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| Kingfisher |
With Wednesday's rather disappointing visit to Broughty Ferry and Balmossie still fresh in my mind, I weighed up my options for where to go on Saturday. The weather forecast was cold and a bit windy but with Sunday's forecast to be even worse (stronger winds and some heavy rain), I knew I had to make the effort to get out birding somewhere. Lainy had Sand Martins at Clatto a few times during the week but the birds were far from reliable around the reservoir on any particular day. With nothing else particularly likely as compensation, I decided against heading there. Riverside Nature Park felt further than I really wanted to walk, so instead I decided to head out along the Dighty Burn in search of my own Sand Martins in some of the more sheltered spots where I've had this species soon after they've returned in previous years.
I wasn't feeling overly optimistic but was out the door for 0900. Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Dunnock, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit and Lesser Black-backed Gull were all noted on my way to Swannie Ponds. Grey Heron, Goosander, Mallard, Coot, Tufted Duck and Mute Swan were all easily found there. The overwintering Black-headed Gulls and Common Gulls appear to have moved on already, as they have mostly done elsewhere in the city too. I cut down to the Dighty Burn through Linlathen. Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Great Tit and Wren were all found as I headed east out along the burn.
I had a fleeting glimpse of a Dipper down from Findale Street and a Grey Wagtail was nearby. There were a couple of Oystercatchers on the football pitches. Continuing on added Robin and a pair of Roe Deer ran past where the gasometer used to be. The day's first Buzzard flew out from the trees by the new school campus just beyond Drumgeith Road. A small flock of Starlings headed over and a Great Spotted Woodpecker called from the tall trees before flying off westwards. A Goldcrest was heard singing. Greenfinch, Coal Tit, Blackbird and Pheasant were all noted as I continued on along the path by the burn. I had a chat with a couple of passers-by as I photographed a young Grey Heron in the small drainage ditch.
Further on I spotted a male Reed Bunting feeding down on the ground but frustratingly it walked away from me, meaning I only managed to photograph the back of its head. A Dipper flew downstream as I continued on towards the main road. Across the other side I saw a Sparrowhawk off to the north. A pair of Stock Doves flew past. More scanning to the north found a Skylark ascending skywards. There were numerous Jackdaws in the fields as well as a few Rooks and Carrion Crows. I contemplated heading up to Dawson Park but decided against it. I was quite disappointed with what I'd managed to see so far and decided just to retrace my steps and head homewards.
As I wandered rather wearily back along the burn I happened to spot a Kingfisher in the trees ahead of me. I managed to grab a few photos before it flew a short distance to the next tree. This continued for a while, I would get a few photos or just get the camera on the bird amongst the branches, then the bird would notice I was there, half-hidden behind a tree, then fly off again for a bit. Somewhere around the small blue bridge I managed to lose the bird. I bumped into the foraging lady I met previously and had a bit of a blether again before continuing on again. My only other addition on the rest of my journey home was a Pied Wagtail taking my total for the day to a rather meagre 40 species, with the Kingfisher being the main (and possibly only) highlight.
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| Grey Heron |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Goosander |
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| Wren |
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| Wren |
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| Great Spotted Woodpecker |
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| Buzzard & Herring Gull |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Jackdaw & Carrion Crow |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Stock Dove |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Kingfisher |
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| Kingfisher |
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| Kingfisher |
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| Kingfisher |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Grey Wagtail |
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| Grey Wagtail |
Birds - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Coot, Dipper, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kingfisher, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Magpie, Mallard, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Skylark, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals - Roe Deer.
