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| Baird's Sandpiper |
As Rohan had the day off on Friday the 25th of September, she suggested we go somewhere outwith Dundee. Martin Dunstan (who I follow on BlueSky) had been to Trottick Ponds on Wednesday and thought he had seen up to 4 Migrant Hawkers. Having not seen any suggestion of any interaction with other dragonflies on any of my 3 visits, I found this intriguing and was going to go for another look. Rohan initially said she'd pick me up from there around 1000, though the sun wasn't meant to appear until after 1000, meaning I was unlikely to be successful seeing any dragonflies in the short time I would be there. However, Rohan suggested we head up to St Cyrus to try to see the lingering Baird's Sandpiper there first and she would drop me back at Trottick later, if need be.
An 0800 pick-up was decided upon meaning we would get to St Cyrus for around 0900, all being well. I had managed to get some detailed info on where the 'pools' actually were from Lainy, which made things so much easier. Feral Pigeon and Robin were seen as we left my street. Mallard, Coot and Tufted Duck were visible from the car as we passed Swannie Ponds. Woodpigeon and Common Gull were on the football pitches at Douglas and a skein of Pink-footed Geese overflew as we headed out along the dual carriageway towards Arbroath. Starling, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Jackdaw were noted as we passed through Arbroath, with a Buzzard overflying a bit to the north of the town. We had to stop the car on the way along to the visitor's centre as Rohan was feeling a bit unwell. This impromptu stop did however yield Pheasant, Lapwing, Swallow and Grey Heron.
There were plenty of small skeins of Pink-footed Geese milling around as we stepped out of the car and a Chiffchaff was heard by the car park. We headed towards the area where the pools were best viewed from. A couple of Stonechats along the fence-line, migrating Meadow Pipits and Skylarks, a Linnet and a single Yellowhammer were spotted before we got our first chance to scan the pools. Unfortunately, there appeared to be no birds at all. We eventually spotted a distant Curlew much further along to the south. We then moved along to another patch of gorse and I set the scope up again. Looking through the scope I was surprised to find a single small waders stood on its own atop a small muddy spit in one of the larger pools. It certainly wasn't a Dunlin and once it changed position slightly it was clear that it was the hoped-for Baird's Sandpiper. A nice wee lifer for me (and also for Rohan).
A trio of Ruff and a single Black-tailed Godwit dropped into the next pool along from the Baird's and a small flock of Dunlin flew through a short while later. It was a fair bit colder than expected and rather overcast but I took a few photos which thankfully didn't suffer from any heat distortion before we headed further on to check the river mouth area. There was another birder already there and we held back a little in case he was photographing anything close by (he wasn't, as it turned out). With the aid of the scope we were able to add a number of species - Common Scoters, Eider and Red-throated Divers in the swell offshore. Canada Goose, Kittiwake, Cormorant, Oystercatcher, Herring Gull, Goosander, Carrion Crow, , Guillemot, Great Black-backed Gull and Black-headed Gull on the sand. Wigeon, Goldeneye and Brent Goose were also found in from the sea. More scanning out over the waves got me a distant Arctic Skua tussling with a Kittiwake and a few passing Gannets. A Greenshank was heard but not seen.
Unfortunately, the chilly conditions were making it a bit uncomfortable and reluctantly I had to tear myself away from what was happening around the river mouth. As we headed back, we chanced upon a couple of other birders, one from Aberdeenshire and one from Brechin, who were watching the Baird's which had moved a bit further along and was now actively feeding. We were able to alert the birder we'd spoken to at the river mouth who was checking where we'd told him we'd seen it and he was able to come over and see the bird too. We debated what to do with our remaining available time before settling on a look offshore at Arbroath in case there was any seabirds passing. By this time, the sun had put in an appearance and conditions were a bit more pleasant, though still rather windy. More or less as we got out of the car near the cliffs, I picked up a skua heading south. It turned out be another Pomarine Skua, another new bird for Rohan, and much closer than my recent Broughty Ferry bird.
Other birds around were Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Rock Pipit, Ringed Plover and Turnstone. Rohan was beginning to feel hungry and was keen to head home so we packed up and headed back to Dundee. We popped over the bridge at Balmossie for a very quick look, to let Rohan see where it actually was. This got us Mute Swan but with the tide already well in, we didn't linger more than a minute or so. Rohan dropped me at home (as I wasn't sure if I was going to bother with Trottick Ponds, or leave it till the following day). The morning's birding had produced a fairly decent list of 53 species of birds, including a nice lifer for us both (in bold italics), though warmer weather might have added a few more (including other scoter species). Rohan also managed to add a few more species to her list for the year, and her life-list too.
