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| Siskin |
With a delivery due sometime after 0955 and decent weather forecast, I wanted to try to squeeze in some birding before my 2 long-awaited books arrived ("Discovering Scotland's Butterflies" and "A Photographic Guide To Flies Of Britain And Ireland") on Saturday the 21st of February. I decided on an early start to try to get Jack Snipe at Trottick. I wasn't particularly hopeful that I would actually be successful but at least I had a reason to get out, with a possible addition to my #2026Dundee150 list as an incentive. The downside was that I would have to be home after only a few hours worth of birding.
I was out the door just after 0645. Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Herring Gull, Robin and Wren were all noted as I headed for Caird Park. A Song Thrush was added before I crossed the Kingsway and an Oystercatcher was heard calling loudly as I waited for the lights to change. Goldcrest, Magpie, Kingfisher and Mallard were all found within Caird Park along with Roe Deer and Rabbit. Woodpigeon, Jackdaw and Great Tit were added as I crossed the former 9-hole golf courses. Mute Swans were seen as I passed the ponds at Trottick. With the eastern end bridge still closed I had to take the long way round to get into the reserve. Doing so got me Starling and Long-tailed Tit.
Not unexpectedly, I failed to find any Snipe or Jack Snipe but I did add a Buzzard overhead and a Fox down in the reeds where I had hoped to get the Jack Snipe. Stock Dove, Mistle Thrush, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Moorhen, Tufted Duck, Goosander, Black-headed Gull and Little Grebe were all spotted at the ponds and a skein of Pink-footed Geese overflew. Siskin, Pheasant and Greenfinch were noted before I headed back up through Caird Park again. I found Grey Squirrel, Grey Heron and Coal Tit in the park. House Sparrows at Castle Terrace took my total for the morning to 35 species before I headed home to wait for the postie.
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| Woodpigeon |
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| Blue Tit |
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| Pheasant |
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| Pink-footed Goose |
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| Tufted Duck |
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| Jackdaw |
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| Moorhen |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Grey Squirrel |
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| Great Tit |
Birds - Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goosander, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kingfisher, Little Grebe, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pink-footed Goose, Robin, Siskin, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon.
Mammals - Fox, Grey Squirrel, Rabbit, Roe Deer.
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Lainy messaged me on the morning of Wednesday the 25th of February to let me know that one of the local Great Crested Grebes was back at Clatto Reservoir. With the male Brambling still coming to the feeders as well, there was enough of interest to justify a visit to Clatto on my day off. The Great Crested Grebe was unlikely to disappear before I got there and with a bit of luck I might actually manage to get decent photos of a Brambling this 'winter' after all. I had been a bit late in getting out of bed so by the time I got organised it was already 1025.
Magpie, Jackdaw, Herring Gull, Blackbird and Starling got things underway. Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon and House Sparrow were all found around Dens Park stadium. Carrion Crow, Robin and Feral Pigeon followed a few minutes later as I headed along Wedderburn Street. Wren was heard from the grounds of Kings Cross Hospital. Ten minutes further on, I was able to get Blue Tit on the list as I passed the Crematorium. Goldfinch was next onto the list on Rosemount Road, then a Great Tit soon after. Reed Bunting, Mallard and Moorhen were all seen at the eastern end of Ardler Pond. A very vocal Water Rail at the other end remained within the reeds, which meant I had to make do with a Dunnock instead.
Continuing on up to Clatto, a Lesser Black-backed Gull overflew as I headed along the driveway. Greenfinch and Song Thrush were also seen. I decided not to bother with the feeders initially, instead focussing on getting the Great Crested Grebe on the list instead. Coot, Cormorant, Wigeon, Goosander and Goldeneye were all noted on my first scan of the reservoir. The lone Great Crested Grebe was quite easily picked out as I started scanning back from west to east, and although it was rather distant I was able to get a few 'record shots' of my newest species for Dundee in 2026. I then headed back round to the feeders where I quickly added a few more species - Siskin, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Yellowhammer and Treecreeper. Oystercatchers were heard from the direction of the reservoir.
I was joined by Lainy when she had finished tidying up the 'frog pond'. I had a couple of fleeting glimpses of the Brambling but was rather frustratingly unable to get any photos once again. A Grey Squirrel popped in to the feeders before I decided to call it a day. Lainy dropped me off near Tesco where she was going for some shopping and rather than heading homewards directly along Clepington Road, I decided to route via the Miley and the Law. Unfortunately for me, my only addition was a skein of silent Pink-footed Geese taking my total for the day to 41 species of birds and 1 of mammals, with my new addition (in bold) taking my total for the year to 104 species.
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| Great Crested Grebe |
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| Chaffinch |
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| Robin |
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| Grey Squirrel |
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| Chaffinch |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Great Tit |
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| Long-tailed Tit |
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| Siskin |
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| Chaffinch |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Treecreeper |
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| Treecreeper |
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| Treecreeper |
Birds - Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Brambling, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Goosnader, Great Crested Grebe, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pink-footed Goose, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Song Thrush, Starling, Treecreeper, Water Rail, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Mammals - Grey Squirrel.
