Badger on Pinkhill Path around 11ish tonight.
We both gave one another a wee bit of a fright!
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Leisure
Wildlife highlight of the day
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Posted 7 years ago #
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BOFFOF saw a badger on the NEPN somewhere recently.
A very fast-moving critter (probably a rabbit) being pursued by an equally fast-moving dog - the latter nearly took me out as I was running in Colinton Dells yesterday evening.
This morning's roadkill: one hedgehog in East Calder and one small deer on the A70 just coming out from Balerno.
Posted 7 years ago # -
I was such a nice evening last night once the wind had dropped away that I paused to take in the stillness for a few minutes whilst walking next to the Water of Leith. Glad I did so, because an otter swam across the river just to the right of me. I don't know enough about otters to say how old or what sex it was but it looked quite big. I know they have poor eyesight so it may not have seen me but might have picked up my scent as it didn't reappear.
This was across the river from the old Kinauld Mill site between Currie and Juniper Green.
Posted 7 years ago # -
A Great Wood Wasp just flew in the room. Thought it was a hornet, slightly freaked out till I twigged it was harmless.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Badger ahead of me snuffling along the Roseburn path this evening.
Stopped to watch him/her as I'd not been overheard. After a couple of minutes s/he turned off onto The Water of Leith Path towards Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art.
Edinburgh wildlife is very cultured!
Posted 7 years ago # -
@jules878
There is a badger castle out the back of the SNGMA, beyond the small graveyard but still in the grounds.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Much charismatic (mega)fauna on a ride through the Borders today. Two herons, two hares, lots of rabbits, lots of large raptors (buzzards, I assume). However the highlight highlight was a teeny weeny stoaty weasel thing who ran across the road in front of me, decided that it didn't like that side after all so ran back to where it had started. When it got to the edge of the tarmac it launched itself into the air with front legs straight out in front and hind legs straight out at the back and dived into the verge. Extremely cute, but presumably a bit nippy up close.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Having seen two badgers within a week I thought I'd seen my quota for the year, but saw another one this evening (10.45ish) sauntering across "the red bridge".
I suppose it is a fine warm evening for foraging.
Posted 7 years ago # -
@jules 878 check your bike frame, sounds like maybe Badger Watch have sneaked a Badger Magnet under your saddle?
Posted 7 years ago # -
Saw a pure white bird that looked like (and flew like) a swallow in Lanarkshire - can't remember exact location as I was in touring mode - I think it was in the Drumclog area.
A quick google search yielded this -> http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-34223915. I swear it is the absolute spit of what I saw! Very very unusual!
Posted 7 years ago # -
Jeebus IWRATS I think that would have been whack first, take social media photos later in this house.
Posted 7 years ago # -
@Cyclingmollie
My mother-out-law's house occasionally gets a hornet flying in for a look when the windows are open in summer. First time it happened I actually started towards the gun cabinet, but everyone just told me to calm down.
This thing's wings made a rustling, fluttering noise like a dragonfly which seemed to make it less threatening.
Posted 7 years ago # -
If hornets ever make it up here I may have to start keeping my EpiPens up-to-date. I assume that if I'm more allergic to wasp venom than bee venom that I'd ve even more allergic to hornet venom.
I saw a suspected red kite down at Gibside last week - they're plastered all over the sides of buses and information panels, but have been invisible on previous visits. Heard but didn't see lots of owls down in Lincolnshire.Posted 7 years ago # -
There are Hen Harrier days in many parts of the UK this weekend to highlight the precarious situation these creatures are in due to illlegal persecution.
Mark Avery will be speaking on Saturday at Loch Leven and on Sunday, he will be joined by Andy Wightman, amongst others, at Boat of Garten Community Hall.
More details here:-
http://markavery.info/2017/06/23/hen-harrier-day-2017-update/
His book, Inglorious:Conflict in the Uplands is well worth a read.
Cheers
ColinPosted 7 years ago # -
A wee reward for standing outside in the cold for a few hours, sighting of roe deer and first local badger that I've seen, right by my house
Posted 7 years ago # -
Recent sightings include on Friday a massive hare running through Dalmeny Estate about 20yds in front of me.Also, yesterday morning a hedgehog successfully crossed my street and scuttling into a neighbour's garden.
Posted 7 years ago # -
I too spotted a non-squashed hedgehog for the first time in many years while I was visiting my parents in Preston. They currently have at least two hedgehogs living nearby, which they are actively encouraging by leaving a bowl of Spike's Dinner (hedgehog food) on the patio each evening. The hedgehogs are large enough to activate the security light so it is easy to spot them, although the light is also routinely triggered by local cats (which apparently do not like the hedgehogs) and other unspottable things.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Spotted On-line a hedgehog that had a condition that caused it to swell up tpo size of a beach ball. That wasn't too cool.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Lots of photos of an insanely cute mountain hare named Nevis who was hand reared and released back into the wild - we are assured at a place where grouse murderers aren't also murdering hare.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-40792013
Posted 7 years ago # -
@Min
Excellent bit of hare raising there. Driven grouse shooters (I've no objection to walking up for the pot) should just die of shame in their own drunken mess.
Posted 7 years ago # -
The canal swan family has started sitting on the towpath, which makes the commute that much more entertaining. Last night, some people appeared to be encouraging them up onto the towpath at Wester Hailes with food so I skirted around the blockage by crossing one of the wider, flatter areas of grass. This morning, most of them were sat or stood on a part of the towpath with narrower, taller grass next to it. I got off and followed a lady with a bike in front of me past the swans by pushing my bike through the edge of the taller grass. Luckily the adults were not agressive!
Posted 7 years ago # -
BOFFOF also had a swam encounter on the towpath last night leading him to take to the road to avoid them.
He then saw a kingfisher - he's never seen one before!
Then something (bee or wasp) stung him on his head.
Posted 7 years ago # -
@fimm presumably he was back on the towpath when spotting the kingfisher? Nice to know that they are still around!
Posted 7 years ago # -
@jdanielp yes indeed. It was only a brief diversion to avoid the swans.
Posted 7 years ago # -
A sparrowhawk or similar flying away from the canal as I headed west on the towpath just along from Gibson's Terrace at 8ish. The cygnets were settling for the night in the reed bed while the parents watched and preened themselves at the edge of the path.
Posted 7 years ago # -
There is a seagull near the shanty town shacks at new street that is killing and eating the pigeons, which is not so nice to witness. Mean streets of the favella.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Lots of swifts screeching in the sky above the canal as I headed west on the towpath just along from Gibson's Terrace at 9ish. Reciprocal hooting and a brief flash of an owl of some kind flying between the trees on Craiglockhart Hill. Also several bats.
Posted 7 years ago # -
11 hares counted on yesterday's trundle to Moffat via Innerleithen, plus a weasel.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Swan Jam at Boroughmuir this morning. Man they were all over the path. Eventually we dismoutned and used our bikes as protection.
Only evwer seen one or two hares, not eleven. Hare Convention Here.
Posted 7 years ago #
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