Stonefaction's 2012 List. (1 Viewer)

1st January

Well, 2011 ended on 195, so can I match that this year, or top the 2010 total of 205? Time will tell.

Decided to walk more or less the same route I did last January 1st to see if I could get around 40 species (39 last year) from my flat in Dundee to Broughty Ferry and back.

When I opened the curtains this morning there were a few Herring Gulls flying around, so bird number 1 was a Herring Gull. When I left the house there were still a few hanging on the strong winds above the streets. A few Starlings flew over, and a few Carrion Crows were perched atop the chimney pots. A small group of Feral Pigeons landed in a garden with feeders out front and were joined by some noisy House Sparrows. Black Headed Gulls joined the high flying Herring Gulls.

Took a detour off my route of last year to try and see Magpie where I saw them a month or so ago, but there was no sign of them. Did manage a few Blackbirds, a couple of Collared Doves, a Dunnock, and a Blue Tit there, so not a wasted detour by any means.

Next stop was Swannie Ponds where the usual gulls and waterbird mix included Mallard, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan and Common Gull. No sign of Moorhen though.

Next stop was Baxter Park where the only thing of note was a rather vocal Goldfinch. Leaving the park by the eastern exit, I caught sight of a raptor to the south. A Peregrine. Cut through Eastern Cemetery which is usually good for Mistle Thrush, Coal Tit and Buzzard but there was very little of anything around. Continuing towards Broughty Ferry, a Pied Wagtail landed on the road beside me at the bottom of Craigie Drive.

The road into the Stannergate was closed, so the chance of getting Linnets by the docks was off the agenda. Had a nice Sparrowhawk there last year too. Joining the path along the Grassy Beach, an Oystercatcher was spotted, and a Cormorant was perched on a rock out on the river drying its wings. The usual suspects were feeding along the shore. Redshank, Turnstone and Curlew. A drake Red Breasted Merganser was seen well out on the river.

No sign of Rock Pipit at Broughty Ferry harbour, so continued eastwards along the esplanade. A small group of Bar Tailed Godwits were on the shore unperturbed by the walkers on the sands, as was a single Great Black Backed Gull.

Popped into the small local Nature Reserve to try and add a few of the smaller passerines to the list. Heard a Wren, but didn't manage to see it. Did however manage to add Robin, Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Great Tit.

Back out onto the beach and could see a few waders out on near the water's edge feeding with the Oystercatchers, so made my way slowly out towards them. A single Sanderling was noticable at the water's edge, and a Dunlin or three were a bit further in. A couple of Ringed Plovers added to the small waders, and offshore a few small groups of Eider could be seen among the waves.

Turned for home and finally found a Rock Pipit feeding on the seaweed and debris in Broughty Ferry Harbour. An adult Peregrine flew over very low allowing me to get a series of photos. Unfortunately, the camera was still set for the Rock Pipit which had been in a rather dark area, so the slower shutter speed resulted in a lot of blurred shots. Disappointed as the bird showed well for around 20 secs.

A dead and rather fresh looking Greylag Goose was washed up on the shore at the Douglas Terrace end of the Grassy Beach. Hadn't seen it on the way out, so I think it must have came in on the tide. A Great Black Backed Gull was feeding on another unidentified bird corpse further along (possibly a Shag).

Followed the same route home but didn't add anything in the fading light until I got back to Swannie Ponds where the characteristic bobbing head of a Moorhen caught my eye as it swam towards the island.

Still no Magpies at Lammerton Terrace, but a small group of roosting thrushes in the tops of the trees turned out to be Fieldfares and a solitary Redwing. No Kestrel on a lamp post like last year, and no overflying Geese, so 38 species was the total for the day.

1. Herring Gull
2. Starling
3. Carrion Crow
4. Feral Pigeon
5. House Sparrow
6. Black Headed Gull
7. Blackbird
8. Collared Dove
9. Dunnock
10. Blue Tit
11. Common Gull
12. Mute Swan
13. Mallard
14. Tufted Duck
15. Goldfinch
16. Peregrine
17. Pied Wagtail
18. Oystercatcher
19. Cormorant
20. Redshank
21. Turnstone
22. Curlew
23. Red Breasted Merganser
24. Bar Tailed Godwit
25. Great Black Backed Gull
26. Robin
27. Woodpigeon
28. Chaffinch
29. Greenfinch
30. Great Tit
31. Dunlin
32. Ringed Plover
33. Sanderling
34. Eider
35. Rock Pipit
36. Moorhen
37. Redwing
38. Fieldfare

2nd January

Thanks to Gus Guthrie, I had a great wee run around northwest Fife today, although at times it looked like we were quite literally on a wild goose (and swan) chase. Main target bird was Bewick's Swan, but also geese species.

First brief stop was at Letham where we saw our first Geese - a flock of Greylags. A Grey Heron was sat in a field further down the road, and we passed the first of numerous Buzzards which flew up from roadside perches throughout the day. Angle Park was next stop, lots of waterfowl around including Pintail, Coot, Wigeon, Shoveler, Goldeneye, Gadwall and Teal. Only Swans were Mute Swans. Next stop was Rossie Bog but a broadly similar list of species were here. Spotted a single Magpie and a few Woodpigeon en route. A flock of Rooks overflew, a single male Bullfinch was in the trees and a flock of Lapwings were roosting in the water. Next stop was The Wilderness which held similar waterfowl to the other areas nearby but also a Whooper Swan, and a Mistle Thrush was in the trees.

A Kestrel was being harried by a Carrion Crow as we turned onto the main road. Kestrel was almost as numerous as Buzzard on our travels, which was nice to see. A few Pheasants were in the fields. Had our first circuit hunting for the Swans and Geese around Dunshalt and Auchtermuchty via Falkland, but other than a distant group of 9 swans in flight nothing was seen.

Popped into Birnie and Gaddon where the car park was surprisingly icy, and added a few smaller species to the list including Coal Tit and Treecreeper. From here we headed to Lindores Loch where we found some Whooper Swans, as well as Goosander. Headed towards Kilmany next where a Great Grey Shrike was reported yesterday but places to park are few and far between so we tried from the other end of the footpath instead. A flock of Yellowhammers with Reed Bunting (which I missed) and Chaffinch was a nice bonus here, and a Goldcrest also added to the list. A Bullfinch was the only bird seen along the trail towards the village, surprisingly flying through the underpass.

