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| Redstart |
With much calmer conditions forecast for Sunday the 26th of July, I decided on an early start and a return visit to Riverside Nature Park. My hunch was that the Redstart was still around and had been keeping a low profile the previous day due to the strength and direction of the wind. There had also been relatively strong winds and some overnight rain on Friday which were also likely to have kept the bird where it was. The alarm was set for an early start...
...and as is often the case, I didn't get out of bed quite as early as planned. It was 0820 before I was organised and out the door for the walk to the park. Feral Pigeon, Swift, Blackbird, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon. Goldfinch, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Magpie, Pied Wagtail and Blue Tit were all noted as I headed into town. I had decided to catch a bus out to near the park to save a bit of the lost time and some energy, having taken my scope and tripod (to search for Mediterranean Gull and Sanderling in the bay). The walk from the end of Blackness Road to the park added Robin, Wren, Oystercatcher and a number of Rabbits.
It was around 0905 when I reached the park. En route to the Redstart spot I was able to find Woodpigeon, Robin, Dunnock, Chiffchaff, Carrion Crow, Whitethroat, Herring Gull, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Chaffinch, Willow Warbler, Goldfinch and Blackbird (plus a few more Rabbits). I checked the Buddleia bushes the Redstart had been frequenting prior to its disappearance but things seemed quiet. I didn't have to wait too long though before I picked up a small bird perched in the outer branches, looking rather scruffy. It was the hoped-for Redstart. A new bird for me at the park, and my 129th species from within Dundee this year. I took plenty of photos of the bird before Mark turned up. He was en route to the bay to see what he could find, and as I had plenty of Redstart photos I headed round with him.
A couple of Skylarks had flown over as I watched the Redstart and round at the bay we quickly noted Black-headed Gull, Cormorant, Common Gull, Curlew, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, a handful of distant Canada Geese, Grey Heron, Knot, Little Egret, Mallard, Redshank, Sandwich Tern, Oystercatcher, Greenshank and an Osprey. As well as these, a Pheasant and a Wren were heard, plus Feral Pigeon, Swallow and Swift were seen overhead though we failed to find anything particularly interesting down in the bay. Mark said he was going to head over to Guardbridge to see if there was anything of note there, and did I want to come along? Needless to say, my answer was a "yes, please". My total for the morning's Dundee birding was 39 species of birds (14 outwith the park, and 36 at the park) and 1 of mammals.
We reached Guardbridge at 1115 and headed up the slope to look out over the estuary from the raised banking there. Things were relatively quiet though we quickly built up a list - Chiffchaff, Redshank, Greenshank, Grey Heron, Dunlin, Lapwing, Curlew, Eider, Goosander, Black-headed Gull, Black-tailed Godwit, Shelduck, Feral Pigeon, Mallard, Magpie, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Goldfinch, Cormorant, Common Sandpiper, Common Gull, Carrion Crow and Blackbird. Mark suggested heading down to check the river south of the bridge. We wandered down the road and made it safely across the busy St Andrews road. Beyond the bridge were a number of Little Egrets and at least 27 Greenshank as well as some more of the species we'd already seen from north of the bridge.
Jackdaw, House Sparrow, House Martin, Swift, Swallow, Wren, Oystercatcher Woodpigeon and an Osprey were all added along with a single Roe Deer before we headed back for another look at the estuary. The tide had come in a bit further but it hadn't brought anything new with it. We did see Speckled Wood, Holly Blue and Meadow Brown butterflies (plus a couple of unidentified 'Whites' that refused to settle). Mark decided we might as well have a look at Morton Lochs on the way back to Dundee. We found Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Little Grebe, Teal, Moorhen, Mute Swan and Greenfinch there, as well as Common Darter dragonflies. We made a brief detour via the turning circle at Tayport where Sandwich Tern was the only new addition. A total of 42 species of birds, 3 of butterflies, 1 of dragonflies and 1 of mammals were found in Fife. Mark dropped me off back in Dundee and I made it home before the rain that had looked inevitable from over in Fife started. All in all, a decent day's birding.
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| Whitethroat |
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| Dunnock |
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| Redstart |
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| Skylark |
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| Skylark |
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| Carrion Crow |
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| Redstart |
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| Redstart |
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| Redstart |
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| Redstart |
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| Common Sandpiper |
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| Osprey |
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| Common Sandpiper |
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| Greenshank |
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| Little Egret |
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| Lapwing |
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| Little Egret |
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| Eider |
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| Dunlin |
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| Osprey |
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| Osprey |
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| Osprey |
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| Common Darter |
Birds (Dundee -outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Goldfinch, Herring Gull, Magpie, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Swift, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals (Dundee - outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.
Birds (Riverside Nature Park) - Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Common Sandpiper, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Greenshank, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, Knot, Little Egret, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Redshank, Redstart, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sandwich Tern, Skylark, Swallow, Swift, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals (Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.
Birds (Fife) - Black-headed Gull, Black-tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Chiffchaff,
Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Common Sandpiper, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Eider, Gadwall, Goldfinch, Goosander, Greenfinch, Greenshank, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little
Egret, Little Grebe, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sandwich Tern, Shelduck, Swallow, Swift, Teal, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies (Fife) - Holly Blue, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood.
Dragonflies (Fife) - Common Darter.
Mammals (Fife) - Roe Deer.
