0079 : Getting Ruff (9/8/14)

Mallard & duckling

Carrion Crow

Black Tailed Godwit

Ruff

Swift

Willow Warbler

Wilow Warbler

Micro moth

Blackcap

juvenile Goldfinch

Chaffinch

Redshanks and Knot

Redshank, Dunlin and Ruff

Grey Herons

Willow Warbler

Willow Warbler

Reed Bunting

After a mid-week visit to Riverside Nature Park with the tides a bit unfavourable, I decided to try again on the Saturday. With high tide around mid-afternoon, I didn't want to try too early as it can be a long day if there is nothing happening so I decided to head for the park late morning. The weather forecast was reasonably favourable though the winds were potentially increasing and there was a chance of some rain.

I set off at 1115 to catch a bus into town. As is often the case with a later start, birds appeared to be in rather short supply as I waited at the bus stop. Only Herring Gull and Feral Pigeon put in an appearance before the bus arrived. A fearless Lesser Black Backed Gull ignored the numerous Saturday shoppers passing by  in the City Centre. I caught a bus out to the Nature Park a little after 1130 and arrived at the park at 1145.

A Stock Dove flew over as I entered the park at the eastern end. A good start. Rather more predictably a Herring Gull was next, one gliding over towards the bay. I took the low path along the back of Buzzard Wood adding Carrion Crow and Woodpigeon to the list. House Martins scooted over westwards. A few Feral Pigeons flew past, over towards the railway line. A male House Sparrow was in the hedge between the fields. I wandered on towards the Lochan finding the bushes surprisingly quiet. Black Headed Gulls driufted in from the north.

At the Lochan there was little to see, only a female Mallard and a single duckling, although a Carrion Crow did fly in and wander through the grass nearby. Goldfinches were seen overflying as I reached the hide area, and a Blackbird was in the trees behind. Two Wrens called loudly to each other in the hedge by the entrance, only visible by peering in through the gaps in the foliage.

From the hide, Redshanks and Herring Gulls were highly conspicuous with a few Jackdaws and Feral Pigeons on the pipe. A Black Tailed Godwit appeared by the waters edge as the tide came in, its long beak probing deep into the mud. Two Mute Swans were on the burn outflow and an Oystercatcher soon joined the other species on the list. I got talking to a father, Ian Laird, and his daughter who had been scoping the bay when I arrived. They were from Blairgowrie and we chatted about the park, this being their first visit. They had seen a Whimbrel earlier, but there was no sign of it by the time I arrived though it had plenty places it could forage out of sight of the hide.

After a short while Ian wandered up to the bend in the path to scan from a different perspective. Seconds later I spotted a wader fly out from the shore towards the pipe before swinging back. The pattern of brown and white feathering on the tail was very distinctive and I was pretty convinced it had to be a Ruff. Thankfully it showed much better minutes later when it landed out on the pipe allowing me to get a few photos, and a welcome year-tick. We were then joined by another couple who asked if there were any good birds about. I told them about the Ruff and Ian's Whimbrel. After a bit more chat we ascertained that I had actually met the man (Ron Lawie) before, buying a very good quality scope from him a few years previously. Unfortunately, the scope adds a bit too much weight to what I carry when out birding to get much actual use.

Ian and his daughter headed off a few minutes after the other couple had departed and I lingered for a minute or two deciding which route to take as the tide pushed further in. A Lesser Black Backed Gull appeared among the Herring and Black Headed Gulls lengthening the list further. A Shelduck juvenile swam in the burn outflow with a few Mallards. I decided to head back to the Lochan to see if any waders had appeared, though suspecting that none would have.

A few Swifts and House Martins flew over in a group. Only the Mallards were visible on the water at the Lochan but movement above me in the bushes turned out to be a juvenile Whitethroat. As I tried for a better view from the other side of the path I spotted a Willow Warbler also foraging among the tangle of branches. A slow wander round the path to the car park area didn't add anything except one or two Woodpigeons and Crows. A juvenile (or possibly a female) Blackcap was spotted in the bushes behind the car park, and I spent a few minutes trying to get a decent view and some photos. It was joined by two young Willow Warblers as well as a Wren and a young Goldfinch which perched prominently in the higher branches of a small-ish tree behind the fence. There were a few Swallows darting around over the long grass feeding on the insects flitting around in the relative shelter of the area.

