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| Long-tailed Tit |
With a run of 5 straight potential birding days available over Christmas, I was keen to get out on the first of those days, which was Christmas Eve, to see what I might find. I was a bit undecided where to go and didn't feel particularly like going too far. However, I did want to get out somewhere. I was organised and ready to get out, just before sunrise, though the clouds were very much hiding the sun when it actually cleared the horizon. I wasn't 100% sure where I was going but I decided to check Eastern Cemetery for the Ring-necked Parakeet again.
Feral Pigeon, Herring Gull, Magpie, Robin, Carrion Crow and House Sparrow got things underway as I stepped outside. Blue Tit, Woodpigeon and Jackdaw were noted as I headed for a quick check of Swannie Ponds. Goosander, Mute Swan, Mallard, Moorhen, Tufted Duck, Coot, Grey Heron and Black-headed Gull were all spotted there along with small numbers of Greenfinches leaving their roost site nearby. Before I left for Eastern Cemetery a passing Sparrowhawk and an overflying Curlew were seen. Starling and Wren were next as I made my way along to the cemetery. Great Tit, Blackbird, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Buzzard, Chaffinch, Kestrel and a number of Grey Squirrels were all found but there was no obvious sign of the hoped for parakeet.
I decided to check out Gardyne College and the area around Claypotts Castle to see if there was any sign of Ring-necked Parakeets there. Redwing was added on the walk along Arbroath Road towards the entrance to the football pitches where Goldfinch and Oystercatcher were seen in flight. There were a few Common Gulls by the car park at the college and a small flock of Redpoll were seen as I exited the college site. I failed to find anything at all at Dawson Park or around Claypotts Castle. I decided to continue down to Broughty Ferry, despite having visited there just a few days before. Collared Dove was the only addition on the walk down towards the river.
A bathing Redshank, a distant Grey Seal, the day's first Cormorant and a Pied Wagtail catching flies despite the date were all seen as I wandered along towards the castle. A couple of small skeins of Pink-footed Geese headed overhead on their way inland. A Great Black-backed Gull was seen out over the river and a decent number of Bar-tailed Godwits were strung out along the beach edge as the tide receded further. There was a more tightly packed group of waders a little further on which turned out to be Knot. A Dunnock was heard just before I spotted a Little Egret in flight over the beach to the east. It landed but was flushed by walkers within a minute. A Fieldfare was seen in flight to the north. More scanning out over the river added distant Eider and Wigeon before I headed in to the local nature reserve to try to add something else new for the day.
Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Long-tailed Tits, a small group of Bullfinches and a few Stock Doves made for a relatively productive visit. I headed back out to the river but decided against continuing on to Balmossie. Instead I decided to head back homewards. The local Linnet flock flew past me as I did so. A Turnstone was noted near the castle and a distant Red Throated Diver was spotted out on the water. Returning to the castle area, I found a couple of Rock Pipits feeding amongst the washed up seaweed on the beach. The walk back home failed to add anything other than a couple of Rabbits, though I did manage decent views of a Sparrowhawk in Eastern Cemetery. My total for the day's efforts was a surprising 57 species of birds and 3 of mammals. Despite this, it still somehow managed to feel like a relatively underwhelming outing.
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| Kestrel |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Grey Seal |
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| Redshank |
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| Common Gull |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Cormorant |
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| Rock Pipit |
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| Little Egret |
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| Fieldfare |
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| Bullfinch |
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| Bullfinch |
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| Redwing |
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| Curlew |
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| Long-tailed Tit |
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| Pink-footed Goose |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Turnstone |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Redshank |
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| Goosander |
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| Moorhen |
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| Goosander |
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Coot |
Birds - Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch,
Buzzard, Carrion
Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew,
Dunnock, Eider, Fieldfare, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black-backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit. Greenfinch,
Grey Heron, Herring
Gull, House Sparrow,
Jackdaw, Kestrel, Knot, Linnet, Little Egret, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Mistle
Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pied
Wagtail, Pink-footed Goose, Red-throated Diver, Redpoll, Redshank, Redwing, Robin,
Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove,
Tufted Duck, Turnstone,
Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals - Grey Seal, Grey Squirrel, Rabbit.
