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| Pink-footed Goose |
Having spent the majority of the previous week watching migrant birds moving along the Tay, I still hadn't managed to get a definite Brambling, or a Hawfinch, or anything remotely rare. Although one or two photos appeared to show potential Bramblings, they were far from conclusive and wouldn't have been countable anyway as they were birds siuated on the fringes of flocks. The birds in the centre part of the field of view are generally those that garner the most actual attention, as I tried to ID the make-up of the flocks or individual birds passing, while also trying to keep the birds in the viewfinder of the camera, or binocular view. I really needed either lone birds (as previous Hawfinch sightings have been) or obvious flocks of Bramblings, preferably also calling (on the days I had a recorder running) to be able to count one for my #2025Dundee150 list.
I hadn't yet visited the top of the Law for some vis-mig during this rather busy week. From my living room window I could see that there was rather heavy low-lying fog covering the Tay but the sky above was almost entirely cloudless, and the sun was shining. I headed out just after 0915 to walk up to the hill. House Sparrow, Robin, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Feral Pigeon, Blue Tit, Magpie, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Starling were all noted as I wandered up past the football grounds. Blackbird, Great Tit, Coal Tit and Chaffinch were spotted between Byron Street and Hill Street. A flock of Tree Sparrows overflew westwards towards the hill as I got closer. Carrion Crow, a calling Chiffchaff, Goldfinch and Song Thrush rounded off things before I finally reached the top of the Law. From there it was readily apparent just how widespread the fog was, with Fife hidden up as far as the western end of Wormit, with the whole eastern half of the county completely hidden.
A skein of around 50 Pink-footed Geese headed over southwest. Crossbill and Redpoll were heard but not seen, before another couple of skeins of geese passed westwards. A couple of unidentified and silent small birds flew by to the south of the hill before another skein of 50 or so Pink-footed Geese headed inland. A trio of Chiffchaffs were heard from the trees around the hill, as were Goldcrest and Wren. Skylarks, Meadow Pipit, Redpoll, Linnet, Siskin and 5 Mistle Thrushes were added over the course of the next half hour. Another Siskin and Meadow Pipit were then heard. A trio of Coal Tits and a small group of 4 Redpolls were seen overhead, heading west, before another 2 Mistle Thrushes and a single Swallow were spotted.
Another 3 Coal Tits flew off high from the trees on the north side, along with at least 1 Great Tit. A small flock of 5 Crossbills were noted and photographed at 1105. Five minutes later, another skein of Pink-footed Geese headed over southwest. The fog was slowly beginning to clear with both bridges appearing from under the blanket of fog. Another couple of unidentified small birds went southwest as a Crossbill was heard from somewhere high above. I called it a day at 1120, after roughly 2 hours and 40 minutes at the top of the hill. A Grey Wagtail was added on the walk home which took the total for my efforts to 31 species, which was mildly disappointing, though largely likely due to the conditions. Yet again, there was no sign of any definite Bramblings, Hawfinches or other rarities, and with 6 species to get between now and the end of the year, things are beginning to look like they might be tricky to get.
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| Pink-footed Goose |
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| Pink-footed Goose |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Chaffinch |
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| Mistle Thrush |
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| Carrion Crow |
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| Pink-footed Goose |
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| Pink-footed Goose |
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| Redpoll |
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| Coal Tit |
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| Mistle Thrush |
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| Mistle Thrush |
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| Mistle Thrush |
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| Mistle Thrush |
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| Great Tit |
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| Starling |
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| Starling |
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| Crossbill |
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| Crossbill |
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| Crossbill |
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| Crossbill |
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| Crossbill |
Birds - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Crossbill, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Linnet, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Pink-footed Goose, Redpoll, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling, Swallow, Tree Sparrow, Woodpigeon, Wren.
