CityCyclingEdinburgh was launched on the 27th of October 2009 as "an experiment".
IT’S TRUE!
CCE is 15years old!
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RULES No personal insults. No swearing.
Brief otter late tonight in the Figgate as I killed time before going to pick up my better half from a night out.
Figgate Otter_4 by Anthony Robson, on Flickr
Figgate Otter_3 by Anthony Robson, on Flickr
Figgate Otter_1 by Anthony Robson, on Flickr
Figgate Otter by Anthony Robson, on Flickr
That is otterly fantastic
top otter aktion
Hah. Aye.
Birds going nuts this morning
Five big swallows racing across the garden at speed and a finch flew uo from the bottom wilderness and hit the glass of the sitooterie before turning round.
They are trying to tell me something.
Off to find the cut through to the Peebles road (after the red barn) then back by the Meldons, Shiplaw and auchendinny.
A deer calmly crossing the path in front of us near Straiton pond. The dog took a few seconds to react to what she had seen but then fully engaged all wheel drive scramble mode (on a short lead). Deer was gone though.
Our resident Blackbirds are onto their second brood (they successfully raised two nestfuls last year as well).
Blackbird Beakful by Anthony Robson, on Flickr
An almost-adult Dunnock (the gape is closed up but reddish, and not all the full feathers quite in on the nape).
Dunnock by Anthony Robson, on Flickr
Out at Hopes, lots of Red Grouse being raised for the gun (new gun butts on the hill at the end as well), and a posing Sand Martin.
Hopes Red Grouse_3 by Anthony Robson, on Flickr
Hopes Sand Martin by Anthony Robson, on Flickr
100% on topic: someone's parked their bike in my log store:
We also have a busy-looking adult male blackbird - busy taking tadpoles from our pond!
A weasel near the greyhound kennels in Liberton.
@ejstubbs v good!
@Frenchy the Kilchoan campsite has started to transfer wildlife sightings from the whiteboard at the washing up sink to a folder in the bothy. Was very pleased to note someone had dutifully transcribed a report of a "sea weasel" in the bay.
I have one of those ground cage things supposed to keep hungry pigeons from eating everything put out for the birds. It also seems to deter the hefty squirrel visitor - but this afternoon one of this year's new squirrels was happily ensconced, safe from cats & other threats, eating contentedly away & exuding cuteness.
Are you in the campsite near the post office or the one further west? That photo of my dog staring out the window at Mull was taken from the campsite further west, think it's just called Ardnamurchan campsite.
Pub in Kilchoan, Glendrian abandoned village and Ardnamurchan lighthouse all worth a visit, although you probably figured all that out already. Two collies live at the lighthouse.
The further west site - was there the other week car camping with a friend, and previously there on a bike on my own (and probably going again in September, possibly along with Sheeptoucher). Sure the one by the shop is fine, but the wee bay for swimming at the sloping site, plus the bothy taxidermy collection, is my favourite. And excellent showers too.
I have met the lighthouse collies twice now! Glendrian on list for next visit. Have you been up to the old church & graveyard?
Was at pub one night for food & was pleased to hear a wee Peat & Diesel mix on the stereo after most customers had headed home!
ETA: oh, we met a wee podenco on site. Apparently they come in varieties? She was lovely but the owners said she was a great mouse murderer...
Yes, at least four different varieties (Ibiza, Canary, Andalucia, Valencia) plus mixes of the four. Don't ask me what the difference between them is. Wee ones aren't much bigger than a Jack Russell, big ones can be greyhound size.
Didn't get to the old kirk, no.
Spotted a wheatear, a grey wagtail and a raven (smallish - maybe one of this year's - I believe ravens do nest quite early?) going through Green Cleugh 5:30ish today. Nothing vastly rare but a while since I'd seen any of same, so nice to be reminded that they are around.
The swan is still sitting on the nest next to the road where it goes over the causeway at the top of Glencorse reservoir.
Loads of bats low over the WoL both sides of the bridge down in the Dean Village about half past ten tonight. Lovely!
I believe ravens do nest quite early?
One of the first to lay. I saw young about to leave a nest at Easter.
@unhurt: There was an application for redevelopment of some old buildings between the hotel and the tennis club (upstream from where you were, near the steps up to Magdala Crescent but on t'other side of the river) that was held up due to a bat roost. I've no idea what happened with that: we moved away, and I've not been down that way much since, especially with the various path closures messing things up - IIRC last time I went that way I had to carry my bike up the steps :(
@Greenroofer glad to hear that kingfishers are still here even if I haven't spotted any lately. There is a nice new mural of a kingfisher on one of the shipping containers at the Bridge 8 Hub which I am now seeing everyday at least.
The big swan family were beyond the bypass this morning and still heading west so may come into conflict with the smaller family that I spotted at Hermiston House the other week - I've heard that they originated closer to Ratho.
About 6 mute swans whirring overhead the other day. Very distinctive sound they make in the air, unlike anything else.
Went for a run up Braid Hill last night and a field vole was wandering around the path apparently unconcerned at my presence.
Stopped to usher it into the vegetation with a gentle prod in the behind and it actually turned round and shouted at me.
Pretty sure I spotted a couple of voles on my Sunday afternoon ride by the reservoirs, although I didn't get a good look at either of them. First one was a small, dark-coloured thing that popped out on to the track from the grass verge and immediately did a swift u-turn back whence it came. The second one was just a glimpse of something dashing out and managing to slip between my front and rear wheels as I was dondering along at about 30kph on a gentle downhill.
I forgot to report that The Kingsknowe Rat is alive and well. It broke from the cover of the reeds and vegetation between the canal and the towpath near the railway bridge at Kingsknowe, ran ahead of me along the path towards an oncoming cyclist, before darting into the foliage to the far side of the path at the last moment yesterday morning.
The Kingsknowe Rat is alive and well
The Kingsknowe Rat is always alive and well.
Flock of just-about-able-to-fly long-tailed tits contact-calling their parents loudly.
Started looking a bit closer at bumble bees (I am getting old) and noticed one that was barely bigger than a fly.
An Early Bumblebee it seems.
Oh, ah. Gah! Shudder. Then dawning realisation. Then joy.
Just cycled through a forming swarm of honey bees. Won't say where as I just got madame to phone a beekeeper friend. They seemed in a good mood, I shook them out of my helmet and jacket without a sting.
Not even the earliest bumblebee to emerge from hibernation, according to wiki
Ashy Mining Bee probably my favourite type of bee.
Bees are quite complicated.
Some are haploid diploid (more of your genes get into the next generation if you help your sibling than if you have children), some are Eusocial (live in a colony) Some are both. Some are solitary.
Many are stuck inside my sitooterie at this very moment. I shall try to release them now
Loads of noisy swifts around Keswick.
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