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| Linnet |
It can be quite tricky to decide where to go to have the best chance of finding something good during migration times, and even moreso when I limit myself to the rather 'hit and miss' nature of Dundee birding. Having visited Riverside Nature Park and Balgay Hill the previous day, I was a bit disappointed to see that some quite heavy rain was forecast from mid-morning until around 1400, which obviously wasn't ideal. As a result I decided to try the area around Jack Martin Way and Middleton Wood following an early start in the hope of perhaps adding a few returning warblers, though it did still feel a bit too early. As I've said before though - 'nothing ventured, nothing gained...'
I headed out a little before 0600, pre-sunrise. Blackbird, Dunnock, Great Tit, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Feral Pigeon, Goldfinch and Magpie were all noted as I headed to Swannie Ponds. In addition to these 'locals' a migrant Meadow Pipit flew over northwards. A brief stop at Swannie Ponds provided Mallard, Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Coot, Lesser Black Backed Gull and Greenfinch. I headed down Pitkerro Road with Middleton Woods my intended destination. Blue Tit, Starling, Chiffchaff, Wren, Blackcap, Collared Dove, Oystercatcher and Pied Wagtail kept my eyes and ears relatively busy on the walk up to the wood.
There I added Willow Warbler, Chaffinch, Pheasant and Skylark as well as the day's first Roe Deer. Yellowhammer, Song Thrush, Reed Bunting, Linnet and a few Rabbits were scant consolation for the lack of anything new however. I then headed along to Jack Martin Way hoping for a change of luck there. Stock Dove, Rook and a Stonechat collecting nesting material were soon picked out. The latter was new for my #2025Dundee150 list and a welcome species at that, given the destruction of most of their preferred habitat in the city, over the course of the past few years, making it a relatively tricky bird to find now in the city. I cut through some of Fintry on my way towards Trottick Ponds, via Mill O'Mains. This got me my first House Martins for the day.
A Jay flew over to Caird Park as I wandered along the Dighty Burn and a Mistle Thrush was a nice add a little further on. At the ponds, I failed to find anything new for the year but Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Long Tailed Tit and a pair of Common Gulls were all new for the day. As I headed up through Caird Park I got word that a White Tailed Eagle had been seen over Camperdown Park and Birkhill. I debated heading for the Law directly but instead chose to head home to lighten my load a little before heading up the hill, on the off-chance that the bird might be possible to pick out, assuming it was even still in the area. Sparrowhawk, Woodpigeon, Robin and Treecreeper were seen at Cairdie and I had close views of a singing Blackcap which posed rather nicely. After a quick stop at home I headed up to the top of the Law where the resident Kestrel showed well but the forecast rain didn't take too long to arrive. Luckily I made it home before it started properly.
Once the rain abated around 1330 I got organised and headed out again for the third time that day, with Broughty Ferry my intended destination for the afternoon's shift. As previously, my expectations were low, and I wasn't even sure my legs were up for the 8 mile round trip adding to the morning's roughly 10 mile exertions. Things were relatively quiet on the walk to the Stannergate, with only birds already seen that morning noted. A small flock of Bar Tailed Godwits flew upriver as I reached the end of the docks. Cormorant and Eider were seen out on the river and Turnstone and Redshank were down on the shore once I reached Broughty Ferry. A Grey Heron flew over as I neared the lifeboat station and a large flappy bird around 30 seconds later required a double-take to realise it was actually my first Dundee Osprey of 2025, following the line of the river west.
I sat up in the castle and scanned the river. This proved to be reasonably productive with my first Sandwich Tern of the year seen flying upriver past Tayport though annoyingly the photos were all out of focus, though showing enough detail to confirm the species. Little Egret (over at Tayport), Sand Martin (heading upriver), a Curlew (heard only) and a few Grey Seals were also noted. There were a few Razorbills out on the river, though mostly rather distant. I added Rock Pipit as I left the castle at 1550. With Bottlenose Dolphins having been seen in recent days I had been hoping to see them from the castle but I had drawn a blank from there. As the castle closes at 1600, I relocated down to the grassy area just to the east to scan from there.
A few Swallows zipped past before I picked up a Guillemot (my first of the year) bobbing along close in to shore on the incoming tide. Not long after this sighting I realised I could see fins breaking the surface out on the river. There were only a few Dolphins and they weren't partcularly 'active' but they were my first of the year. I had been intending on heading homewards no later than 1700, but I was joined by two ladies (Sharon and Sarah) and ended up staying until much nearer 1800. I added Black Headed Gull before finally setting off homewards. Although I had intended on walking home, I changed my plans and caught a bus instead which took me to near Princes Street Surgery from where it was a relatively short walk home (thankfully). I finished the whole day's birding with a total of 64 species (of which 4, in bold, were new for my #2025Dundee150 list). Overall, the day had been well worth the effort, with the interruption from the rain actually contributing to the success.
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| Roe Deer |
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| Song Thrush |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Stonechat |
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| Long Tailed Tit |
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| Willow Warbler |
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| Long Tailed Tit |
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| Common Gull |
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| Treecreeper |
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| Blackcap |
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Kestrel |
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| House Sparrow |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Osprey |
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| Mute Swan |
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| Sandwich Tern |
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| Cormorant |
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| Guillemot |
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| Sand Martin |
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| Bottlenose Dolphin |
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| Bottlenose Dolphin |
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| Pied Wagtail |
Birds - Bar Tailed Godwit, Black Headed Gull, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunnock, Eider, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Guillemot, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Kestrel, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Little Egret, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Razorbill, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Rook, Sand Martin, Sandwich Tern, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Stonechat, Swallow, Treecreeper, Tufted Duck, Turnstone, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Mammals - Bottlenose Dolphin, Grey Seal, Rabbit, Roe Deer.
