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| Robin |
With the fire at the Riverside recycling centre finally out, I rearranged my previously planned meet-up at Riverside Nature Park, with English birder/photographer Philip Smithson for Tuesday the 16th of September. We arranged to meet at the car park around 0830. The weather forecast was fairly decent and the high tide time (and relatively low tide height) of around 1045 was also likely to be beneficial. Having had the Honey Buzzard over the park on my previous visit, I wasn't particularly optimistic that we'd have much luck, but as the plan was to show Philip which parts of the park were best for birds, and at what times of year, the birds that we would see were almost incidental though naturally it would be good to get something new for my #2025Dundee150, as always.
I headed out just after 0655, aiming to get to the park some time around 0800, so I could check the tide state before meeting Philip. However far in the tide was would dictate our timetable for the morning. Feral Pigeon, Herring Gull, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Robin, Meadow Pipit, Carrion Crow and Starling made for a typical start for this time of year and time of day. Goldfinch, Magpie, Coal Tit and Woodpigeon soon followed. Wren, Dunnock, Jackdaw, Long-tailed Tit and Goldcrest were added between Byron Street and Ancrum Road. The football pitches at Lochee Park did have decent numbers of gulls - mostly Black-headed, but also a few Common, Herring and a single Lesser Black-backed Gull. Jay, Siskin, Chiffchaff, Bullfinch, Redpoll and Chaffinch were noted as I headed under the footbridge and down through Balgay Cemetery.
Nothing else was added before I reached the eastern end of the park, just after 0800. Robin, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Herring Gull and Chiffchaff were noted around the eastern end before one of the regular dog walkers with an interest in birds stopped for a chat. Magpie and Chaffinch were seen during this conversation before we went our separate ways. As I headed into the upper half of the park, Philip messaged me to say he'd just arrived at the car park. I said I'd meet him there in a minute or two. Once the introductions proper were out of the way, we set off from the car park round towards the bay. Goldfinch, Starling and Wren were noted on the way. Before we could actually see the bay, Black-headed Gulls and a flock of Black-tailed Godwits overflew us. A male Sparrowhawk flew up from the bushes overlooking the bay and gave us good views, as it was mobbed by a Goldfinch.
Siskins were heard overhead as we reached the bay. As the tide was already much further in than anticipated, we didn't really stop to scan through the birds in the bay, instead continuing on towards the hide to scan from there. A few Lapwings were seen in flight. Skylark, Redpoll and Greenfinch flew over and a Dunnock was seen briefly on the path ahead of us. We had good views of a Blackcap in the bushes by the wooden gate. When we arrived at the hide we found Ian Ford already there. As I was the only one with a scope, I set to work trying to see what was down on the receding area of mud in front of the hide. Cormorant, Curlew, Redshank, Mallard, Teal and Dunlin were all quickly seen, while a Great Tit was in the bushes beyond the wall. I managed to pick out a few Curlew Sandpipers, then a Ruff, an unexpected Pintail in the burn, a few Knot, a Greenshank and eventually the long staying Golden Plover. A Stock Dove dropped in for a drink, but as always, didn't linger longer than was absolutely necessary.
A Grey Heron landed on the pipe, a Grey Wagtail flew out over the bay and the amount of mud in front of us diminished further. Ian headed off and just 2 minutes after he left, I spotted a previously unnoticed Whimbrel stood on its own by the railway embankment. We watched a Carrion Crow wake it up, before the Whimbrel ascended the stone slope before flying off over the fence and out of sight. A Buzzard glided past making a few of the wader flock rather jittery but they soon settled back down again. The Kingfisher was heard before I saw it whizz up the burn. I then suggested we have a look from the bridge over the railway line. Large White and Speckled Wood butterflies were seen on the walk round to the bridge and looking over the bridge parapet got us Goosander, Common Gull and Great Black-backed Gull for the list. A couple of Swallows whizzed past. Following what had been a very productive look at the bay, I told Philip that the park wasn't usually anywhere nearly as 'good', though it does have its moments.
