http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Wildlife highlight of the day en Tue, 27 Oct 2026 20:34:21 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=247#post-386061 Wed, 07 Oct 2026 17:23:59 +0000 gembo 386061@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@jdanielp do you think the kingfishers are back trying to tell you to build an ark etc? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=247#post-386060 Wed, 07 Oct 2026 15:32:04 +0000 jdanielp 386060@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>A kingfisher flying across The Loch at Heriot-Watt while I was sat outside eating my lunch earlier this afternoon. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-386058 Wed, 07 Oct 2026 13:11:57 +0000 gembo 386058@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Would have thought the local mice would have run them out of dodge? Just saw a weasel right up at the washing line in my garden. A first for Gembo Towers </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-386057 Wed, 07 Oct 2026 12:41:31 +0000 chdot 386057@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>Eva Wishart and Emily Smith bred several hundred harvest mice in tanks in their garages and released them on a nature reserve in Devon, south-west England, where the mice have begun breeding in the wild again.</p> <p>The tiny harvest mouse, the UK’s smallest native rodent, is the only British mammal to have a prehensile tail, which can grasp or hold objects. It uses its tail to clamber up grass stems, which were once commonplace in fields, meadows and scrubland but have become far more scarce because of agricultural intensification.</p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/oct/07/children-harvest-mice-wild-release-devon-uk" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/oct/07/children-harvest-mice-wild-release-devon-uk</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-386056 Wed, 07 Oct 2026 12:31:07 +0000 jdanielp 386056@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>A scavenging of seagulls fighting for a substantial pile of food which had just been deposited on the grass by the canal towpath near the Water Hailes Police Station today. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-386054 Tue, 06 Oct 2026 17:15:26 +0000 jdanielp 386054@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Lovely kingfisher this morning flying above the surface of the canal just west of the Scott Russell Aqueduct. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385970 Mon, 28 Sep 2026 12:14:41 +0000 gembo 385970@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Hunners of red kites and a Ram on a lead being taken on a walk by some Doonhamers in a golf buggy. Some great quiet roads and cycle routes in D and G. (This weekend) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385963 Fri, 25 Sep 2026 10:30:54 +0000 chdot 385963@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/sep/25/skylarks-sandwich-terns-birdies-on-reserve-created-from-golf-course-uk" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/sep/25/skylarks-sandwich-terns-birdies-on-reserve-created-from-golf-course-uk</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385954 Thu, 24 Sep 2026 08:36:32 +0000 jdanielp 385954@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Kingfisher on the canal just west of the footbridge to Colinton Dell yesterday morning. First spot in a while for me at least. Two female goosanders at Wester Hailes. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385936 Tue, 22 Sep 2026 09:04:21 +0000 wingpig 385936@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Either an heron being mobbed by two crows and a seagull or an heron and a seagull being mobbed by two crows, all flying very low over Craigentinny Avenue. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385836 Mon, 14 Sep 2026 12:48:25 +0000 jdanielp 385836@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The Wester Hailes Cygnets are starting to attempt short test flights. On Thursday morning last week I, and some pedestrians, witnessed one of their efforts between the lagoon and the totem pole. One of the pedestrians had a dog on a short lead, which, as the swans started to take flight, bolted away from the canal across the towpath and proceeded to swing up in an arc dictated by the length of the lead, before swinging back down onto the ground and immediately chilling back out again. Had I been slightly further ahead this may well have been even more dramatic. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385739 Fri, 04 Sep 2026 11:29:43 +0000 chdot 385739@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2026/sep/04/week-in-wildlife-a-hitchhiking-crab-a-shy-wallaby-and-penguins-in-little-jackets" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2026/sep/04/week-in-wildlife-a-hitchhiking-crab-a-shy-wallaby-and-penguins-in-little-jackets</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385582 Mon, 24 Aug 2026 19:06:36 +0000 jdanielp 385582@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I think I saw a weasel bouncing across the canal towpath and the bridge access ramp at Hermiston House Road Bridge this morning. It was quite long and too small to be a stoat/no black tail tip. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385565 Mon, 24 Aug 2026 08:02:42 +0000 chdot 385565@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/24/wild-beaver-kit-pair-born-norfolk" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/24/wild-beaver-kit-pair-born-norfolk</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385443 Sun, 16 Aug 2026 08:00:14 +0000 wingpig 385443@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>A weasel, flowing across the Roseburn on the slope up from the Balbirnie access point. