STONEFACTION BIRDING: 09/04/15

0202 : Sunday Stuff (30/8/15)

Having drawn a blank the previous day searching for migrant waders in Angus, I decided on a plan B. Riverside Nature Park as the tide came in. Ruff, Curlew Sandpiper and Spotted Redshank are regulars in Autumn in Invergowrie Bay, though finding them can be tricky and you have to be in the right place at the right time to be successful. With high tide around 1615, I wanted to be at the park for around 1430 or thereabouts. Unfortunately, public transport in Dundee on a Sunday is somewhat lacking.

Mallard

I headed out around 1340 hoping to catch a bus into town. No luck, I would have to walk. Woodpigeon was first onto the list for the afternoon, with Herring Gull and Feral Pigeon added on my way into the city centre. I caught a bus out to the park, spotting a Sparrowhawk just before I got off the bus as it disappeared off over the houses. A Carrion Crow was the first park bird as I headed along towards the hide end of the park. A Woodpigeon flew over, and a few Herring Gulls could be seen over the bay.

Reaching the hide I was very disappointed to find the tide already covering all the mud, and even the pipe. There were very few birds around except Herring Gulls and Black Headed Gulls out on the water, Mallards roosting by the burn mouth and a small group of Teal near the reeds across the far side of the bay. No waders to be seen, and what was more or less a wasted journey, given that I had arrived a bit too late for the situation I wanted to see. I could choose to hang around until the tide turned but that could be 2 or 3 hours away and it was unlikely that there would be enough activity in the park to keep me occupied until then. A Cormorant dived out in the bay and I headed into the park anyway.

Swallows whizzed over in ones and twos. I decided to walk along the paths overlooking the bay to the car park, then to double back over the hill, then along past the Lochan then a quick once around of the lower half then to head for home. There were a few Lesser Black Backed Gulls still out among the Herring Gulls. I could also hear the occasional Lapwing and Oystercatcher calls but the vegetation blocked the view to the shoreline. Thankfully just as I reached the bend to take me away from the bay, something caused the waders to fly up from their roost and to head round towards the airport. Lapwings, Redshanks and Dunlin were picked out as the flock passed by, but they were a bit too quick for me to check the flock properly, or get a photo with the P900 (DSLR was still in the bag). Still it was a few more species for the list, even if there weren't any apparent rarities among the flock.

Someone had dumped an old electric fire by the dog-poo bin. I can only assume that they had carried it in from the Invergowrie end and couldn't be bothered walking the extra wee bit to the recycling area. I suppose they did leave it by a bin of sorts.... There were a few insects around, despite the strong wind, with a few White butterflies as well as Small Tortoiseshell and Meadow Brown, plus a Sawfly all seen on my ay around the park.

From the hill I managed to pick out a few Curlews on the grass at the airport, near the Lapwing flock. Mallards were the only birds at the Lochan despite the high tide. A Goldfinch flew out from the bushes as I headed towards the car park. A Grey Heron flew over from the direction of the airport as I headed towards Buzzard Wood. A Pied Wagtail passed overhead, while there were a few Chaffinches in Buzzard Wood as well as a Robin. Crossing the road to head up to catch a bus I stopped to watch a mixed flock foraging in the trees by the railway line, mostly Long tailed Tits but also Chaffinch, Blue Tit and Coal Tit.

Not the most exciting of afternoons, but it did get me out of the house for a few hours. The migrant waders would have to wait....

3 species seen -Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Goldfnch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Mallard, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Sparrowhawk, Swallow, Teal, Woodpigeon.

Carrion Crow

Mallard

Meadow Brown

Chaffinch

0201 : Beach And Basin (29/8/15)

Early in the week I received a Facebook message from my birding buddy, Steph, asking if I was free for some birding/photography on the Saturday. As I had nothing planned, I was able to say a very quick 'Yes'. I asked if she had anyplace/anything in particular in mind. She said (I'm paraphrasing) "a rarity, very confiding, somewhere nearby'. I said I would see what I could come up with. With nothing particularly outstanding, or rare having shown up by Friday afternoon, except a Spotted Redshank at Montrose Basin found by Gus Guthrie, I thought that Montrose Basin might be worth a visit.

Whimbrel

Steph doesn't tend to be an early starter, so I was able to spend a wee while extra in bed, which was much needed. We headed out at around 0935, heading up the coast road to Montrose Basin. Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Starling, Swallow, Buzzard and House Martin were the fairly meagre pickings en route. Fingers were crossed that things would improve and that we would see, and have the chance to photograph, some good birds. We popped into the Wildlife Centre to see what was around from there.

Waders were much in evidence along the exposed mud along the edge of the basin. I slowly scanned through the birds - Dunlin, Lapwings, Oystercatchers, a Great Black Backed Gull, Black Headed Gulls. I found a small flock of Knot. Mallards and Mute Swans, some on the shore, some in the water.Further out across the Basin, I picked out Greylags and Canada Geese, while beyond them, Grey Herons, and Little Egrets roosted on the old seawall. A small group of Wigeon were roosting among the waders and were almost overlooked. Further along were a few Black Tailed Godwits and Curlews.

