 |
| Raven |
The weather for Saturday the 19th of September was forecast to be very windy, though relatively sunny (though with the possibility of some rain showers). I couldn't get motivated to go anywhere, but at this time of year it is better to get out somewhere, just in case a migrant bird has decided to take a breather somewhere unexpected. If you don't look, you probably won't find anything, so I decided to head out for a bit of a wander, though with low expectations. When I set off, I didn't really have much of a plan but that was to change a little later.
I was out the door just before 1140. Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Meadow Pipit and Grey Wagtail were found as I made my way to Caird Park. A Red Admiral butterfly was seen on the walk down to the ponds where there seemed to be countless Speckled Wood butterflies. I decided to see just how many there actually were and although there was a bit of a brief shower while I was counting, I still counted 21 along the north side of the 2 ponds. Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Mallard, Moorhen, Long-tailed Tit and Chiffchaff provided a reasonable amount of avian interest. As there had been reports of multiple Migrant Hawker dragonflies at Eden Springs (formerly known as Mountcastle Quarry) in Fife recently, I decided I would try Trottick Ponds (the site of the only previous sightings of the species in Angus/Dundee, in 2019), just in case history had repeated itself.
Goldcrest was added as I headed out of Caird Park. A Jay was first onto the list at Trottick Ponds, followed quickly by Little Grebe and Mute Swan. I checked the north-east corner of the ponds first as that was where I've tended to find most Common Darter dragonflies in the past. With the sun out, it delivered once again. A Small White butterfly also flitted around. I then checked the area beyond the small clump of mature trees, then the reedbeds and semi-wooded track to no avail. With the sun out and the trees along the Dighty providing plenty of shelter from the wind, I was disappointed to draw a blank along the path too as I continued wandering round slowly, to check the island pond. There were plenty of Mallards and Moorhens at the end of the pond among the duckweed.
I scanned along the edge of the island and was rather surprised to see a brown and blue dragonfly resting on a bramble leaf. I got some photos and ran them through iNaturalist which returned Migrant Hawker (though only 80% certainty). I put word out to the Riverside Nature Park regulars and Mark confirmed it looked good for the species. It had by this time taken flight and views over the next few hours were sometimes very close, though it was a nightmare to get it in the camera viewfinder while it was in flight. Bird-wise, Grey Heron and Black-headed Gull were noted as I waited to see if anyone would show up to see the dragonfly. I did manage a few more photos when it landed on a branch a bit later but I finally called it a day when it clouded over and headed home. Despite having gone out looking for birds, the Migrant Hawker had ended up taking precedence. I finished the afternoon's birding with just 20 species of birds, 3 of butterflies and 2 of dragonflies.
 |
| Speckled Wood |
 |
| Common Darter |
 |
| Little Grebe |
 |
| Buzzard |
 |
| Common Darter |
 |
| Migrant Hawker |
 |
| Chiffchaff |
 |
| Migrant Hawker |
 |
| Little Grebe |
 |
| Stonefly sp. |
 |
| Little Grebe |
 |
| Moorhen |
 |
Grey Heron |
Birds - Black-headed Gull, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, Jay, Little Grebe, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon.
Butterflies - Red Admiral, Small White, Speckled Wood.
Dragonflies - Common Darter, Migrant Hawker.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
For Sunday morning's birding, I had arranged with Rohan to head up the coast to St Cyrus to try to see the mixed flock of waders that had been lingering at some flooded fields there. However, I also wanted to try to get closer views (and better photos) of the Migrant Hawker, so I decided on an hour and a bit's visit to Trottick first, before Rohan picked me up outside the reserve, for the trip. It was still rather windy but the sun was shining. I was hoping that the sun being out would mean plenty of activity from the Migrant Hawker. I was slightly behind schedule when I headed out at just before 0825.
Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Dunnock, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Feral Pigeon and a Greenfinch got things started. Pied Wagtail, House Sparrow, Jackdaw and Starling soon followed and a Lesser Black-backed Gull was on the Graham Street football pitches. I decided not to linger at Caird Park, instead I would head quickly to Trottick to maximise the available time. Great Tit, Chaffinch and Great Spotted Woodpecker were all I managed to find in Cairdie. I arrived at Trottick Ponds about 25 minutes after leaving the house. Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Mallard and Moorhen were quickly noted. An overflying Jay and a Collared Dove joined the other species on the list. A Chiffchaff was heard calling as I made my way along the path bordering the Dighty.
