1587 : Plenty To See (And Not!) (6/10/26)

Brambling

Following Sunday's success, I had an even better sighting on Monday while at work, when Michael Wilde messaged me to let me know he was watching a male Hen Harrier over Riverside Nature Park which was drifting towards my work. I rushed to a window to try to see it, and was thankfully successful. A very unexpected addition to my #2026Dundee150 list (and my 'work list). The weather forecast for Tuesday the 6th of October was fairly decent. Not too windy, bright and sunny and not too cold. My plan was to return to the hill at Riverside Nature Park for more vis-migging. With sunrise a bit later again than Saturday, I could afford a few minutes longer in my bed. With high tide around early afternoon, I decided not to bother with the scope and tripod, which would allow me to travel light and concentrate on the small stuff without the distraction of scanning across the bay every few minutes. 

I was a little later than intended leaving the house, only making it out the door at 0630. Robin, Carrion Crow and Blackbird made for a very slow start and I was halfway along Byron Street before I added anything else with Herring Gull and Jackdaw there. A Wren was in the bushes near Cobden Street. Magpie, Song Thrush, Bullfinch and Jay were found in Balgay Cemetery as the sky started to lighten. Blue Tit and Woodpigeon were noted near the bottom of Ninewells Avenue, with Chiffchaff and Dunnock seen as I headed down to the underpass under the railway line, opposite the eastern end of the park. Travelling light had allowed me to reach the park in around the same amount of time it takes me to get to work.

Robin, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit and Wren, as well as a Rabbit or two got things started at the park, though once again my main focus was on getting to the top of the hill in time for sunrise. Pink-footed Geese began to leave the river as I neared the hill-top and a Pied Wagtail flew over. Once again the bay was full of Pink-footed Geese with more out on the river. A quick scan added Mallard, Black-headed Gull, Redshank and Teal, with Common Gull, Curlew, a heard-only Grey Plover, Herring Gull, Lapwing, Cormorant, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Curlew Sandpiper, Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey Heron, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull and Goosander added throughout the rest of the day's vis-migging efforts, which finally came to an end around 1100. Other non-migrants spotted from the top of the hill were Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Jackdaw, Sparrowhawk and Buzzard. 

The actual visible migration was relatively steady as well as being fairly varied. Linnet, Greenfinch, Meadow Pipit, Reed Bunting, Song Thrush, Starling, Chaffinch, Tree Sparrow, House Sparrow, Mistle Thrush, Siskin, Skylark, Bullfinch, Swallow, Grey Wagtail, a rather vocal Brambling and a small unexpected flock of Twite, which were a new bird for my #2026Dundee150 list. Likely non-migrants also noted round the hill, either in flight, or in the trees and bushes were Goldfinch, Blackbird, Dunnock and Great Tit. I called it a day at the top of the hill at 1100 as things had started to peter out over the course of the preceding hour. A quick look at the Lochan added Moorhen. A visit to the hide added Knot and Long-tailed Tit. 

Only later at home did I spot a wader in a flight shot as many of the Dunlin flew off to roost elsewhere, which looked different. It turned out to be a White-rumped Sandpiper. The lack of scope and reliance on the camera for enhanced views of the waders down in the bay likely played a part in it being overlooked, though given the number of Dunlin around, it may have been hidden anyway. Chiffchaff and a Red Admiral butterfly rounded off the morning's visit to the park. The walk home was relatively unproductive though Coal Tit, a Speckled Wood butterfly and a Field Grasshopper were noted as I detoured by the Law. A skein of Pink-footed Geese were seen as I neared home again. My combined totals for the day were 58 species of birds (56 at the park, and 16 outwith), 2 of butterflies (1 each at the park and outwith), 1 of grasshoppers (outwith the park) and 1 of mammals (at the park). The overlooked White-rumped Sandpiper did sting a little however. I would need to hope it could be refound and my plan for the following day was to try to do that.

Grey Wagtail

Starling

Chaffinch

Pink-footed Goose (also Carrion Crow & Herring Gull)

Pink-footed Goose

Chaffinch

Grey Heron

Swallow

Song Thrush

Skylark

Meadow Pipit

Goldfinch

Magpie & Sparrowhawk

Curlew

Stock Dove

Siskin

Brambling

Tree Sparrow

Black-tailed Godwit

Skylark

Song Thrush

Twite

Dunlin & White-rumped Sandpiper

Dunlin & White Rumped Sandpiper

Lapwing

Robin

Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, Chiiffchaff, Coal Tit, Dunnock, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Jay, Magpie, Pink-footed Goose, Robin, Song Thrush, Woodpigeon, Wren.

Butterflies (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Speckled Wood.

Grasshoppers (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Field Grasshopper.

Birds (at Riverside Nature Park) - Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull, Black-tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Brambling, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black-backed Gull, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Plover, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Knot, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Linnet, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Pied Wagtail, Pink-footed Goose, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Teal, Tree Sparrow, Twite, [White-rumped Sandpiper], Woodpigeon, Wren.

Butterflies (at Riverside Nature Park) - Red Admiral.

Mammals (at Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit. 

