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| Mute Swan |
Mark Wilkinson managed to find a second Glaucous Gull for the year, across the river at Tayport on the 8th of March, while I was concentrating on the part of the city diametrically opposite where I needed to be. Having managed to 'dip' on his first one, 3 times in 4 days, I didn't particularly fancy my chances of managing to see this second one either. The waether forecast didn't look like it was going to be particularly helpful with strong westerly winds and the possibility of showers to contend with. Nevertheless, as I was still needing Glaucous Gull for my #2026Dundee150 list, I knew I really couldn't afford NOT to try for it.
I spite of my extremely low expectations I was ready to get out and about for 0820. First on the day's list was Feral Pigeon quickly followed by Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Magpie and Starling. A bit of a surprise was a small group of 4 Whooper Swans seen struggling into the wind over Dundonald Street. Pied Wagtail and Blue Tit were heard around the Dura Street car park area. My next additions came at Baxter Park where Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Woodpigeon, Stock Dove, Blackbird, Carrion Crow and a surprise overflying Curlew provided a few extra species for the morning's list.
Coal Tit and Dunnock were added on my walk down to the Stannergate. A few Lesser Black-backed Gulls were with the Herring Gulls and Oystercatchers roosting within the docks area. The walk out along the river proved to be very quiet. Eider was eventually added off Beach Crescent and a few Turnstones were turning stones down on the beach there. A pair of Mute Swans were sheltering in the harbour, as I set up my scope by the 'Phibbies hut'. A couple of Rock Pipits showed briefly and a small flock of Bar-tailed Godwits headed upriver. A Cormorant was fishing relatively close to the harbour and the day's first Red-throated Diver (a young bird) was picked out low over the water heading west.
Redshank, Shelduck and Wigeon were all noted over towards the Fife side but there was no sign of any Glaucous Gull. I was joined by Lainy with her 'big scope' but despite the extra reach it provided, we failed to find any potential Glaucous Gulls over on the Tayport side of the river. A Buzzard was seen, and both Black-headed and Common Gull flew past relatively close. A second young Red-throated Diver headed past upriver. We called it a day around noon and Lainy dropped me off at home, having added a couple of new species for the day as we passed Swannie Ponds - Mallard and Goosander. These took the rather short list of species for the morning's birding to 34 species.
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| Eider |
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| Eider |
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| Turnstone |
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| Turnstone |
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Bar-tailed Godwit |
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| Red-throated Diver |
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| Red-throated Diver |
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| Curlew |
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| Curlew |
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| Curlew |
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| Curlew |
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| Mute Swan |
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| Red-throated Diver |
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| Common Gull |
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| Common Gull |
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| Common Gull |
Birds - Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunnock, Eider, Goldfinch, Goosander, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Magpie, Mallard, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Red-throated Diver, Redshank, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Shelduck, Starling, Stock Dove, Turnstone, Whooper Swan, Wigeon, Woodpigeon.
