Riverside Nature Park, Dundee. (15 Viewers)

[Stonefaction]

Mark, I think Davholla is only visiting Dundee for a few days. Joining the local bird groups is probably a wee bit of 'overkill'. The site guide is well put together by Alex but local knowledge with regards public transport (as Davholla says he might not have a car) would probably be fairly necessary to get the best from it for such a short stay.

 

[MarkCaunt]

Hey it's just an option and at £12 not a bad one. Of course he can tap into local knowledge with the friendly local club members. He could just get bird news texts for 2 weeks around the time he is up here. Was just a thought.

 

[Stonefaction]

No harm in putting the option out there, Mark.

 

[davholla]

Thank you all, for the advice. I wish I had more time and my family wanted to go with me. I just passed my test so I can hire a car if needed.
For Balgavias loch is public transport an option?
I think that from what I have read for Balgavias and Kinnordy car would be better but for Montrose public transport is ok.
Have the Ospreys arrived yet?

 

[Stonefaction]

No word on any of the local Ospreys being back yet, except one at Loch of the Lowes, near Dunkeld (bus or train via Perth then walk out/back to reserve), though they may yet show up this weekend. It appears Balgavies is just about doable via bus (bus to Forfar then a bus to Milldens on A932 then a walk back along what is a busy road, (I think without pavements) to the loch. EDIT: There are roadside verges but I would probably not even consider it). The travelinescotland website can be used for planning your route and timetable via public transport (there is an Angus dayrider ticket available on Strathtay buses for around £7.50 which allows you to jump on and off buses when and where you like).

EDIT: If the Ospreys do arrive back before you get here then a bus to Kirriemuir and a walk along the Kirriemuir Path Network to Loch of Kinnordy may give you the best chance at seeing an Osprey, plus there are Red Squirrels around the feeders there also, as well as possible Marsh Harrier - might still be early, and maybe even a lingering Bittern.

EDIT: If you have only recently passed your driving test then car hire may not be possible. I know at least some companies insist on you having had a license for 12 months.

 

[Stonefaction]

Given the apparent choice of options being between 1) using a knowledgeable local guide with transport to get to where the birds are, or 2) using public transport coupled with locally sourced knowledge (either via bird club members/membership or not) or 3) own transport and locally sourced knowledge (either bird club members/membership or not), I think your chances of seeing any particular target species are probably best using a guide given your limited available time.

Public transport timetables and routes in Angus, Perthshire and Fife aren't brilliant for connecting with too many birds especially if you have limited time and no real idea of where bus stops etc actually are - google streetview can be a help but isn't perfect. Weather in April can also be an issue with pretty much anything possible from sunshine to fog to frost and/or snow.

Personally, if I was visiting a new area I'd be limited to either using a guide, or public transport as I don't drive. If I only had limited time I'd go with a guide. If I had a week or more I'd maybe have a go at getting around via public transport, though I might mix the two and use the services of a guide for the first day and then afterwards get around under my own steam.

Either way, hopefully you'll get some good birds when you do get up here. Rather than keeping this RNP thread a bit 'off-topic', feel free to message me if you've any further questions, or post in the Tayforth birding section where there's a chance a few more folk will see it (things tend to be pretty quiet in this thread and I probably should've suggested that earlier).

 

[Stonefaction]

Popped into the park for a few hours on Saturday morning (2/4/16) and managed 35 species including a few goodies.

Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff (quite a few along railway line opposite too), Cormorant, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Meadow Pipit, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Shelduck, Skylark, Snipe, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Teal, Woodpigeon, Yellowhammer.

 

[srgreen]

You would be better joining the Fife and Angus Dundee bird clubs.
For just £12 you can join the Angus and Dundee Bird club for a FULL year and as well as the booklet "Bird watching sites in Angus" (hopefully photo attached to this message), you will receive newsletters, yearly bird report and you can also benefit from the text news system of local interesting birds.
Its only £12 for the year! You can see details on the www.AngusBirding.com website particularly this page http://www.angusbirding.com/html/adbc.html
The website showing local sightings is also free to join!

Mark, you're not actually suggesting that spending 12 quid to join a club, get a bird report a site guide would be better than going out with a highly experienced guide with local knowledge, are you?
That's kind of how it reads, as your comment that "you would be better joining" etc follows directly on from the suggestion of using a guide. Could you just clarify thats not what you meant?

Regards, Stuart

 

[MarkCaunt]

Hey it's just an option and at £12 not a bad one,

No harm in putting the option out there, Mark.

