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| Red-breasted Merganser |
With just 1 more bird needed to reach 100 species within January, leaving me 'only' 50 more to reach my target figure in the remaining 11 months of the year, and with a solitary day of calm and dry conditions forecast for one of my 2 remaining available birding days, I just had to decide where to go. There was a Greenshank showing from time to time at Riverside Nature Park. I still hadn't managed to get Jack Snipe, but Broughty Ferry and Balmossie seemed to offer the best chance of getting 'something', even if there were no 'firm' target species (unless the elusive Glaucous Gull was still around). Even if I didn't manage to get anything new, I would still have the last day of the month - the next Saturday to try again. On top of that, just being out in relatively 'normal' conditions felt like it would be a very welcome boost. Even better if the sun actually put in an appearance, or it stayed completely dry.
With decent conditions forecast, it wasn't too hard to get up and out although I headed out a little later than I had hoped to, at 0805. Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Black-headed Gull, Pied Wagtail, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw and Magpie got the day's list underway. Woodpigeon, Robin, Starling, Blackbird and Blue Tit were added between the Dura Street car park and the western gate at Baxter Park. The park added Song Thrush, Common Gull and Wren with Great Tit noted on Bingham Terrace. I chose to cut through Eastern Cemetery just in case the Ring-necked Parakeet was around. It didn't appear to be but Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Coal Tit, Goldcrest and Grey Squirrel did provide some variety. House Sparrows and overflying Oystercatchers were spotted at Balgavies Avenue. Things proved quiet between there and the Stannergate however.
With conditions rather calm on the river, I was able to pick out a flock of Red-breasted Mergansers off the end of the docks. A few Turnstones and Oystercatchers were by the water's edge. An adult Kittiwake in the 'bay' was nice to see. A young Mute Swan was seen in flight as I headed out along the river. I suspect it may have been the same young bird I'd seen previously at City Quay. The day's first Cormorants provided the only other addition on what was a fairly quiet walk out to Douglas Terrace, though I did find a Redshank on the shore by the lifeboat jetty. A skein of Pink-footed Geese heading over northwards, but despite better light there was no hidden Barnacle Geese in this particular group. A Rock Pipit was at the castle. I scanned from beyond the castle and despite the reasonably decent viewing conditions, birds seemed to be rather few and far between.
I picked up a fast-flying duck and watched it drop in off the beach a bit to the east, landing close to a Shag. It was a drake Long-tailed Duck but getting photos among the waves proved difficult, largely as a result of the distance. As is so often the case with Long-tailed Duck sightings off Broughty Ferry, the bird took off again after a minute or so. Thankfully, I had been viewing it through the camera when it did so, which meant I was able to get flight shots too. Mission accomplished - species number 100 and within the first calendar month. I continued on towards Balmossie, enjoying the weather conditions, adding a Collared Dove and a few offshore Wigeon on the way. The flock of Linnets were still flitting around near the brick shelter and when I stopped to photograph them, I was also able to add a few Bar-tailed Godwits to the list as well, as they flew low upriver.
At Balmossie, I was able to add a few more species - Goldeneye, Great Black-backed Gull, Eider, Ringed Plover and Curlew. I spent a fair bit of time scanning out over the birds on the shore and also had a few short chats to interested passers-by, including Mary, who I had wandered back towards the castle with the previous week. I stopped off at the harbour by the castle, where a young Grey Seal pup was hauled out. Stephen Neish, who I haven't seen for a while, was taking photos and we had a bit of a chat before the SSPCA turned up to check on the seal (which had looked quite active - I suspect it was probably just hungry and tired due to continuous rough weather and its relative inexperience). Things were very quiet overall on my walk homewards, as they often are. A Buzzard was seen in Eastern Cemetery and Swannie Ponds got me a selection of the 'usuals' - Mallard, Goosander, Greenfinch, Long-tailed Tit, Coot, Moorhen, Grey Heron and Tufted Duck, as well as the drake Shoveler taking my total to the day's birding to 52 species of birds, including my 100th species for Dundee this year (in bold), and 2 of mammals. Unfortunately, the nice weather chose not to stick around, once again.
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| Kittiwake |
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| Red-breasted Merganser |
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| Mute Swan |
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| Cormorant |
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| Cormorant |
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| Pink-footed Goose |
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| Redshank |
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| Turnstone |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Rock Pipit |
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| Long-tailed Duck |
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| Long-tailed Duck |
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| Pink-footed Goose |
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| Shag |
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| Linnet |
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| Bar-tailed Godwit |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Goldeneye |
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| Wigeon |
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| Ringed Plover |
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| Grey Seal |
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| Red-breasted Merganser |
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| Grey Seal |
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| Redshank |
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| Carrion Crow & Buzzard |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Goosander |
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| Greenfinch |
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| Shoveler |
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| Grey Heron |
Birds - Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunnock, Eider, Goldcrest, Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black-backed Gull, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kittiwake, Linnet, Long-tailed Duck, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Pink-footed Goose, Red-breasted Merganser, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Shag, Shoveler, Song Thrush, Starling, Tufted Duck, Turnstone, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals - Grey Seal, Grey Squirrel.
