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| Grasshopper Warbler |
Although Monday the 4th of May was a public holiday, and holidays usually mean there are more people than normal around, I still wanted to get out birding somewhere, though ideally somewhere there weren't too many people around. Having failed to get Grasshopper Warbler for my #2026Dundee150 list on both over the weekend and in a few spots where I had been successful in previous years, I decided to try again, though this time with the benefit of a proper early start to hopefully increase my chances of success. I wasn't feeling overly optimisitic, but with the following day planned to be Lainy and I's attempt to see as many species as possible in 12 hours from within the city, I had to at least see if any of these spots might deliver us a Grasshopper Warbler the following day.
Despite planning on getting up when my alarm went off at 0345, as practice for doing the same on Tuesday, I went back to sleep which meant it was actually around an hour later than intended when I got out. Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Feral Pigeon, Blue Tit, Blackbird and Chaffinch got things underway for the morning. Starling, Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Magpie, Coal Tit, Goldfinch and Great Tit were all added as I headed for a quick look at Swannie Ponds. Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Tufted Duck and Mute Swan were seen there, along with Greenfinch and Carrion Crow. Collared Doves were slightly more numerous than usual as I headed for location number 1 to try for Grasshopper Warbler.
I did succeed in getting a couple of warbler species - Chiffchaff and Blackcap as well as a Great Spotted Woodpecker (heard only) plus Robin, Wren, Roe Deer and Grey Squirrel. More wandering produced Sedge Warbler, Linnet, Pheasant, Willow Warbler, Oystercatcher, Whitethroat, Skylark, Grey Heron, Jackdaw, Long-tailed Tit and a Swallow. As I was on the verge of giving up on catching up with Grasshopper Warbler, a bird was spotted skulking in long-ish grass, before doing something unexpected, popping up into a nearby tree and indulging in a spot of 'reeling' in the sunshine, which allowed me to get some of my best ever Grasshopper Warbler photos. Number 124 for my #2026Dundee150 list safely 'in the bag'.
Some more wandering got me some decent photo opportunities, including a pair of Stonechats (though a second pair were less showy), Sedge Warbler and Linnet, and slightly less decent opportunities with Yellowhammer, Stock Dove and Song Thrush. I also managed to add Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull and Rook. Pied Wagtail was my final new bird for the day there before I decided to head in the direction of home. I was undecided on what to do with the rest of the day. I could head home and edit photos and type up some blog-posts, or head elsewhere for more birding. Clatto was an option, but I soon talked myself out of it. I continued to Caird Park where a Buzzard and 2 Sparrowhawks were seen high in the sky. At least one of the Sparrowhawks looked a bit 'odd' with longer wings than usual and a slightly different profile, possibly even both birds, but I'm fairly sure they were only Sparrowhawks.
A party of 5 very raucous Jays were seen in flight and a definite Sparrowhawk were seen before I decided to head to the Law to see what else I might find there. With conditions looking reasonable for raptors I was hopeful of at least some photo opportunities that wouldn't require tiring myself out too much, prior to the following day's exertions. The day's first butterfly was seen on the walk up to the top of the hill, an Orange Tip. Goldcrest was heard and from the top of the hill I added Small Tortoiseshell to the butterflies list for the morning. A few House Martins were spotted out to the east. I did a bit of wandering after adding Red Admiral.. Holly Blue, Small White, Green-veined White joined the other species on the butterflies section of the day's list as I wandered round the lower sections of the hill.
A 7-spot Ladybird, a Common Carpet moth and a Silver Y moth were seen amongst the roadside vegetation by the allotments on the west side. Siskin was heard near the northwest 'corner' of the hill before I found a Peacock butterfly. More wandering around produced Bullfinch and heading back up to an area where I've been most successful with getting Speckled Wood butterfly at the Law, proved successful once again. I photographed a fairly surprising selection of other insects, some of which I hadn't seen previously, before deciding to head homewards. I got distracted on the way when I found some Holly Blue butterflies showing nicely just east of the allotments on the southeastern part of the hill. I spent an hour or so photographing these before finally making it home. A successful day's birding overall with 55 species of birds (1 new - in bold - for my #2026Dundee150 list), 8 species of butterflies, 1 of ladybirds, 2 of mammals, and 2 of moths, as well as a variety of other invertebrates.
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| Whitethroat |
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| Grasshopper Warbler |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Pheasant |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Stonechat |
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| Stonechat |
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| Linnet |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Sedge Warbler |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Jay |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Dunnock |
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| Early Mining Bee |
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| Orange Tip |
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| Thaumatomyia notata(?) |
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| Chocolate Mining Bee |
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| Rhagonycha lignosa(?) |
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| 7-spot Ladybird |
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| Dark-edged Bee-fly |
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| Celery Fly |
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| Common Carpet Moth |
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| Green-veined White |
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| Nursery Web Spider |
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| Orange-legged Furrow Bee |
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| Jay |
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| Holly Blue |
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| Red Admiral |
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Holly Blue |
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| Holly Blue |
Birds - Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Coot, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Grasshopper Warbler, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Linnet, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sedge Warbler, Siskin, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Stonechat, Swallow, Tufted Duck, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Butterflies - Green-veined White, Holly Blue, Orange Tip, Peacock, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White, Speckled Wood.
Ladybirds - 7-spot Ladybird.
Mammals - Grey Squirrel, Roe Deer.
Moths - Common Carpet, Silver Y.
Other insects/spiders etc - Celery Fly, Dark-edged Bee-fly, Nursery Web Spider, Rhagonycha lignosa (Soldier Beetle), Thaumatomyia notata.
Bees - Chocolate Mining Bee, Early Mining Bee, Orange-legged Furrow Bee.
