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| Rock Pipit |
I am generally not keen on visiting Broughty Ferry at the weekend, due to the increase in the numbers of people around which leads to increased disturbance, both on land and increasingly out on the water too. However, I decided to head out reasonably early and see what I might find. There had been an increase in the Bottlenose Dolphin activity, so I hoped there might be a chance that the feeding opportunities that were bringing in the dolphins might also bring in a seabird or two (with terns and Kittiwake the most likely of those). The weather forecast wasn't great but was better than the previous day's windy and showery conditions, though there was some likelihood of rain.
I headed out to the sound of the local House Sparrows, with Blackbird, Herring Gull and Swifts all very obvious too. Feral Pigeon and Dunnock were added on the way to Dundonald Street where Blue Tit, House Martin, Magpie, Goldfinch and Starling were all noted. Jackdaw and Collared Dove were seen as I crossed Albert Street. Nearing Baxter Park a Chaffinch was seen singing from a TV aerial. At the park itself Carrion Crow, Greenfinch, Swallow, Woodpigeon and Robin were all found. Continuing on along Bingham Terrace got me Chiffchaff and Wren with overflying Oystercatchers spotted as I got closer to Eastern Cemetery. A family group of Long-tailed Tits were in the trees lining the roadsides.
Halfway down Craigie Avenue, Siskins and a Crossbill overflew while a Black Headed Gull in summer plumage looked on from atop a lamppost. A Sparrowhawk circled over the houses a bit to the east. At the Stannergate I was able to add Lesser Black-backed Gull and Linnet as well as a singing Song Thrush and a few Rabbits. Down on the shore, a lone drake Mallard in eclipse plumage was a slight surprise among the more expected Herring Gulls. A family group of 4 Pied Wagtails overflew as I wandered out along the esplanade path. The day's first Grey Heron was down by the water and a rather distant Goosander was picked out on the flat calm river. A couple of much closer Goosander were spotted down at the water's edge not too much further on. The day's first Curlew overflew and a Cormorant was spotted over towards Tayport. A Redshank was seen on the pipe at Douglas Terrace. I spotted a Gannet across the far side of the river as it flew around looking for a potential meal below the water. As almost always seem to be the case, it flew up to just past the lighthouses over at Tayport before heading back downriver. A few Common Gulls were perched on the railings at the lifeboat jetty.
Shortly after seeing them, it was a Grey Wagtail's turn to overfly. From Beach Crescent I spotted a Bottlenose Dolphin over towards the Lucky Scalp pile light and hurried round past the castle for a better look. I wasn't expecting a dolphin in the shallow water just off the beach, but that was where one was. I hurried down across the sand for a closer look but it had swum away to the east before I had even made it onto the beach. For the next 5 hours or so, I had dolphins in sight almost the whole time I was watching. A Great Black-backed Gull put in an appearance as I stood on the beach. I had noticed the sky getting progressively darker and more menacing looking so I decided to head for shelter up by the car park toilets. I timed it just right as the heavens opened and it poured down. During the latter part of this downpour I spotted the dolphins breaching right next to the Saltdog Marine rhib and managed to get some photos which showed just what sort of views the passengers were getting, while also getting rather wet.
Thankfully the shower passed through, though not before a couple of Sandwich Terns passed along the edge of the beach in the rain. Once I set up the scope near the dolphins sculpture I was soon able to add Eider, Grey Seal and Guillemot out on the river, while a Rock Pipit or 2 and a few Pied Wagtails picked around on the beach. I spotted my first Osprey (of 4) of the day hovering over the river near Lucky Scalp and around an hour later I picked out an even more distant Buzzard. A small flock of Bar-tailed Godwits were seen in flight over by Tayport. I let a few passers-by view the dolphins through my scope while scanning with binoculars myself. A Mute Swan was seen low over the river from the direction of Tayport. I eventually decided to head up into the castle for the raised perspective it offers. As I headed towards the castle, I spotted a bird down on the beach which flew off almost as soon as I stopped to take a picture, an adult male Wheatear. From the castle I was able to add Shelduck over at the Tayport side of the river though most other birds (bar Osprey and Curlew) weren't quite so identifiable.
Word came through on the Fife Bird Club grapevine that 2 Ruddy Shelduck had been reported on the Tay off Tayport around 40 minutes prior. I searched the river and the beach to no avail. (What was likely the same pair turned up at Port Allen a few days later - having no doubt flown past Riverside Nature Park, where they would have been a new species for the park-list). The Wheatear turned up in the castle though it was rather flighty. The dolphins had eventually headed out of sight to the east and so I decided to head homewards around 1545. A Stock Dove and a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly were seen on the walk back along the river and a couple of Kestrels were the day's final addition at the Stannergate, taking my list for the day to 53 species, with the dolphins riding the bow wave of a ship being the main highlight of the day, though the Crossbill and the Wheatear were the main avian highlights.
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| Mallard |
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| Curlew |
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| Goosander |
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Redshank |
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| Gannet |
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| Common Gull |
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| Grey Wagtail |
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| Bottlenose Dolphin |
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| Bottlenose Dolphin |
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| Bottlenose Dolphin |
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| Grey Seal |
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| Eider |
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| Cormorant |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Bottlenose Dolphin |
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| Bottlenose Dolphin |
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| Bottlenose Dolphin |
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| Bottlenose Dolphin |
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| Bottlenose Dolphin |
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| Mute Swan |
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| Wheatear |
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| Herring Gull & Wheatear |
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| Wheatear |
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| Goosander |
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| Osprey |
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| Carrion Crow |
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Rabbit |
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| Stock Dove |
Birds - Bar Tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Cormorant, Crossbill, Curlew, Dunnock, Eider, Gannet, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black-backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Guillemot, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Linnet, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Mute Swan, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Sandwich Tern, Shelduck, Siskin, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Swift, Wheatear, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies - Small Tortoiseshell.
Mammals - Bottlenose Dolphin, Grey Seal, Rabbit.
