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| Kestrel |
Wednesday's weather forecast was surprisingly decent so I wanted to get out birding somewhere. Familiarity felt like it was increasingly breeding contempt so I didn't want to repeat any previous outings from this year if I could help it. One place I hadn't yet been was out to the Clearwater Park area, as I had already seen most of what I could ordinarily expect to find out there at this time of year. I decided that I would head out along the Dighty Burn in the hope that I might see a few raptors in that area, then along the back of West Pitkerro Industrial Estate then up to Pitkerro Grove Cemetery. From there I would decide whether or not to head elsewhere (perhaps down to Balmossie or Broughty Ferry) or to head homewards again.
It was just after 0905 when I headed out the door. First onto the list for the day were Herring Gull and Feral Pigeon, neither a surprise. House Sparrow and Robin were noted round the corner with Woodpigeon, Jackdaw and Starling seen on Clepington Road. Dunnock and Magpie were added as I neared the Swannie Ponds. Not all of the regulars were in attendance there but I did manage to get Mallard, Mute Swan, Goosander, Coot, Tufted Duck and Black Headed Gull as well as Blue Tit, Chaffinch and Goldfinch. Blackbird was noted on Kingsway East near Pitairlie Road and Goldcrest and a flyover Oystercatcher were seen as I headed down Douglas Road towards the Dighty Burn.
Things proved to be relatively quiet along much of the burn though Wren and Buzzard were in the trees by the new school building site. Great Tit was seen near the feeders a bit further on and a Song Thrush flew past opposite the Police Station. The first Dipper of the day was heard singing a little further on, with a pair showing nicely further along towards Sainsbury's. A Kestrel was found perched in a tree by the path and I spent a while taking photos of this rather showy bird. Another Buzzard also put in an appearance in the same general area. Long Tailed Tits, Bullfinch and Carrion Crow were seen as I neared Baldovie Road. I crossed over and headed out along the footpath that skirts the south side of West Pitkerro Industrial Estate. I found quite a lot of evidence of seemingly recent Beaver activity in this general area too, which was interesting. A Pied Wagtail flew past as I was investigating the Beaver evidence. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was in the trees near the junction of burns behind the industrial estate. The walk up through the trees along the burn was fairly quiet though another Dipper pair were on the burn.
I continued on up through the trees from the end of Barlow Avenue to join the track along towards the stables by the Clearwater Park houses. A Skylark flew over and a few Rooks were seen to the north. What were surprisingly the first Redwings were near the muddy crossroads along with some Starlings, Fieldfares and a few Chaffinches. A couple of Stock Doves were also in the same area. When I reached the 'crossroads' I was dismayed to see that most of the vegetation on both sides of the track - which had been the best warbler habitat in Dundee (since the Council's planting of 1000s of trees near Clatto put paid to the Grasshopper Warblers in that area). I've no idea why the vegetation had been cleared (it is possible that there were invasive species involved, in which case it does makes sense) but visiting this area this Spring is going to be a bit of a waste of effort, by the looks of things. I checked out the cemetery where a Jay and a Mistle Thrush were seen but failed to find anything else of any note though another Kestrel did show up, hovering over the rough ground to the west and south of the cemetery site.
The habitat destruction had rather killed my mood and I decided not to explore any further around Clearwater Park, or to head down to Broughty Ferry. Instead, I would double back on myself and head homewards. A Yellowhammer was seen near the crossroads and a Pheasant was heard. I cut down along the edge of a grassy field to the end of Barlow Avenue again and back along the Dighty Burn once more. The Kestrel showed nicely as did a pair of Dippers and a Buzzard also provided a few photo opportunities. Despite these highlights, my mood was still pretty flat. I added Greenfinch on the walk back and had a brief chat to Bill, an elderly gent I've spoken to a few times now, both there and at Broughty Ferry. As I neared Drumgeith Road I packed away my binoculars and camera, though almost immediately I had to get the camera out again to photograph a male Sparrowhawk high over the football pitches to the west.
I headed for Eastern Cemetery next but only added Rabbit for the day as I wandered up through there. I swithered on whether to continue along to Baxter Park or head up to Swannie Ponds again. I figured the Swannies offered the better chance of adding a few more species to what was a rather short list of species for the day. Unfortunately, my timing coincided with the arrival of a class full of very noisy schoolkids (and teachers) who sent almost all of the ducks flying round to the back of the island, and a Grey Heron (the only 'new' bird for the day) off to somewhere quieter. I followed the bird's lead and headed homewards rather than lingering at the ponds. I ended the day with a total of 44 species of birds and just 1 of mammals. The rather tame Kestrel was the main highlight of the day's outing but once again, I came home in a worse mood than I'd gone out in, as a result of what I'd found at Clearwater Park. So much for birding being good for your "mental health"....
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| Dipper |
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| Buzzard |
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
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| Dipper |
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| Dipper |
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| Goosander |
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| Goosander |
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| Dipper |
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| Redwing & Fieldfare |
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| Chaffinch |
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| Song Thrush |
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| Kestrel |
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| Starling |
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Long Tailed Tit |
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| Dipper |
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| Blue Tit |
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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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| Kestrel |
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| Buzzard |
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| Buzzard |
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| Buzzard |
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| Grey Heron |
Birds - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coot, Dipper, Dunnock, Fieldfare, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Kestrel, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Mammals - Rabbit.
