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| Skylark |
The run of early starts over the course of my week off work, coupled with lots of walking (especially in the first half of the week), left me feeling a bit drained, so I failed to get out birding when the following Wednesday came around. With May being potentially one of the more productive months (ahead of the usual lull of June and some of July), I prefer to not waste too many birding opportunities, though it doesn't always work out for a variety of reasons. I decided to head for Riverside Nature Park on Saturday the 17th though it appeared that interesting birds were likely to be rather thin on the ground (and in the air) locally.
I headed out at 0740 which would get me to the park for around 0900. I had hoped to make an even earlier start but was a bit too tired to get up when the original alarm went off. An 0900 arrival would likely mean that the tide would have receded past the best viewing spots within the park. However with a lack of waders (except Oystercatchers and the odd Curlew) around, this wasn't likely to be a particularly big deal. Blackbird, House Sparrow, Robin, Carrion Crow, Dunnock, Woodpigeon, Lesser Black Backed Gull and Herring Gull provided a rather busy first minute outside. Starling, Magpie and Blue Tit were added as I headed up past the football grounds. I decided to skip Byron Street to see if the lone House Martin nest on Strathmore Avenue was active this summer or not.
As a result, I cut along Maryatt Street which added Goldfinch, Jackdaw and Swift. There was a House Martin in the general area of the nest site, so hopefully that means it is in use again. I added Wren as I passed Kings Cross Hospital. The next additions were Pied and Grey Wagtail near the top end of Loons Road, with Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Chaffinch further down towards the Logie Street junction. Song Thrush and Coal Tit were noted at Balgay Hill, with Long Tailed Tit, Greenfinch and Oystercatcher found as I cut through the grounds of Ninewells Hospital. Bullfinch was next as I passed Westgate Medical Practice heading towards Tom McDonald Avenue. I decided to cut down through the Technology Park which got me a rather tame Jay with a beakful of nest material, a flyover couple of Swallows and a pair of noisy Mallards flying towards the bay as I crossed the dual carriageway opposite Invergowrie.
My list for the Nature Park starts at the underpass, at both ends of the park (if I arrive by either), as most of the birds seen or heard from those points will also be visible or at least, audible, from within the park. Given the reduction in the views at the western end, the bridge over the railway is now quite an important viewpoint to check the birds in the bay, and unless something is done with regards either the amount of vegetation in front of the hide, or much less likely, the hide itself is moved to a better spot, it will only become even more important as time passes. Chiffchaff, Stock Dove, Whitethroat and Greenfinch were noted as I walked up the hill from the underpass. What sounded like a Chaffinch that had started to sing but then stopped, grabbed my attention. I was 95% certain it was a Lesser Whitethroat. Having missed out on one at the park a few weeks ago, it would be a good one to 'claw back' if it was indeed one.
I set Merlin recording and it quickly confirmed my identification of the singer. I had my Lesser Whitethroat. Unfortunately, they are rather skulky birds and this one was no exception. I saw it fly between points a few times, including across the road, and between individual bushes by the path, as well as into trees by the pumping station over the course of the next hour. I put word out on the relevant WhatsApp groups, though as far as I know, no-one actually came for a look. I eventually succeeded in getting a couple of record shots of the bird when it flew up into the tops of the tallest trees by the 'track' opposite the underpass that leads to the burn. Down in the bay, I noted Mute Swan, Oystercatcher and Herring Gull. A Jay flew across the road and Dunnock, Swallow, Robin and Feral Pigeon were seen before I headed into the 'park proper'.
I added Shelduck from the very restricted view at the hide. Sedge Warbler was seen along the path from the hide and a Rook overflew. There were a few groups of Starlings - adults with recently fledged youngsters, buzzing back and fowards over the path and further into the park. A few Rabbits were around and both Speckled Wood and Small White butterflies were spotted. Blackbird, Song Thrush, Jackdaw and Reed Bunting were found before I wandered round to check out the Lochan. Mallard and Moorhen were both seen there, with a Buzzard being harassed by a Carrion Crow noted off to the north of the road. More wandering added Chaffinch, Skylark, Bullfinch, Blackcap, Common Gull and Grey Heron. Back round at the bay I picked up a couple of passing Sand Martins.
One of the local Pheasants was heard and Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Goldfinch and a couple of overflying Lesser Black Backed Gulls made it onto the list at the 'bowl' to the north of the toilet. I revisited the area where I'd found the Lesser Whitethroat again, to see if it was lingering (as the area certainly looks suitable for breeding by the spcies) but there was no obvious sign of the bird. However, it does add another piece of confirmation to our thoughts on the routes used by migrants passing over/through the park in both Spring and Autumn. Returning to the park, I wandered round again noting Great Tit as well as Peacock, Green Veined White and Red Admiral butterflies.
House Martin, Pied Wagtail, Willow Warbler and a Cinnabar moth rounded things off at the park shortly before 1300. These took me to a slightly underwhelming 44 species of birds, 5 of butterflies, 1 of mammals and 1 of moths. Obviously the one new addition to my #2025Dundee150 list (in bold) countered that slight feeling of disappointment. The walk home added an Orange Tip butterfly but no new bird species to give me a combined total of 49 species of birds, 6 of butterflies and 1 of both mammals and moths. Although I've had better days, it was still an unexpected treat to find a Lesser Whitethroat, and possibly even moreso, that I managed to by identify it by the song (which I don't hear very often) by my own Chaffinch comparison method.
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| Jay |
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| Whitethroat |
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| Lesser Whitethroat |
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| Lesser Whitethroat |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Wren |
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| Skylark |
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| Skylark |
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| Skylark |
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| Blackcap |
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| Lacewing sp. |
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| Peacock |
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| Sedge Warbler |
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| Whitethroat |
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| Whitethroat |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Cinnabar moth |
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| Cinnabar moth |
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| Jay |
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Song Thrush, Starling, Swallow, Swift, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Orange Tip.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blackcap, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch,
Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron,
Herring Gull, House Martin, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black
Backed Gull, Lesser Whitethroat, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied
Wagtail, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sand Martin, Sedge Warbler, Shelduck, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Woodpigeon, Wren Yellowhammer.
Butterflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Green Veined White, Peacock, Red Admiral, Small White, Speckled Wood.
Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.
Moths (at Riverside Nature Park) - Cinnabar.
