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| Yellowhammer |
With Quail being seen almost anywhere there is a cereal field in Angus and Fife (as well as further afield), I wanted to try to get the species on my Dundee list (as well as my life-list) while there seemed to be a very good chance of doing so. I decided on an early start on Saturday the 18th of July, with the fields to the north of Fintry being my closest cereal fields available for my attempt. The weather forecast was decent, dry and relatively warm (though forecast to be much warmer later), so I was ready to head out just before 0615.
Swift, House Sparrow, Blackbird, Feral Pigeon, Magpie, Herring Gull and Woodpigeon got things underway. Dunnock, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Martin and Oystercatcher were all noted as I continued on up to Clepington Road. A Grey Wagtail was heard at the Kingsway. In Caird Park, both Rabbit and Grey Squirrel were quickly noted along with Wren, Goldfinch, Goldcrest, Robin and Song Thrush. Heading up the Forfar Road, a Roe Deer ran out from the bushes behind the tenements at Findhorn Street, before noticing me and running back into cover.
At Powrie Brae, I was able to find Chiffchaff, Swallow, Yellowhammer, Skylark, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Chaffinch and Pheasant relatively quickly. Things quietened down after that though. Willow Warbler, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Starling, Stock Dove, a rather scruffy young male Kestrel and a number of Rooks were added along the 'top' road. I had an interesting chat to a local, Jim, about the birds in the area. He hadn't heard any Quail, and as it turned out neither did I. I found Sedge Warbler and Tree Sparrow around the farm buildings at Barns of Wedderburn Farm. A Yellow Shell moth was seen as I made my way back down the hill. Long-tailed Tits were in the trees at Middleton Woods.
Meadow Brown, Green-veined White and Ringlet butterflies were on the wing along the edges of Jack Martin Way. Linnet, Reed Bunting, Stonechat and Pied Wagtail were all new for the day along that stretch of road. A Collared Dove at the western end was a slight surprise. I made a bit of a detour through Caird Park on my way in the direction of the Law....(see below), adding Moorhen at the ponds, as well as Common Greenbottle and Red Soldier Beetle. My total for the morning was 42 species of birds, 1 of soldier beetles, 3 of butterflies, 1 of blowflies, 3 of mammals and 1 of moths.
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| Skylark |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
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| Kestrel |
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| Rook |
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| Swallow |
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| House Sparrow |
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| Tree Sparrow |
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| Yellow Shell |
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| Green-veined White |
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| Stock Dove |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Swallow |
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| Swallow & House Martin |
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| Swallow |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Linnet |
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| Speckled Wood |
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| Pondskater |
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| Fly sp. |
Birds - Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Grey Wagtail, Hering Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Linnet, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sedge Warbler, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Stonechat, Swallow, Swift, Tree Sparrow, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
Soldier Beetles - Red Soldier Beetle.
Butterflies - Green-veined White, Meadow Brown, Ringlet.
Blowflies - Greenbottle.
Mammals - Grey Squirrel, Rabbit, Roe Deer.
Moths - Yellow Shell.
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Rohan had messaged me as I was on my way towards Dundee Law to see if I fancied heading to Auchmithie to try for Quail. I wasn't too fussed with trying there but I suggested we try Arbroath instead to add a few more species to her growing list for the year, which was inching towards the milestone of 100 species. Rohan arranged to pick me up from home at 1100(ish) so I changed direction and headed home to charge my phone and camera a little, as well as transfer the morning's photos onto my computer. Rohan arrived shortly after 1100 and we set off eastwards.
Herring Gull, Swift, House Sparrow, House Martin and Lesser Black-backed Gull were noted on the way out of Dundee, though nothing else was spotted on the way along the A92. Our first stop in Arbroath was by the cinema to try for Mediterranean Gull. A small flock of Black-headed Gulls on the shore contained a single sleeping adult Mediterranean Gull and a Common Gull. A Common Sandpiper was found by Rohan along the edge of the small pool the gulls were roosting beside. Other birds seen around there included Redshanks, Eider, Gannet and Sandwich Tern. Woodpigeon and Rock Pipit were added before we headed back to the car to drive along to Victoria Park.
A Buzzard and a Peregrine were both seen on the way through Arbroath and another Mediterranean Gull flew across in front of the car as we continued along towards the cliffs. Curlew was seen down on the shore when we got out of the car again. We wandered up to the cliff path adding Pied Wagtail, Kittiwake and Grey Heron on the way up. There were a few butterflies around - Green-veined White, Meadow Brown and Ringlet as well as 6-spot Burnet moth. Things were relatively quiet, so we decided to quickly try Auchmithie for Puffins.
It took a few minutes at Auchmithie to pick out a small flock of 10 Puffins down on the water. More scanning got Razorbill, Common Tern, Cormorant and Fulmar. Carrion Crow, Goldfinch, Grey Wagtail, Jackdaw, Linnet and Oystercatcher were also spotted. A Red-throated Diver was seen passing southwards well offshore. Feral Pigeon, Swallow, Whitethroat and Blackbird were all noted before we returned to the car to head back to Dundee again. A quick stop at Swannie Ponds got us Mallard, Coot, Moorhen and Mute Swan. The 'outwith Dundee' birding totals were 41 species of birds, 3 of butterflies and 1 of moths. Rohan reached the 100 mark and beyond, ending the day's birding on 106.
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| Mediterranean Gull, Black-headed Gull & Common Gull |
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| Mediterranean Gull & Black-headed Gull |
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| Rock Pipit |
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| Kittiwake |
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| Gannet |
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| 6-spot Burnet Moth |
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| Meadow Brown |
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| Meadow Brown |
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| Gannet |
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| Red-throated Diver |
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| Puffin |
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| Puffin |
Birds - Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Common Gull, Common Sandpiper, Common Tern, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Eider, Fulmar, Gannet, Goldfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kittiwake, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Linnet, Mallard, Mediterranean Gull, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pied Wagtail, Puffin, Razorbill, Red-throated Diver, Redshank, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Sandwich Tern, Swallow, Swift, Whitethroat, Woodpigeon.
Butterflies - Green-veined White, Meadow Brown, Ringlet.
Moths - 6-spot Burnet.
