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| Peregrine |
I had another much needed lie-in on the 3rd of October but with Storm Amy on its way later in the day, I still wanted to squeeze in some birding but given that the better birding spots are at least an hour away on foot I had to settle for a visit to the top of the Law to see if anything was passing by. I headed out at 0910 to a Robin singing, some local Feral Pigeons overhead, Woodpigeon, House Sparrow, Carrion Crow, Starling, Herring Gull, Magpie and a Black-headed Gull over the course of the first 6 minutes outside. Siskin and Meadow Pipit were both seen overflying as I neared the Law. Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Goldcrest, Wren, Chaffinch and a flyover Pied Wagtail were all found around the steps up to the hill-top.
A Sparrowhawk showed quite well just after I reached the top. Skylarks were heard, a few more Meadow Pipits overflew, then a flock of Siskins and 2 Chiffchaffs were heard. What may or may not be the local Kestrel put in an appearance before a few more Meadow Pipits overflew. 2 Bullfinches were noted at 1023 then a few more Meadow Pipits. A second Sparrowhawk sighting and some heard-only Redpoll were added before I decided to head homewards as an incoming rain shower could be seen heading down the Tay in my direction. Rook, Grey Wagtail, Great Tit and Dunnock were spotted on the walk home taking my list for the hour or so's worth of birding to 29 species. As it happened I almost made it home completely dry but a detour to the local shop meant I caught the beginnings of the rain shower I'd spotted approaching. An earlier start may well have proved more productive given that there was still a reasonable amount of movement happening around 2.5 hours after sunrise.
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| Chaffinch |
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| Magpie |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
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| Magpie |
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| Magpie & Kestrel |
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| Meadow Pipit |
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| Chaffinch |
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| Rook |
Birds - Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Kestrel, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Redpoll, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Siskin, Skylark, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Woodpigeon, Wren.
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Despite gusts of 50+ mph the weather during the daylight hours of Storm Amy's 2-day visit was mostly dry. Not ideal birding weather obviously, but with plentiful overnight rain and high winds the chances of grounded migrants seemed decent enough to attempt a spot of birding at Riverside Nature Park on Saturday the 4th of October. My expectations were not high but given Keith's success at finding downed migrants at the park during wet weather made it a gamble worth attempting. I headed out just after 0830.
The walk to the park started with Feral Pigeons, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Magpie and Grey Wagtail as I headed up past Tannadice and the allotments. Starling, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Robin and Goldfinch soon followed. I decided to take a rather zig-zagging route to avoid the worst of walking into the westerly wind which can quickly prove to be rather trying. Siskin and Meadow Pipit were added as I headed down Rosebank Street. Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch and Jackdaw were noted near the northeastern corner of Dudhope Park. Great Tit was next as I neared Lochee Road. Chiffchaff was heard on Forest Park Road.
A few Rabbits were seen by the Riverside Pavillion and an unexpected Red Admiral butterfly flew up from the bushes bordering the football pitches across the road. Coal Tit, Dunnock, Sparrowhawk, Pied Wagtail, a skein of Pink-footed Geese and a few Bar-tailed Godwits over the river were all added before I reached the eastern end of Riverside Nature Park just after 0940. I had decided to take the thermal imager with me as there was some likelihood that any downed migrants might be keeping a low profile. Robin, Herring Gull, Carrion Crow, Grey Wagtail, Rook, Meadow Pipit, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Magpie and Woodpigeon made for an underwhelming first 10 minutes, with just enough migrants in the mix to generate something a little like optimism that this would not be a waste of effort.
Goldfinch, Stock Dove, Blackbird, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Redpoll, Song Thrush, Skylark and Greenfinch kept that hope of something decent alive as I made my way round to face the wind head-on at the bay. Cormorant, Mallard, Teal, Black-headed Gull and a young Peregrine were all added along with Wren and Bullfinch. Having bumped into Mark we made the most of the limited shelter afforded by the bushes and trees between us and the bay to keep us out of the main force of the wind while still being able to add birds to the list for the day. Redshank, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Grey Heron, Buzzard, Chiffchaff, Jackdaw, Pink-footed Goose, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwits, Curlew, Dunlin and even a couple of lingering Curlew Sandpipers were all noted.
Moorhen, Common Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Knot and Goosander were all added from round at the hide as the tide came in further. Long-tailed Tit and Pied Wagtail were also seen from there and the young Peregrine put in another appearance before Mark headed for home around noon. I then added Dunnock and Starling but the 'big one' remained elusive. The thermal imager did however manage to conjure up 3 Roe Deer in the fields between the park and the road, well hidden among the saplings and associated vegetation. A few Rabbits were also seen nearby. Great Tit and Crossbill were added before I finally admitted defeat and headed in the direction of home around 1335. At home later, I discovered the Spotted Redshank which appears to be lingering but is proving to be very elusive, among the Redshanks on my photos. I ended the park visit with 51 species (not including the SpotRed) of birds and 2 of mammals.
The walk home along the river to City Quay did get a few more species for the 'outwith the park' list with Cormorant, Redpoll, Great Black-backed Gull, Grey Heron and finally Goldcrest before I made it home just after 1600. My total for outwith the park was 29 species of birds plus 1 of butterflies and 1of mammals for a combined total of 55 species of birds, 1 of butterflies and 2 of mammals. Disappointingly, there was no sign of the hoped for rarity skulking in the bushes (though it may well have been there unseen somewhere), but despite the weather conditions being less than ideal it turned out to be a reasonable day's birding nonetheless.
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| Goldfinch |
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| House Sparrow |
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| Buzzard |
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| Pink-footed Goose |
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| Skylark |
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| Curlew, Mallard, Teal, Dunlin, Redshank & Curlew Sandpiper |
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| Teal, Curlew, Redshank, Dunlin, Curlew Sandpiper |
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| Common Gull |
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| Goosander |
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| Spotted Redshank & Redshank |
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| Redshank & Knot |
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| Buzzard & Carrion Crow |
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| Roe Deer |
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| Roe Deer |
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| Bullfinch |
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| Redpoll |
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| Black-headed Gull |
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| Cormorant & Great Black-backed Gull |
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| Cormorant |
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| Cormorant |
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| Grey Heron |
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Bar-tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Cormorant, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Black-backed Gull, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Pink-footed Goose, Redpoll, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Woodpigeon.
Butterflies (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Red Admiral.
Mammals (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull, Black-tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Cormorant, Crossbill, Curlew, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black-backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow,
Jackdaw, Knot, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Peregrine, Pied Wagtail,
Pink-footed Goose, Redpoll, Redshank, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Siskin, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Teal, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit, Roe Deer.