Buzzard Wood was next though it turned out to be rather quiet compared with the back of the car park trees. Only a Chiffchaff and a few Chaffinches showed here. A small flock of Lapwings flew above the airport and a group of Starlings milled around by the masts on the airfield. A bit more wandering put Yellowhammer on the list as I headed back to check the tide state at the bay. Among the gulls I could also hear Sandwich Terns calling but it took a few minutes to locate one. A Cormorant flew downriver, low above the grey water.

The waders that roosted along the shore proved to be rather restless though this was to be a bit of a bonus. Among the Redshanks, Dunlin, Black Tailed Godwits and Oystercatchers there were also a single Knot, with a hint of orange on the breast and a Turnstone in mostly summer plumage as well as the Ruff seen earlier. I always photograph wader flocks in flight as they tend to shelter surprises in their midst that can be easily overlooked as the birds shoot past or change direction at speed. It can also be good practice for picking out birds at home on the computer screen.

The wind was picking up a bit and the temperature seemed to have dropped, possibly as a result of a bit more cloud roling in. I wandered round towards the car park once more, scanning over the airport where eight Grey Herons could be seen near some rather aptly-named Giant Hogweed, the plants towering above the birds. Back behind the car park the Blackcap and Willow Warblers were once again seen quite quickly. A Reed Bunting also showed out in the open, while a Wren and youngster stayed mostly hidden, fleeting glimpses being the best on offer. A family of Long Tailed Tits were in the trees further round with a few of them showing as they moved on.

A Common Gull headed east overhead as I made one last circuit of the park. Two Sand Martins passed a few feet in front of me as they battled into the headwind as I looked out over the bay by the bench at the southwest corner. Scanning beyond the compost area a small roost of Curlews and partially hidden Lapwings in the longer grass could be seen taking the list to 40 species. Before I headed out of the park to catch a bus home a few more Swallows zipped past allowing me to attempt a few very poor flight photos.

Just before I reached home I spotted a Sparrowhawk circling above my street before it drifted over to the east and out of sight. A nice way to round off the day's birding. 40 species seen at the park with the Sparrowhawk the only other seen.

The park species seen (year-tick in bold) - Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Goldfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Knot, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Mallard, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Feral Pigeon, Ruff, Sand Martin, Sandwich Tern, Shelduck, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Swift, Turnstone, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.

Non-park birds - Herring Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Feral Pigeon, Sparrowhawk.

0078 : An Evening Walk (5/8/14)


Sandwich Tern

Oystercatchers

Goldfinch

Sandwich Tern

Herring Gulls

I haven't visited my (former?) "patch" too often this year, for a number of reasons, but a chance conversation online turned into an opportunity to visit the park and at a time outwith my more usual visits previously. I had got talking to a lady who was interested in wildlife and conservation and who did a lot of volunteering in this sphere. We arranged to meet up and for me to show her round the park. With a reasonable weather forecast, mostly dry though with rain later, we were to meet at around 1815 in the car park and spend up to a couple of hours seeing what we could find.

I decided to leave the camera gear at home (photos above are for illustration only) and headed down to meet up with Pauline at the park. I somehow managed to arrive early despite the bus times appearing to make that possibility highly unlikely. On the way in, the first bird seen was a Herring Gull gliding over. A Chaffinch was the only bird seen at Buzzard Wood, one flying up from the ovegrown vegetation by the side of the path and into the bushes.

Woodpigeon and a few flyover Swallows were seen while I waited for Pauline to show up. It was rather quiet, with not many birds around. When Pauline arrived a few minutes later, we decided on the best route around the park, leaving the bay and hide until later on, when the tide state would be slightly better. We set off in the direction of Buzzard Wood, a Carrion Crow pair flying up and off as we walked along the paths. A few more Swallows swept through heading upriver towards the roosts at the Tay reedbeds. A Great Black Backed Gull powered its way past heading towards the airport. We found Buzzard Wood to be quite disappointing compared to its usual state, with only a Robin and a few Chaffinches showing themselves.

A few more gulls drifted by, and the odd Woodpigeon flew over as we headed up towards the Lochan. A family party of Long Tailed Tits were in the hedge at the top of the small brae where the paths from the lower half join the other half. A Goldfinch was next on the list as we wandered through the trees where there are usually warblers and tits to see, or at least hear. Like most of the rest of the park, it seemed to be very quiet.