Tried Angle Park again, but no real changes, followed by another Dunshalt/Auchtermuchty circuit one way, eventually spotting a few Whoopers in a field. While stopped by the side of the road a small covey of Grey Partridges flew by, a nice wee bonus. Turned round and headed back along the Dunshalt road, but still no luck.

Back to Angle Park for one last attempt at finding Bewick's Swans. There were a few more Swans around and the first group of 4 that I looked at held at least one Whooper and what looked like a couple of Bewick's Swans. Got a couple of photos which looked promising, but frustratingly all 4 birds decided to have a nap.Gus went to get a coffee and to collect his scope from the van. As he got back, one Bewick's lifted its head, allowing me to get a couple of more photos. Gus asked if any of them had lifted their head, just as the one with the head up tucked it back under its wing. Fleeting glimpses were had, before the Whooper swam around a bit with its head up. Eventually two Bewick's showed well enough to confirm the ID. Mission accomplished.

On our way back we stopped again at Letham where we added 4 Pink Footed Geese among the Greylags, and Gus got Fieldfare and Redwing for his list on the opposite side of the road. A Sparrowhawk flew over the road in front of the van as we neared Wormit. A good day out and 27 species for my list.

39. Whooper Swan
40. Bewick's Swan
41. Pink Footed Goose
42. Greylag Goose
43. Gadwall
44. Pintail
45. Shoveler
46. Wigeon
47. Teal
48. Goldeneye
49. Goosander
50. Grey Partridge
51. Pheasant
52. Grey Heron
53. Buzzard
54. Sparrowhawk
55. Kestrel
56. Coot
57. Lapwing
58. Mistle Thrush
59. Goldcrest
60. Coal Tit
61. Treecreeper
62. Magpie
63. Rook
64. Bullfinch
65. Yellowhammer

3rd January

Well, the "extreme" weather today put paid to any out-of-area birding, so I made do with a walk locally to see if I could add 4 or 5 target species to the list. Unfortunately, the birds seemed to be more sensible than I was and were mostly in hiding.

Starting from home, I saw Feral Pigeons flying around in the gales, then a few Black Headed Gulls and Carrion Crows on playing fields just off the Kingsway. A Buzzard flew up into the trees on Caird Park golf course and looked like it may have had a kill in its talons. A Blackbird was foraging in the undergrowth by the ponds, and an adult Grey Heron was sat in the lower pond. It didn't fly away, but walked out and stood on the path watching me passing. A pair of Mallards and a Moorhen were also on the pond. A second Buzzard flew out from the trees here too. From there headed into the old graveyard, where a group of birds calling caught my attention. A flock of Long Tailed Tits were feeding in the trees, with a Goldcrest and Blue Tit. Another Grey Heron lifted from the Gelly Burn, and a flock of Woodpigeons flew off from the treetops.

No sign of Dipper on the Dighty Burn, which was rather high because of all the rain overnight, so moved on to Trottick Ponds. A few Herring Gulls were on the grass by the side of the road. A couple of Mute Swans, Moorhens and Mallards were the sum total, so headed uphill through the fields towards the Emmock Road. Another large flock of Woodpigeons and Feral Pigeons in one of the fields lifted as I passed.

Not too much in the trees along the Emmock Road except for Long Tailed Tits and Great Tits flocking in small numbers. A wee scan of the fields produced a distant Pheasant and a few Carrion Crows.

Walked back down Powrie Brae into Dundee and caught a bus uphill, before walking along Lammerton Terrace again to see if the Magpies were around. Added the two local Collared Doves to the list, and a Common Gull flew over. Heading downhill past a cordoned off block of flats (storm damaged), I saw a couple of House Sparrows sat on a hedge, and a Starling was singing atop a chimney and just as I got back to my street a Sparrowhawk flew over. Slightly dissapointing total but at least it got me out of the house.

66. Long Tailed Tit

4th January

Well, wasn't able to get out and about before lunchtime due to a driving lesson late morning, so with poor light for photography and pretty blowy conditions I decided on a visit to Morton Lochs to try for the redhead Smew and Kingfisher that were seen here on the 1st.

Spotted Carrion Crow, Blackbird and Herring Gull while waiting for my bus into town, and added Buzzard atop a post at the Fife end of the Tay road bridge and another on a fencepost. Black Headed Gulls around the car park area at the end of the bridge too.
Just before Tayport cemetery a small covey of Grey Partridges were feeding close to the path in a stubble field, and a small flock of Woodpigeons by the cemetery itself.

Got off the bus at the Shanwell Road turning circle to check out the beach area. The tide was quite far out and there weren't too many birds out on the mud. A few Shelduck were the first new bird for the list. Redshank, Curlew and Oystercatcher were the only other waders seen out on the mud. Common Gull flew over, as did a single Great Tit, and a couple of unidentified finches or buntings. Walked along the saltmarsh checking the channels for Snipe and Jack Snipe. Eventually, a single bird lifted from behind me giving me a cracking view of the topside as it took off. Unfortunately I didn't get a photo as the camera wouldn't focus quick enough.

Headed inland along the edge of the forest, picking up Treecreeper in the few fir trees near the picnic area. Very quiet for birds along the path, except for an overflying Cormorant. Just before I reached the end of the field, I heard Crossbill calling but didn't see them, although a small group of 6 birds did appear over the tops of the trees but I didn't get any sort of decent look at them, so they went unidentified. Lots of trees down along the paths through the forest, although the Forestry workers have sawed most of the ones blocking the paths etc up already.