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| Baird's Sandpiper |
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| Baird's Sandpiper |
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| Curlew |
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| Pink-footed Goose |
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| Red-Throated Diver |
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| Wigeon |
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| Eider, Wigeon, Mallard & Brent Goose |
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| Ruff & Black-tailed Godwit |
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| Guillemot & Gannet |
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| Pomarine Skua |
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| Pomarine Skua |
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| Pomarine Skua |
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| Common Scoter |
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| Common Tern |
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| Rook |
Birds - Arctic Skua, Baird's Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Black-tailed Godwit, Brent Goose, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Common Scoter, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Eider, Gannet, Goldeneye, Goosander, Great Black-backed Gull, Greenshank, Grey Heron, Guillemot, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Kittiwake, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Linnet, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pink-footed Goose, Pomarine Skua, Red-throated Diver, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Ruff, Skylark, Starling, Stonechat, Swallow, Tufted Duck, Turnstone, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Yellowhammer.
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As it turned out, I decided I might as well pop down to Trottick Ponds. I headed out just after 1330. Feral Pigeon, Carrion Crow and Herring Gull were noted in my street though it was halfway down Graham Street before I added Blue Tit. Caird Park provided Woodpigeon, Wren and Long-tailed Tit as well as a few Speckled Wood butterflies. I decided not to bother checking the ponds there, instead I continued down towards Claverhouse Road, finding only a Magpie pair on the way. At the ponds, Mallard, Mute Swan and Moorhen and an overflying skein of Pink-footed Geese were quickly added, along with Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Chiffchaff and an overflying Sparrowhawk.
Back at the northeast corner I was able to get the day's first dragonfly - a Common Darter. Jackdaw, Grey Wagtail, Great Tit, Goldcrest, Dunnock, Coal Tit, Chaffinch and Blackbird were all noted as I tried to find any sign of the Migrant Hawker(s?). A few Red Admiral butterflies were also seen. Unfortunately, it had clouded over more or less as soon as I arrived at the ponds, with just a few sporadic short bouts of sunshine. As a result, I headed home after about an hour or so adding a Buzzard on the walk back up through Caird Park. The total for the afternoon was 29 species of birds, 2 of butterflies and 1 of dragonflies.
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| Pink-footed Goose |
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| Carrion Crow & Sparrowhawk |
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| Common Darter |
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| Buzzard |
Birds - Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Jay, Little Grebe, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Pink-footed Goose, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sparrowhawk, Swallow, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Butterflies - Red Admiral, Speckled Wood.
Dragonflies - Common Darter.
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I decided to go back to try again on Saturday morning at Trottick Ponds. The forecast was windy once again but relatively sunny. As I couldn't muster much motivation to walk particularly far, having something to look for within a mile or so of home, was a bonus. I headed out just before 0900. Feral Pigeon, Herring Gull, Magpie, Dunnock, Carrion Crow and Blue Tit were found between home and Clepington Road. Mains Loan got me Wren, Woodpigeon and an overflying Meadow Pipit. Caird Park produced Pied Wagtail, Coal Tit, Jackdaw and Long-tailed Tit before I reached the Den O'Mains Ponds. There was no sign of the Kingfisher though there was a photographer already there. Grey Heron, Moorhen, Mallard and a Grey Wagtail were noted on the ponds, while a couple of Buzzards drifted overhead and a Chiffchaff picked around in the path-side trees.
A Grey Squirrel was spotted along the Old Claverhouse Road. I reached Trottick Ponds just before 0950. Mute Swan and Little Grebe were seen on the island pond and a Brown Rat hurried across the path. Red Admiral and Speckled Wood butterflies were seen on the walk round to the northeastern corner, where Goldfinch, Stock Dove, and Song Thrush were seen. I ended up watching Brown Rats swimming out to retrieve bread which had been scattered in the water for the ducks and swans. Chaffinch, Pink-footed Goose and overflying Skylarks were added to the day's growing list round at the island pond. A Sparrowhawk was seen as I headed back round to the northeastern corner again.
I finally managed to see a dragonfly when a Common Darter landed at my feet. There were a few hoverfly species on the Ivy. I eventually managed to see the Migrant Hawker just before 1210, but couldn't get it in the camera viewfinder at all. More wandering added Swallow and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. I had a few more views of the Migrant Hawker and also managed to spot a couple of bee species and a 7-spot Ladybird. I finally headed homewards around 1400, without any indications that there were any more than just the single Migrant Hawker, though given how sporadic the sightings of it had been again, I couldn't rule out the possibility, or confirm it.
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| Long-tailed Tit |
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| Long-tailed Tit |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Grey Wagtail |
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| Brown Rat |
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| Brown Rat |
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| Stock Dove |
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| Buzzard |
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| Brown Rat |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Common Darter |
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| Red Admiral |
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| Common Darter |
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| Common Darter |
Birds - Blackbird, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Little Grebe, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Pied Wagtail, Pink-footed Goose, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Bees - Buff-tailed Bumblebee, Common Carder Bee.
Butterflies - Red Admiral, Speckled Wood.
Dragonflies - Common darter, Migrant Hawker.
Hoverflies - Episyrphus balteatus, Helophilus pendulus.
Ladybirds - 7-spot Ladybird.
Mammals - Brown Rat, Grey Squirrel.
