Riverside Nature Park, Dundee. (2 Viewers)

[delia todd]

Goodness... that is strange, isn't it!

 

[Stonefaction]

Goodness... that is strange, isn't it!

I'm not certain but I suspect that changes to the discharge of sewage into the bay/river had an effect on what sort of food was available and led to some previously relatively common birds moving elsewhere.

 

[delia todd]

Ah!!! Sounds likely!!

 

[kawwauser]

i seen the snipe on the lochan on monday this is only my second sighting of snipe in the park,it was feeding at the same spot the waders like to roost,wonder if it will mingle with all the other waders ?

 

[Stonefaction]

There were 5 of them sunning themselves at the northwest most 'gap' between vegetation at the Lochan early last week. Good to know that we still have Snipe at the park given how the previously boggy parts have all dried out (though despite that I did manage to put one up from in the patch in front of Buzzard Wood earlier in the year).

 

[kawwauser]

comma butterfly sunning itself at buzzard wood this afternoon a lifer for me

 

[Stonefaction]

comma butterfly sunning itself at buzzard wood this afternoon a lifer for me

The park has proved to be quite productive for butterflies this year. I've personally managed to see 12 species this year including Comma, Common Blue, Orange Tip and Speckled Wood (found by Lainy McCormack who also added Green Winged Fritillary to the park list this year). Think Purple Hairstreak was also seen again this year too. Holly Blue (which was seen over the river at Wormit) and Wall (seen at Morton Lochs) are both potential additions for next year, both at the park and in the wider Dundee area. I think the park list currently sits at 16 butterfly species.

 

[burnie]

I've had a Pearl Bordered Fritillary in Montrose this year near Scurdie Ness

 

[Stonefaction]

A few blog-posts covering some recent visits to Riverside Nature Park that those of you who may not pay any attention to the blogs section on here may have missed...
https://stonefactionbirding2014.blogspot.com/.../1018...
https://stonefactionbirding2014.blogspot.com/.../1017...
https://stonefactionbirding2014.blogspot.com/.../1015...


Just realised I've invented a butterfly in an earlier post! Green Winged Fritillary should of course be a Dark Green Fritillary. Ooops.

 

[kawwauser]

a couple of bits and pieces
my last sighting of the shoveler on the lochan was 26/09/22 a pair of linnets flew over the lochan the same day,on my visit on the 3/10/22 i think half the magpies in dundee were in the park,9 were counted flying together with smaller groups spread about,a kingfisher was in front of the bay hide using different perches to fish from i seen it catch and eat 1 small fish,a grey wagtail was also feeding,i checked behind the tunnel looking for dippers none present,on the 10/10/22 the redshanks were spread along the wall resting i notice a break among the flock and a closer look revealed 2 resting herons,looks like the redshanks dont trust the herons,lots of redshanks with some godwits now starting to roost on the lochan the water level is still lower than usual and has pushed them a bit closer

 

[Stonefaction]

I've had a few recent visits to the park for some early morning 'vis-migging' (watching 'visible migration') from the hill which has proven quite productive with a nice mix of birds including Bramblings, Redwings, Redpoll, Reed Buntings, Mistle Thrushes, Yellowhammers, Skylarks, Chafffinches and Meadow Pipits all passing by. I also managed to get a personal 'patch-tick' with a Raven being seen and heard going west over towards the road. A couple of blog-posts covering the visits and some photos here...

1022 : Overhead Overload (8/10/22)

stonefactionbirding2014.blogspot.com

1025 : Migrants In The Morning (11/10/22)

stonefactionbirding2014.blogspot.com

 

[Andy Strachan]

Nice blogs. Was good to see all those side profile flight shots. I might even use them as reference some time as I had a bird recently that took me a while to figure out, because the lighting/camera settings were bad. I thought I had something interesting, but after spending ages flicking back and fore through my birdguide and comparing pictures etc., in the end I realised it was a female house sparrow! The lack of contrasting colours and features just totally stumped me for a while.

 

[delia todd]

after spending ages flicking back and fore through my birdguide and comparing pictures etc., in the end I realised it was a female house sparrow! The lack of contrasting colours and features just totally stumped me for a while.

Been there Andy... and not just with House Sparrows but with other equally common species!!!

 

[Andy Strachan]

Been there Andy... and not just with House Sparrows but with other equally common species!!!

haha aye, you don't expect it with birds you see every day in your garden!

 

[delia todd]

No you don't, do you... they just catch you out sometimes with a difficult angle or whatever.

 

[Stonefaction]

Nice blogs. Was good to see all those side profile flight shots. I might even use them as reference some time as I had a bird recently that took me a while to figure out, because the lighting/camera settings were bad. I thought I had something interesting, but after spending ages flicking back and fore through my birdguide and comparing pictures etc., in the end I realised it was a female house sparrow! The lack of contrasting colours and features just totally stumped me for a while.

Thanks, Andy. There is actually now a book in the Wildguides series "Flight Identification of European Passerines and Select Landbirds" which does give views similar to those in the photos and can help narrow things down....though it didn't really help with a Rosy Starling I had recently. I've also had a photo that is either a female House Sparrow or a female Greenfinch which did spark some debate on Twitter with no firm conclusion.... (I'm leaning towards the House Sparrow but only a bit).

 

[Stonefaction]

Keith Edwards has once again added another wader species to the park list with a Green Sandpiper (mostly sleeping) in front of the reeds in the bay this morning.

156. Green Sandpiper

 

[Stonefaction]

A few recent blog-posts that you might not have read (if you don't frequent the 'blogs' section on here) all about some of my recent visits to Riverside Nature Park....(I've surpassed my previous best total at the park - last year's 100, as I try to reach my 140 target figure for Dundee as a whole, with Riverside Nature Park contributing quite a lot to those efforts).
EDIT: Forgot I'd shared a couple of these already...

1027 : Pinned Hopes (16/10/22)

stonefactionbirding2014.blogspot.com

1022 : Overhead Overload (8/10/22)

stonefactionbirding2014.blogspot.com

1026 : Whistle-Stop Tour (12/10/22)

stonefactionbirding2014.blogspot.com

1025 : Migrants In The Morning (11/10/22)

stonefactionbirding2014.blogspot.com

1028 : Eastern Promise In The West End? (22/10/22)

stonefactionbirding2014.blogspot.com

 

[Stonefaction]

Managed to catch up with Keith's Green Sandpiper at the park on the Wednesday. Hoping this morning's mist will clear so I can pop down and see if it is still around, to see how my new camera copes with more distant birds, quality-wise.

1033 : Go For Green (2/11/22)

Fieldfare While I was at work on the last day of October, Keith messaged me to let me know he'd just found a Green Sandpiper at Riverside Na...

stonefactionbirding2014.blogspot.com

 

[kawwauser]

im sure i saw a nuthatch today about teatime the bird was in the trees to the left of the dump area,the light was very low and i couldnt see any colour it was the shape of the bird that got me thinking nithatch,with no positive id i wont count it,had my first bumble bee of the year in camperdown park