Riverside Nature Park, Dundee. (3 Viewers)

[delia todd]

It turns out that I added a new species to the park list on 22nd October but didn't realise at the time. I photographed a 'finch' that I was a bit puzzled by, but as I was trying to get to the bottom of the possible Olive Backed Pipit (which turned out to be a late Tree Pipit), getting an ID for it had to be put on hold. Then life got in the way and I only got back to trying to put a name to it last week. After working out what I thought it had to be - though not 100% certain - I sent the photos to a few experienced birders and posted the photos on here in the Bird ID forum. Between the 2, the conclusion was the same as my own. A Twite. With some suggestion of the possibility of Linnet I tried in vain to turn the bird into a Linnet, by comparing all my old Linnet photos, and a lot from online/in books but none looked the same. Linnet hadn't even crossed my mind initially as it didn't look very Linnet like on the back of the camera or on the PC, except superficially. So, with further confirmation via experienced birders on Twitter, it is a Twite and it is species number 168 for the park (though actually 164 chronologically) and was also my 150th species for Dundee in 2023 - that list now sits at 154.

In addition to that new bird for the park list, I managed to find another new one on the 19th of November. A Siberian Chiffchaff. We've had possibles at the park previously but with the bird photographed and recorded calling (which matched calls on Xeno-Canto & the Collins Birdguide app), it was a definite add to the list. Except it doesn't count. Siberian Chiffchaff is only a subspecies - though it looks and sounds different to Chiffchaff, and is a winter visitor rather than a summer migrant. So we can now say we've had them at the park (there were at least 3, possibly 4 that day, with at least 2 seen by Mark Wilkinson a week later in the same general area as the bird in the photos).

168 (actually 164). - Twite
***. - Siberian Chiffchaff

You never know .... it may be an armchair tick before too long!!! Maybe!!

 

[Stonefaction]

Keith Edwards managed to add yet another new species to the park list (number 169), the first new one for 2024, with a Merlin seen hunting near the Lochan. Merlin has been suspected as a winter visitor a few times over the years, but views had always been very fleeting and inconclusive, so good for it to finally be confirmed.

169. Merlin

 

[kawwauser]

i was in the park 20/05 and was recording using the merlin app at buzzard wood when the app showed nuthatch i texted stonefaction who told me sometimes a songthrush call fools the app there certainly was a song thrush nearby,while recording i got a notification on my phone and i thought maybe that triggered the nuthatch suggestion but i have since had a notification while recording and nuthatch never came up,i was out today 27/05 and recorded right around buzzard wood nut no nuthatch or song thrush a lot of black caps calling along with chiffchaffs/willow warblers/dunnocks ,saw my first swift of the year ,along at the lochan the mutes are still sitting tight i actually though they had chased the moorhens away but there were 2 adults with 5 fluffy yougsters today ,great to see there are a lot of newts about

 

[Stonefaction]

Had a listen to the recording. I can hear Blackbird for most of recording, plus a bit of Chaffinch song. There is a repetitive call comes in near the end that sounds to me a bit more Song Thrush like in tone, rather than Nuthatch. Does sound like it was a wee bit windy and call seems a bit more distant - I've seen Merlin give false positives in those circumstances (distant gulls as Osprey for example). I'll forward recording on to Keith for a second opinion.

 

[kawwauser]

the mutes now have 3 yougsters, im wondering if there may still be eggs in the nest which the birds may still incubate?3 seems a low number i was at clatto earlier they have 7 ,the newt numbers are right down hopefully they havent been netted