The Lochan was devoid of birds, as it tends to be until the Teal return sometime quite soon, with not even a Crow to be seen. A few Black Headed Gulls headed over in the direction of Invergowrie Bay. A Blackbird spooked as we walked along the long stretch of path heading for the hide. Although conditions weren't brilliant for seeing too much from the hide we did see more species here than we had in the park. Oystercatchers and Redshanks wandered around on the mud, with a few Curlews dotted around. There were Lapwings by the pipe in small numbers. Lesser Black Backed Gulls, adults and juveniles, mingled with the Herring and Black Headed Gulls in the burn outflow and on the exposed mud.

A few Feral Pigeons flew down onto the pipe where a couple of Carrion Crows strutted around as if they owned the place until they got too close to a Herring Gull who put them in their place without too much effort. I could hear Sandwich Terns and it took a minute or two to pick one up out across the bay, and to point it out to Pauline.

We decided to try and get a different perspective on the bay and headed back along the path then down across the grass to the fenceline. House Martins skimmed past us heading out across the bay. With a clearer view across the bay we soon managed to pick out a small group of Dunlin and a Common Sandpiper flew out and away towards the pipe. Looking back up the burn we spotted a few Mallards, as well as Mute Swan and a pair of Teal.

We headed back up to the path to wander round back towards the car park. A juvenile Shelduck was in the outer bay and a Cormorant flew downriver giving us a rather distant view but another species for our list. The rain looked like it wasn't too far away. A few Swallows, Crows and Gulls were all we saw on the way back round to the car park. Pauline offered me a lift home which I gratefully accepted, arriving home a short while before the rain began.

Only 26 species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Common Sandpiper, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull, House Martin, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Mallard, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sandwich Tern, Shelduck, Swallow, Teal, Woodpigeon.

0077 : The Long Good Monday (4/8/14)

Little Gulls

Common Scoters

Dunlin

Tern flock

Buzzard

Reed Bunting

Linnets

Red Admiral

House Martin

Fish jumping

Peregrine

Crossbill

Yellowhammer

Wren

Willow Warbler

Siskin

Osprey

Osprey

Osprey

Moth Fly

Snipe and Moorhen

Snipe

Osprey

Little Ringed Plover

Osprey

Osprey

Ospreys

One of the good things about the internet and social media is that you cross paths with folk you otherwise might never meet. One of these is now an avid reader of this very blog, Rhona Forrester. I first chanced upon Rhona via Facebook as she is involved with the Beavers on the Ericht with Bob Smith, whose blog page I had 'liked'. I met Rhona in person earlier in the year to show her round Riverside Nature Park where we managed to see a good mix of wildlife and had a good chat on the way round. With a day off work planned for a Monday, I had posted on Facebook pondering on where to go. Rhona said she was at a loose end and wouldn't mind a day out birding if the opportunity was there. We arranged to meet at around 0830 the following morning and head around Angus stopping at various good spots for birds, hopefully allowing Rhona to see, and photograph, some species she hadn't seen before. It turned out to be a very good day out....

Rhona was early by a few minutes, arriving just before 0830. I ran through the rough plan for the day which met with her approval. We set off, Herring Gull and Swift the first few species onto the list for the day. Passing Swannie Ponds allowed Mallard to be added, with Carrion Crow seen on the central reservation of the Kingsway. Woodpigeon was seen as we headed out past Douglas heading towards Broughty Ferry and our first stop at Balmossie where the Dighty Burn meets the Tay.

House Sparrows and Starlings were on the roofs and in the bushes in the gardens when we got out of the car, with Goldfinches flying over as we crossed the footbridge over the railway line. A few Swallows swept by heading westwards upriver, most likely on migration. Down by the water's edge a small flock of Oystercatchers and Redshanks were roosting, with Herring and Lesser Black Backed Gulls further out on the water. A large number of Mute Swans completed the easily seen birds. A bit of scanning through the birds out on the water produced Mallards, Eiders and Goosander. Black Headed Gulls flew by but there was no sign of the usual small waders flock. A Pied Wagtail flew down onto the beach. Sand Martins and House Martins followed the flight path of the earlier Swallows heading west, a few feet above the ground, into the wind. I scanned out towards Tentsmuir Point and managed to pick up a single Gannet which I managed to get Rhona onto eventually, watching it flying upriver, with the forest behind it.