We checked the Lochan but saw nothing there. We then headed down to check the lower half where a Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen in flight. We also added Bullfinch in the same general area near Buzzard Wood. We headed up to the top of the hill next but nothing else was added until we headed back down for another look at the bay. Philip spotted a pair of Stonechats amongst the vegetation but I failed to get any photos, though I did eventually manage to see them both. Lesser Black-backed Gull was seen down in the bay. Word of a Wryneck at Montrose Basin came through and as Philip had said he'd be home around 1300-ish we wandered back round to the car park, so he could head back to Arbroath. A Kestrel overflew us as Philip was packing up, and a Jackdaw and Rook then flew over together. Once Philip headed off, suitably impressed with the park, I decided I might as well see what else I could find, given it had been a productive visit already. House Martin, Blackbird, Goldcrest and Song Thrush were all noted as I wandered up the hill, then down to the 'bowl' again. A few Bar-tailed Godwits dropped in across the bay and I eventually added Oystercatcher for the day, as some flew upriver.
I finally added Little Egret across the bay, to the day's birds as well. As I scanned out over the river, I was aware of 2 people stopping off by the toilet. It turned out to be Colin the City Council Ranger and a younger lady who were conducting their final bee survey of the year. We had a chat for a while before a butterfly flitted past us low over the ground. Just as Colin raised his finger to point it out, I realised it was a YELLOW butterfly - which set alarm bells ringing and I rushed after the butterfly, as it flew towards the back of the small (currently dry) pond. There has been an influx of migrant Clouded Yellow butterflies recently from Europe and I was certain that was what we could see in front of us. I did get very good views from above of the upperside (yellow with black border) of the rather striking butterfly but it refused to settle and I fumbled with my phone to try to get some sort of record of the sighting. Unfortunately it flew off away from us and all 3 of us lost sight of it against the vegetation on the hillside. Still, it was my 20th species of butterfly in Dundee this year (and ever) and another complete (and very welcome) surprise at the park in the space of 4 days.
I put word out via Whatsapp and decided to see if I could refind it. Colin and his assistant went one way and I went the other. The only butterflies I managed to find over the next hour or so were a couple of Whites and a Red Admiral. The final bird for the park visit was Long Tailed Tit heard near the eastern entrance. Lainy had said she might drop in to try to see the Clouded Yellow on her way back from Fife where she had been birding, but as it wasn't a definite, I chose not to linger at the park after I reached the eastern end at around 1535. I finished what had been a very successful visit to the park with a total of 61 species of birds and 4 of butterflies. As it turned out, I only missed Lainy by about 15 minutes. My only additions on the very weary walk home were Red Admiral and Large White butterflies in Balgay Cemetery. My totals outwith the park were 27 species of birds and 2 of butterflies for a combined total of 64 species of birds and 4 of butterflies. Yet again, the park had delivered a nice mix of species - both avian and lepidopteran.
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| Robin |
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| Sparrowhawk & Goldfinch |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Black-Tailed Godwit |
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| Blackcap |
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| Blackcap |
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| Ruff & Redshank |
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| Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, Redshank & Dunlin |
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| Golden Plover, Dunlin, Redshank & Curlew Sandpiper |
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| Whimbrel |
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| Whimbrel |
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| Whimbrel |
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| Greenshank & Redshank |
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| Curlew Sandpiper |
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| Mallard |
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| Goosander & Redshank |
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| Swallow |
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| Herring Gull, Dunlin, Knot & Curlew Sandpiper |
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| Goosander |
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| Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin & Ruff |
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| Large White(?) |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Red Admiral |
Birds - (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blue
Tit,
Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Herring
Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black-backed
Gull, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Redpoll, Robin, Feral
Pigeon, Siskin, Starling, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Large White, Red Admiral.
Birds
(at Riverside Nature Park) - Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull, Black-tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard,
Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Cormorant,
Curlew, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Golden Plover, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black-backed Gull, Great Spotted
Woodpecker, Great Tit,
Greenfinch, Greenshank, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Martin, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Kingfisher, Knot, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Egret, Long-tailed
Tit,
Magpie, Mallard, Meadow
Pipit, Oystercatcher, Pintail, Redpoll, Redshank, Robin, Feral
Pigeon, Rook, Ruff, Siskin, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock
Dove, Stonechat, Swallow, Teal, Whimbrel, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Clouded Yellow, Large White, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood.