Just past Fetterdale, I spotted a large flock of gulls in the distance over a field, so walked along the edge of the field towards them. A Blackbird and a couple of Chaffinches flew off from a puddle in the field, and not too far into the field a flock of around 100 pigeons were feeding. A mixture of mostly Woodpigeons, plus a few Feral Pigeons and some Stock Doves. While watching the flock a paler bird with a noticably white rump and a black tail flew out from the bushes and back in a few times. When it perched in a bush I got a decent view. My first Jay of the year. A gunshot put everything in the field up including around a dozen Pink Footed Geese. As it was by now around 2pm, I headed back to the road/path and hurried towards Morton Lochs. Spoke to two birders by the car park who had drawn a blank on the Smew and Kingfisher so it wasn't looking too promising.

Into the hide and scanned around. a family group of 8 Mute Swans and a few pairs of Mallards were the initial sightings. Kept looking though and eventually found the redhead Smew quite distant, and a few Teal. A couple of experienced birders from Fife came in and we chatted for a bit before one of them found the Kingfisher perched in a tree quite distantly. With directions I managed to see it, so both target species were seen. Walked along to the other hide but only Grey Heron and better views of the Smew were had there. Walking back towards the northern end of the reserve a relatively large bird flew up into a tree, called once and then flew up over the trees. A Green Woodpecker and my final new bird of the day.

67. Shelduck
68. Smew
69. Snipe
70. Stock Dove
71. Kingfisher
72. Jay
73. Green Woodpecker

5th January

I'm enjoying being off work on holiday. Shame I have to go back on Monday. Better make the most of it between now and then I suppose....

Debated whether to walk from Tayport to Leuchars round the coast, or vice versa, but a heavy rain shower not long after I got up, put me off that idea. Decided to get the bus to Guardbridge and see if I could add anything there, then walk to St Andrews for a few more opportunities.

Feral Pigeon, Herring Gull and Cormorant were all seen from the bus before I reached the Fife end of the bridge. A Pheasant was in a field just after the 5 ways circle, and 2 Buzzards were sat side by side on 2 fence posts at Pickletillum. Carrion Crow, Starling and Kestrel were all seen before reaching Leuchars as was Rook. Entering the village a few Jackdaws were sat on roofs, and in chimneys. A couple of Collared Doves were further round and Black Headed Gull flew over.

Reaching Guardbridge, Woodpigeon and Blackbird were seen on the walk to the hide. The feeders were quite busy with Blue Tit, Greenfinch and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. Mallard, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Shelduck, Teal and Black Tailed Godwit were all out on what was left of the mud as high tide approached. A skein of Pink Footed Geese flew over westwards and a smaller skein of Greylags headed south a bit further out over the estuary. A pair of Red Breasted Mergansers were near the Motray outflow. Great Tit, Chaffinch, Robin and Dunnock were regulars around the feeders as the morning went on. Curlew and Great Black Backed Gull were added to the days list and a small flock of Linnets flew from the salt marsh over the river.

A Little Grebe swam by, and at last I managed to see a Wren (having heard at least 1 every day so far, but not having seen any of them) out in front of the hide on the rocks. A couple of Mute Swans flew up from Balgove Bay and landed on one of the pools at the Edenside LNR, and Wigeon could be seen a bit further out on the river. While being distracted by the return of some Typhoons to Leuchars I spotted 4 pale bellied Brent Geese landing in the water near to the "goalposts" - a lot closer than they usually are (usually in Balgove Bay). A Magpie flew past the hide and into the trees to the north of the hide.

I decided to start walking to St Andrews around 12.30. While crossing the bridge the first Grey Heron of the day was spotted on the north side of the river. Four Little Grebes were together close in to the bank near some roosting Mallards. A few noisy House Sparrows were in the bushes by the Guardbridge Hotel and a Pied Wagtail flew over.

Spotted a flock of Lapwings milling around quite high in the sky and turned down the track to the Edenside LNR area. The wind seemed to have picked up and I was finding it quite tricky to stand upright and look through the binoculars at the waders on the shore. A small group of Dunlin and a few Redshank flew off as I got closer. Once I got round the point and into a little bit more shelter I could see that there were quite a few waders on the mud as the tide was going out. I was hopeful that the birds were far enough out that they wouldn't fly off as I passed, and in the main they did stay put with one or two of the more nervous birds moving a short distance. Grey Plover were dotted around among the Dunlin, Redshank and Curlews. I spooked a Mistle Thrush from the grass along the banking. A small group of half a dozen Turnstones were a surprise feeding along the shore with the other waders, and a Rock Pipit or two flitted around closer in. Spotting a larger flock of waders further on, I decided to try and get past along the top of the banking rather than along the shore, hoping that the extra distance would work in my favour. Unfortunately, the next field along held a flock of at least 36 Brent Geese and numerous Lapwings. The chances of getting by without spooking something were looking slim to nil, so I crouched down to try and decide what the best plan of action was. My mind was made up for me when the Geese spotted me and flew over and onto the mud at the water's edge. Thankfully the lapwings stayed put and I managed to hurry by out of sight of the vast majority of waders on the mud. A flock of 20+ finch sized birds flew up from the mud and across the field and road before landing in the fields on the opposite side of the road. The camera wouldn't focus with the mud as a background and because of the backlighting I wasn't able to see any detail. Most likely was Linnet, but can't rule out Snow Bunting. Whatever they were, I wasn't able to add them to my list.

Got to the George Evans hide and remembered the combination to get in, so had a break out of the wind for a while. A large flock of Knot were further round in the bay, rendering that section of my journey off limits. Spotted a pair of Eider out in the river before moving on along the paths on the golf course. My original plan had been to follow the shoreline round but the large numbers of waders, especially the Knot, meant that I would cut across the golf course and round to the golf museum area in the hope of seeing Purple Sandpipers on the rocks instead. A few Oystercatchers and carrion crows on the golf course but not too much else.

When I finally reached the Golf Museum/car park area there were a lot of Herring Gulls and a few Turnstones on the rocks, but no Purple Sandpipers. Three Common Scoters were a little bit further out but frustratingly were either diving or hidden by the waves much of the time.

The sun had set, so decided to try and get a sighting of one of the Short Eared Owls which have been wintering around the golf course area before darkness fell. Walked out to where the cars park, and scanned the scrubby area to the north. Didn't take too long to see one, so mission accomplished I headed back along the road. About two thirds of the way back, another owl lifted from the long grass in one of the fenced off areas of dunes about twenty feet in front of me and flew silently past before dropping back into the grass. Turned to look (camera and binoculars were both back in the bag by now as the light had almost completly gone) and it lifted again and flew across the road towards the golf course. A cool way to end an enjoyable day out. 11 new species for the year list.