Out in the basin, on the water, and sandbanks were good numbers of Eiders, with Shelducks and even a few Goldeneye dotted around also. I found a few Common Gulls, while Cormorants were easy to spot, stood with wings outstretched. A few Goosanders and a single drake Red Breasted Merganser were picked out in between dives under the water. A few Common Terns were still around, despite the date. The feeders were relatively quiet, though there were plenty of close views of the Swallows swooping up under the eaves of the building, or perching just outside the window for a short while. Blackbirds and Blue Tits were seen at the feeders, the former below, the latter on the feeders themselves. We added another couple of species before we set off for the Lurgies area of the Basin - Herring Gull and Redshank, both surprisingly few in number from the centre.

House Sparrows and Woodpigeon were spotted from the car before we reached the small car park. A Kingfisher was heard on the burn outflow but we couldn't see it. A Greenshank called as it flew upriver, giving us a 'heads-up' on another species for the list. We could see some of the species we had seen from the Visitor Centre a bit closer. We walked along the track atop the old seawall. Common Sandpiper flew across the river, while further on a pair of Linnets flew over us. There were a few Redshanks at the Slunks, and I scanned through them searching for the Spotted Redshank, but drawing a blank. More birds would fly in and I'd have to repeat the scanning. There was a bird that looked a possibility as it tussled with a Redshank but I just couldn't get a decent look at it.

We wandered a bit further on, hoping for Green Sandpiper. A Grey Wagtail pair flew across the river, and a Yellowhammer called from atop a gorse bush. There was no sign of any Green Sandpipers but there were 4 Greenshanks together on a small pebble spit. Rather than risk spooking the birds I headed back along to rejoin Steph. As I got closer two birds flew up from the Slunks. One smaller than the other. I managed to get a few photos of the smaller of the two. The larger was a Greenshank. Checking the photos, the smaller one turned out to be a Wood Sandpiper. Not the Green Sandpiper I was hoping for, but a decent enough bird and my first self-found one.

Across the river, a few Snipe wandered out from the reeds to join the Redshanks and a small group of Teal landed to join the throng. Eventually the rising tide forced the birds to seek dry land elsewhere, a smaller flock crossing the river close to where we were. We edged closer and managed to get reasonably close views, given how easily spooked Redshanks usually are. Unfortunately there was still no Spotted Redshank to be seen among them. We headed back to the car, stopping for a chat to Neil Black (I think, I'm useless at remembering names and faces). While we were chatting I noticed movement on the handle of his monopod which was resting on the gate. A tick, which was swiftly despatched. Steph spotted a Kingfisher but we didn't manage any photos of it. A few minutes later 3 geese overflew, 2 appeared to be Pink Footed Geese and the other a Bean Goose. A nice wee bonus year-tick.

After grabbing something to eat, we decided to head back down the coast towards Dundee. I reckoned Westhaven would be a quieter area than Easthaven on a Saturday afternoon, and that we might get some decent photo opportunities. We added Feral Pigeon as we passed through Arbroath. Scanning out from the beach at Westhaven I spotted Fulmars and Gannets over the sea, while ahead of us on the beach we could see movement among the seaweed. Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Redshank, Oystercatchers, Turnstones, Curlews, Bar Tailed Godwits and even a single Knot. I hoped we might find a Curlew Sandpiper amongst them, but just like the Spotted Redshank and Green Sandpipers there was no sign. We sat on the beach for a while photographing Pied and White Wagtails as they picked around among the sand and seaweed, while we willed the waders to come closer.

We decided to skirt up into the field so as not to flush the birds, but a Kestrel hovering above the field succeeded in doing the opposite, so we took the opportunity to bypass the birds anyway. There were more birds further along the beach and Steph edged down onto the beach for a better view of some of them while I wandered along to the burn mouth. There was a large gull roost there as well as a few Goosander on the beach and a group of 3 Wigeon in the water. Unfortunately a Carrion Crow decided to caw in alarm and some of the birds, but thankfully not all, took flight. I moved back out of sight and headed back to Steph.

I joined her on the beach and waited for the waders coming closer again. One of the local dogs decided that it didn't want to let a flock of Knot land and spent some time chasing them up and down the length of the beach. A Curlew gave us good views and a Bar Tailed Godwit flew by. A pair of Ringed Plovers picked around nearby. Steph asked me about a bird she had photographed which turned out to be a Whimbrel. Thankfully we managed to relocate it, and then watched as it wandered unconcerned along the shore in front of us. This gave us some nice photo opportunities before the sun went behind a rather large grey cloud. We took this as our cue to head back to the car, though we were distracted a few times by Sandwich Terns offshore and waders on the shore. With the time around 1800 we headed for home after a good day out.

A nice mix of birds and some decent photo opportunities as well as a much needed catch-up. 55 species seen (1 year tick in bold) - Bar Tailed Godwit, Bean Goose, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Common Gull, Common Sandpiper, Common Tern, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Eider, Fulmar, Gannet, Goldeneye, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Greenshank, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Kingfisher, Knot, Lapwing, Linnet, Little Egret, Mallard, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Red Breasted Merganser, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Feral Pigeon, Sandwich Tern, Shelduck, Snipe, Starling, Swallow, Teal, Turnstone, Whimbrel, Wigeon, Wood Sandpiper, Woodpigeon, Yellowhammer.