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| Great Spotted Woodpecker |
I struggled to get motivated to get out birding on Sunday the 5th of April. Given that I had set myself the target of adding 5 new species to my #2026Dundee150 list in 5 days, taking a day off from birding probably wasn't going to be a great idea. I was still not feeling too enthusiastic on Monday morning but decided to head for Riverside Nature Park, though without any real hurry. I would head up to the top of the Law first and see if there was anything interesting passing through. I would then check out Balgay Hill before continuing on to the Nature Park.
It was just after 0800 when I headed out. Magpie, House Sparrow, Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Starling and Carrion Crow were first onto Monday's list. Lesser Black-backed Gull, Jackdaw and Dunnock were noted as I headed up past the football grounds. Song Thrush, Blue Tit, Wren and Goldfinch were added around Dens Road and Canning Street. As I headed up Leng Street, I heard Great Tit. Chiffchaff was noted near the steps up the hill, and from the top I was able to add Bullfinch. A Grey Squirrel was seen in the trees near the steps. A Great Spotted Woodpecker showed nicely in one of the conifers on the eastern side.
Things were rather quiet though I did get a few passing Meadow Pipits before 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were seen out to the northwest. A trio of ducks out to the east just before 0900, turned out to be Mallards. Another Meadow Pipit passed by, before the morning's first Sparrowhawk sighting. There were another couple of display flights over the next half hour and a skein of around 40 Pink-footed Geese headed over northwards. As things were rather unexciting overall, I decided to continue onwards, around 0950. Greenfinch, Long-tailed Tit and Robin were the only birds picked up between the Law and Balgay Hill.
Things were slightly more productive at Balgay with Chaffinch, a pair of Jays, Stock Dove, and at least 3 calling Nuthatches found there. At Ninewells Community Garden I found Rook and Pied Wagtail as I wandered on towards the western entrance in to Riverside Nature Park. I reached the park around 1110. Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Greenfinch, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Herring Gull, Mallard, Lesser Black-backed Gull, a pair of Great Black-backed Gulls, Redshank, Common Gull, Oystercatcher, Shelduck, Curlew, Feral Pigeon and Teal were all seen from the hide area. Skylarks ascending above the hill, Blue Tit, Robin, Dunnock, Wren and a Buzzard off to the north were all spotted as I headed into the main body of the park.
Rook, Goldfinch, Meadow Pipit, Blackbird, Pink-footed Goose, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Sparrowhawk and Pheasant all provided a bit more variety as I did a bit more wandering and scanning. I managed to add a few Black-tailed Godwits and a more distant Cormorant while checking the bay, then a quick visit to the Lochan added Moorhen to the day's list. Back round at the bay, I was able to pick out some Knot. Off to the north, a pair of Ravens were seen rather distantly. A Song Thrush was singing loudly from the bushes in the 'bowl'. There was a flock of Jackdaws up on the hill, and as I headed back towards the eastern exit both Great Tit and Coal Tit were found taking my total for the park visit to 41 species which felt a bit underwhelming. I headed back along Riverside Avenue spotting a Buzzard circling and displaying up towards Ninewells. Skylarks were heard singing from the direction of the airport. A single male Linnet was in a tree by the railway line at the steps up towards the Botanic Gardens.
At Balgay Hill, I had good views of Nuthatches and Great Spotted Woodpecker, though Treecreeper, Coal Tit and a Goldcrest went unseen, but were heard from the trees. I spent around an hour or so at Balgay Hill before heading onwards to the Law once again. A Kestrel was seen hanging in the air over the allotments on the western side and I managed to see a few Small Tortoiseshell butterflies and even a couple of Pine Ladybirds on the same tree I saw them on before. I eventually found both male and female Dark-edged Bee-flies and a showy Treecreeper round the eastern side of the hill. My final total for the day was 53 species of birds (made up of 38 outwith the park and 41 at the park). Also outwith the park I found 1 species of mammal, 1 of butterfly and 1 ladybird species. There was nothing new amongst them though unfortunately, meaning I had 2 days to get another 3 new species to reach my goal for my 5 days off work.
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| Magpie |
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| Mallard |
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| Herring Gull & Sparrowhawk |
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| Pink-footed Goose |
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| Long-tailed Tit |
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Robin |
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| Song Thrush |
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| Coal Tit |
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| Jay |
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| Blue Tit |
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| Stock Dove |
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| Bullfinch |
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| Greenfinch |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Jackdaw |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Linnet |
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| Buzzard |
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| Grey Squirrel |
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| Nuthatch |
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| Great Spotted Woodpecker |
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| Great Spotted Woodpecker |
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| Nuthatch |
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| Nuthatch |
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| Hoverfly sp. |
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| Kestrel |
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| Dunnock |
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| Small Tortoiseshell |
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| Wren |
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| Treecreeper |
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| Hoverfly sp. |
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| Dark-edged Bee-fly (male) |
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| Dark-edged Bee-fly (female) |
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Kestrel, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Linnet, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Nuthatch, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Treecreeper, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Small Tortoiseshell.
Ladybirds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Pine Ladybird.
Other insects of note (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Dark-edged Bee-fly.
Mammals (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Grey Squirrel.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Black-tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Black-backed Gull, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Knot, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pink-footed Goose, Raven, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Shelduck, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Teal, Woodpigeon, Wren.
