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| Curlew |
The extra walking I'd done on Tuesday trying to refind the Clouded Yellow butterfly at Riverside Nature Park did mean my legs were feeling rather heavy on Wednesday and it was a bit of a struggle to get motivated to walk out to Broughty Ferry and Balmossie. However, with relatively strong winds from the southeast around high tide I figured I really should make the effort, just in case something good passing up the coast of Fife found itself in the outer Tay as a result of the wind direction and strength. Ordinarily the mouth of the Tay is rather narrow and the prevailing winds are usually from the west. For a few hours, the mouth of the Tay and the wind direction would create a large opening and with a bit of luck something new for my #2025Dundee150 might sneak in. If so, I wouldn't see it while sat in the house.
Robin, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Starling, Carrion Crow, Siskin, Meadow Pipit, Blue Tit, House Sparrow and Jackdaw were all noted as I walked up for a look at Swannie Ponds, something I haven't done too many times recently. Things were relatively quiet at the ponds with just a handful of gulls (Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull), as well as Mallard, Coot, Mute Swan and Moorhen. There was no sign of any Tufted Ducks however. A Blackbird was in the trees on the island. I headed down through Eastern Cemetery next. Magpie, Chaffinch, Rook, Song Thrush and Goldcrest were noted there. Wren, Dunnock, Chiffchaff, Goldfinch and Greenfinch were found along by the railway line at the Stannergate. A few Rabbits were on the grass by the sewage tank, as usual.
Along the river, Cormorant, Curlew, Eider, Oystercatcher, Common Gull, Turnstone and Grey Heron were all seen between Stannergate and Douglas Terrace. A few Swallows headed out across the Tay. A few Redshanks and half a dozen Sandwich Terns were added at the lifeboat station. A Pied Wagtail scurried along the path ahead of me at Beach Crescent. A Goosander was seen off the mouth of the harbour, with another 2 hauled out on the rocky islet opposite. Scanning out over the river from beside the castle added a Great Black-backed Gull, a small flock of Teal and a few Gannets, though many more were seen fishing later off Tentsmuir Point. I continued on along to Balmossie to see what I could add from there. Feral Pigeon, a couple of Red-breasted Mergansers and a summer-plumaged Red-throated Diver were added as I stood by the side of the footbridge, trying to stay out of the worst of the strong wind blowing in off the river.
A skein of Pink-footed Geese overflew. The bridge wasn't providing quite enough shelter and it was looking like it might rain (and I was getting rather cold). I took shelter from the brief shower of rain below the bridge before deciding to head along to the brick shelter on the slight rise opposite the rock garden. A Kestrel was seen hovering over the wildflower meadows as I chatted to a colleague's dad on the way there. I figured heading to the actual shelter would keep me dry and potentially slightly better sheltered from the wind. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite as 'clean' as it might've been, but by staying fairly central, it wasn't too much of an issue. A Grey Wagtail was seen flying past and across the river the Gannets could be seen diving off Tentsmuir Point. There were quite a few juvenile Gannets around. I picked up a distant bird low over the water, shearing like a shearwater. It appeared to be a Manx Shearwater, but it seemed to drop into the waves before I could be 100% sure. Thankfully, I was better prepared when a similar bird appeared shortly afterwards. It was a definite Manx Shearwater, though a lamp-post between the bird and me threw the camera focus off when the bird passed behind it and I failed to pick it up again, meaning no photos. Still, it was another very welcome #2025Dundee150 list tick.
After another shower of rain passed through, the weather seemed to calm right down, making the birding much easier, though things had quietened down out over Monifieth Bay, where the Shearwater(s) had been seen. As the tide had now receded quite a bit, I decided despite my already heavy legs to walk back along to Balmossie for another look through the numerous birds on the shore. A few Ringed Plovers and some Bar-tailed Godwits were feeding on the sandier parts of the beach. I scanned through all the gulls by the burn mouth but failed to find anything overly interesting. A small flock of Linnets was seen and out on the water I picked out a few Guillemots and a Shag. A couple of Stock Doves dropped in for their usual very quick drink. There were quite a few Wigeon around just offshore, along with Eider and Goosander. On the walk back along towards the castle I added a pair of Dunlin, a couple of distant Common Terns and even a couple of butterflies - Red Admiral and Large White. A Great Tit and some Long-tailed Tits were heard from the trees bordering the nature reserve, and what was to be my final new bird for the day was seen hauled out on a narrow strip of sand just offshore - a Razorbill.
The long walk home felt like it took forever, though not walking back along the river probably played a part in that. The extra mile or so the return to Balmossie had added to my walk, on top of the extra distance looking for the Clouded Yellow the day before, meant my already heavy legs felt like lead. I did contemplate jumping on a bus but was unfortunate with the timings and didn't feel like standing about waiting for the next one, so continued onwards, growing ever more weary. I ended the day's birding with a total of 61 species including a new addition for my #2025Dundee150 (in bold). It was also my first ever Shearwater in the Tay. Although I've never seen one before, it would appear that around high tide during easterly winds (especially southeasterly ones) may well be the best time to look for them in future, though unfortunately easterlies do tend to be in fairly short supply. However, with interesting seabirds tracking north passed Fife Ness with some regularity, who knows what might yet appear this side of Barry Buddon. Time, as always, will tell, and hopefully I'm there to see it.
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| Curlew |
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| Common Gull |
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| Cormorant |
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| Turnstone |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Black-headed Gull |
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| Turnstone |
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| Swallow |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Eider |
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| Goosander |
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| Sandwich Tern |
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| Wigeon |
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| Red-throated Diver & Eider |
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| Gannet |
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| Kestrel |
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| Guillemot |
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| Ringed Plover, Turnstone & Mute Swan |
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| Redshank & Ringed Plover |
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| Ringed Plover |
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Redshank |
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| Bar-tailed Godwit |
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| Common Gull |
Birds - Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-headed
Gull, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Common Tern, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Eider, Gannet, Goldcrest, Goldfinch,
Goosander,
Great Black-backed Gull, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Guillemot, Herring
Gull, House Sparrow,
Jackdaw, Kestrel, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Linnet, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Manx Shearwater, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute
Swan, Oystercatcher, Pied
Wagtail, Pink-footed Goose, Razorbill, Red-breasted Merganser, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sandwich Tern, Shag, Siskin, Song Thrush, Starling, Swallow, Teal, Turnstone, Wigeon,
Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies - Large White, Red Admiral.
Mammals - Rabbit.
