There was a clear woodpecking sound in Pilrig Park this morning.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Leisure
Wildlife highlight of the day
(7223 posts)-
Posted 6 years ago #
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Turned out to be a sparrowhawk having a bath!
It's filthy work hawking sparrows.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Posted 6 years ago #
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Several hares today. They stuck out like sore thumbs in the fields but tucked their ears down to "hide" as I passed.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Lots of hares, including one just over the wall about 2 metres away. Kingfisher on the Teviot near Kalemouth
Posted 6 years ago # -
Spotted a field somewhere outside Ochiltree with a flood so permanent in appearance that a pair of swans appear to have taken up residence.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Spotted a field somewhere outside Ochiltree with a flood so permanent in appearance that a pair of swans appear to have taken up residence.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Beeches are in leaf & ash buds are opening.
Some very handsome goosander chaps on the WoL yesterday.
This is acceptable, spring.
Posted 6 years ago # -
One chap and one chapess goosander merganser merganser up the WoL as far as Currie
Posted 6 years ago # -
A pair of treecreepers flew past us as we walked down MMW earlier and alighted on a nearby tree before creeping up it. This happened moments after my mum wondered aloud if we might see a treecreeper (we spotted one in the same area yesterday).
Posted 6 years ago # -
Can I borrow your mum? I have a list of things I'd like her to mention we might see...
Posted 6 years ago # -
I am genuinely fond of ravens. Smart, resourceful birds known to be able to count and to show insight into the human mind, they live largely by scavenging and piracy.
It's horrifying then to see civil servants authorising their slaughter for no good reason;
There is no natural balance of species on a grouse moor. They are the way they are due to being littered with traps and subject to a constant hail of lead shot. It's ravens this time but it will be buzzards next, then kites then eagles in the gunsights.
Anybody wants to drop a line on this subject to Scottish Natural heritage will have my thanks.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Really quite upset about this. Should be crime to shoot something so smart.
Posted 6 years ago # -
@unhurt
Sheep farmers are allowed to shoot them under licence if they are seriously harming newborn lambs and that, as a lamb eater, I can hardly object to.
This, however, is a political project disguised as science.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Two mallards today
Whirring over the steading
Perfect spring morningPosted 6 years ago # -
Several highlights today. Was heading through Hopetoun Estate when a buzzard emerged from behind a tree about 10 yds from me. It was immediately followed by a deer which ran about 400yds constantly looking for a non-existent hole in a 8ft wire fence to the right. It headbutted the fence and looked in distress so I stopped and waited for it to escape. When it reached the gate at the end of the path it eventually realised that there were acres of space to the left and scarpered. It fairly moved.
Then on the canal had a closer than comfortable pass of a swan which was attacking a dog as I went past. The dog was between it and its nesting mate. Reared up and spread sits wings and scared the bejesus out of the dog. Then it had a nibble of my front tyre and my overshoe. Dogs owner had hands full with 2 other dogs on leads and looked on impassively.
The wild garlic between Philipstoun and Winchburgh was in full bloom and amazing- smelled perfect and tasted better.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Hunting Heron, Sleeping Swan.
Posted 6 years ago # -
IWRATS' first swallow. Only ten days til Swiftwatch© begins.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Gliding Gull, Mooching Moorhen.
Posted 6 years ago # -
A buzzard being chased off Belford Road by a herring gull and a carrion crow. Gold, silver and bronze in the urban scavenging event.
I still get slightly freaked by the idea that buzzards have moved into the capital. When I was but a sapling in the forest of life you only saw them west of the great glen.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Starlings! Orkney full of birds as ever*, and unlike so many other places the starlings are still thriving. Loads of them out and about with their spring plumage shimmering in the sun & making their lovely bubbling / squeaking cacophany.
Bonus: rafts of frisky eider oo-erring at each other like Frankie Howerd.
*except for a sad absence of short-eared owl or hen harrier spots (some idiot introduced stoats about seven years back. The stoats have been gorging on Orkney voles, owls and hen harriers have been going hungry.)
Posted 6 years ago # -
Sand martins at Musselburgh lagoons this afternoon.
Posted 6 years ago # -
This might not count, but I found a stray swan in the gardens of Gardner's Crescent y/day morning. She was still there in the evening so I took a snap with note to self to take action today.
It took a few hours to work out who had ownership and would undertake rescue.... But "canal champion" Gavin Corbett solved my problem.
Assumed it had gone walkabout the previous night, but apparently it went astray last June. Wonder where it has been since then. If only it could talk eh? Anyway I'm pleased to have reunited it with its pals, and hopefully back in its rightful place very soon.
Posted 6 years ago # -
It took a few hours to work out who had ownership
All swans belong to Her Britannic Majesty by the Grace of God Elizabeth II.
Posted 6 years ago # -
@jules878: I noticed it yesterday but couldn't figure out if it had been there for a while after the wee park was done up!
Posted 6 years ago # -
@Cyclingmollie
Absolute treat.
Posted 6 years ago # -
I walk up and down the street most days, but sometimes along the road rather than through the gardens. Y/day morning was first time I'd seen it but I suppose it could have been there for a day or two.
Anyway I've always loved those swans so thought I should make effort to get it home before it walked further away.
Wonder where it's been since June.
My guess is that students might be clearing out of rented flats at this time of year, and needed to remove evidence before moving out. But it's only a guess. I might be casting unnecessary aspersions.
I thought there might be register of public art to help me this morning, but no such luck!
Posted 6 years ago # -
Barn owl near Eskbank middle of the night just recently
Posted 6 years ago # -
Tree creeper at RBGE
Posted 6 years ago #
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