Stonefaction
Dundee Birding....(target 150 in 2025).
15th April
A change of plan due to illness meant that a trip to the Isle of May with my pal was put on hold, so I headed to Fife looking to add a few new year ticks to my list. Walked out from Leuchars along the back of the RAF base past Earlshall Castle. Mistle Thrush, Buzzard, Meadow Pipit and House Sparrow were the best birds on the first part of the walk. Took the detour to the north in the hope of adding Snipe to the list for the day. At the first boardwalk section, at least 3 Water Rail were tantalisingly close (within 6 feet or so) but completely hidden in the reeds. Some movement of the reedtops was as close as I got to a sighting though. Reed Bunting and Grey Heron were also seen here.
Passed a noisy Rookery at the edge of the woods and also a possible Grey Heron's nest in the same area. Heard Green Woodpecker further in but not too many birds around while in the trees (Siskin and Chaffinch seen, Wren heard). Out to the beach where I was hoping to see a few birds in the outer reaches of the Eden and along the shore. Not much around, so walked out towards the mouth of the river. A few gulls (Common, Black Headed, Herring and Great Black Backed), a Curlew or two, some Oystercatchers, a drake Red Breasted Merganser were the highlights. I stopped and scanned out in St Andrews Bay and managed to spot a couple of Sandwich Terns fishing. My first of the summer. A possible Black Throated Diver flew by heading south into the bay where it landed. Had a few sunlit possible Gannets way out to sea before I picked up a definite much closer in. A few Eiders around also.
Decided to head back along the beach. Spotted a seal and a couple of dark ducks with white patches on their head. Initial thought was Velvet Scoter but the white patch was too large. A few seconds more study and it clicked. Long Tailed Ducks in summer plumage. Got distracted by something then turned around to find that the LTDs were much closer in to shore than they had been. When they dived, I hurried closer. Positioning myself behind a wooden pole I managed some of my best photos yet of this handsome wee duck and my first in summer plumage. Managed a few more shots of a group of three and a single bird later (all males). A solitary Grey Plover was further up the beach than I was, but it scurried off before I got many photos. A Lapwing and a Wheatear were seen before I got back to the wood. A pair of Mute Swans flying low along the tree-line looked like they'd came from the Goosepools area.
Tried to hurry back to the village in the hope of catching a bus back to Dundee without a long wait. Linnet and Long Tailed Tit delayed my progress slightly, and in the fields to the north of Earlshall Castle a small group of Stock Doves shared the ground with Woodpigeons, Jackdaws, Pied Wagtails, Lesser Black Backed and Herring Gulls. By the houses a pair of Collared Doves were on the road. Packed away the camera and hurried through the village. Missed the bus by a minute or two, so had to wait twenty minutes till the next one.
138. Gannet
139. Sandwich Tern
A change of plan due to illness meant that a trip to the Isle of May with my pal was put on hold, so I headed to Fife looking to add a few new year ticks to my list. Walked out from Leuchars along the back of the RAF base past Earlshall Castle. Mistle Thrush, Buzzard, Meadow Pipit and House Sparrow were the best birds on the first part of the walk. Took the detour to the north in the hope of adding Snipe to the list for the day. At the first boardwalk section, at least 3 Water Rail were tantalisingly close (within 6 feet or so) but completely hidden in the reeds. Some movement of the reedtops was as close as I got to a sighting though. Reed Bunting and Grey Heron were also seen here.
Passed a noisy Rookery at the edge of the woods and also a possible Grey Heron's nest in the same area. Heard Green Woodpecker further in but not too many birds around while in the trees (Siskin and Chaffinch seen, Wren heard). Out to the beach where I was hoping to see a few birds in the outer reaches of the Eden and along the shore. Not much around, so walked out towards the mouth of the river. A few gulls (Common, Black Headed, Herring and Great Black Backed), a Curlew or two, some Oystercatchers, a drake Red Breasted Merganser were the highlights. I stopped and scanned out in St Andrews Bay and managed to spot a couple of Sandwich Terns fishing. My first of the summer. A possible Black Throated Diver flew by heading south into the bay where it landed. Had a few sunlit possible Gannets way out to sea before I picked up a definite much closer in. A few Eiders around also.
Decided to head back along the beach. Spotted a seal and a couple of dark ducks with white patches on their head. Initial thought was Velvet Scoter but the white patch was too large. A few seconds more study and it clicked. Long Tailed Ducks in summer plumage. Got distracted by something then turned around to find that the LTDs were much closer in to shore than they had been. When they dived, I hurried closer. Positioning myself behind a wooden pole I managed some of my best photos yet of this handsome wee duck and my first in summer plumage. Managed a few more shots of a group of three and a single bird later (all males). A solitary Grey Plover was further up the beach than I was, but it scurried off before I got many photos. A Lapwing and a Wheatear were seen before I got back to the wood. A pair of Mute Swans flying low along the tree-line looked like they'd came from the Goosepools area.
Tried to hurry back to the village in the hope of catching a bus back to Dundee without a long wait. Linnet and Long Tailed Tit delayed my progress slightly, and in the fields to the north of Earlshall Castle a small group of Stock Doves shared the ground with Woodpigeons, Jackdaws, Pied Wagtails, Lesser Black Backed and Herring Gulls. By the houses a pair of Collared Doves were on the road. Packed away the camera and hurried through the village. Missed the bus by a minute or two, so had to wait twenty minutes till the next one.
138. Gannet
139. Sandwich Tern