74. Brent Goose
75. Common Scoter
76. Little Grebe
77. Grey Plover
78. Knot
79. Black Tailed Godwit
80. Short Eared Owl
81. Great Spotted Woodpecker
82. Wren
83. Jackdaw
84. Linnet

6th January

These tales are getting longer and longer, and today's is an epic. Really good day out with Darell (Kinnordyvolunteer) around Angus trying to see as many species as possible.

Very quiet between Dundee and our first stop at Reekie Linn, with few birds showing. Only Herring Gull, Pheasant, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow and Blackbird, and an unidentified skein of Geese overflying the Isla. Things were quiet at Reekie Linn, but Darell quickly found our first target bird of the day on a rock under the bridge - a Dipper which obligingly sat for a few minutes while we took photos. The light wasn't great for photos at this point as the sun wasn't high enough to reach the water.
House Sparrow and Blue Tit were also added here, and so it was onto Backwater Dam.

Again it was quite quiet with only a flock of Mistle Thrush and Fieldfares in a field seen en route to the car park. Not many birds calling when we got there, and certainly no Crossbills, but a Buzzard was seen over the hillside, and 3 Ravens soon joined it.
Travelling back along the road we spotted 8 birds perched on wires, which surprisingly were Bullfinches - not a bird I associate with perching on wires.

Stop 3 was Loch of Lintrathen, and it was here that the list started to fill up a bit. A few Siskins flew over as we walked in towards the hide. As we neared the little bridge a small flock of Crossbills circled round above the treetops but didn't land. Treecreeper, and Great Tit were also added to the list here. Out on the loch there was a mix of waterfowl with Mallard, Greylag, Coot, Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan, Teal, Goldeneye, Little Grebe and a couple of juvenile Whooper Swans. On the way back to the car we saw Coal Tit and a couple of Chaffinches plus a few Wrens. As we drove along the road, Darell spotted a Buzzard sat on top of a tree being dive-bombed by a smallish raptor which eventually showed well enough to ID as a Kestrel.

Onwards to the next stop at Loch of Kinnordy. A frozen puddle in a field gave us Common Gull, Oystercatcher and on the opposite side of the road lots of Rooks were in a field. Out on the loch 12 White-Fronted Geese (11 European and 1 Greenland) and the drake Smew. A Cormorant had a few failed attempts to clamber onto a branch in the water before giving up and swimming away. Robin and Reed Bunting were seen as well.

Added Feral Pigeon on our way through Kirriemuir heading for Glen Moy where we hoped to see Red Grouse and Red Legged Partridge. Drew a blank on the Partridges but on our way back along the road two Red Grouse flew over relatively high in front of the car and landed on the hillside. A shower of rain meant we pressed on towards the Lurgies and Montrose Basin via the back roads. En route we found a field with Fieldfares, Chaffinches and Linnets in and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was on the ground on the other side of the road. A tree further on held a flock of Goldfinches. Passing through Brechin we added Starling and Black Headed Gull plus Collared Dove.

At the Lurgies the tide was in, so not too many waders nearby, but good numbers of birds further round in the basin including Great Black Backed Gull, Grey Heron, Goosander, Shelduck, Redshank, Curlew, Eider, Pintail, Shoveler, Dunlin, and a single Greenshank and a strange shape on the banking that I couldn't make sense of from my photo. When we looked through the scope it revealed itself as a Barnacle Goose facing directly towards us.

Heading along the road from the Lurgies, a small-ish brown raptor flew along a few inches above the side of the road near the hedges before chasing small birds over the opposite hedge. A completely unexpected Merlin. Popped into the visitor centre to scope the basin and added Tree Sparrow and Dunnock around the feeders, Scaup and Red Breasted Merganser out in the basin, and Turnstones feeding along the edge of the shore in front of the hide. Bar Tailed Godwit and Lapwing were roosting opposite the bridge.

Next it was on to Lunan Bay in the hope of seeing a Black redstart which had been seen in the area. Drew a blank on that, but there were a few birds out on the water including Long Tailed Duck, Red Throated Diver, Shag and Razorbill. A possible Slavonian Grebe dived but couldn't find it again so it went unconfirmed. Sanderling were scurrying around amongst the gulls on the beach.

We headed for Arbroath in the hope of Purple Sandpiper but the light was against us, so we headed home instead after a very successful and enjoyable trip around the local area. A big thank you to Darell for helping me add another 16 species to my year list, and to take me to 100 species in 6 days, reaching the target of 100 by the 9th I'd set myself for my week off work with a few days to spare.

85. White Fronted Goose
86. Barnacle Goose
87. Scaup
88. Long Tailed Duck
89. Red Throated Diver
90. Shag
91. Merlin
92. Greenshank
93. Razorbill
94. Dipper
95. Raven
96. Tree Sparrow
97. Siskin
98. Crossbill
99. Reed Bunting
100. Red Grouse

8th January

Had a day off from birding yesterday, but went out with the local bird club for their annual wader search along the coast. Had a couple of target birds for my list. Managed to get 1 of those but got 2 really good additions as well.

Walked into town from home around sunrise, with a glorious pink sky overhead. Quite a few birds seen en route (and a few others heard). Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Collared Dove, House Sparrow, Blue Tit, Feral Pigeon and Black Headed Gull all seen before I reached the City Centre. I heard a Magpie at the junction of Dens Rd and Arthurstone Tce, which is close enough to home to think I may soon be seeing one when I look out the window. As I waited to cross the road at the meeting point, I heard Redwing calling and looked up to see a pair fly over.

First stop was Balmossie where the tide was a bit further out than was ideal, but Starling, Pied Wagtail, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Sanderling, Redshank, Bar Tailed Godwit, Red Breasted Merganser, Eider, Wigeon, Goldeneye and Great Black Backed Gull all went in the book.

