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| Redshank |
Following Saturday's rather underwhelming lunchtime birding I stayed at home on Sunday the 12th of April. Needless to say, that decision was to cost me a new addition (and a new Dundee bird), with Mark finding an Avocet at Kingoodie, which eventually wandered out past the boxy glass house, where Mark managed to add it to the Riverside Nature Park list and his own RNP list. Following a few 'lumps' of species last year, the Avocet was number 174 for the park list (as we've lost Mealy Redpoll and Green-winged Teal). Unfortunately the bird vanished soon after while Keith was trying to locate it from the park, just as Lainy was photographing it at Kingoodie. Needless to say, it didn't linger but what was most likely the same bird relocated to Guardbridge where it had originally been found by Mark, a few days before!
I had managed to add Willow Warbler to my #2026Dundee150 list on my way to work on the Monday. By the time Wednesday came around, I knew I really needed to make the effort to get out somewhere. Despite the lack of Avocet, I decided to try Riverside Nature Park with migrant waders being very much on the possibilities list. It was to be a later start, though with high tide not until after lunchtime it wasn't likely to be much of an issue. I headed out just before 1050. House Sparrow, Herring Gull, a pair of Pied Wagtails, Feral Pigeon, Carrion Crow, Starling, Blackbird and Chaffinch got the list started. Goldfinch and Woodpigeon were seen at a rather busy Hilltown park as I took a bit of a detour from my usual routing. Great Tit, Blue Tit, Magpie and Blackcap were found along Albany Terrace and at Dudhope Park. Things were very quiet between there and the bottom of Glamis Road where a Jay was spotted in flight. Nearing the nature park I was able to add heard-only Skylark and Oystercatcher.
It was just before noon when I reached the park's western entrance. Linnet, Blue Tit, Blackcap, Curlew, Redshank, Shelduck, Teal, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Mallard, Long-tailed Tit, Jackdaw, Greenfinch, Carrion Crow and Chiffchaff were all around that end. Scanning from the hide added both Black-headed Gull and Common Gull, as well as Great Tit, Coal Tit, Oystercatcher, Skylark, Wren, Dunnock, Feral Pigeon and Dunlin. With the tide pushing birds further in, I hoped there might be somthing good to be discovered, but there were actually relatively few waders which was a bit disappointing. A Grey Heron and a very brief flying visit from a lone Turnstone were the only further finds while I was at the hide.
I eventually ventured into the park proper where Goldfinch, Blackbird and Woodpigeon were soon seen. Scanning out over the river got me Cormorant, and a Buzzard was noted to the north, along with a few Rooks. Round by the Lochan, a Robin was singing while there was a bit of territorial squablling by a couple of pairs of Moorhens. A Willow Warbler was heard singing further on to the east and a Pheasant called loudly from somewhere around the 'dump'. I wandered along the road to check the airport grass at the end of the runway. The number of Wheatear had been both 4 and 11 that morning. I eventually managed to find 8, evenly split between male and female.
Also on the airfield were Starlings, Skylarks, Pied Wagtails and Stock Dove. I finally managed to see a Reed Bunting back in the park and as I headed for the exit there were a few Rabbits behind the fences around the eastern end. More Rabbits were then seen outside the park as I headed back along Riverside Avenue. The walk home via Balgay Hill got me a few more species - Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Bullfinch, Nuthatch and Song Thrush, which took the outwith the park total for the day to 28 species, which coupled with the 43 found while at the park, made for a combined total of 51 species of birds and 1 of mammals. Perhaps not the most exciting of Spring day's birding overall but there were some reasonably decent species found, though once again, I didn't take very many photos.
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| Shelduck, Teal and Redshank |
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| Redshank & Dunlin |
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| Redshank & Dunlin |
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| Redshank & Dunlin |
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| Redshank, Teal and Dunlin |
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| Oystercatcher & Redshank |
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| Turnstone |
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| Redshank & Dunlin |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Wheatear & Jackdaw |
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| Wheatear |
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| Wheatear |
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Dunnock |
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Nuthatch, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Linnet, Long-tailed Tit, Mallard, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Shelduck, Skylark, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Teal, Turnstone, Wheatear, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.
