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| Buzzard |
Late March is when Spring migration starts to complicate things a bit. Chiffchaff is already back but then there tends to be a burst of arrivals such as the first Sand Martins, Ospreys, Wheatears, Marsh Harriers and Sandwich Terns. This can make it a bit tricky when trying to decide where to go on any given day. There might be a better chance of getting one new species, or a marginally lower chance of getting one of a few different species. There is also the gamble that sees you choosing one place and a few species turn up elsewhere, usually at the opposite end of the city, while you see nothing new. However, that's pretty much what you sign up for when you decide to become a birder - the good stuff sometimes turning up wherever you aren't. Of course, it doesn't always work out like that, and sometimes you do pick the right place at the right time.
Having not been to Riverside Nature Park for a while I decided to head there on Sunday the 22nd of March. With Sand Martins having been seen elsewhere, and Wheatear beginning to show up too, a slight chance of a passing Osprey, and a much slimmer chance of a Marsh Harrier sighting, this seemed to offer me my best chance of a new species for my #2026Dundee150 list of the sites within the city boundaries. I headed out at 0820. House Sparrow, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Goldfinch, Carrion Crow, Starling and Herring Gull were my initial set of sightings. Continuing on added Magpie, Great Tit, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Blackbird, Wren and Chaffinch. A Meadow Pipit overflew as I reached the top of the Hilltown.
Blue Tit and Dunnock were noted on Byron Street with Oystercatcher and Redwing seen as I made my way down Loons Road. A Grey Wagtail overflew as I headed along Ancrum Road. There were a few Common Gulls at the Lochee Park football pitches, most of the Black-headed Gulls seemingly having already departed to their breeding sites. At Balgay Hill, I heard Nuthatch and Goldcrest. A pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers in a small tree by the wall which backs onto the gardens were a surprise but flew off before I could get my camera out of the bag. I headed down towards Riverside Drive. A message came in about an interesting plane inbound to Dundee Airport. As I was in the area anyway, I made a short diversion to see, and photograph it - a Beta Technologies Alia CX-300 all-electric regional passenger/cargo aircraft being test-flown by Loganair.
While waiting for it to land at the airport, I added Greenfinch, Pied Wagtail, Curlew, Chiffchaff, Skylark, Knot - at least 110 in a mixed flock with a good number of Bar-tailed Godwits. Once it did land, I continued on to Riverside Nature Park to see what I could find there. Most of the initial set of species noted there had already been seen on the walk down - Dunnock, Greenfinch, Skylark, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Starling and Oystercatcher. Stock Dove and Song Thrush were however new for the day. Continuing on around the park got me Robin, Chaffinch and Chiffchaff before I spotted a young Peregrine upsetting some of the birds in Invergowrie Bay. From the hill, I added Woodpigeon, Shelduck, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Blackbird, Black-headed Gull, Pink-footed Goose, Herring Gull, Buzzard, Rook and Linnet. I was hanging around the eastern side of the hill as I wanted to get photos of the CX-300 departing with the railbridge behind it. However, the wind was relatively strong and there was a bit more of a chill to it than had been forecast.
A large-ish flock of Bar-tailed Godwits took flight from the sandbanks by the airport and headed off high upriver. I wandered round for a look at the bay which got me Mallard, Teal and Redshank down by the burn as it flowed through the mud. With high tide much later in the afternoon a lot of the waders were still quite far out in the river. Bullfinch and Wren were seen by the small ponds and a small group of Greylag Geese were picked out on the mud using my scope. I headed back round to the east side of the hill and as I headed up the path a pair of Pied Wagtails calling loudly made me look up, just as the Sparrowhawk they were 'shouting at' swept below them and out of sight down the western side of the hill. The Peregrine returned for another bout of upsetting the locals, and I added Common Gull, Grey Heron and Goldfinch to the list for the park visit, before deciding that it didn't appear likely the CX-300 was going anywhere.
I went for a walk around the upper half of the park. I found a Redwing feeding alongside Woodpigeons and Jackdaws (one of which was partially leucistic). As I was photographing the Redwing I heard the distinctive 'pruk' call of a Raven. It sounded quite distant but it was easy to see as it was showing off near the Ninewells rookery, rolling onto its back in a shallow dive, calling loudly and repeatedly as it did so. A new bird for my #2026Dundee150 list, even if it wasn't a Spring migrant (though the date was remarkably similar to sightings of the species at the park and airport last year). A Pheasant was heard and a Moorhen was spotted round at the Lochan. As the tide started to bring the birds further in, I was able to add Dunlin, Curlew and Black-tailed Godwit. A Blue Tit showed in the bushes and the day's first Cormorant was spotted.
A few Long-tailed Tits could be heard down amongst the bushes but remained hidden. A Peacock butterfly was seen. I spent a while round at the hide as the tide brought the birds in closer. Great Tit and Dunnock were noted around the hide but despite lots of scanning through the waders the only new birds found were around 10 Knot (a small fraction of the much larger flock seen earlier in the day round by the airport). A rather scruffy Buzzard gave very good views as it circled round over what was left of the exposed mud in the bay. I eventually called it a day at the park noting Coal Tit on the way out. Rabbit and Long-tailed Tits were the only additions to the 'outwith the park' list on the walk back home. Totals for the day were 56 species of birds (51 at the park, and 32 outwith), with one new bird (in bold) for my #2026Dundee150 list. Just 1 species of mammals and 1 of butterflies were also seen, though it never did reach the forecast 'feels like' temperature of 9 degrees.
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| Knot & Bar-tailed Godwit |
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| Peregrine |
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| Peregrine |
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| Carrion Crow & Peregrine |
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| Pink-footed Goose |
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| Pink-footed Goose |
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| Starling |
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| Redshank & Teal |
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| Jackdaw |
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| Jackdaw |
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| Redwing |
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| Raven |
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| Raven |
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| Skylark |
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| Teal, Redshank & Dunlin |
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| Rook |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Buzzard & Carrion Crow |
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| Greylag Goose |
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| Black-tailed Godwit & Redshank |
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| Buzzard |
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| Buzzard |
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| Shelduck |
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| Curlew |
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Bar-tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Curlew, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Knot, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Nuthatch, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Redwing, Feral Pigeon, Skylark, Starling, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull, Black-tailed Godwit, Blackbird,
Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit,
Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Knot, Lesser
Black-backed Gull, Linnet, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen,
Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pink-footed Goose, Raven, Redshank, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Shelduck, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling,
Stock Dove, Teal, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.
Butterflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Peacock.