Next stop was at Monifieth where more waders were added in the shape of Knot, Grey Plover and Dunlin. En route from there to Elliot reedbeds we saw Buzzards and Kestrels close to the side of the road and a field full of Rooks.

I had my fingers crossed at Elliot for one of my target birds and I wasn't to be disappointed. As there was a large group of us tramping through the reeds and scrub, there were lots of Snipe flushing and among them there was the tell-tale silent, short low flight and drop again of Jack Snipe (the target bird). Also in the area we saw Song Thrush, Dunnock, Reed Bunting, Meadow Pipit, Wren, Yellowhammer, Linnet and Long Tailed Duck offshore.

A brief stop at Arbroath waterfront added Common Gull and lots of Herring Gulls in a wide variety of plumages. There could easily have been some more exotic variants in amongst them but there was nothing obvious enough for me to pick out.

Tried Boghead Farm for Corn Buntings but a mixed flock held Chaffinch, Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer and Tree Sparrow, but no Corn Buntings. Next stop was Montrose Basin wildlife centre. We sat in the Bank of Scotland hide and ate lunch but Little Grebe was the only addition from here. Popped into the main centre where we saw Pheasant, Greenshank, Mallard, Teal, Shelduck and Lapwing and were told that we'd missed a Great Northern Diver swimming just out in front of the centre. Luckily I was able to find it quite quickly with the aid of a scope, and we set off towards the Maryton steps to try and get a closer view. When we got there we drew a blank despite the Basin being as flat as the proverbial millpond. Added Mute Swan and Whooper Swan to the list at the Lurgies, but the Diver wasn't on that stretch either.

Headed from there to Lunan Bay in the hope of seeing the Black Redstart that wasn't showing on Friday but had been seen yesterday. Spotted a Great Tit as we passed the houses and a Robin on the ground, just past the Robin, we spotted the Black Redstart feeding on the ground and showing quite well. It flew up behind a derelict tractor, so we approached slowly and found it perched on the back of the tractor. Got a few nice photos, and then headed to the hide. Red Throated Divers were in the bay in large numbers (30+), as were Common Scoters and Long Tailed Ducks.

Stopped on the way home to check fields for Geese, but drew a blank but did pick up half a dozen Fieldfares flying around near some Crows.

101. Great Northern Diver
102. Jack Snipe
103. Meadow Pipit
104. Black Redstart
105. Song Thrush

27th January

Well, Andy Murray's epic tennis match put paid to my plans to venture a little further afield, so I spent the afternoon at a very quiet Riverside. Lovely day, but the sun made viewing birds in the bay difficult.
The afternoon started well with a Buzzard seen circling from the bus stop (near the two football grounds), just as the bus appeared at the start of my journey.

Once I got to the park, the trees seemed almost completely empty with hardly any small birds even heard, let alone seen. Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon and Herring Gull all flew over, and 3 male Teal were on a partially frozen lochan.

At the hide, the tide was almost all the way in, with a single Pink Footed Goose by the sewage pipe. There were other geese further over in the bay, but they lifted before I got a good view. Not many waders around, just Redshanks. Lots of Gulls, mostly Black Headed with a few Common Gulls and quite a few Herring Gulls. A Robin was in the bushes in front of the hide, and a couple of Blue Tits were feeding in the trees behind.
A Buzzard was in a tree overlooking the bay, and a Meadow Pipit in a tree further along the path near the viewpoint was obviously on sentry duty, as when I tried to get a closer view it lifted, followed by maybe 10 others from the grass at the top of the hill.

Sat at the viewpoint as the sun began to set, with several flocks of Oystercatchers low over the river. A Grey Wagtail flew over calling as it went, and a Shelduck flew out from the bay and across the river. A Buzzard being harassed by Crows near the end of the airport spooked a Grey Heron which flew a short distance before settling down again. A small flock of Curlews moved from the perimeter of the airport to nearer the bay to roost, and a few Starlings headed towards Invergowrie.

Highlight of the day was a fleeting glimpse of a Fox as the Crows made it feel unwelcome as it passed close to a group of them. Only 19 species of bird seen though, with several of the usual suspects absent completely.

106. Grey Wagtail

28th January

My first BirdForum Scottish Bash started at Dundee Station where I met up with Andrew Whitehouse to catch the train to Perth to meet up with Bongofury (Steve) to ferry us to the meeting point at Scone Palace. From the train, I managed a Riverside Nature Park patch tick in the shape of a female Goosander feeding at the mouth of the burn as it heads out into Invergowrie Bay. Also a Shelduck was out on the mud. Buzzard was spotted from the train, along with Mute Swan.

Arriving in Perth we met Steve at the station and headed on to Scone Palace, a Goosander flying over the car as we crossed the river, and a flock of Swans flying downriver, but as the light was still poor they went unidentified. Delia was at the meeting point, and discovered that the gate into the estate was locked, so we used the back driveway to gain access. Delia stayed by the car to wait for Clandestine Birder (Manuel) while the three of us wandered in. A few Siskins flew over, and Robin, Blackbird, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Chaffinch were all feeding on the ground below the trees. Jackdaws flew over, and a Treecreeper crawled up the trunk of a tree nearby. I finally picked up a likely Hawfinch which had landed in the top of a tall evergreen. Snapped a quick photo to confirm and got the others onto it. Just as Delia, Manuel and his wife joined us the bird flew off. We scouted around a bit before Andrew spotted a small group of 4 or 5 birds in the treetops. We all managed good scope views of these birds. Heading back to the cars a couple of geese flew over which appeared to be Greylags.

Heading to the next stop at Quarrymill a male Pheasant was added to the list as it wandered across a field by the side of the road. Target bird at Quarrymill was Dipper, and a walk up the burn eventually produced one, which put on a bit of show and went for a wander along the bottom of the burn, which pleased Steve as he'd never seen this behaviour anytime he'd seen Dipper in the past.

From here it was onwards to Loch of Kinnordy via Blairgowrie with some decent birds seen en route from the cars. Two Kestrels flew over together as we neared the outskirts of Blairgowrie and a Sparrowhawk being chased by a Carrion Crow was a nice addition also. Mistle Thrush, Jay, Starling and Common Gull were also seen as we drove on.