We headed for Carnoustie next, deciding against stopping at Monifieth. Curlews were in the fields opposite the golf course as we left Monifieth giving us another day tick. Lesser Black Backed and Herring Gulls were side by side on the beach at Carnoustie, near the leisure centre. A few Sandwich Terns flitted past noisily. Well out in the bay a single Common Scoter was with a small group of Eiders. My attention was drawn to a small group of birds at first on the water then taking flight. These turned out to be a small group of Little Gulls soon joined by a couple of Common Terns. A few Goosanders were also seen closer in to shore with Mallards also around. A few House Sparrows flew down to feed among the seaweed alongside Pied Wagtails but there were no Rock Pipits to be seen. Swallows streamed by westwards as they had at Balmossie. Carrion Crows and Woodpigeons were seen as we drove along towards Westhaven.

At Westhaven there was no shortage of birds with hundreds of Terns out on the rocky shore, all taking to the air in a great cloud of Common, Arctic and Sandwich Terns with a few Herring, Lesser Black Backed, Common and Black Headed Gulls amongst them. More Swallows headed west. Oystercatcher and a single Dunlin fed in the shallows by the edge of the beach. Whimbrel was heard but only a couple of Curlews were picked out among the Tern frenzy. A few Eiders slept on the rocks, and a couple of Redshanks flew ahead of us as we attempted to get better views of the Terns. Pied Wagtails foraged in the washed up seaweed picking on the flies. The House Sparrows were in their usual haunts in the ivy and the hedges by the houses.

Our next stop was at Craigmill Den, where we hoped to see Dipper and Grey Wagtail in particular. The burn to the north end of the road was completely hidden by the rhubarb-like plants that covered the area. With no chance of seeing most of the burn, we headed towards the path through the Den. Woodpigeons clattered up through the trees but it was initially at least rather quiet with nothing to see until we were around halfway along the path. A few Yellowhammers and Linnets were up on the wires but flew off as we got closer. Goldfinches provided closer views in one of the Elders. With the sun at our back, birds were easier to see as we turned back towards where the car was parked. A family of Linnets showed very well for a few seconds, along with a Reed Bunting nearby. A Wren showed briefly among the undergrowth. Great Tit and Willow Warbler shared a bush with what hinted at a possible Garden Warbler, though it disappeared further into the trees before I got a conclusive view. A Buzzard took to the air from the trees near the farm as House Martins and Swallows milled around above. A Red Admiral butterfly in pristine condition showed well on the path in front of us. A Common Sandpiper was a surprise near the right angle bend at the top of the Den, flying off before we spotted it stood by the river. The same, or possibly a second, bird was seen a moment or two later just before we bumped into Bob McCurley who was out touring round Angus too.

Arbroath near the harbour was our next stop, in the hope of Mediterranean Gull. I suspect we were a bit too far to the east, but we did have good views of House Martins stopping for a few seconds down on the beach with Swallows landing on the grass near the car. Cormorants, Great Black Backed and Herring Gulls were on the breakwater. A few Pied Wagtails and Starlings foraged around with Oystercatchers dotted around in the harbour area. A Curlew was on the rocks near the water.

We headed off towards the cliffs for another stop. More Pied Wagtails flitted around on the grass by the road in, with a few Linnets and Goldfinches too. Black Headed Gulls roosted on the football pitches. One or two Carrion Crows flew down onto the beach. Terns - Arctic, Common and Sandwich again called as they flapped their way back and forwards not too far offshore with a spot of diving to liven things up from time to time. Below the terns a few Oystercatchers and Redshanks foraged among the seaweed, with Eiders in eclipse plumage roosting on the rocks. A few Gannets passed much further out to sea. A calling Rock Pipit turned out to be a youngster calling for its parents to come and feed it, which they did. A Woodpigeon flew down for a drink. As we headed out of Arbroath we added a Jackdaw to the list.

We were hoping to see Corn Bunting at Boghead Farm but a calling bird was heard but not seen. A few Mallards were on the pool. Two Linnets overflew and a Pied Wagtail was on the farm buildings with a beakful of insects bound for a nearby nest or youngster. A singing Yellowhammer was scant consolation for the lack of Corn Buntings but the strong wind was probably the reason for the dearth of Corn Buntings at this usually reliable site. No Tree Sparrows were seen but a few House Sparrows were. Woodpigeons and Carrion Crows were the main birds seen as we made our way to Montrose Basin and The Lurgies.

