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| Chiffchaff |
Having made the wrong choice on Wednesday which meant I dipped on Mediterranean Gull at Riverside Nature Park once again, there was only one place I was going when Friday's day off came around. I had originally intended a slightly earlier start than the one I made, though as it would mean I would arrive as the tide was beginning to recede and the gull would be most easily picked out (if it was there) at this time, it wasn't really a big deal. It was forecast to be rather windy, which wasn't overly helpful, but I headed out at 0800 regardless.
Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Robin, Woodpigeon and House Sparrow made for a rather ordinary start to the day's birding, though a low flying skein of Pink-footed Geese struggling to make headway into the wind a bit further on did offer at least something slightly less common (though they will be a bit of a fixture locally for the next 5 or 6 months or so). Starling, Magpie, Sparrowhawk, Meadow Pipit, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Great Tit and Goldfinch were all added between Provost Road and the far end of Byron Street. A Buzzard was added near Logie Street and a Nuthatch was heard calling loudly as I crossed the football pitches at Lochee Park. A Chiffchaff was heard at Farington Street and a Pied Wagtail overflew as I passed the Botanic Gardens.
I reached the Nature Park just after 0900. Robin, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Goldfinch, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chiffchaff, Pink-footed Goose, Feral Pigeon, Pied Wagtail and Blackbird provided a bit of interest around the eastern entrance area. Mallard and Teal were at the Lochan. Black-headed Gull, a heard-only Meadow Pipit and a Wren were noted on my way along to the hide. As expected the tide had started to recede though there were very few birds back on the mud which would make things easier to keep track of, at least initially. Redshank, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Knot and Sandwich Tern made for a decent enough start. I had been joined by Keith a few minutes after I arrived at the hide and 2 pairs of eyes usually makes things easier when trying to see something good.
Long-tailed Tits were heard around us and as the numbers of Black-headed Gulls started to build, the hoped for Mediterranean Gull flew through Keith's scope view and landed. Unfortunately, it decided to preen which rather limited the useable photos I managed to get, but seeing the bird was the main priority anyway, so it didn't really matter. A Greenfinch flew over and as the tide receded further, the numbers and variety of birds continued to grow. Lapwing, Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit, Common Gull, Jackdaw, Ringed Plover, Starling, Curlew Sandpiper, Cormorant and Curlew were all noted before we headed round to the raised banking to see what else the wider view could get us. Great Black-backed Gull and Grey Wagtail were the only additions and a quick look at the 'bowl' proved fruitless before Keith headed off homewards. I continued to check the bushes in the bowl, trying to will sheltering migrants to show themselves, if there were even any there. A Sparrowhawk was seen to the north and a Dunnock was seen in one of the bushes.
A Peregrine then made an appearance, cruising low along above the path looking for a potential early lunch. I eventually gave up at the bowl and headed back round to the Lochan. A few low flying Swallows passed by and a Song Thrush was seen. The Lochan was quieter than earlier with only a few Moorhens there this time. As I meandered slowly towards the exit, I was able to add a Great Spotted Woodpecker before an unnoticed Small White butterfly flitted away from the plant it had been resting on. Rook, Chaffinch and a few Rabbits rounded off the park visit just before 1300. The walk home provided just Jackdaw and Black-headed Gull. The final list for the day totalled 54 species of birds (21 outwith Riverside Nature Park, 50 at the park - including 1 new, in bold, for my #2026Dundee150 list) and 1 each of mammals and butterflies (both at the park). It was mission accomplished though.
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| Grey Heron |
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| Little Egret & Black-headed Gull |
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| Little Egret & Black-headed Gull |
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| Black-tailed Godwit & Redshank |
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| Black-headed Gull & Mediterranean Gull |
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| Mediterranean Gull |
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| Black-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull, Bar-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Dunlin & Knot |
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| Knot & Black-tailed Godwit |
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| Bar-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Knot & Black-headed Gull |
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| Redshank, Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-tailed Godwit & Knot |
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| Greenshank, Redshank & Black-tailed Godwit |
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| Redshank & Greenshank |
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| Greenshank & Redshank |
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| Pink-footed Goose |
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| Peregrine |
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| Peregrine |
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| Ringed Plover |
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| Pink-footed Goose |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Blue Tit |
Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Black-headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chiffchaff, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Nuthatch, Pied Wagtail, Pink-footed Goose, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Woodpigeon.
Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull, Black-tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Black-backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Greenshank, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Knot, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Egret, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mediterranean Gull, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pied Wagtail, Pink-footed Goose, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sandwich Tern, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Swallow, Teal, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Small White.
Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.