Reaching Kinnordy we found most of the loch frozen but two areas held large groups of waterfowl. Andrew found the drake Smew, which had an annoying tendency to dive as soon as someone managed to see it, and resurfaced near the Common Gulls and Swans which made it tricky to pick out at times. Other ducks on the Loch were Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Mallard, Wigeon, Tweal and Goosander. Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Herring, Common and Black Headed Gulls also shared the space out on the ice, but there was no sign of the White Fronted Geese which have been in the area for some time. Wren and Reed Bunting were out among the reeds around the Loch. A walk to the east hide to get better views of the Smew was followed by a short walk along the path towards Kirrie, which produced a nice mixed flock of Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Yellowhammer and Redwing feeding on the ground around the trees by the side of the path. A few Great Spotted woodpeckers flew past, while Siskin fed in the trees. A couple of Red Squirrels were spotted by Andrew too. A skein of Pink Footed Geese flew eastwards, but there were none of the White Fronted Geese in the fields on the road back to Kirriemuir either.

A change of plan next took us up Glen Moy in the hope of a few additions. Lots of birds in the trees as we drove along the road, mostly Fieldfares and finches. A bit further on I mentioned to Steve that a Red Grouse sat on a fencepost at the side of the road would be nice when as if by magic, one appeared showing brillintly atop a fencepost by the side of the road. A lifer for Steve who stopped the car. Delia following on behind was looking at the Grouse too and almost didn't notice that Steve had stopped. Fortunately disaster was averted when she spotted that the car in front was indeed stationary. We stopped for lunch at the small car park by the bridge, where a couple more Red Grouse were seen, and some distant Ravens were seen above the hills.

Our final stop was Forfar Loch, where Moorhen, Coot, and Gadwall were feeding around the edges of the loch where the water wasn't frozen. Lots of Gulls on the Loch but no sign of any Iceland Gulls among them. Magpie (not common in Angus, Steve) flew over, as did two Cormorants. A charm of Goldfinches were in the treetops around the north side of the Loch and an unseen flock of House Sparrows contributed to the noise levels from the gardens of the houses. The light was starting to go, but we did manage to see a male Sparrowhawk hunting through the bushes along the edge of the loch. Andrew spotted a Kingfisher low over the loch but we weren't able to see it when we got the boat club area. On the way back to the car park end we added Greenfinch and Collared Dove to the list for the day. Manuel and his wife headed off back southwards before Andrew, Steve and myself stood around searching through the gulls arriving to roost in vain searching for the Iceland Gull. While arranging Sunday's details a Pied Wagtail flew over as did even more Gulls. Delia said she'd seen a Dunnock while watching around the viewing platform area, so that went on the list too.

An enjoyable day in lovely conditions with nice people, and some good birds around.

107. Hawfinch

11th February

A visit to Fife to try and add a few new year ticks started at Guardbridge. Carrion Crow, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Blue Tit, Feral Pigeon all being seen before I made it to the bus station in Dundee. A single Fieldfare flew over as I neared the bus station. From the bus, Cormorant, Black Headed Gull, Jackdaw, Blackbird, Buzzard, Rook and Starling were all added en route.

Once into the hide, there weren't too many birds around but a variety of species were seen. Chaffinch, Teal, Greenfinch, Robin, Goldeneye, Mallard, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Shelduck, Pheasant, Pink Footed Goose, Dunnock, Wren, Dunlin, Great Tit, Red Breasted Merganser, Wigeon, Magpie, Common Gull, Coal Tit, Siskin, Lapwing, Great Black Backed Gull and a brief visit from a Grey Plover.

Took the bus along to St Andrews, got some chips and headed out towards Outhead hoping for a few additions via the Castle. First addition were Fulmars along the cliffs. Out in the bay Red Throated Diver, Velvet Scoter and Guillemot were seen as well as Eider and Common Scoter. A Grey Heron flew in onto the rocks below the Castle and Redshank and Oystercatcher were around as well. Starlings were feeding on the grass with Rooks and Jackdaws. Rock Pipit flew along the side of the burn and Pied Wagtail was also added nearby. Had a brief view of an unidentified Pipit which flew up from the scrub and into the dunes but I was unable to refind it. A Water Pipit had been reported a few days earlier nearby, but Pipit was as specific as I could be as it flew away from me. Once out at Outhead a small flock of Sanderling feeding along the shoreline were joined by Dunlin and Ringed Plover. A single Knot flew in and joined the roosting flock that kept being disturbed by walkers as the tide came in.

Walking back in towards the town at sunset a Reed Bunting was seen and near the toilet block and shop a Short Eared Owl was spotted over the golf course. Carrion Crows spotted it as well and gave chase, with the Owl effortlessly outpacing them gaining height as it did.

108. Velvet Scoter
109. Fulmar
110. Guillemot

12th February

A local bird club outing to Scone Palace and Argaty Red Kite Feeding Station promised at least one new bird.
Walked into town picking up fewer species than usual. Herring Gull, Carrion Crow, Starling, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Pied Wagtail and Feral Pigeon. Added Black Headed Gull and Cormorant as we headed along Riverside Drive in the car. Buzzard was seen en route to Perth and Mute Swans were in the fishing pool below the Friarton Bridge. Jackdaw was added to the list while travelling through Perth.

First stop was at Quarrymill car park where we had a wee wander up the burn. Chaffinch, Starling, Long Tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Greenfinch were all seen from the car park around the feeders. A Kingfisher flashed past low upstream seen only by myself and Gus Guthrie. Great Tit, Dunnock and a Dipper were seen on the return leg back to the cars.

Next stop was Scone Palace looking for the Hawfinches. The misty conditions were far from ideal for photography (although it was handy for getting a photo of the sun showing a couple of sun-spots on the surface). A couple of Mallards were on the pond near the back entrance. Added Coal Tit and Goldcrest plus Pheasant within the grounds and finally found around half a dozen Hawfinches high in the trees near the Palace itself.