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385439 Sat, 15 Aug 2026 16:04:11 +0000 Frenchy 385439@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>A week or two ago I spotted a pine marten, in my parents' front garden in north Aberdeenshire. It was much bigger than I thought pine martens are, and not particularly shy; they've seen it quite a lot recently, apparently. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385436 Sat, 15 Aug 2026 15:02:07 +0000 ejstubbs 385436@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Hiking up Allermuir in pretty sweltering 25°C+ conditions on Wednesday evening in order to have a shuftie at the eclipse* from a decent vantage point, I couldn't help noticing that the north Pentland ridge seemed to be much more purple then I remember seeing it previously. Maybe something to do with the *cough* extreme *cough* weather this summer making the heather all excited?</p> <p>Oh, and if vegetation doesn't count as a wildlife highlight, there was also a very bonnie kestrel - I'd guess female since it was quite a big 'un - hunting all around the hill. I'd never consciously noticed before the way they can glide downwind and then do a a sharp 180° turn back in to the wind to attach to their invisible skyhook. Neat trick. Eat your heart out, Red Arrows.</p> <p>As a closing highlight, there were lots of swallows still whizzing in and out of the Swanston Farm horse accommodation as we passed it on our way home.</p> <p><em>* We did get to see some of it, though the 90 percentality which was the most we were ever going to get was largely obscured clouds. On the plus side, the clouds were quite pretty anyway, with the sun behind them.</em> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385433 Sat, 15 Aug 2026 09:38:21 +0000 jdanielp 385433@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Badger by St. Mark's Park as I was heading back into town from Leith last night. It took a while for it to notice that I was watching, had a good look at me, then ran off. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385426 Fri, 14 Aug 2026 07:43:25 +0000 gembo 385426@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The Rat is risen. Praise be. You can still run over them but agree you are a bike further away from them than a pedestrqin. I was within a foot of one on Jacob’s Ladder the other spray but it Climbed up some ivy. The local vicar in Balerno once had a badger hitch a lift on his bicycle up Harlaw road one evening. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385423 Thu, 13 Aug 2026 19:53:15 +0000 jdanielp 385423@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The Kingsknowe Rat was alive and well at Wester Hailes yesterday, scampering across the canal towpath between the water and the bushes as I approached it, startling a texting pedestrian in the process. It occurs to me that being on a bike reduces the risk of contact with a rat. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385376 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 08:05:46 +0000 gembo 385376@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The twitchers have ended themselves about a red footed falcon showing off at Aberlady </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385375 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 07:17:13 +0000 Frenchy 385375@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>A kingfisher on Duddingston golf course this morning. Sat on the edge of one of the wee bridges over the burn, contemplating. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385304 Tue, 04 Aug 2026 08:49:02 +0000 Rosie 385304@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Kestrel sitting on the garden shed, eyeing the mice that run to and fro after the spilled bird food. They were too canny for him/her so after trying the ground, the wheelie bin (the toilet, evidently), the windowsill, the roof, s/he then flew off. Lovely close view of him/her. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385158 Fri, 24 Jul 2026 08:42:13 +0000 chdot 385158@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jul/24/rare-night-heron-somerset-holnicote-river-reset" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jul/24/rare-night-heron-somerset-holnicote-river-reset</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385112 Sat, 18 Jul 2026 11:34:50 +0000 jdanielp 385112@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>SQUEAK? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385107 Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:17:07 +0000 MediumDave 385107@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Or it is the Death of Rats waiting for an instance of the Kingsknowe Rat to have another "mishap". Possibly at jdanielp's hands. Or wheels</p> <p>SNK SNK SNK </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385105 Thu, 16 Jul 2026 22:19:43 +0000 gembo 385105@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@jdanielp I think it is trying to get you to adopt it? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385103 Thu, 16 Jul 2026 18:34:33 +0000 jdanielp 385103@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Spotted the rat on my way home today. It was mooching around and scuttled into the undergrowth as I passed. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385085 Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:51:20 +0000 jdanielp 385085@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Three days in a row now, but the rat was more cautious today after the close call yesterday. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=643&page=246#post-385075 Tue, 14 Jul 2026 09:12:56 +0000 jdanielp 385075@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>And again this morning, although it waited slightly later before running out in front of me today. If it continues with this pattern it will be flat by the end of the week. </p>