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| Osprey |
I was going to spend Wednesday the 27th of August at home trying to catch up with my rather extensive back-log of blog-posts, but finding out that the paddle steamer Waverley, usually found on the Clyde was heading into Dundee, I decided to try for photos of that instead. Although I wasn't technically 'out birding' I did see, and photograph some birds (including some nicely posing young Swallows being fed by their parents). As I was heading home around 1600 from Broughty Ferry, word came through from Mark that he'd found Curlew Sandpiper at Riverside Nature Park. There was little point in trying to get there as the tide was well on its way in. Instead, I would have to wait and see if the birds were still around on Friday morning. At this time of year, there can be a reasonable passage of these waders, sometimes lingering for a few days at a time, but in other years they can be few and far between. I would have to hope for the former.
Late August into early September is also seemingly the best time to get a lengthy list at the park, with 67 species the current record. I reckon 70 is just about doable, but obviously to do so needs favourable weather and tide times as well as a fair bit of luck. The tide times weren't great for Friday and the weather forecast wasn't perfect either but I decided that along with trying to get the Curlew Sandpipers, I would try for a high total. Although I had set my alarm for a pre-dawn start, I was still tired when it went off and it was 0725 before I actually headed out the door. This meant the tide would be on the turn by the time I reached the Nature Park and there was a chance I might have missed out on some 'vis-mig' too. Robin, Feral Pigeon, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Lesser Black-backed Gull, House Sparrow, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Blue Tit and Starling were all noted as I walked up past the football grounds.
Things slowed down a bit after that with Dunnock and the first overflying Meadow Pipits on Byron Street. Great Tit was noted a bit further on. There were 13 Black-headed Gulls on the football pitches at Lochee Park and a pair of Nuthatches were in the trees just east of the driveway on the north side. Goldcrest, Treecreeper, Coal Tit, Bullfinch, Siskin and Stock Dove plus another pair of Nuthatches (in the cemetery) were all found as I made my way round past the hill. Nothing else was added before I reached the eastern end of the Nature Park just after 0830. Robin, Greenfinch, Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Chiffchaff, Feral Pigeon, Jackdaw, Herring Gull, Wren, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Magpie and Long-tailed Tit all made for quite a busy start to the park visit. Lainy messaged me to see if I was out birding. She knew I was planning on trying for a big park total (and the Curlew Sandpipers) so she said she would be down to join me soon.
I continued on towards the bay noting Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldcrest, Song Thrush and Blackbird. I had a quick scan from near the picnic tables which added a pair of Bar-tailed Godwits flying into the bay. Goldfinch, Great Tit and Blackcap filled a few gaps on the walk to the hide along with the first of the day's Rabbits. At the hide, I quickly found Mallard, Dunlin, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, a couple of circling Ospreys, Curlew, Common Gull, a Stock Dove which dropped in for a drink, a few Rooks by the burn and a number of Black-headed Gulls. I was surprised just how quickly I managed to locate Curlew Sandpipers, with 3 by the water's edge, and a fourth bird flew out from the far end of the bay with some Redshanks a few minutes later. Carrion Crow, Cormorant, Whitethroat, Grey Wagtail, Sandwich Tern, Teal, Black-tailed Godwit and Grey Heron kept the steady flow of birds going. A couple of Little Egrets finally put in an appearance before I decided to head round to the raised banking as by this time, most of the birds in the bay were a bit too far out for decent views from the hide.
I met Lainy on her way to meet me at the hide, just as I was about to message her to say I was heading to the raised banking. We set up our scopes to scan from there which got us a few Oystercatchers and a few overflying Meadow Pipits. I tried to relocate the Curlew Sandpipers for Lainy which proved a bit tricky given the amount of waders now strung out along the western side of the bay from the pipe. A small flock of Tree Sparrows showed up before Lainy found a Knot. There had been an almost continuous procession of Ospreys over the course of the morning with at times as many as 3 or 4 in view at one time and we had a few decent photo opportunities as a result, with one dive being on our side of the pipe and not hidden by bushes (though another was). By the end of the morning, I had counted 14 Osprey sightings (though how many were duplicate visits by a single bird, I have no idea). Given the time taken to eat a large fish, I suspect the total of individual birds was likely around 10.
A small group of Swallows and a few Sand Martins passed overhead and one of the local Pheasants was spotted. Lainy pointed out a Painted Lady butterfly which flew past us as we had views of Red Admiral and Small White too before we decided to investigate the rest of the park. Lainy wasn't feeling 100% so we dropped off her scope back at the car before checking out the lower half. Buzzard and House Martin were the only new finds there though. Lainy headed homewards shortly after we had a fly-past by a 2-seat Spitfire which was operating out of Perth airport taking well-off passengers up for flights. We had heard it distantly earlier but or view was hidden by clouds. Thankfully, the fly-through over the airport allowed us much better views and a few photos. I continued trying to add 'missing' species to the day's list for another hour and a half or so before admitting defeat. Moorhen was finally noted at the Lochan at around 1330 but it proved to be the final bird of the visit, taking my total to a relatively disappointing (for the time of year), 54 species.
The walk home from the park got me a couple of species of butterflies along by the bridge over the railway line near the Botanic Gardens, with a Large White and Red Admiral seen there. Long-tailed Tits were heard in the big gardens opposite the Invercarse hotel. Rather than head up Glamis Road I continued on to Farington Street which feels slightly less steep, or at least marginally shorter to cut up to Blackness Road. As I wandered along fr4om the top of the hill, a surprise Speckled Wood flew past me near the steps to Royal Victoria Hospital. That was to be the day's final new species taking the combined totals for the day to 59 species of birds (54 at the park, 24 outwith) with 1 new (in bold) for my #2025Dundee150 list, 5 of butterflies (3 at the park, 3 outwith) and just 1 of mammals (at the park). Overall, it felt like a slightly disappointing day out, though given the weather and tide times it was actually not too bad with the Ospreys putting on a decent show (and a bonus Spitifire).
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| Osprey |
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| Curlew Sandpiper, Redshank, Dunlin & Black-headed Gull |
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| Redshank & Curlew Sandpiper |
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| Dunlin, Curlew Sandpiper & Redshank |
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| Dunlin & Curlew Sandpiper |
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| Black-tailed Godwit |
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| Lapwing, Black-headed Gull & Bar-tailed Godwit |
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| Curlew |
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| Little Egret & Carrion Crow |
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| Osprey |
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| Osprey |
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| Osprey |
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| Osprey |
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| Osprey |
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| Osprey |
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| Lesser Black-backed Gull & Osprey |
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| Osprey |
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| Osprey |
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| Spitfire |
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| Starling |
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| Great Spotted Woodpecker |
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| Mallard & Redshank |
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| Starling & Buzzard |
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| Buzzard, Magpie and Carrion Crow |
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Black-headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Great Tit, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Nuthatch, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Starling, Stock Dove, Treecreeper, Woodpigeon.
Butterflies (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Large White, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull, Black-tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin,
Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Martin, Jackdaw, Knot, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Egret, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow
Pipit, Moorhen, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Redshank, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sand Martin, Sandwich Tern, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Teal, Tree Sparrow, Whitethroat, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Small White.
Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.