From there it was onwards to Argaty. A kestrel was in trees by the side of the dual carriageway and a Grey Heron was sat in a tree by a large pool near Argaty Farm. Didn't take too long for the Red Kites to start gathering for the feast. A few Buzzards also showed as did the local Carrion Crows. Chaffinches, Blue Tits and Great Tits were all around the car park. At feeding time the Carrion Crows were first down to the meat with around 25-30 Red Kites circling above. Heard a Raven "pruk" high above and with a wee bit of luck spotted it above the Kites. Managed to get some nice photos of the Kites too, which was a bonus.

On the way back to Dundee, we stopped off near Carsebreck Loch to add some waterfowl to the list. First up was Upper Rhynd where a large mixed flock took to the air when we stopped. Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Mallard and Teal made up the bulk of the flock. A few Mute Swan lingered along the edges of the loch and a Little Grebe was spotted as well. With the aid of a scope a few Canada Goose were seen in the distance on Lower Rhynd. We walked on towards Carsebreck Loch itself where Common Gull and various ducks mingled on the water. A single Shelduck was out on the loch. The boggy ground nearby looked good for Snipe so I walked along the edges, but no Snipe took flight. A couple of Short Eared Owls did though, which was a nice surprise and a lifer for at least one of our group. Black Headed Gull, Pink Footed and Greylag Geese were added en route back to the cars and Rook and Collared Dove were seen on the way home. Another good day out.

111. Canada Goose
112. Red Kite

25th February

While trying to decide where to go, got a text through saying that the Great Grey Shrike had been seen at Guardbridge again, so jumped on a bus to try and see it. Stopped to speak to another birder, and as we chatted I noticed a bird in the top of a bush a good distance away. A quick check confirmed it was the Shrike.

113. Great Grey Shrike

26th February

Took a wee trip to Riverside Nature Park and unexpectedly added 2 birds to my yearlist in the shape of a couple of Lesser Black Backed Gulls in the bay and an overflying Skylark seen from the hide flying in the direction of Invergowrie. Heard it calling and managed a photo to confirm my ears weren't deceiving me.

Not having a scope with me caused a few problems with another possible for the yearlist. The light was pretty poor, being overcast and with a cold wind in my face, and holding binoculars steady proved to be quite tricky. Saw what looked like quite a small-ish Curlew, in the company of a flock of Redshanks, with an eye stripe, a dark crown and what appeared (on a couple of poor photos) to be a crown stripe. The beak appeared quite long for Whimbrel, and when it took off the outer wings appeared to be all dark on the best photo I got. Other photos just muddied the issue even further with the legs appearing to protrude behind the tail and the outer wing being less dark. I put word out on the local text grapevine as a possible Whimbrel (just in case) but reviewing the photos tonight on the PC, I think a Curlew with a faint crown stripe is the likelier ID.

Other birds seen included 4 Black tailed Godwits, 2 Pink Footed Geese (1 with a bit of polythene bag over its bill), 5 Buzzards, a couple of singing Goldcrests, and a small group of Long Tailed Tits. Shelduck, Teal, Mallard (including a very pale buff coloured female) and a couple of drake Goldeneye were out in the bay. Lots of Black Headed Gulls, plus a few Common Gulls and plenty Herring Gulls. Still no sign of any white winged Gulls in the bay (though most are out of binocular range across the bay - a decent scope would be a big help). Also had 3 Bullfinches feeding on buds together. Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Curlew, Dunlin (3 at first joined by another 30 or so), a few Goldfinches, a few Meadow Pipits near the top of the hill, Robin, Wren, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, and a Siskin made up the rest of the list.

114. Lesser Black Backed Gull
115. Skylark

3rd March

A trip to Largo Bay with Gus Guthrie added a couple of nice Black Throated Divers close in to shore from the car park in Lower Largo, and a few Slavonian Grebes further out. Red Breasted Merganser, Common Scoter, Velvet Scoter, Eider, Cormorant, Razorbill and Long Tailed Duck were also out in the bay. Turnstone, Oystercatcher and Redshank were all seen on shore. Rain stopped play so we headed to Buckhaven to try and get Mediterranean Gull s for my list. There was no sign of any on the grass in front of the flats on Shore Road though there were plenty of gulls in the air above. Plan B produced the goods though. Plan B being the sharing of some Ready Salted Crisps with the gull flock. Two Mediterranean Gulls showed up in the melee nice and close to Gus's van. A Sparrowhawk flew past as we drove up the hill back to the main road.

Stopped off at Guardbridge for the afternoon where the highlights included Brent Geese, Great Spotted woodpecker, Lapwing, Peregrine and another Sparrowhawk.

116 Black Throated Diver
117. Slavonian Grebe
118. Mediterranean Gull

4th March

A wee run around some nice places in Angus with my pal, Steph, started in Glen Moy where plenty of Red Grouse were seen and photographed. Spooked a pair of Red Legged Partridges near the bottom of a field, and a small group of Long tailed Tits were feeding in the trees here. Two Roe Deer broke cover from the edge of the field and a flock of Yellowhammers with at least one Reed Bunting fed in the field before flying up into the treetops near us. Four Jays flew in front of the car a bit further up the road, and a Buzzard sat in the big evergreen trees. A Kestrel was hunting at the end of the road, and a pair of Mallards flew off from a very small pool by the side of the track when we were photographing the Grouse. Two ravens overflew. A few Bullfinches were near the side of the road on our way out and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was perched on the dead tree where I've previously seen Merlin.

Next stop was Loch of Kinnordy where some really good birds have been seen lately. Had very brief views of the Green Winged Teal distantly close in to the far shore. Other waterfowl on the Loch included Coot, Moorhen, Teal, Mallard, Goldeneye, Tufted Duck, Shoveler and Goosander. Nice views of Treecreeper later between the hides.

A rather circuitous route took us to Forfar Loch to try for Iceland or Kumlien's Gull. Neither was seen as the light was fading fast by the time we got there and our efforts weren't helped by the gulls taking flight for no apparent reason as I scoped through them. Did however manage to add Pochard and Great Crested Grebe to the year list.



