Riverside Nature Park, Dundee. (1 Viewer)

Another visit after work today. Was hoping for some nice waders and managed to get a decent selection, although numbers were very low with the exception of Redshanks.

Bar Tailed Godwit - 1 with 3 Black Tailed Godwits in bay
Blackbird - 1 seen near eastern entrance
Black Headed Gull - a few around in the bay
Black tailed Godwit - 3 with 1 Bar Tailed Godwit in the bay. A single bird also seen in front of the hide later (may/may not be from same group).
Carrion Crow - A few dotted around the park, and in the bay.
Chaffinch - A few towards eastern end.
Common Gull - just a couple in the bay.
Common Sandpiper - only one seen in front of the hide.
Curlew - 2 in the bay.
Goldfinch - small flock flitting around.
Goosander - 1 female at high tide.
Great Black Backed Gull - 1 on pipe.
Herring Gull - most numerous gull today but low numbers compared to usual.
Jackdaw - 2 on the pipe.
Kestrel - 1 being harassed by a Carrion Crow towards the outer bay.
Lapwing - just 1 in front of the hide.
Lesser Black Backed Gull - a few in the bay.
Long Tailed Tit - family group feeding around the hide.
Mallard - double figures in the burn outflow with Teal.
Mute Swan - 2 in front of the hide.
Oystercatcher - only a few around in the bay.
Redshank - most numerous wader, though probably around 100 at most.
Feral Pigeon - only a few on the pipe.
Ruff - a new tick for the park for me, 2 birds - 1 male and 1 female.
Shelduck - 2 youngsters.
Starling - 1 overflew compost area.
Swallow - 1 over car park briefly.
Teal - numbers increasing in the bay with a few in the burn in front of hide.
Turnstone - 1, possibly 2, in front of the hide at high tide.
Woodpigeon - 1 in bay, and a few around the park.
Pied Wagtail, Blue Tit and Robin all heard.

A wee reminder, Friends of Riverside Nature Park AGM tomorrow night at 6pm at the Botanic Gardens (education centre). Anyone with an interest in the future of the park, please come along and get involved.

99. Ruff

The Lesser Whitethroat was in the same place as before at 7.30 tonight. New one for me.

Good catch, Graham. Glad someone else managed to see it.
Please add your other sightings around the park (even just a list will do) if you visit. The more posters in this thread the better, and the more sightings listed the better the overview of the park birds which hopefully persuades others to visit. The more visitors hopefully encourage others to visit.....etc etc.

As I'm now on the "Friends of Riverside Nature Park" committee, I'll be trying to drum up a bit more interest in the park on a more regular basis, I suspect. All help raising the park's profile welcomed.

Stonefaction said:

99. Ruff

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Well done with the Ruff, Barry. What's your money on for #100?

Just about to post it, Steve......and it was unexpected too.

Stonefaction said:

Just about to post it, Steve......and it was unexpected too.

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Oooooo....the anticipation! (Its probably a Magpie:-O)

Popped down to the park this morning with Gus Guthrie to try to see Lesser Whitethroat and Curlew Sandpiper (both for Gus's yearlist) and ended up with 42 species seen - could have had at least 1 other (heard a Great Spotted woodpecker flying over, and had a couple of possible Redpolls also in flight). 2 more than my previous best total for a visit. Possibly one of the best days for wader species in the bay (although actual numbers were still quite low) that I've had, and a bit of vis-mig also, which brought #100 for the park-list.

Blackbird - one near the car park on the path.
Black Headed Gull - a few around in the bay.
Black Tailed Godwit - one in burn in front of the hide
Buzzard - one over Invergowrie and one drifted over from Ninewells direction later.
Carrion Crow - a few dotted around.
Chaffinch - a few around in the bushes at various points.
Chiffchaff - one low in the bushes behind car park (lots of tail-flicking).
Common Gull - one or two in the bay.
Common Sandpiper - just one seen in front of the hide.
Cormorant - one in the bay.
Curlew - a few in the bay, but numbers still low.
Curlew Sandpiper - spotted one out on the mud with a small group of Redshanks (and a Ruff picked up later from photos) but the flock took off and flew out of sight before Gus managed to get onto them but I managed two quick photos.
Dunlin - 21 in a small flock on far side of the bay flew off out into the river and were lost to view. 1 along side of burn with Redshanks etc.
Feral Pigeon - small number on pipe.
Goldfinch - small groups flitting around, one with a Linnet in tow.
Goosander - two in front of the hide.
Grey Heron - one flew into the bay as we were leaving.
Herring Gull - in their usual place in the bay, bathing, roosting and preening.
House Martin - one overflew while watching a Siskin flying towards us.
Jackdaw - a couple down in the bay.
Knot - a small flock of 6 in the bay. Most I've seen here together.
Lapwing - a few dotted around, but more flew in later.
Lesser Black Backed Gull - still a few around.
Linnet - one in company with 3 Goldfinches near compost area.
Long tailed Tit - small group feeding by the hide, only one seen though - others heard.
Mallard - Double figures in the bay, mostly in front of the hide.
Meadow Pipit - a few passing over on migration, and a few dotted around in the long grass at various points in the park.
Oystercatcher - Small flock in the bay.
Peregrine - one hunting out towards the outer bay then flew rapidly towards Invergowrie.
Pied Wagtail - two together towards the bay, and a few others heard. Gus saw one that I missed on the pipe.
Redshank - most numerous wader again.
Ruff - one with Redshanks in front of hide (female), one (male) with Curlew Sandpiper/Redshanks, and one of each close together along the burn. Possibly just two, but potentially four different birds.
Shelduck - still 4 juveniles in teh bay.
Siskin - 1 flew over near the crop research test area.
Skylark - a single bird heard calling then seen as it passed over (vis-mig, I think).
Song Thrush - one in compost area.
Swallow - a few passing over westwards.
Teal - numbers beginning to increase and males moulting back from eclipse plumage.
Turnstone - 1, maybe 2, in the bay again.
Willow Warbler - one in bushes near horse field.
Woodpigeon - usual few dotted around.

