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| Coot |
Although I really didn't feel like going anywhere on Saturday the 11th, I also didn't particularly want to stay at home all day either. I wasn't in the mood of going too far, but I did want the chance of possibly adding something new to my #2026Dundee150 list if I was going to go anywhere. With it still being relatively early in April, the possible additions were fairly limited. I thought there might be a slight chance of getting Willow Warbler, so once I had talked myself out of giving birding a miss for the day, I decided I might as well have a wee wander down to Trottick Ponds via Caird Park, with the option of heading elsewhere if by some minor miracle, I felt more in the mood than I had before leaving the house.
It was already 1130 by the time I decided that I would go out, which was much later than ideal. Nevertheless out I went. House Sparrow, Herring Gull, Dunnock, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Feral Pigeon, Blackbird and Jackdaw were noted as I headed up to Clepington Road. I decided to detour via Swannie Ponds to add a few extra species, with an additional slight possibility of Sand Martins hawking for insects. Needless to say I had to make do with most of the usual mix of species - Lesser Black-backed Gull, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan and Coot (no Black-headed Gulls, Common Gulls, Goosander or Moorhens were seen). There were a few Mallard ducklings and recently hatched Coots around. Coal Tit was also noted in the pond-side trees. A young Herring Gull seemed very interested in a radio-controlled galleon-type sailing ship that had seemingly got stranded mid-pond (I'd seen it a few days earlier racing about the pond).
Chiffchaff and Blue Tit were found at Lammerton Terrace but the only new find at Mains Terrace was a Wren. Caird Park supplied a few more species with Chaffinch, Siskin, Great Tit, Robin and Oystercatcher on the walk down towards Mains Castle. Grey Squirrel and Rabbit were also spotted. A few Buzzards and a couple of Sparrowhawks were picked out circling high above with a Carrion Crow half-heartedly attempting an intercept before the raptors dispersed. Goldcrest and Moorhen were seen down by the ponds but the walk down across the old 9-hole golf course failed to add anything, though a male Sparrowhawk did give decent views. A Dipper was heard down on the Dighty Burn as I reached the cottages at Trottick Mains, with the footbridge at the eastern end of the reserve still being frustratingly out-of-bounds. A Meadow Pipit was heard overhead and Goldfinch and Greenfinch were noted before I reached the actual ponds where Common and Black-headed Gull were added.
The day's first Blackcap was seen as were a pair of Bullfinches. More wandering got me Pheasant, Jay, Long-tailed Tit and Great Spotted Woodpecker. A Grey Heron was also noted but I failed to see any sign of Little Grebe. Nor were there any Willow Warblers. A teenager with his face mostly covered, on an electric trail-bike passed me a few times, slowing as if checking out the camera gear, as he did so each time. I headed back towards Caird Park, crossing paths once more with the same biker. Nothing else was added on the way back home and I finished my 2-hour birding stint with a total of 40 species of birds and 2 of mammals, which was possibly slightly more than expected. On the minus side, I had an uneasy feeling that I couldn't quite shake, but which thankfully didn't manifest as anything actually concerning. Nevertheless, not a particularly enjoyable couple of hours birding and I didn't take too many photos as a result.
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| Herring Gull |
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| Coot |
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| Coot |
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| Buzzard |
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| Buzzard |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Buzzard |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Black-headed Gull |
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| Common Gull |
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| Wren |
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| Bullfinch |
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| Bullfinch |
Birds - Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Coot, Dipper, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Sparrowhawk, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals - Grey Squirrel, Rabbit.