119. Pochard
120. Green Winged Teal
121. Red Legged Partridge
122. Great Crested Grebe

11th March

Another enjoyable day out in Fife with Gus Guthrie. Started at Guardbridge but just the usual suspects although a Rook on the mud opposite the hide was a wee bit unusual here. Next stop was meant to be the Goosepools but a broken barrier en route to Kinshaldy Beach meant a change of plan, so we headed to Morton Lochs instead. A Whooper Swan and a couple of Canada Geese were the highlights here. Little Grebes were around in decent numbers and a Reed Bunting was in the reeds on the southern loch. Lots of toads around here mating and spawning. I managed to miss a Lesser Redpoll in the trees but there were Siskin and Goldcrests to compensate a little.

We then headed to Dalgety Bay to try and see the two Chiffchaffs here - one Common (which may or may not be the Scandinavian subspecies) and a Siberian Chiffchaff (which we hope will get full species status at some point soon). We spoke to a local birder who knew of the birds habits and we got lucky quite quickly in the trees with some great views and photo opportunities of what turned out to be the Common Chiffchaff. Also managed great views of a couple of Treecreepers. Eventually the second bird showed up and we were able to watch both birds at the same time. Unfortunately the Siberian Chiffchaff was a bit more elusive and a combination of bad positioning and poor choice of which bird to follow through the camera lens resulted in just one or two possible Sibe photos. Really pleased with the photos on the day though. A mixture of sea ducks and waders were around in the bay, including Dunlin, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Wigeon, Red Breasted Merganser and Eider.

123. Chiffchaff
124. Siberian Chiffchaff

18th March

A trip out with the Angus and Dundee Bird Club began at Montreathmont Forest where a Great Grey Shrike had been reported early that morning. The bird was seen quite easily (although a lot of heat haze made getting a photo tricky). Also around were a single Crossbill and lots of calling Green Woodpeckers. Both Grean and Great Spotted Woodpecker were seen among the usual mix of forest birds. As we headed back to the cars a White Tailed Eagle drifted lazily over heading west. A nice surprise.

Next stop was Montrose Basin and the Lurgies where a couple of thousand geese included a small flock of White Fronted Geese and Greylag. The majority were Pink Footed Geese though. Pintail, Gadwall, Wigeon, Teal and Mallard added to the waterfowl. Highlight among the usual waders were 2 Greenshanks.

Persuaded my birding companion to take the scenic route home to try for a few other birds that I needed for the year list. First stop was Boghead Farm where lots of Yellowhammers were feeding in the field. A couple of Stock Doves were also nice to see. A lot of determined scoping turned up a couple of Reed buntings but the target bird was proving elusive. Eventually, on the verge of giving up, I managed to find a Corn Bunting feeding by the edge of the pond among the longer grass.

Wasn't sure if the next target bird had returned to the breeding grounds at Auchmithie yet but decided to try for it anyway. Headed downhill to where a view of the bay could be had and picked up a small group of Puffins out in the bay but not too far offshore. Another couple of groups were spotted too. Around 15 birds in total. Got a bonus here with a Kittiwake passing north offshore.


125. Corn Bunting
126. Kittiwake
127. Puffin
128. White Tailed Eagle

24th March

A slight injury to my leg from playing football the night before chose my destination for Saturday. Decided to spend the afternoon at Guardbridge as the tide came in. Was hoping for a couple of returning migrants. Highlights of the afternoon included 3 Brent Geese, 8 or so Pintails, a couple of Linnets, a male Pheasant, a pair of Stock Doves and also a pair of Collared Doves. A single Whooper Swan was on the bank upstream from the hide. Managed to pick up a Spotted Redshank among the Redshanks. A small flock of 20 or so Dunlins turned up but were spooked by something and flew off with the Redshanks before the tide brought them close.

One of the birds I was hoping for has a preferred spot at this time of year, so from time to time I scoped for it. After a few failed attempts I spotted a bird on a fence post. Bingo! My first Wheatear of the summer. No Osprey turned up though.....

129. Spotted Redshank
130. Wheatear

25th March

An enjoyable and very productive day around Angus produced three new year ticks. En route from Dundee we picked up a number of birds the best of which was a small covey of Grey Partridges in a field. First stop was Montreathmont Forest to see if the Great Grey Shrike was still around. It was, as were Crossbill, Linnet, Bullfinch, Yellowhammer, Goldcrest, Siskin, Chiffchaff and Great Spotted Woodpecker among others.

From there we headed for one of the Angus Glens. As it was still late March I wasn't expecting the variety of birds we actually saw in the glen. Highlights included Black Grouse, Chiffchaff, Dipper, Grey Wagtail, Kestrel, Lapwing, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Pied Wagtail, Raven, Red Grouse, Red Kite, Skylark, Snipe, Stock Dove and Wheatear.

Final stop was at Loch of Kinnordy where a male Marsh Harrier and an Osprey completed a very good day out.

131. Black Grouse
132. Osprey
133. Marsh Harrier

14th April

The promise of not having to climb a mountain to see a much-wanted bird meant that my pal abandoned her plans for some housework. I popped into Riverside Nature Park while she got organised and finally managed to see Lesser Redpoll. A pair of Shoveler were a patch tick also (my 85th species at the site in less than a year).

We headed for Carnbee in Fife where the birds had been seen with just a vague idea of where we were going. Luckily when we got there two cars were parked half on/half off the road and not too far into the field were the birds. Two Dotterels. Nice close views were had though my photos were rather poor given the opportunities presented.
Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Skylark, Buzzard and Linnet were also around.

We then headed to Morton Lochs where I knew a spot to try for another year tick. A single Canada Goose and a Whooper Swan with an injured foot shared the north loch with Little Grebes, Coots, Teal, Mallard and a few Gadwall. Also a single Tufted Duck. Chiffchaffs were calling from in among the trees and lots of Siskins in the treetops added to the noise. As we walked between the hides a burst of semi-familiar song stopped us - with a bit of looking we found the source - a male Blackcap. Another few were in the bushes by the road next to the hide (same place where I saw 1 last year). While trying to get photos of one high in the Elder tree an overflying bird caught my eye. My first Swallow of the year. A nice bonus. Usually get Sand Martin first but haven't seen one yet. A productive impromptu day out.

134. Dotterel
135. Swallow
136. Blackcap
137. Lesser Redpoll