and lastly - bird no. 100 for the list here.....

Tree Pipit - two over westwards calling (vis-mig). Noticeably different tone to the call compared to the Meadow Pipits.

100. Tree Pipit

Also a few species of butterfly despite the wind - White, Peacock, Small Copper, Red Admiral, Meadow Brown. A few Common Darter dragonflies too.

Still to get Magpie on the list, Steve.....

Stonefaction said:

100. Tree Pipit

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Superb - great bird to get for #100:t:

Stonefaction said:

Still to get Magpie on the list, Steve.....

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:eek!:

Another attempt to get Curlew Sandpiper on Gus's yearlist yesterday morning (Sunday) at the park. Drew a blank (got one later at Montrose Basin) but Gus found bird 101 for the list, and we managed over 40 species between us again - a total of 52 species in just two days which shows the potential for the park given a bit of patience and a scope (two pairs of eyes helps too). Good to see another two local birders in the park as well armed with scopes.

Blackbird - a couple seen on our way in along the edge of the park.
Black Headed Gull - 2nd most numerous gull in the bay.
Black Tailed Godwit - two roosting in front of the hide.
Blue Tit - one showed well in the hedge along towards the hide.
Chaffinch - a few around the car park.
Chiffchaff - three birds behind car park in bushes and on fence.
Coal Tit - a couple of birds around the car park.
Cormorant - Five or six birds on pipe/in bay.
Curlew - a few dotted around on the mud.
Dunlin - a few more around than the previous day, with a flock of 20+ in front of the hide.
Goldcrest - At least one at the car park.
Goldfinch - flocks of up to 20+ around the park.
Goosander - Two in front of the hide again. One with a damaged leg was limping.
Great Spotted Woodpecker - two birds seen (though they may have been the same bird). One on telegraph pole by access road near dump. Another flew over the main road into the park towards the Lochan.
Great Tit - One in bushes between hide and hill.
Greenfinch - Small group around the Buzzard nest trees.
Grey Heron - One on Lochan and at least one in the bay.
Grey Wagtail - One posing very nicely in bushes towards the north east corner.
Herring Gull - decent numbers in the bay.
House Martin - A few hunting over the park
Jackdaw - A couple in the bay.
Lapwing - Good numbers in the bay (a few folk remarked on the numbers around just now).
Lesser Black Backed Gull - Still a few around in the bay.
Linnet - A small group in the compost area.
Mallard - Five on the Lochan and more in the bay.
Meadow Pipit - A few around, but not as many passing over on vis-mig.
Oystercatcher - A small flock (20+) in front of the hide.
Pied Wagtail - A few possibly passing over the park/stopping to feed (potentially White Wagtail?).
Pink Footed Goose - A flock of around 100 overflew west-south-west.
Redshank - Most numerous wader again.
Robin - One in tree by the path down to the hide.
Shelduck - Four young birds still in the bay.
Siskin - Six in trees by car park.
Song Thrush - One in buzzard nest area bushes (seen by Gus and missed by me)
Spotted Redshank - One in the bay, found by Gus with his scope. (A scope is very handy when looking through the waders in the bay - just wish I had the means to carry one in addition to my camera gear and binos).
Starling - Small group on wires at the south east corner of the park.
Swallow - A few passing over.
Teal - A few birds in the bay.
Turnstone - One (possibly two) around the edge of the burn.
Willow Warbler - One at junction of paths up to the west of horse field.
Woodpigeon - A few around. One with apparent nest material.
Wren - One seen by Gus (I missed it) in Buzzard nest area bushes.

Common Sandpiper - Just one heard.

Incidentally, Birdguides now list the park as one of the reporting locations on their sightings page, so if you see something worth reporting you can list it under the park instead of Dundee.