Just as I already said

 

[srgreen]

Just as I already said

No, you actually said

"You would be better joining the Fife and Angus Dundee bird clubs", directly after davholla had said he had been in contact with me.
Better than what? Whether you meant it or not, the inference is there.

And if you had bothered to read the thread properly, you would see the guy wasn't asking if there was a bird club to join or bird report to read, he was actually looking for specific answers. Pay attention.

Barry, sorry for hijacking your thread again, but I can't have someone making glib comments that are seemingly aimed at me and just let it go, apologies to you. Mark, if you've anything else to say, you know my email address, feel free, as this ISN'T the place.

SRG

 

[kawwauser]

I was in the park for 4 hours today, the new signs are a great addition,the first two pic below are the signs,the signs clearly describe the situation but unfortunately a couple of dog walkers had unleashed dogs at an important area of the park (left of the hide)there is some sort of building being constructed at the dump area,the building is at the far west of the dump area and will overlook the bay,33 species seen, 1 heard but not seen (chiffchaff)not seen a greenfinch here for awhile but am seeing them regularly around dundee,birds seen in order seen

carrion crow/redshank/goldfinch/herring gull/great black backed gull/shelduck/mallard/curlew/lesser black backed gull/teal/feral pigeon/starling/oystercatcher/wood pigeon/heron/chaffinch/robin/
jackdaw/blackbird/song thrush/magpie/bullfinch(5 birds a mixture of m/f)blackcap (m)dunnock/buzzard/wren/skylark/reed bunting/blue tit/yellowhammer x1/pied wagtail/great tit/sand martin
I watched a pair of long tailed tits collecting nesting material on my last visit but no sign today, probably sitting tight

 

[Stonefaction]

When I popped into the park the other week, there were 2 dog walkers seen up on the hill with dogs off leads and another who walked past the signs oblivious while her dog ran off to do its own thing in the trees by the car park and wouldn't come when she shouted for it (well under control.....). I asked her if she'd seen the signs, she said she'd been in a wee dream world but did say that as the baby rabbits would soon be appearing she was thinking of taking the dog elsewhere for a few months anyway. Once she got it back she did put it on the lead. I did see another dog walker whose dog was off the lead initially but when I encountered him later his dog was on the lead which suggested he'd seen the signs after he'd passed me initially. There are always going to be those who think they can do what they like, it would be nice to see/hear about other dog owners letting them know that their behaviour gives all dog owners a bad name. Hopefully, those that are now keeping their dogs under control will have a positive effect on the breeding birds around the park. One thing I did notice was that there was much less obvious dog fouling, possibly as a result of dogs being on leads. That in itself is a massive plus.

 

[ianford]

Wednesday 20 April 2016

A beautiful though frosty morning found me at Riverside just after 6 am to do a Skylark survey. With no wind at all and a clear blue sky it was ideal.
Singing Larks were going straight up and I watched several land, helping greatly with plotting where they may breed. Four singing birds were in the park with a further three singing birds just outside the park. Pairs were seen chasing and feeding too.
A secondary reason for going today was to recce the area before the Dawn Chorus on Sunday 24th. Plenty of Willow Warblers are around and a couple of Blackcaps have arrived too. A hundred Pinkfeet flew over north-east and 13 Curlew went the same way at the same time. I had several highlights though- an Osprey was being harassed by a gull near Seal Point, a female Northern Wheatear was near the viewpoint very briefly and a Ringed Plover was song-flighting near the Composting Area and I saw it chase a second bird.
Another first for me for the park was a hot-air balloon over the Tay opposite Errol.
A couple had their dogs off lead and I spoke to them about the Skylarks and suggested they put the dogs on leads. They called the dogs but I didn`t see them put leads on.
Roll on spring!

 

[kawwauser]

hi barry ,I was reading your blog page mentioning the increase of whitethroat territories from your 10/5 visit,i was in the park early on the 9/5 ,I watched a male whitethroat on one of the usual territories, he was really singing his heart out ,a female appeared and he began chasing her into an area where they nested previously, a magpie appeared and landed on top of the bushes nearby,the bird sat quietly watching their every move,at one point I walked right under the magpie,not good news for this particular pair,im sure at one point this magpie will return and get some sort of bounty,i also seen/heard the male sedge warbler singing on that second territory, very nice

 

[kawwauser]