The Lurgies can be hit or miss and with 'Autumn' wader passage having began we were hopeful that the former would be the case. As we got out of the car, we could hear the repetitive call of a raptor. Stepping out into the open from the small car park an Osprey overhead was the first bird seen, and our first, but not the last, of the day. A few Mallards were further down river with Herring Gulls and Lesser Black Backed Gulls stood around on the mud opposite. Mute Swans were a bit more distant but still very obvious, their white shapes easily picked out. Before setting off along the path I spotted some splashing just out from the burn outflow. This turned out to be a very active shoal of fish, some jumping in unison, others alone, in a very small patch of water. Quite unusual to see.

We stopped and scanned at various points along the path, adding Black Headed Gull, Curlew, .Redshanks and Lapwings. In the bushes along the path, a Chiffchaff, a few Blackbirds and a Dunnock were seen. As we neared the bend, more Lapwings lifted as we came into view. A Curlew and a Common Sandpiper were nearer the river. A Common Tern flew in. A small group of Canada Geese wandered over the mud, stopping to pick at things from time to time. Sand Martins flew overhead and a single Goosander swam downstream. Butterflies showed quite well - Whites, Small Tortoiseshell and Red Admiral in particular though as it was quite warm they never settled for very long. One or two Oystercatchers picked through the mud near the other waders and geese, as Jackdaws and Carrion Crows hung around nearby.

We moved further on upriver, hoping for Green Sandpiper. I spotted a Greenshank flying into the inlet opposite where it joined a small wader which turned out to be a Green Sandpiper. Another Common Sandpiper was nearby. Surprisingly, what was our first Grey Heron of the day flew into the same area. A Mallard with a youngster was up near the next bend but with a few more planned stops inland we decided to head back to the car. A Little Egret had been seen in the area but we drew a blank on it. While we stopped to look at a few butterflies, Swallows and Linnets overflew. A little further on, we had a pleasant surprise when a pair of Kingfishers shot by in tandem, like two low flying fast jets following the line of the river but at eye level rather than a foot above the water. A cacophony of noise broke out from the far side of the river as a large flock of mostly Sandwich Terns (with a few Common Terns and Black Headed Gulls amongst them) took to the air en masse. I suspected the presence of a raptor as the cause of the commotion and after taking a few quick photos of the Terns I spotted the culprit causing further disturbance downstream. A Peregrine Falcon. Both myself and Rhona managed to get poor photos of the bird and we watched it swoop at birds much further away before we lost sight of it in the melee.

We had a brief detour to Bridge of Dun where Linnets and Goldfinches were flying down onto the stones to drink while more Swallows zipped by. House Sparrows were in the bushes and weeds to the north of the bridge in good numbers. A few Sand Martins scooted around near what appeared to be nest holes in the banking. We jumped back in the car to head further inland to Montreathmont Forest in search of Green Woodpecker in particular. What may have been a Kestrel skimmed over the top of the roadside hedge as we headed up towards Maryton but the brief glimpse wasn't enough to positively ID the bird.

At Montreathmont Forest a few Wrens scolded from the vegetation as we set off along the path towards the hide, though they remained unseen. A Robin popped out as we passed. Ahead of us we could hear a repetitive call that I couldn't identify. It didn't sound quite right for a Great Spotted Woodpecker but I was struggling to think of what else it could be. It got louder as we neared the source and we stopped to scan the treetops as the call kept on repeating. Suddenly I spotted a bird much closer than I had suspected. The culprit was a Crossbill and it sat unconcerned by the two of us staring up at it and I snapped a sequence of photos though only a couple were even in focus. Rhona had left her big lens back in the car but took a few record shots anyway. We headed on after a minute or two.

At the Angus & Dundee Bird Club hide we sat and watched a selection of birds come down to the feeders with some perching a few feet in front of the hide before landing on the feeders. Blue, Coal and Great Tits were the most numerous, though Chaffinches and a pair of Yellowhammers also popped in. A young Wren peered into the hide from the tree at one end. Great Spotted Woodpeckers landed on the feeders before departing immediately without feeding, the sound of the cameras appearing to be enough to have them fly off. A Willow Warbler hunted for insects in a small bush behind the feeders. What may have been a Green Woodpecker swept through our field of view at speed but was nowhere to be seen when I peeked outside at the trees where it looked to be landing. A Dunnock foraged below the feeders and Rhona spotted a Siskin at the peanuts as we left the hide to head back to the car. Another Crossbill was spotted at the top of a tree as we walked back down the track before it flew off eastwards. A small family group of Bullfinches flew across the path into the trees to our left as we neared the car.