1586 : Barnie Trouble? (4/10/26)

Little Egret & Carrion Crow

The first week of October sees the arrival of Barnacle Geese from their breeding grounds in the Arctic. The majority of them head down the coast in long lines, often low over the water, but a few do tend to route up the Tay on their way down to their wintering grounds around the Solway Firth in southwest Scotland (and northwest England). Barnacle Goose should already have been on my #2026Dundee150 list as I actually photographed one back in January on a very grey and slightly misty day, in a small skein of Pink-feet heading down the Tay, as I wandered down to Broughty Ferry. With the geese being just darker grey shapes on a slightly paler grey background it wasn't a surprise I missed it at the time, but it was a bit frustrating nonetheless. I would head down to Broughty Ferry on Sunday morning (the 4th of October) in the hope of getting a 'Barnie' onto the list.

The weather forecast wasn't brilliant, being quite windy from the west and with a chance of some rain at some point, as well as not being overly warm. It was just after sunrise when I headed out for the walk down to Broughty Ferry. Herring Gull, Grey Wagtail, Pink-footed Goose, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Magpie and Pied Wagtail were all I managed to find on my way down to the Frankenstein Steps en route to the Docks Way cycle path. Woodpigeon and Goldcrest were found near Eden Terrace. I changed my mind about heading along the Docks Way choosing to head along the side of the road instead. Wren and Dunnock, plus a black Rabbit were unsurprisingly the only finds along the much noisier route. House Sparrow, Robin, Goldfinch, Chaffinch and a westward bound Meadow Pipit were added as I reached the Stannergate area.

Along the river, Oystercatcher, Cormorant, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Buzzard, Great Black-backed Gull, Curlew, Starling, Turnstone, Rock Pipit and a family group of Mute Swans in flight made for a slightly more productive walk to Douglas Terrace than usual. Goosander was the only further addition before I reached the castle with Eider seen from near the Glass Pavilion. I popped into the local nature reserve just in case there were any grounded migrants sheltering from the rather strong westerlies but things were even quieter than usual. Heading back out towards the beach, I set the scope up by the metal figure artwork and scanned out over the river as best I could. A few Linnets were nearby and a small mixed group of Swallows and House Martins were seen low over the river headed west.

Common Gull and Black-headed Gull flew past before I picked up a long line of geese headed south across the mouth of the river from the direction of Barry Buddon. I had a feeling these were Barnacle Geese but they were just too distant to be absolutely certain. There were around 40 or so in the skein which eventually broke into 2 halves around Tentsmuir Point. Just as it was looking like I wouldn't be getting Barnacle Goose confirmed from that group, I spotted a much smaller party of geese heading into the Tay over the beach at Tentsmuir Point. Once I got the scope on them, I was able to see that they were indeed the hoped-for target species for the day, Barnacle Goose, and I even managed to get a few record shots, despite the conditions and distance. Wigeon, Rook and Guillemot were added before I moved on to the brick shelter for a bit more protection from the wind and a slightly more raised viewpoint.

Grey Heron, Razorbill, Shelduck, Dunlin and Little Egret were all added from the brick shelter before I decided to continue on to Balmossie to check through the birds there. Redshank, Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit were noted en route, as was a Mistle Thrush in the Barnhill Rock Garden trees. Things were relatively quiet at the mouth of the Dighty though I did see a few interesting looking gulls which disappointingly all appear to have been Herring Gulls (as usual). New additions for the day there were Lesser Black-backed Gull, Goldeneye and Red-breasted Merganser. Amongst the gulls I found a single Jackdaw wandering around. This bird had a noticeable pale collar, though not nearly as bright as the 'northern' Jackdaw I had found earlier in the year at Riverside Nature Park. It was still a very distinctive bird and being on its own, it may well have been a new arrival from the continent.

I gave up at the Dighty mouth around noon and headed back along the river. A few Ringed Plover were found and I had closer than usual views of a single Little Egret feeding in pools along the beach. The walk home from there failed to add anything at all, until I reached Eastern Cemetery where Grey Squirrels were spotted. With the day's list still a little on the short side I decided to pop into Swannie Ponds for a few more species instead of going via Baxter Park to get home. Swannie Ponds got me Coot, Mallard, Moorhen, Shoveler and Tufted Duck, plus a single Goosander. I finished the day's birding with a total of 58 species of birds, including 1 new (in bold) for my #2026Dundee150 list, and 2 of mammals. The weather was very autumnal though the successful goose hunt took the edge off that, (at least a little).

Buzzard & Carrion Crow

Great Black-backed Gull

Curlew

Turnstone

Rock Pipit

Mute Swan

Cormorant

Linnet

Barnacle Goose

Guillemot

Razorbill

Bar-tailed Godwit

Common Gull

Herring Gull & Jackdaw (monedula subspecies?)

Goldeneye

Herring Gull, Wigeon, Red-breasted Merganser & Oystercatcher

Ringed Plover

Knot & Bar-tailed Godwit

Little Egret

Pied Wagtail

Carrion Crow & Little Egret

Eider

Curlew

Goosander

Black-headed Gull (white J0214)

Tufted Duck

Moorhen

Shoveler

Shoveler

Birds - Bar-tailed Godwit, Barnacle Goose, Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Eider, Goldcrest,  Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black-backed Gull, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Guillemot, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Knot, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Linnet, Little Egret, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Pink-footed Goose, Razorbill, Red-breasted Merganser, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Rook, Shelduck, Shoveler, Siskin, Starling, Swallow, Tufted Duck, Turnstone, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren.

Mammals - Grey Squirrel, Rabbit.