Stonefaction
Stuck in Dundee.....
Spent another couple of days worth of decent birding, with a trip up Glen Lethnot yesterday, and a trip to Errol/Port Allen today with another stop at Riverside Nature Park on the way home.
Glen Lethnot never fails to deliver, and yesterday was no exception. Highlights were a cracking male Redstart, 2 Cuckoos, a Tree Pipit having a bath, good numbers of Common Sandpipers and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a couple of Whinchats, a male Stonechat, a flock of Siskins, a couple of Linnets, a couple of Goosanders, a few Spotted Flycatchers and the usual supporting cast including Wheatears and Meadow Pipits. No Ring Ouzel or Snipe, and no sign of any Grouse, but a far from disappointing trip.
Today was a day off work, and with unfavourable tides and not much wind a visit to the coast seemed a waste of time, so I decided to head west to the Tay Reedbeds. En route, while sitting upstairs on the bus as we stopped briefly at the eastern end of Longforgan, I spotted a raptor appearing from behind the houses. The camera was hastily grabbed from the bag, and a few photos were snapped through the rather dirty bus windows. One female Marsh Harrier. A good start.
On the walk down Gas Brae when I reached Errol, a Whitethroat showed well by the side of the path allowing me a few photos. A Yellowhammer could be heard singing, as another one bathed in a puddle. Above the noise of the Yellowhammer I could hear a vaguely similar sounding song - one that I'd heard on my last visit here, but the bird had remained unseen. Today it was showing well on the outer branches of a large Oak tree. A nice Corn Bunting. When I reached the bottom of the track, and walked past the house to the open area between the reedbeds, Warblers singing and calling were much in evidence with Whitethroat, Blackcap, Sedge Warbler and Chiffchaff all competing to be heard over the sound of the Reed Buntings. No sign of any of the other reedbed specialities however, so a walk through the trees to Port Allen was next on the agenda. Picked up Willow Warbler and Treecreeper here. At the ponds, there were a number of large Mallard ducklings and Mute Swans with a couple of Cygnets. Also a couple of Great Crested Grebe, Coots with young, and a couple of young Grey Herons, one of which was very approachable and allowed me to within about 15 feet or so. While I watched he caught a small fish (a Perch possibly - red fins), and what looked like a mouse from in the reeds behind. Had to hurry back to catch my bus back to Dundee, but the Corn Bunting was singing again at the foot of Gas Brae.
Got off the bus at the first stop in Dundee and headed for the new Riverside Nature Park, for my second visit in 3 days. Lapwings, Curlew, Redshank and Oystercatcher mingled with Herring, Lesser Black Backed and Black Headed Gulls in Invergowrie Bay, with a few Shelduck and Carrion Crows added to the mix, with Mallard just offshore. A Cormorant flew in to land on the end of the outflow pipe as I walked out along the path. Just up from the hide I got my first surprise - a Lesser Redpoll. It perched on the fence for 10 seconds or so, allowing me to get a few nice photos. A bit further on, I chanced upon 3 of these wee birds feeding on the ground. A flock of 8 Linnets was seen a bit further round, as was a Grey Heron and a Kestrel. As with Saturday's visit, a small number of Stock Doves were eating the grass seed with Woodpigeon and Feral Pigeon at the eastern fields. While there, I spotted a few Gulls circling above Invergowrie Bay with another bird slightly higher. An Osprey. My first spotted from Dundee (although the bird was technically over Perthshire). Added Yellowhammer, Willow Warbler, Swallow and Swift. Ended the day with 51 species seen - one more than I'd seen yesterday.
Glen Lethnot never fails to deliver, and yesterday was no exception. Highlights were a cracking male Redstart, 2 Cuckoos, a Tree Pipit having a bath, good numbers of Common Sandpipers and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a couple of Whinchats, a male Stonechat, a flock of Siskins, a couple of Linnets, a couple of Goosanders, a few Spotted Flycatchers and the usual supporting cast including Wheatears and Meadow Pipits. No Ring Ouzel or Snipe, and no sign of any Grouse, but a far from disappointing trip.
Today was a day off work, and with unfavourable tides and not much wind a visit to the coast seemed a waste of time, so I decided to head west to the Tay Reedbeds. En route, while sitting upstairs on the bus as we stopped briefly at the eastern end of Longforgan, I spotted a raptor appearing from behind the houses. The camera was hastily grabbed from the bag, and a few photos were snapped through the rather dirty bus windows. One female Marsh Harrier. A good start.
On the walk down Gas Brae when I reached Errol, a Whitethroat showed well by the side of the path allowing me a few photos. A Yellowhammer could be heard singing, as another one bathed in a puddle. Above the noise of the Yellowhammer I could hear a vaguely similar sounding song - one that I'd heard on my last visit here, but the bird had remained unseen. Today it was showing well on the outer branches of a large Oak tree. A nice Corn Bunting. When I reached the bottom of the track, and walked past the house to the open area between the reedbeds, Warblers singing and calling were much in evidence with Whitethroat, Blackcap, Sedge Warbler and Chiffchaff all competing to be heard over the sound of the Reed Buntings. No sign of any of the other reedbed specialities however, so a walk through the trees to Port Allen was next on the agenda. Picked up Willow Warbler and Treecreeper here. At the ponds, there were a number of large Mallard ducklings and Mute Swans with a couple of Cygnets. Also a couple of Great Crested Grebe, Coots with young, and a couple of young Grey Herons, one of which was very approachable and allowed me to within about 15 feet or so. While I watched he caught a small fish (a Perch possibly - red fins), and what looked like a mouse from in the reeds behind. Had to hurry back to catch my bus back to Dundee, but the Corn Bunting was singing again at the foot of Gas Brae.
Got off the bus at the first stop in Dundee and headed for the new Riverside Nature Park, for my second visit in 3 days. Lapwings, Curlew, Redshank and Oystercatcher mingled with Herring, Lesser Black Backed and Black Headed Gulls in Invergowrie Bay, with a few Shelduck and Carrion Crows added to the mix, with Mallard just offshore. A Cormorant flew in to land on the end of the outflow pipe as I walked out along the path. Just up from the hide I got my first surprise - a Lesser Redpoll. It perched on the fence for 10 seconds or so, allowing me to get a few nice photos. A bit further on, I chanced upon 3 of these wee birds feeding on the ground. A flock of 8 Linnets was seen a bit further round, as was a Grey Heron and a Kestrel. As with Saturday's visit, a small number of Stock Doves were eating the grass seed with Woodpigeon and Feral Pigeon at the eastern fields. While there, I spotted a few Gulls circling above Invergowrie Bay with another bird slightly higher. An Osprey. My first spotted from Dundee (although the bird was technically over Perthshire). Added Yellowhammer, Willow Warbler, Swallow and Swift. Ended the day with 51 species seen - one more than I'd seen yesterday.