With time wearing on we moved on to our next stop at Balgavies Loch where we bumped into Jim Brown from Fife photographing the Osprey family, one of which took exception to a Carrion Crow and swooped at it. The feeders were rather quiet although Rhona was pleased to see, and photograph, a Red Squirrel which posed for a few minutes while nibbling on a peanut or two. Out on the water were Greylags, Mute Swans, Mallards and Tufted Ducks. There was no sign of any Jays but Woodpigeons and a Buzzard were seen along with Grey Heron. We had mistimed things slightly for a hoped for stop at Murton so decided to pop into Forfar Loch for our final stop of the day. A Collared Dove, our first of the day was seen near Rescobie Loch.

We parked by the Leisure Centre and wandered round to scan across Forfar Loch. Coot, Great Crested Grebe (1 still on a nest), Mallard, Tufted Duck, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull and Black Headed Gull were out on the water. Mute Swans and Little Grebes were dotted around as well with a few Greylags near the caravan park corner. A few Swifts overflew at speed. A Sedge Warbler popped up briefly before disappearing back down into the vegetation. A silted up area in the northeastern corner had a juvenile Black Headed Gull and a Moorhen wandering around on it, as well as four Common Snipe. We managed closer views of the Snipe before we headed off to the sailing club area to scan the 'spit'. House Sparrows, Goldfinches, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Great Tit and Woodpigeon were all seen with a Magpie calling but remaining frustratingly out of sight, Further on along the path Dunnock and Robin were added. House Martins, Sand Martins and Swallows glided round above the trees picking off insects.

Black Headed Gull, Herring Gull and Mute Swan were the first birds noticed out on the stony spit at the sailing club. We sat by the end of the hauled out boats and scanned through the birds and weedy ground. A couple of Dunlin, at least two Little Ringed Plovers juveniles, a Common Sandpiper plus Oystercatchers added to the list of waders at the Loch, with views of varying quality as the birds wandered around in front of us. We were chatting about some of the birds we had seen earlier in the day, as we sat in the early evening sunshine when the subject of Ospreys came up. I remarked that they could be seen at almost any decent sized stretch of water between Montrose Basin and Backwater Dam when I happened to glance up at a large bird off to me left. I nudged Rhona and gestured upwards with my head. An Osprey, right on cue. The bird made one unsuccessful dive and headed off down the loch, before returning and passing us again. We snapped away as the bird searched the Loch for potential targets. Swallows swooped around nearby, with Sand Martins skimming the water to drink.

A little later I asked Rhona if she was still watching the Osprey. She was.  I had done a double-take when a second bird appeared to my right, a bit higher than the first. The two birds cruised down the Loch and there was a bit of a tussle between them with one swooping at the other and a short chase down to low level before they got back to their hunting. Although neither bird dived again while we watched, we had great views as they circled and passed back and forwards down the Loch. A Common Sandpiper wandered along below the boats by the shore but flew off a short distance when I edged towards it. While trying to relocate it a previously unseen Grey Wagtail flew out and across the water to the north side. There was still time to get another species on the day list before we headed back to the car with an overflying Lesser Redpoll being spotted as it flew over calling loudly. Finches and Tits were seen as we walked back to head back to Dundee and Rhona back to Perthshire.

A very enjoyable and bird-filled day out with a final total of 71 species seen (including 5 Ospreys). If we'd had the time we could probably have squeezed in a spot of seawatching at Scurdie Ness, a quick visit to Murton and maybe a wee run up Glen Moy as well as Kinnordy which may well have taken the total a good bit higher with a bit of luck, but as we had already been out for around 10 hours it was probably time to give up....although rather surprisingly we never managed to see a Feral Pigeon, as far as I can recall.

Species seen - Arctic Tern, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Crossbill, Common Gull, Common Sandpiper, Common Scoter, Common Tern, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Eider, Gannet, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kingfisher, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Lesser Redpoll, Linnet, Little Grebe, Little Gull, Little Ringed Plover, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Rock Pipit, Sand Martin, Sandwich Tern, Sedge Warbler, Siskin, Snipe, Starling, Swallow, Swift, Tufted Duck, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer. 



