Dundee seabirds (1 Viewer)

D

davholla

Well-known member

• Dec 10, 2015

• #1

I have relatives moving to Dundee soon. Any good sites to see seabirds there and when is the earliest in the year that is worth going there?

 

Andrew Whitehouse

Professor of Listening

Supporter

• Dec 10, 2015

• #2

You can see various seabirds passing by almost anywhere along the east coast of Scotland, particularly in spring and summer. In terms of breeding colonies, you might have to travel a bit from Dundee to find really good ones. Seaton Cliffs near Arbroath might be the closest significant colony. Larger colonies are perhaps an hour or so away e.g. Fowlsheugh near Stonehaven. A day trip to the Isle of May from Anstruther is probably the best seabird experience within relatively easy reach of Dundee.

In terms of timing, it should be best from April onwards. Colonies will tend to be occupied until July but seabirds will be around along the coast in late summer and autumn.

 

Stonefaction

Dundee Birding....(target 150 in 2024).

• Dec 10, 2015

• #3

There are Kittiwakes, Fulmars and a few Shags on the cliffs at Arbroath. Puffins in small numbers at Auchmithie. Fulmars at St Andrews. Fife Ness and Seatown of Usan are the nearest good sea-watching sites. Andrew has already outlined the best breeding colonies within close-ish proximity. All really depends what you want to see as to when is best.

 

D

davholla

Well-known member

• Dec 11, 2015

• #4

Thank you both, any places where you can see gannets (apart from Bass Rock which is a bit far).

 

Andrew Whitehouse

Professor of Listening

Supporter

• Dec 11, 2015

• #5

davholla said:

Thank you both, any places where you can see gannets (apart from Bass Rock which is a bit far).

Click to expand...

You can see Gannets quite commonly from the coast but the nearest breeding colony other than Bass Rock would be Troup Head near Fraserburgh. It's probably a few hours drive but is on the mainland.

 

Stonefaction

Dundee Birding....(target 150 in 2024).

• Dec 11, 2015

• #6

There is a lot of movement of Gannets past Fife Ness from/to the Bass Rock - sometimes close in, usually further out and if you're lucky sometimes fishing too. They can often be seen in the Tay from Monifieth (rather distant, but unmistakable) as well as offshore passing Arbroath, or in St Andrews Bay. Also if you do the boat trip out to the Isle of May you generally get plenty flypasts of Gannets on the way.

 

Stonefaction

Dundee Birding....(target 150 in 2024).

• Dec 11, 2015

• #7

https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=93995449@N00&sort=relevance&text=fife ness gannet&view_all=1

An idea of the sort of views which you can get from Fife Ness (ignore the Herons - no idea why flickr is including them in the search results).

and a few video clips can be seen here....

https://www.youtube.com/user/stonefaction/search?query=gannets