A Painted Lady butterfly was spotted and the day's first Speckled Wood butterflies showed too. Little Grebes were much in evidence on the north pond, with 5 seen there - 1 more than the previous day. A Buzzard drifted over and a Red Admiral butterfly was seen. Grey Wagtail, Sparrowhawk and a pair of Ravens were seen. A Common Darter was eventually added around 0930, at the northeastern corner. One of the Ravens returned, heading back towards Caird Park and a few minutes later headed back over the houses to the east of the ponds. A small flock of Black-headed Gulls overflew and Skylarks could be heard migrating over along with more Meadow Pipits. I headed back round towards the island pond noting a Small White butterfly on the way.
A few Swallows and a surprise late Swift were spotted to the north over the trees before the day's first skein of Pink-footed Geese overflew. Ian Ford had messaged me to ask about the Migrant Hawker as I was headed to the ponds and I had said I would let him know if I had any luck. As I was rapidly running out of time before Rohan's arrival an Oystercatcher flew over. Just after 1000, I finally got a brief glimpse of the Migrant Hawker and put word out to say it was still around. Ian said he was on his way, I headed out to meet Rohan. Unfortunately, it turned out Rohan was feeling rather under the weather and had developed a rather bad cold. Rather than spend an hour both ways in the car, we decided to forgo the trip to St Cyrus. We headed back to the ponds to try for better views of the Migrant Hawker.
We were joined by Ian Ford a bit later who was surprised to see we were still there. We were rewarded with some reasonably close flight views and somehow I managed to get a small number of flight shots, which were actually in focus. This was much better than I expected to get. Rohan decided to head off shortly after and Ian and I hung about hoping for better views. Lainy messaged to say she would probably be along about 1300. Ian headed off shortly before she arrived. As before, views of the Hawker were sporadic and unlike the previous day, it didn't appear to be landing on the island. We had a wander round both ponds but failed to manage any better views so we returned to the island pond. Over the course of the wanders and the plentiful standing around, I added Siskin, Stock Dove, Wren, Robin, Long-tailed Tit, Goldfinch and Goldcrest.
Lainy and I were joined by Keith as the afternoon progressed and he decided to try round at the top pond. We could see him across by the northeastern corner. He phoned to say he was watching the Migrant Hawker from there, just as it appeared from behind the island. Keith then realised he'd lost sight of it, and that it was the same insect we were now seeing. However, it flew back the way it had come, so Lainy and I wandered round to where Keith was. Over the next wee while we had several close fly-bys but it refused to settle and it was increasingly looking like I wouldn't get my hoped for closer resting photos. However, around 1600 we had a few more minutes of close passes and some hawking along the path behind us. At one point it disappeared over into the gardens behind. Thankfully, it eventually reappeared and amazingly finally decided to settle. Luckily I was watching it when it decided to settle and all 3 of us managed great views of it just above head height in an Elder bush.
We got talking to a 'local' who said he'd photographed blue dragonflies at the ponds a few times in previous years, which if correct, suggests these insects could potentially just be overlooked/under-recorded at the ponds in late summer. Given how elusive this one had been, it would be very easy to see how that could be a possibility. I was able to show this local exactly where the resting one was, though it took a minute or so of readjusting his position and giving very precise directions before he eventually managed to see it. The 3 of us eventually called it a day and headed homewards - Keith kindly dropping me off on his way home. I had spent 8 hours at the ponds but it had paid off in the end with both resting photos and unexpected flight shots to show for the efforts (and rather less welcome rather stiff legs). Over the course of the day, I managed 43 species of birds in total as well as 4 species of butterflies and the 2 species of dragonflies.
 |
| Painted Lady |
 |
| Sparrowhawk & Carrion Crow |
 |
| Raven |
 |
| Raven |
 |
| Pink-footed Goose |
 |
| Grey Heron |
 |
| Buzzard |
 |
| Buzzard |
 |
| Common Darter |
 |
| Moorhen |
 |
| Migrant Hawker |
 |
| Little Grebe |
 |
| Migrant Hawker |
 |
| Migrant Hawker |
 |
| Common Darter |
Birds - Black-headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Grebe, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Pink-footed Goose, Raven, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Skylark, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Swift, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies - Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Small White, Speckled Wood.
Dragonflies - Common Darter, Migrant Hawker.