0076 : Visiting Dave (3/8/14)

Red Throated Diver

Red Throated Diver

Red Throated Diver

Red Throated Diver

Red Throated Diver

Red Throated Diver

Red Throated Diver

Red Throated Diver

Red Throated Diver

Red Throated Diver

Red Throated Diver

Herring Gull

Red Throated Diver

Red Throated Diver

Red Throated Diver

Red Throated Diver

Red Throated Diver

Red Throated Diver

Red Throated Diver

Herring Gull juvenile

Herring Gull juvenile

Red Throated Diver and juvenile Herring Gull

Herring Gull

Cormorants 

Herring Gull

Herring Gull

Herring Gull

The combination of a lack of motivation and further rain forecast resulted in me staying in bed longer than intended with the result that I was undecided as to where to go birding, with the tides fairly unfavourable at Guardbridge or Riverside Nature Park. Rather than not go anywhere I decided on a local walk finishing up at City Quay to check on the state of Dave the (Red Throated) Diver's moult. With an armed police presence at City Quay for the duration of the Commonwealth Games with shooters staying at the Apex Hotel I had avoided the area, so I was hoping that I hadn't missed the chance at some summer plumage photos.

I headed out at around 0945 to walk first of all to Swannie Ponds. I wasn't expecting a large list but rather than sit in all day I thought it best to get out while I could rustle up a bit of enthusiasm for the idea. The standard Summer trio were first onto the list almost as soon as I stepped outside - Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon and Swifts. A Woodpigeon flew up from a garden and over the rooftops, while a Carrion Crow cawed loudly from a chimney nearby. A Blue Tit foraged in a tree on the corner, proving surprisingly difficult to pick out among the leaves. Starlings, a flock of House Sparrows and a Blackbird were added in quick succession as I headed up to Clepington Road.

House Martins flitted around above the former storage yard, their calls heard easily above the Sunday morning traffic noise. I headed down to the wasteground opposite the old Kieller's factory, a few Swallows flew over but otherwise it was rather quiet. It was also rather quiet at Swannie Ponds with a few Mallards and Tufted Ducks and a selection of Herring, Lesser Black Backed and Black Headed Gulls. A Dunnock hopped around below the bushes as I walked down the steps. Mute Swans with cygnets eyed me suspiciously as I passed close by as they lazed by the path between the two ponds.

I walked down through Baxter Park and then down through the houses to Broughty Ferry Road with no birds at all seen on the way. I crossed the main road and went over the old metal footbridge into the harbour area next to the Sea Cadets building. A Goldfinch overflew, but cadets out training in rowing boats meant that there were no birds in the outer part of the quay. Linnets and a Pied Wagtail were spotted before I walked in through the gate by the clock tower flats to check the main quay area.

I didn't have to look to hard to find my target here. Dave, the resident Red Throated Diver (courtesy of a damaged wing) was asleep just a little bit out from the wall. I crouched down behind one of the small posts that support the chain "fence" and snapped a few photos. Unfortunately with the sun behind the bird, conditions weren't ideal. I chose to move round, so that although the bird would be a bit further away, the sun would be behind me. This decision improved matters from a photography point of view and once Dave woke up I was treated to a range of photo opportunities with the sunshine and the colours of the buildings around the quay conjuring up some interesting patterns in the water. His moult state didn't appear to be much further on than the last time I had visited with only a small patch of brown-red on the throat although the black and white striping down the back of the neck seemed better defined. Plenty of preening and wing flapping with further bouts of rest and even some half-hearted attempts at looking for fish below the surface kept me occupied for over an hour before I decided to check out the river and leave Dave once again.

Out on the 'submarine' rock, a few Cormorants stood with their wings outspread, one or two gulls amongst them, but otherwise the river was apparently bereft of birds. With rain looking increasingly likely I decided to head for home, stopping on the footbridge for a few distance shots of Dave with a juvenile Herring Gull close by, and also a few of a perched adult Herring Gull on a lifebouy holder. A few more gulls and Feral Pigeons were seen as I walked up into town to catch the bus home just as the rain started.

Only 22 species seen but some nice photos made the outing worth heading out for.
Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Cormorant, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Mallard, Mute Swan, Pied wagtail, Red Throtaed Diver, Feral Pigeon, Starling, Swallow, Swift, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon.