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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Riverside Nature Park, Dundee. (1 Viewer)

Paid another visit to the park late morning today, but the visit was curtailed when I received news of accessible Waxwings at the other end of the city. I started at the hide end for a change and worked eastwards. Found the remains of a young Kestrel near the flooded field (saw the live one hovering near the bay earlier), which means I was wrong about there only being one in the park. Don't know what happened to it, but it was fairly well maggot-ridden and not much left of it, except feathers and skeleton.

Birds seen -
Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Curlew, Dipper, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Meadow Pipit (small flock of 6-8 on slope to south of hide), Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Feral Pigeon, Teal.
 
One of those days that doesn't look too promising but ends up exceptional. Managed to get to the hide just as the tide was at the sea wall but there was still a wee bit of concrete pipe cover showing. Red Breasted Merganser and Goosander fishing together again. Two colour ringed Dippers together and two Redshanks and two Grey Herons also. Herring Gulls and Black Headed Gulls with one Common Gull and some Teal in the bay. A single drake Goldeneye was in the outer bay but drifted in a bit. A Buzzard was chased into one of the trees to the north of the railway line by Carrion Crows and Jackdaws. A couple of Wrens were fighting near the hide. A couple of Blue Tits foraged in the trees joined by a Great Tit. Two Dunnocks and a few Robins and Blackbirds were in front of the hide nearer the water. A single Grey Wagtail flew down to the edge of the water. Feral Pigeon and Woodpigeon both flew over, as did a Kestrel with a rather pointed tail and a single calling Oystercatcher.

The Lochan was mostly frozen with just the usual pair of Mute Swans and a Black Headed Gull in situ. A wee flock Of Goldfinches plus a Siskin scooting about from place to place feeding on teasel and perching in tree tops. Eventually managed to see a pair of Mallards close in to shore near the outer bay.

Was very surprised to spook a large bird as I was looking for a party of Long tailed Tits calling. It flew in through the trees so I assumed it was just one of the Buzzards, but a second bird flew out and away from me - an owl! I assumed it was a Short Eared Owl until it perched and looked back at me. Two orange eyes and large ear tufts - Long Eared Owl. Managed a few more views of perched birds through the trees, but they were being mobbed by the smaller birds and relocating when dog walkers passed nearby. A few more birders arrived but views were fleeting and in flight only for them (although I did manage a view of one being mobbed in a tree).

In addition, the still conditions meant that bird calls were carrying quite well, allowing me to pick up a flock of Redwings heading west and a small group of Waxwings (new patch tick for me) heading northwest-ish. Great Spotted Woodpecker was in the trees by the bottle bins and was joined by a pair of Bullfinches. Chaffinches were around in the bushes near the car park and a Sparrowhawk whizzed past over the compost area. All in all a very good day.

119. Long Eared Owl
 

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Thanks, Steve. I still need Magpie for my park list...... (though they have visited).....but LEO is a very nice substitute.
 
Either scenario is possible, Steve. There can be a bit of disturbance in the area they were today, so it may even be that they stay relatively close but way out of sight. Time will tell, I suppose. Might pop down after work one night and see if anything is hunting around in the gloom.
 
No sign of the LE Owl this morning, but I kept bumping into a fox. The Kestrel was also seen.
 

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Spent a large chunk of the day at the park again in the sunshine. Not too many photo opportunities (for a change) but ended up with 35 species including another new one for the park-list (and my year list).

Bar Tailed Godwit (6 or 7 in the bay), Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch (at least 3), Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Cormorant, Curlew, Dipper (just 1), Dunlin (100 or so), Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, Kestrel, Long Tailed Tit, Mallard, Meadow Pipit (1), Mistle Thrush, Pink Footed Goose (just 1), Redshank, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Starling, Teal, Waxwing (a flock flew from behind the dump round towards the bay, lost to view behind the hill), Woodcock (flushed 1 from below the hedge near the dead Kestrel), Woodpigeon.

120. Woodcock
 
small flock of fieldfares groundfeeding on the grass beside the earth viewing point today,i saw them landing and was hoping to count them but something flushed them and as they flew up they were joined by a flock of goldfinches and what looked like 3 blackbirds,quite a few dunlins out in the bay only 1 bar tailed godwit seen,lots of redshanks plus teals ,curlew.oystercatchers,carrion crows,buzzard.gulls,blue tit,robin,3 wrens very close together at buzzard wood plus 2 bullfinches 1m/1f ,dunnock,blackbird at the dump area,highlight of my visit was a group of bullfinches (3m/1f)in front of the hide,it was freezing cold and some sleet was falling but these birds kept me standing motionless for a good 30 mins,they startded feeding to the left slowly working to the right and eventually ended up behind the hide,couldn,t hoped for a closer view of these splendid birds
 

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Popped in for an hour or so on Sunday afternoon after chasing waxwings etc around Eastern cemetery for 4 hours or so. Really quiet and the tide was out, so only 15 species seen.

Black Headed Gull, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Curlew, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Kestrel, Mallard, Mute Swan, Redshank, Feral Pigeon, Starling, Teal, Woodpigeon.
 
As the deluge of the previous few days had finally subsided, I took the opportunity to pop down to a rather wet park for an hour or so. Very quiet bird-wise. Only managed 19 species.

Black Headed Gull, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, Kestrel, Long Tailed Tit, Mallard, Mute Swan, Redshank, Shelduck, Teal, Woodpigeon.
 
flock of 45- 50 waxwings in the trees beside the generator today, 1.55 pm,4 of the birds were drinking out of a puddle at the roadside,the birds were spooked by cars coming in to check if the dumping area was closed (it was) they flew over heading towards buzzard wood,this is only my second flock of waxwings this year and a new bird for my park sightings ,it was very quiet in the park today which was a pity as we had a break in the weather,3 common birds which were unusually absent were robin/blackbird/woodpidgeon
 

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My last visit to the park of 2012. Popped down between 1200 and 1430 to see if it had dried out much. Still a LOT of surface water around especially at the park and ride site - so much for it not flooding. Birdwise, it looks like most of the smaller birds have headed to the gardens while the ground is so wet, with very low numbers around. The Lochan was busy with Black Headed Gulls, Teal, Mallard, 2 Mute Swans and even 23 Redshanks.

Full list was 32 species. - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew (2 on hill), Dipper (1 ringed bird briefly seen by burn mouth), Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch (10 or so), Grey Heron (1 in flooded field area), Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Knot (1 with Redshank flock in bay at high tide), Long Tailed Tit, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush (1 feeding on hill), Mute Swan (2 on lochan), Pied Wagtail (1 on flooded field), Redshank (100+ in bay, 23 on lochan later), Redwing (1 in trees by the dump), Robin, Feral Pigeon, Shelduck (2in bay), Starling (a few small groups overflew), Teal (100+), Woodpigeon. Wren and Bullfinch heard but not seen.
 
there were 9 male goldeneyes at the far end of the bay (all sleeping) on thursday,first time i have seen goldeneye here,there were two dark birds nearby possibly females but it was hard to tell,a goldcrest was feeding just around from the car park and two shell ducks were in the bay,other birds seen were
long tailed tit/blue tit/jackdaw/carrion crow /cormorant/pinkfoots/herring gulls/black headed gulls/mallards/goosander/teals/mutes/robin/woodpideon/blackbird/redshank/chaffinch/buzzard, the kestrel was showing really well here today most time it was perched but it made a few dives into the grass for food all unsucsessfull,
i returned in the blustery conditions today
only small birds around were 1 pied wagtail,1 robin,3 long tailed tits,3 oystercatchers joined the mutes/mallards/bh gulls at the lochan,1 dipper in front of the hide with 94 redshanks all in a feeding frenzy making the most of the bounty before the tide covers it,there was someone fishing below the earth viewing point (not sure if thats alllowed)
 

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After seeing the Nuthatch at Camperdown Park I walked down the Kingsway to the park for my first visit of the year. A lot less surface water, but probably more mud around and not too many birds. No raptors seen.

Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Common Gull, Dipper(1 - unringed), Dunlin, Goldfinch(1), Great Black Backed Gull (1), Grey Heron (1), Grey Wagtail (1), Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Lesser Redpoll (6), Mallard, Mute Swan (2), Oystercatcher, Redshank, Feral Pigeon, Shelduck (1), Song Thrush (1), Teal, Waxwing (12 over heading southwest), Woodpigeon.
 
Only my second visit to the park so far this year. Lots of snow still around with a lot of flooding in places and slushy paths. Surprised to see lots of Fieldfares passing over (mostly westwards) at quite a high rate. Managed to spook a Woodcock from the back edge of Buzzard Wood and had distant views of a male Brambling. Both Woodcock and Brambling being new for my yearlist.

Full list seen -
Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Brambling (1), Bullfinch (3), Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Common Gull, Cormorant, Dunlin, Dunnock, Fieldfare (lots passing over the park heading west - around 10 per minute at times. Also a flock of around 50 feeding in roadside field late in the afternoon), Goldeneye (12), Goldfinch (2), Great Spotted Woodpecker (1), Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Kestrel (1), Lesser Redpoll, Linnet, Mallard, Meadow Pipit (1), Mistle Thrush (1), Mute Swan (2), Oystercatcher, Pink Footed Goose, Redshank, Redwing (1), Reed Bunting (2), Robin, Feral Pigeon, Song Thrush (1), Sparrowhawk (1), Starling, Teal, Waxwing (14), Woodcock (1), Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
 
i had a walk around the park in the strong winds at 9.45 am today,the trees were understandably empty, 1 redwing/buzzard/great tit/carrion crow/robin/blackbird, there were 72 black headed gulls on the lochan with 17 teals some mallards and the 2 mutes, the grey wagtail was feeding in the burn (haven,t seen this bird for a while)and 1 shellduck was out in the mud,lots of teals out in the channels plus the usual redshanks/curlew/oystercatchers/herring gulls/bh gulls,i had 70+ dunlins here a week ago not one today, a couple of unidentified thrushes flew over at speed ,there was a pensioners walking group having there first visit here today and a couple came over to me to ask what birds were about,it was hard to hear each other in the strong winds and when i mentioned the 120 bird list the woman only heard 20 ,when i corrected the number she looked at me unconvincingly
 
I didn't see any Curlews at all on Saturday, although there were 13 or so Dunlins, but only 2 Oystercatchers. I heard but didn't see Grey Wagtail.

The park can appear very quiet most of the time for birds, and a pensioner's walking group is unlikely to be the quietest of audiences, so it may be the case that they had seen hardly anything which would make the 20 species believable from their point of view - and 120 an unbelievable amount. As we both know, the birds ARE there, but they do sometimes take a bit of patience (and luck) to see them. I was very surprised to manage 41 species on Saturday. Hopefully with the lengthening days I'll be able to visit after work again soon.
 
there was an unusual duck sleeping with some mallards at the tunnel this morning,i thought it might be the off coloured pintail barry caught here last year but looking at my pics im now thinking it,s most likely a hybrid mallard, other birds in front of the hide were,1 pied wagtail on the pipe,1 heron ,jackdaws/herring gulls/bh gulls/carrion crows,in the bay 19 shellducks /4 dunlins/lots of redshanks/teals ,at the earth viewing point
12 goldfinches 8 oystercatchers
lochan 2 mutes and some mallards
car park 2 wrens chasing each other and 1 robin
buzzard wood sparrowhawk and kestrel both hunting at the same time (i have seen the kestrel being chased off by carrion crows/magpie here but wonder would the sparrowhawk chase the kestrel off or would it be the other way around?)
other birds seen dunnock/buzzard/woodpigeon/blackbird/robin/very wary chaffinches (buzzard wood)
 

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flock of 8 yellowhammers at buzzard wood today along with 1 female reedbunting/1goldcrest/robin/blackbird/carrion crows, 1 sparrowhawk hunting the edges of the wood,1 pied wagtail on the frozen part of the lochan,mutes/mallards on the water, 4 lapwings/3curlews/1 shellduck/redshanks/teals/herring/black headed gulls in the bay,woodpigeons seem to be moving into the trees, the paths in the park have small streams running down them with the snow melting
 

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