 |
| Wigeon |
As December has progressed with less than helpful weather (though it could easily have been much worse), it has felt harder and harder to stay motivated to actually get out birding. As daylight is very much at a premium at this time of year, and with going to and from work in the dark as well as being stuck inside without windows while at work, I really have to take the opportunities to get out when I can. That was once again the case on Sunday the 21st of December. I decided on another trip to Broughty Ferry rather than Riverside Nature Park, though neither filled me with anything like optimism for a decent day's birding.
I headed out at 1000 finding Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Magpie and Blue Tit immediately. Starling, Robin, Chaffinch and Jackdaw made for slow progress as I headed towards Baxter Park where Blackbird, Redwing and Bullfinch were all welcome finds. Long-tailed Tits and Carrion Crow were noted on Bingham Terrace. I cut through Balgay Cemetery which got me Mistle Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Woodpigeon and Grey Squirrel to the day's list. House Sparrows were noted as I left the cemetery. Things were very quiet between there and the Stannergate area. Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Oystercatcher were noted between the main road and the entrance to the wasteground between the sewage tank and the rainlway line.
This area proved to be quite productive with a small flock of Redpoll providing some welcome interest, even if it was relatively tricky to get decent photos of these birds. In addition, Dunnock, Goldcrest and Wren, as well as Black-headed Gull and Rabbit were all found there. Down by the river I was able to add Common Gull to the list. Further on, the day's fisrt Turnstones were seen and Grey Seal, Cormorant, Grey Heron and Redshank were noted on the walk along towards Douglas Terrace. A very distant Eider was seen from near the castle and the day's first Rock Pipit was at the harbour. Pied Wagtail was seen at the beach beyond the castle.
Out on the river things were exceedingly quiet with very few birds visible. I did succeed in adding a Shag to the list with a lone bird fishing around mid-river. A pair of Wigeon were seen off the beach a bit further to the east, and a single Curlew and some very distant Bar-tailed Godwits in flight were spotted. A detour through the local nature reserve only added Coal Tit, Great Tit and a few Stock Doves. With the tide already on its way in there was little point in continuing out to Balmossie. I did stop to photograph the Linnet flock as they fed by the football pitches but it didn't help that it had started to rain. A young Peregrine gave reasonable views as it glided overhead, though the elderly lady I pointed the bird out to was vociferously adamant that it was a Kestrel.
The walk home was rather fruitless so I detoured by Swannie Ponds to get a few more species for the day's birding - Coot, Goosander, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan and Tufted Duck took the list to a rather disappointing 49 species. The Redpoll flock were the day's main highlight, with everything else being more or less expected, other than perhaps the young Peregrine. Had the weather been a bit better when I had that bird in view, the photos would have been much better too. Sometimes though you just have to make the best of a bad lot, and unfortunately this was very much one of those days.
 |
| Chaffinch |
 |
| Carrion Crow & Buzzard |
 |
| Redpoll |
 |
| House Sparrow |
 |
| Redpoll |
 |
| Bullfinch |
 |
| Oystercatcher |
 |
| Common Gull |
 |
| Grey Heron |
 |
| Redshank |
 |
| Turnstone |
 |
| Rock Pipit |
 |
| Shag |
 |
| Mistle Thrush |
 |
| Great Tit |
 |
| Stock Dove |
 |
| Wigeon |
 |
| Linnet |
 |
| Linnet |
 |
| Peregrine |
 |
| Peregrine |
 |
| Herring Gull |
 |
| Pied Wagtail |
 |
| Cormorant |
 |
| Turnstone |
 |
| Grey Seal |
Birds - Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion
Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunnock, Eider, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Tit. Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring
Gull, House Sparrow,
Jackdaw, Linnet, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pied
Wagtail, Redshank, Redwing, Robin,
Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Shag, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Tufted Duck, Turnstone,
Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals - Grey Seal, Grey Squirrel, Rabbit.