I done a complete circuit of the park this morning,32 species recorded,highlights were a pair of magpies feeding just 10 feet from the car at the car park/swifts and house martins skimming on the lochan and my first yellowhammer youngster of the year,1 meadow brown butterfly and a few six spot burnet moths were near the viewing point,there doesn't seem to be any larger butterfly's around at the moment ,I seen some painted lady's on the cliff top at Arbroath a few weeks ago but not much since

park birds

magpie/pied wagtail/house martin/wren/swallow/carrion crow/oystercatcher/wood pigeon/chaffinch/black headed gull/herring gull/reed bunting/whitethroat/goldfinch/dunnock/blackbird/buzzard/robin/song thrush/yellowhammer/starling/willow warbler/mallard/swift/greenfinch/lesser black backed gull/jackdaw/heron/redshank/shelduck/mute swan/linnet

 

[kawwauser]

26 species seen on a very dismal morning,there were a lot of different sized waders out in the bay but they were too far out to id,there is a new toilet beside the earth viewing point ,it has a disabled sticker on the side

birds seen in order seen

wood pigeon/pied wagtail/magpie(4 birds together )carrion crow/whitethroat/buzzard/blackbird/robin/herring gull/house martin/wren/chiffchaff/chaffinch/goldfinch/black headed gull/oystercatcher/mallard/lesser black backed gull/teal/jackdaw/feral pigeon/redshank/curlew/heron/cormorant/swallow/willow warbler

 

[Stonefaction]

Popped down for what turned out to be a very productive visit from around 0800 till around 1330. As well as 4 species of butterfly - Meadow Brown, Red Admiral, Peacock and Green Veined White, I managed to see 52 species of bird. Started well with a late Swift overhead, then a Jay passed over towards Invergowrie and kept going. There were a few Tree Pipits passing over (maybe 7 or 8 in total). A Kingfisher was on the burn. Spotted a Curlew Sandpiper among the Dunlins in flight. Had good views of 2 and a Ruff. Photos of the Dunlin flock shows that there were at least 5 Curlew Sandpipers. 1 Black Tailed Godwit and a Bar Tailed Godwit as well. Still a few Sandwich Terns lingering. Visits by 2 Ospreys (one which had an unsuccessful dive. Saw 2 Sparrowhawks (or maybe the same one twice) being mobbed by Swallows, and by a Carrion Crow. A small flock of Canada Geese dropped in. A few Stock Doves around. A Whitethroat, Grey Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, House Martin, Chiffchaff and Willow Warblers were nice to see as well. Heard but didn't see Blackcap, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Greenshank.

Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Herring Gull, House Martin, Jackdaw, Jay, Kingfisher, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Ruff, Sandwich Tern, Song Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Stock Dove, Swallow, Swift, Teal, Tree Pipit, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.

 

[Stonefaction]

http://stonefactionbirding2014.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/ordinary-exotics-19916.html

Visited on Monday. Details on the blog post linked.

Guided walk next Saturday starting at 0830 at the car park, hopefully including some vis-migging from the hill.

 

[Stonefaction]

Pretty good turn-out of people for this morning's guided walk. Decent amount of vis-mig movements - Meadow Pipits and Skylarks mostly - few Siskins too. Park full of Song Thrushes and Blackbirds (migrants?) and plenty Chiffchaffs at eastern end of park too (migrants?). Tide was out so bay was quiet though there was at least 1 Black Tailed Godwit among the more usual waders and Teal. The Tufted Duck and 1 Dunlin at the Lochan with the regulars. 2 Snipe in the flooded area. A few Great Spotted Woodpeckers around, as well as a Jay near the car park and a flyover Whooper Swan. Plenty of Pink Footed Geese on the move too. A decent morning.

43 Species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Curlew, Dunlin, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Redshank, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Siskin, Skylark, Snipe, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Teal, Tufted Duck, Whooper Swan, Woodpigeon, Wren.

Bullfinches heard but not seen, and a Stoat or Weasel ran across the road just before we set off.

 

[kawwauser]

there was a single pinkfoot at the lochan area this morning,the bird was feeding on the grass right in front of the hide,best views of this small goose I have ever had,12 godwits were resting/feeding with the many redshanks which are currently roosting here,there are quite a few migrant blackbirds about but are too flighty to get a pic of,no redwings seen so far,2 weeks in a row I have heard what sounds like a skylark singing from the earth viewing point ?,a female goosander was perched on the pipe,i had 3 grey wagtails here 2 weeks ago,lots of small bird flying over all unidentified :C,i have been paying particular attention to the dunnocks at their hot spots (dump area and rear of buzzard wood) there are a lot them about,i wonder if any Siberian accentors will take notice


https://vimeo.com/188716474

https://vimeo.com/188722219