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Common Gull
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I'm still a member of Fife Bird Club as well as Angus and Dundee Bird Club. I like to know what birds are being seen relatively close by (and also further afield, for which social media can be helpful to some degree), so I subscribe to their WhatsApp sightings news service to get that information. Despite there not really having been much typical Little Auk weather, I had noticed that there appeared to be decent numbers of these diminutive seabirds around in the nearby coastal waters. Little Auks in the Tay are a rarity, with strong easterlies usually required for them to put in an appearance. In winter, strong easterlies are usually accompanied by freezing temperatures, as well as rain, sleet or snow, often of the heavy variety. Regardless of the usual requirements, I decided to head for Broughty Ferry and Balmossie on the off-chance that there might be a Little Auk, or perhaps a Great Northern Diver, in the Tay to give me another new species (or fingers crossed, two) for my recently resurgent #Dundee150 list.
Despite my best intentions it was another slightly later start. The weather was relatively good, with bright, sunny conditions, except for the rather strong westerlies. Strong westerlies were really the last thing I needed with Little Auks being my main target bird for the day, but it was a case of 'nothing ventured, nothing gained', so I headed out anyway. Carrion Crow, Feral Pigeon, Starling, Herring Gull, Blue Tit, Blackbird and House Sparrow made for a rather sluggish start to the day's list over the period of the first 5 minutes. Cutting across Baxter Park added Jackdaw, Goldfinch, Pied Wagtail, Robin and Woodpigeon. Magpie made it onto the list near the eastern end of Bingham Terrace with Wren noted as I walked along Arbroath Road by Eastern Cemetery. Long Tailed Tits were in the trees opposite Alpha Projects building as I arrived at the Stannergate.
The first of a number of Buzzards I would see over the course of the day's birding, headed out over the river towards Fife a few minutes later. Oystercatcher, Redshank and Grey Heron were down on the shoreline, and a Greenfinch flew over. Another couple of Buzzards drifted out over the Tay, following a route which was very reminiscent of my Rough Legged Buzzard sighting of Halloween 2010. I suspect the birds fly down parallel to the coast over the countryside before reaching the northern edges of Broughty Ferry, where they take the 'greenest' shortcut over Dawson Park from the direction of West Pitkerro Industrial estate before heading out over the Tay to pass just west of Tayport and then continue on southwards on their migration. My suspicion was the Buzzards I was seeing were dispersing youngsters on the move, though they could equally be adults from elsewhere just passing through.
A Curlew was seen down on the beach a little further on, and a Grey Seal was seen 'bottling' shortly afterwards. A Bar Tailed Godwit with 2 Curlews headed upriver. A pair of Rock Pipits flew past near the sailing club sheds and a couple of Turnstones lifted from the water's edge before flying a short distance and landing again as I passed by. A couple of Red Breasted Mergansers were spied out on the water, where things were looking overall very quiet, which wasn't really what I was hoping for. A Cormorant was seen from Douglas Terrace and a Black Headed Gull was in the harbour by the castle. Due to the wind I tucked myself in by the wall on the eastern side of the castle again, rather than the better but more exposed viewpoint offered by the castle grounds. This didn't produce much fruit however.
Another Buzzard approached from the Barry Buddon direction before heading out towards Fife and a skein of Pink Footed Geese showed up. Eider, Red Throated Diver and Common Gull as well as closer Pied Wagtail and Rock Pipit were the rather slim pickings over the course of the next hour or so. At one point, I tried the castle grounds but it didn't make much difference. I eventually moved round to the 'Phibbies' hut, which provided a different, and wider angle of view but similar levels of shelter from the wind. I picked up a Peregrine relatively close in and had just about got onto its target when that bird dropped into the water. My suspicion was that it was a Little Auk, but I foolishly concentrated on the Peregrine, with the camera. Once the raptor, a young bird, had flown off, I failed to relocate the target bird. Not too long after, I had a much closer view of a definite Little Auk as it flew past. While trying to switch from binoculars to camera I lost sight of it, and so failed to get any photos. Given the seemingly unfavourable conditions for Little Auk, I wanted photographic proof of the sightings to be able to show that it wasn't just 'wishful thinking' on my part.
Eventually I got that chance, but still managed to almost blow it. Out of the corner of my eye I saw something small splash down by the end of the rocky islet off the castle and immediately swung the camera onto the bird. It was a Little Auk, bobbing around on the rougher water by the rocks. I grabbed a few photos before the bird drifted round the front of the rocks and out of sight behind the rocky islet. I hurried round to the castle for a better look but when I got there a few minutes later there was no sign whatsoever of the bird. Checking the photos I had taken, I was annoyed to see that none were actually in focus. There were just enough details visible however to show that I hadn't been hallucinating. My suspicion is that all 3 sightings I'd had were likely to have been a single bird, rather than 3 individuals but I've no way of proving either.
A Little Grebe was seen in the harbour for a few seconds before I headed in the direction of home. A drake Goldeneye flew past as I reached the sailing club slipways. The rest of the walk back to the Stannergate added Redwing, Rook, Chaffinch and Dunnock taking my total number of species for the day to a rather poor 39. However, the main goal for the day had been to get either Little Auk (mission accomplished), or Great Northern Diver (hopefully there's still time) for my #Dundee150 list, so the relatively low number of species seen were of no real importance. It was interesting to see the Buzzards heading out over the Tay over the course of a few hours, and I wonder if I missed more by being at the castle rather than at the Stannergate. Unfortunately I can't be everywhere I'd like to be all at once, so the Little Auk search took priority. Hopefully being able to confirm my 'green corridor' theory (supported by some of my Dundee WTE sightings) of urban raptor movements over the city can be done sometime in the future. A decent enough, if rather chilly, day's birding.
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Buzzard & Carrion Crow
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| Curlew |
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Bar Tailed Godwit & Curlew
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Rock Pipit
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Red Breasted Merganser
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Grey Heron
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| Cormorant |
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Pied Wagtail
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Pied Wagtail
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Rock Pipit
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| Rook |
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Common Gull
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Pink Footed Goose
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Rock Pipit
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| Eider |
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| Peregrine |
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| Peregrine |
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| Buzzard |
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Little Auk
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| Cormorant |
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| Goldeneye |
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| Goldeneye |
Birds - Bar Tailed Godwit, Black Headed Gull, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunnock, Eider, Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Little Auk, Little Grebe, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Red Breasted Merganser, Red Throated Diver, Redshank, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Rook, Starling, Turnstone, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals - Grey Seal.
