 |
| Shelduck |
With Keith Edwards having seen a few Lapwings from Riverside Nature Park a few days earlier, and me still needing to see the species for my #2026Dundee150 list, there was only really one place to go on Sunday the 7th of June. I had been rather neglecting the birds over the preceding weeks with my focus having very much turned to finding insects. The 'travellers' arrival en masse at the Nature Park also didn't make a visit there particularly appealing. Given that they are parked up just a few steps (on foot) away from the city dump, and that there is an actual toilet within the park, it really shouldn't be too hard to leave the place as they found it, but treating part of the park as a toilet and other nearby parts as a dump for gas canisters, broken paving stones and other rubbish, as well as having a bonfire on the grass (in a Nature Park), it isn't hard to see why they are so unwelcome practically everywhere they go. Just a wee bit of actual effort would go a long way to change people's perceptions.
I headed out just before 0650 for the hour or so walk to the Nature Park, in the hope that the travellers had finally moved on, and that I could enjoy a relatively relaxing visit to the whole park, not just a small section well away from the caravans that had invaded the park, pressed up close to the hedges where birds were nesting. Feral Pigeon, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Magpie, House Sparrow, Herring Gull, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Wren, Goldfinch, Swift, Starling and Blue Tit were all noted before I reached Byron Street. Oystercatcher and Chaffinch were added there followed by Song Thrush on Loons Road. Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard at Balgay Hill with Stock Dove and Great Tit noted at the cemetery. Before I finally reached the Nature Park, Dunnock, Greenfinch, Grey Squirrel and Rabbit were all found.
I reached the park just after 0755. First onto the list for the visit were Robin, Greenfinch, Whitethroat, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Song Thrush, Buzzard, Goldfinch and Blackbird in the lower half of the park. Moorhen and Reed Bunting were around the Lochan area. Moving on towards the bay, I added Wren, Woodpigeon and Black-headed Gull. Blue Tit, a trio of Mute Swans, a few Mallards, Chiffchaff, Chaffinch, Lesser Black-backed Gull (with both the usual graellsii race and the darker intermedius race birds were present) and Herring Gull were all seen from the hide. Swift and House Sparrow were around near the western entrance to the park. Feral Pigeon, a pair of Pheasant, Stock Dove, Great Tit, Blackcap and Oystercatcher all joined the species already on the list as I headed round for a better look at the wider bay.
The weather forecast had predicted relatively decent weather but it didn't seem to be particularly forthcoming. Skylark, Shelduck, Dunnock, a small skein of Greylag Geese and Common Gull were all spotted. I had chosen to travel light, without my scope and tripod which rather limited my reach. The hoped for sunshine was nowhere to be seen and it appeared rain was imminent. I headed into 'the bowl' north of the toilet for something resembling shelter but thankfully the rain failed to materialise. When I exited the bowl, I spotted Mark and headed over to join him. Curlew, a couple of Black-tailed Godwits and a single distant Lapwing across the bay were all found thanks to Mark and his scope. A 2nd-year Peregrine and a Sparrowhawk both gave us reasonably decent views before Starling and Swallow were seen.
Across the far side of the bay, Mark found a Sandwich Tern stood atop a rock. Goosander was picked out on the river and a Great Black-backed Gull was seen near the gull bathing pool. Mark headed for home and I decided to check out the aftermath of the travellers' visit in the lower half. I did find Yellowhammer and Willow Warbler, but also lots of used toilet paper, broken paving stones, a couple of abandoned kids bikes, remains of a bonfire and various other detritus and rubbish left for the council to clean up, at the Dundee taxpayer's expense. It began to rain as I headed for the exit and I ended up sheltering at the underpass by the railway line for around 20 minutes or so, before moving on slightly prematurely.
This resulted in me having to find something resembling shelter a few times before the rain eventually abated, as I headed in the direction of Balgay Hill. Robin, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit and Chiffchaff were all found on the way. A Nuthatch was collecting food for youngsters at Balgay cemetery and a Sparrowhawk put in a brief appearance, though nowhere near as close at the one earlier at the park. I finished the day's birding with a combined total of 51 species of birds (47 at the park - including 1 - in bold - new for my #2026Dundee150 list, and 27 outwith). Although not quite as productive as I had hoped, it was still a decent enough morning's birding.
 |
| Swift |
 |
| Wren |
 |
| Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull (intermedius race closest to camera, graellsii behind) |
 |
| Blackbird |
 |
| Pheasant |
 |
| Greylag Goose |
 |
| Skylark |
 |
| Reed Bunting |
 |
| Common Gull |
 |
| Whitethroat |
 |
| Blackbird |
 |
| Pond Skater |
 |
| Carrion Crow |
|
| Shelduck |
 |
| Shelduck |
 |
| Curlew |
 |
| Peregrine |
 |
| Peregrine |
 |
| Sparrowhawk |
 |
| Sparrowhawk |
 |
| Sandwich Tern |
 |
| Shelduck & Lapwing |
 |
| Buzzard |
 |
| Tree Bumblebee |
 |
| Moth sp. |
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Nuthatch, Oystercatcher, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Swift, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Grey Squirrel, Rabbit.
Birds (from Riverside Nature Park) - Black-headed Gull, Black-tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Curlew, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black-backed Gull, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull (graellsii & intermedius race), Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pheasant, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sandwich Tern, Shelduck, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Swift, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