101. Spotted Redshank

i had a walk around the park 10..am today,gs woodpecker heard calling from the car park/flock of 4 long tailed tits flying about/house martin/woodpigeon/chaffinch/blue tit /robin/sparrowhawk/buzzard /goldfinch on the way to the lochan,1 heron hunting in the water plus some mallards,50 pinkfoots flew over on the path to the hide,the area in front of the hide was bustling at this time,lots of waders,dunlin/turnstone/1 common sandpiper/redshanks/lapwings/oystercatchers/curlews,i took a few pics of the wader flock and i am still checking through them, there is at least one im not sure of,the 2 female gooseanders were swimming this side of the pipe ,teals mallards 2 shellducks(1adult 1juv)1 cormorant/carrion crows/lssb backed gulls all in view,while watching the waders i caught in the corner of my eye 2 grey birds flying in and landing in the trees to the right of the hide,i could have sworn they were collared doves but with no positive id plus there is a few feral pidgeons in this area so i wont count them,a flock of 6 pied wagtails around at the scree area plus 5 meadow pipits,2 unitendified brown jobs in flight here
i had a look for the nuthatch at camperdown earlier ,no joy (it is still being reported there)but had great views of jays

If your grey birds landed in the trees, then Collared Doves would appear to me to be the likelier. There are a few pale Ferals around but I don't recall ever seeing Feral Pigeons in trees. They are a rather surprising omission from the list, so hopefully if your birds were Collared Doves then fingers crossed they will frequent that area.

im surprised at the omission of collared dove to,there is certainly a few pairs in invergowrie,in 2007 i bought my first digital camera with some zoom on it(canon s2 12xzoom)i spent some time in invergowrie at the waterfront trying for some lapwing pics,the birds weren,t landing so i moved my car and eventually abandoned my car a distance away and walked back but the peewits still didn,t land,i sat on the wall contemplating my walk back when a collared dove landed on the lampost in front of me,totally made my day,who would have thought just 5 years down the line there would be a park just around the corner with 101 species recorded...so far :t:

Took rubbish to the dump and had a quick 5 min look for the lesser whitethroat. No luck but did get a spotted flycatcher and a goldcrest.

Good catch on the Spotted Flycatcher, Graham. A new one on the park list. I'm hoping to get down to the park tomorrow, so will keep an eye out for it. Possibly the first of the (many?) migrants passing through?

102. Spotted Flycatcher

1 canada goose in front of the hide at 2.40pm,

very windy here today,at the car park,chaffinches/blackbird/woodpigeon/walking around towards lochan,3 flocks of goldfinch the largest about 20 birds,7 pinkfoots flying over/1 swallow/1 robin/carrion crow,on the lochan 1 tufted duck with some mallards,a tractor was cutting the grass between here and the hide and flushed a female pheasant which flew towards the car park,1 hunting kestrel nearer the hide,i visited the hide twice today 9.45 and 2.10,the earlier visit had good weather but the tide was well out,distant curlew/redshank/oystercatcher/jackdaws were in front of the hide and a whitethroat was to the right,the dipper was feeding at the enterance to the tunnel,the second visit was during the rain,1 common sandpiper/teals/lssb gulls/1gbb gull/black headed gulls/herring gulls/jackdaws/oystercatchers/heron,the wader flock stretched from the pipe to the far side of the bay,i waited 40 mins in the rain for the tide to bring them all into the corner,i just checked my pics and as i suspected apart from a couple of oystercatchers all were redshanks, i took a few videos of the waders and while filming i heard a bird calling from behind me(in the bushes to the left)i will put the call in the q&a after i have extracted it from the vid,
the canada goose swam up from the left(this side of the pipe) and mounted the pipe preening itself before swimming back where it came from,at the viewing point 2 swallows/2 pied wagtails/ lots of teals /redshanks sheltering in the channels/
3 buzzards, 2 hovering together plus 1 being harrassed by a crow,5 meadow pipits,3 unitendifed birds seen,
between my visits some rubbish was dumped at the hide area ,two 2 litre bottles of juice (1 nearly full)empty bags of crisps plus toilet paper was pushed through the window slits and is now sitting directly in front of the hide ,maybe a fixed bin would be a good idea here

Nice evening at the park from 6.00 - 7.30 with the wind easing and sun shining.

Seen what I thought was Kawwauser's tuftie on the lochan but close look through the scope identified it as a Scaup and new one for the park 103.

Sent a couple of digiscoped pics to Barry who confirms a scaup and we both wonder if this is the same bird as Kawwauser saw yesterday.

Other birds were the spotted flycatcher (behind line of trees on north side of car park), chiff chaff, willow warbler, blue tit, great tit, coal tit, gold crest.

here is the bird i seen,

Hard to be 100% sure when viewing on my phone but the overall feel of your duck is the same as fishy's. More rounded head shape than tufted duck and a bulkier look. Think it is the Scaup.

Hi kawwauser,

Yes, I'd say same bird.
Stick at 102, or twist for 103?
I'm just back from having another look but needless to say it's gone.

Graham