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| Little Grebe |
With Pintail having been seen a few times recently from Riverside Nature Park and a bit of an influx of migrants to the south, I decided that my birding on Wednesday really had to be a trip to the Nature Park. The weather forecast was to be quite sunny but starting off rather chilly before warming up as the day progressed. The proverbial fly in the ointment however was a fairly strong wind with gusts of up to about 30mph. Trying to keep my scope steady while it is balanced on my 'footed' monopod while being buffeted by that sort of wind and looking for a distant duck (or two) was never going to be particularly easy, but having missed out on Pintail last year, I wanted to at least give it a go. Other possibilities included Osprey, Wheatear, Swallow, Marsh Harrier and Sandwich Tern.
It was an actual early start for a change. I was out the door for just before 0705. Starling, House Sparrow, Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon and Robin set the wheels in motion for the day. Carrion Crow, Magpie, Goldfinch, Jackdaw, Wren and Chaffinch soon followed. I decided to take a quick look along the back of the Law on my way past. This got me Chiffchaff, Dunnock and Blackbird as well as a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker. A Meadow Pipit headed over northwards as I wandered down past the allotments on the western side of the hill and a Coal Tit was in the trees by the steps at Lochee Road. Bullfinch and Goldcrest were both noted as I entered Balgay Park from Pentland Avenue.
Long Tailed Tits, Stock Dove, Great Tit, Blue Tit and Greenfinch were all found between there and Glamis Road. I reached the Nature Park's eastern entrance at around 0810. A Sparrowhawk headed over eastwards, an uncommon way to start a list for a visit to the park. Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Goldfinch and Robin were all much more 'normal' birds to start off the list for a park visit. Dunnock, a singing Skylark, Blackbird, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Wren and a flyover Meadow Pipit soon followed as I headed in the direction of the Lochan. Mallard, Moorhen and Teal were seen there in what was a very quick look, as Mark had messaged me to say he had one of my target birds for the day - Pintail, in his scope view, round at the bay.
I hurried round and thankfully the Pintail were still showing reasonably well in Mark's scope. Another new bird for my #2025Dundee150 list - taking me to 99 species, following my 2 new additions a few days previously at Trottick and Clatto. More scanning of the bay added Redshank, Dunlin, Oystercatcher, Mute Swan, Cormorant, Knot, Curlew, a Song Thrush (behind us), a flyover Fieldfare, Common Gull, Grey Heron, Shelduck and Black Tailed Godwit. We were soon joined by Keith and the 3 of us scanned out over the bay and the river to see what else we could rustle up between us. Unfortunately, we were out of luck. We did get Long Tailed Tit and Linnet but failed to find anything else on the river, or down in the bay.
It wasn't particularly warm and the wind felt like it was strengthening. I had hoped to sit at the top of the hill and see if any migrants showed up but the conditions didn't feel particularly great for giving that a go. I wandered back round towards the car park with Mark and Keith before continuing round towards the Lochan. Pied Wagtail, Great Tit and Blue Tit were noted en route. At the Lochan, a pair of Little Grebes were present and showed fairly well. A Carrion Crow seemed to be having some success hunting Frogs (or maybe Toads). A Buzzard was seen off to the north, around Ninewells. More wandering added Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting and Bullfinch before I popped in to check the pools in the 'bowl'. Despite Keith having seen both newts and toads there I had to make do with just a single Common Toad. A Rabbit didn't notice that I was around and panicked once it realised I was there.
More wandering added Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Starling and Greenfinch. A pipit was photographed flying over and the rather poor photos made the bird look a bit 'off' for Meadow Pipit. There were a number of Greylag Geese across the far side of the bay and a single Lesser Black Backed Gull was found on the pipe. A Rook flying over towards the Rookery behind Ninewells was my final find before I called it a day at the park and headed for the exit. I left the park having seen or heard a total of 49 species, slightly fewer than I had been hoping for. A Small Tortoiseshell flew up from the bushes by the bridge over the railway line. A Grey Squirrel and a heard-only Nuthatch were found at Balgay Hill. A brief visit to the top of the Law on the way home from there got me a Sparrowhawk. The total for the day's birding was 54 species from the combined totals of 27 species outwith the park, and 49 at the park, including a welcome #2025Dundee150 tick (in bold).
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| Little Grebe |
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| Mute Swan |
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| Buzzard |
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| Carrion Crow |
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| Carrion Crow |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Dunlin |
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| Common Toad |
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| Pipit sp. |
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| Pipit sp. |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Mallard |
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| Rabbit |
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| Stock Dove |
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| Stock Dove |
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| Stock Dove |
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| Sparrowhawk |
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Nuthatch, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Small Tortoiseshell.
Mammals (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Grey Squirrel.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Black Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Fieldfare, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Knot, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Little Grebe, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Pintail, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Shelduck, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Teal, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.
Amphibians (at Riverside Nature Park) - Common Toad.
