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| Blackcap |
With winter birding hours now in play, the amount of available daylight for birding is on the wane, and by mid-December that will equate to around just 6 hours, though on dreich days it can feel like a bit less than even that, with birds going to roost as early as 1400 or thereabouts. With the clocks having gone back a few days previously, an earlier finish to the day would be on the cards. However, a wet start also meant a later than ideal beginning to the day's birding. If the forecast was correct it would likely be around 1100 before I was able to get out birding (if I wanted to stay dry - which I did). The grey clouds and rain moved on to be replaced by a bit of blue sky just before 1100 and I headed out.
I had decided to check out Caird Park (to see if the over-wintering Kingfisher had returned) and Trottick Ponds. 'Winter thrushes' and perhaps a Hawfinch were what I was hoping for, though expectations were minimal once again. The later start would most likely impact on the amount of bird activity I could expect, with the first 3 hours or so after sunrise often being the busiest as birds search for some food in the daylight. I headed out just after 1100, finding a singing Robin, a few vocal Herring Gulls and Jackdaws plus a calling Blue Tit as I headed for Court Street. Feral Pigeon, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Starling, Blackbird and Carrion Crow were added on the walk up to Clepington Road. I decided to check out the trees at Mains Terrace which used to be good for 'winter thrushes' before the supposed 'improvements' were made by some of the locals.
I heard Skylarks passing overhead high above but failed to see them. Woodpigeon and Magpie were noted but things appeared to rather quiet. I bumped into a lady, Shona, who I've talked to there before and we had a chat about the impact of the 'improvements' on the birds and other wildlife that were previously present, or that would stop off on their way elsewhere. As we chatted we were able to add Great Tit, Wren, Coal Tit and a flock of overflying Redwings. Moving on again, across the Kingsway I found a flock of feeding Long-tailed Tits in the trees by the first hole at the now closed Caird Park golf course. Also in the trees were Chaffinch and Goldfinch. In the grounds of the RPC were a few Curlews feeding in the centre of the cycle track. A pair of Mistle Thrush were perched in conifers to the north of Mains Castle. A Grey Heron was seen in flight towards the ponds.
I had good views of a Treecreeper in trees by the road before I did a lap of the ponds where Mallard and Moorhen were noted. Goldcrest and Goldfinch were also found around the ponds but overall, things were rather quiet, and there was no sign of Kingfisher or Dipper. As I reached Claverhouse Road, a Sparrowhawk was seen circling over the ponds as a flock of racing pigeons circled. A Buzzard then overflew into Caird Park from the north. Mute Swans, Moorhens, Mallards and Black-headed Gulls were seen on the ponds and I had a chat to a dog walker who was originally from Dundee but now lived elsewhere but was house-sitting for a relative. There was no sign of any Kingfisher or Dipper along the burn or at the ponds either. The vegetation was still quite high, and wet from the earlier rain, across the other side of the burn so nothing could be seen there and I didn't check the trees opposite the houses where there are some feeders.
I heard Siskins calling as I headed back along the muddy track towards the ponds that runs from the footbridge. I was mildly surprised to find a pair of Little Grebes on the north pond (though apparently they bred there this year - which is good news). A Grey Squirrel was my final addition at Trottick and I had decent views of another (and a mixed flock of tits) as I wandered along the old road by the Dighty to look for Kingfisher and Dipper. Again I drew a blank. I then wandered up the path into Caird Park again. The hedge that borders the southern side of Mains Castle appeared to have a few birds in it. Blackbirds and Robins mostly but I also found a female/young Blackcap which showed nicely from time to time.
I spent a bit of time photographing the Blackcap in the sunshine and while doing so, a skein of Pink-footed Geese headed northwards and a few Black-headed Gulls overflew. A Crossbill was heard a couple of times but wasn't seen and a Jay was seen flying up into the trees by the path I had wandered up. There were more Curlews than previously at the cycle track (I counted 16), and a Grey Wagtail was heard in my street as I neared home, taking my total for the day's wanders to 39 species. The Blackcap was probably the main highlight but the Little Grebes at Trottick Ponds were a welcome sight too.
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| Mistle Thrush |
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| Treecreeper |
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| Treecreeper |
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| Moorhen |
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| Mallard |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Buzzard |
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| Buzzard |
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| Buzzard |
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| Buzzard & Carrion Crow |
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| Little Grebe |
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| Woodpigeon |
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| Grey Squirrel |
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| Great Tit |
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| Grey Squirrel |
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| Blue Tit |
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| Blackcap |
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| Blackcap |
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| Blackcap |
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| Blackcap |
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| Robin |
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| Blackcap |
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| Blackcap |
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| Blackcap |
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| Pink-footed Goose |
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| Curlew |
Birds - Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Crossbill, Curlew, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Little Grebe, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Pink-footed Goose, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Skylark, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Treecreeper, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals - Grey Squirrel, Rabbit.
