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| Linnet |
Following on from Saturday's relative success, I decided to try to get out early again on Sunday. My main target species were Grasshopper Warbler and the marginaly more likely Sedge Warbler. I had intended on being out for around 0700 at the latest but a late night put paid to that idea, so it was around 0800 before I finally made it out the door. My plan was to head for the back of Fintry then out along the Dighty before returning homewards along the Tay. I wasn't overly optimistic but you just never know what might happen...
Magpie, House Sparrow, Herring Gull and Blue Tit welcomed me as I stepped outside. Dunnock, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Lesser Black-backed Gull and a flyover Meadow Pipit added a few more species to the list as I headed up Court Street. Carrion Crow, Wren, Goldfinch on Clepington Road, then Great Tit, Blackbird, Starling, Chaffinch and Robin on Mains Loan lengthened the day's list a little more. Coal Tit, Song Thrush, Greenfinch, Oystercatcher, Jackdaw, Blackcap and Chiffchaff (plus a Grey Squirrel) were all noted in Caird Park.
Swallows were seen hawking for insects at the start of Jack Martin Way and a few Rabbits dived for cover when they spotted me. Yet another area of brambles and other vegetation had been removed, reducing even further the available habitat for the Linnets, Yellowhammers, Reed Buntings, Sedge Warblers, Whitethroats that used to be fairly easy to find there at the right times of year. Further on eastwards, a few Skylarks could be heard climbing high in the sky singing loudly all the way up. Willow Warbler, Linnet Reed Bunting, Buzzard and Yellowhammer were next, before I popped into Middleton Wood. Stock Dove, a group of at least 7 Roe Deer and the day's first Pheasant were all new for the day. A few Sand Martins were noted over the fields before I headed down through Whitfield where Goldcrest was the only addition.
It was very disappointing to see yet another formerly wooded area had
been cleared for more expensive houses since my last visit. Down by the Dighty, the day's first Peacock butterfly flitted past me. The walk along the burn proved to be rather quiet though I was both delighted and very surprised to bump into the lady I had recently seen for the first time in years during my visit to Fintry to discuss the plans for rerouting the Dighty Burn. A Sparrowhawk was spotted briefly to the north. After a bit of a blether we continued on our respective ways. I added Pied Wagtail and found an active Dipper's nest though things were otherwise rather quiet, except for a Rook which flew past. Once across Baldovie Road, I found a flock of at least 20 Sand Martins, a few Swallows and a passing House Martin which continued on northwards, catching insects above the burn.
A Grey Heron was roosting in the field to the east of the Industrial Estate and a male Orange Tip butterfly scooted past before flitting across to the other side of the Murroes Burn before I could get a photo. A pair of Mallard lifted from the water ahead of me and flew off. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard in the trees behind me but went unseen. A pair of Long-tailed Tits were seen in the trees near the steps back at Baldovie Road. I wandered over to Dawson Park though unsurprisingly failed to add anything new there. I continued down to Beach Lane to check for Holly Blue butterflies only for the sun to disappear behind the clouds before I got there. No butterflies were seen and the sun stayed hidden before I finally decided I was wasting my time.
I did manage to add a Turnstone down on the shoreline and found a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly by the railway line. I continued along to Stannergate before deciding to take the Docks Way cycle path. A white butterfly along the north side finally settled which allowed me to grab a photo showing that it was a Green-veined White. I made it home around 1315 having managed to find a total of 46 species of birds, 4 of butterflies and 3 of mammals. It was a awee bit disappointing to not add anything new but it was also not really a surprise. A bit later in the afternoon, I managed to spot a Red Kite circling out to the southeast and was able to get some photos as it headed slowly west a few hundred metres to the south (at most). It was a species I had been expecting to get at some point from home, but it was still nice to finally catch up with one. Getting one on my to/from work list should surely be next...
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| Buzzard |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Stock Dove |
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| Peacock |
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| Swallow |
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| Dipper |
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| Willow Warbler |
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| Blackcap |
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| House Martin |
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| Sand Martin |
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| Goosander |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Buzzard |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Mallard |
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| Small Tortoiseshell |
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| Green-veined White |
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| Red Kite |
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| Red Kite |
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| Red Kite |
Birds - Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Dipper, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Linnet, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Oysterctacher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, (Red Kite), Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sand Martin, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Turnstone, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Butterflies - Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell.
Mammals - Grey Squirrel, Rabbit, Roe Deer.
