Birds (21/4/24) - Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow,
Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Dipper, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great
Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Sparrow,
Jackdaw, Jay, Long Tailed
Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Feral
Pigeon, Song Thrush, Starling, Woodpigeon, Wren.
