CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Leisure

Wildlife highlight of the day

(7223 posts)

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  1. DaveC
    Member

    'how do you not', thats real Edin burr... :D

    I saw an eagle too a week ago whilst hill training in Fife last weekend too but sadly don't know what it was, and I couldn't recall its shape or markings when I returned home to look it up.

    I also hill walk and we often spot deer on the hills if we're down wind of them. Its nicest to spot deer from above as even if they spot you and make a dash for it, you can usually track them from a while.

    Has anyone spotted the large owl on Costco? We saw it a couple of years ago and it was so large we didn't believe it was real.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  2. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    In Fife there's an outside chance of seeing a Sea Eagle (or White-Tailed Eagle ot give it its correct name). More often than not folk are seeing Buzzards (which technically aren't eagles, but don't ask me to explain the difference); but given there are Kites spreading from their reintroduced areas in Perthshire they are starting to get seen in various different places as well.

    Golden Eagles are definitely still a preserve of the Highlands and Islands.

    The Short-Eared Owls I photographed out at Dunbar are pretty big. Certainly bigger than a Buzzard - I'd imagine one around CostCo may have sauntered down from the Pentlands - although raptors do seem to like road sides.

    One I'd love to see again is a Hen Harrier. Only ever seen one on Skye, and didn't know what it was at first. Beautifully white with black wing tips.

    Buzzards get seen pretty regularly over Edinburgh. The Sea Eagles can sometimes be seen around Musselburgh/Aberlady (not seen them there yet myself) and Short-Eared Owls have been seen very recently in Holyrood Park and Musselburgh. Ospreys will be heading back from Africa soon I think, and will pass over (chances of seeing them briefly stopping at any expanse of open water). Kites have been seen over the M8 in West Lothian.

    Seriously. They need to get me on as a guest presenter on Springwatch...

    Posted 12 years ago #

  3. gembo
    Member

    I have it in my head that buzzards only eat worms or maybe carrion? They are very prevalent. Ospreys sighted in pentlands at Harlaw/thriepmuir every year. Marsh harriers in norfolk/Suffolk bonny. Golden eagles on mull regal and not scared

    Posted 12 years ago #

  4. Mabs
    Member

    Buzzards displaying by the bypass out near Straiton, one calling at Almondell this morning. Loved seeing the grey wagtail by the river. Didn't realise just how luminescent the yellow of them can be.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  5. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Hi-viz innit...

    Posted 12 years ago #

  6. DaveC
    Member

    I cycling down the hill from the entrance to the Dalmeny estate again today. As I glided towards the house through the meadow, I spooked a pheasant which flew off in front of me and then glided ~120m down the road just ahead of me, at the same speed, before swooping left to join a few other pheasants on the ground. Just fantastic!

    Then later I spotted the sun rising... but thats for another thread.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  7. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    The Duddingston Loch Bittern is apparently still around - just very very difficult to see. I think I'm going to set myself up for disappointment and spend the free hour or so I'll have tomorrow going there, rather than the certainty of seeing things at Musselburgh...

    Tis in the reed beds by the (locked) entrance to the Scottish Wildlife Trust. Would love to get access to the hide for an hour and see if it appeared (it did yesterday...). Always the chance of the otters again of course.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  8. DaveC
    Member

    This might interest you then Anth:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b019rlz0

    Emma Turner; a life in the reeds

    "In 1911 a photograph of young Bittern in the nest taken by Emma Turner proved that Bitterns were breeding again in Norfolk having been driven to extinction in Britain in the late 1800s. Using extracts from her book, 'Broadland Birds', this programme tells the remarkable story of Emma Turner a pioneer of bird photography (1866-1940); who spent some 20 years at Hickling Broad in Norfolk, where she lived on a houseboat she designed named 'Water Rail' (after the first photograph she took in the Broadlands) and in a hut on a tiny island amongst the reeds (which became known as Turner's island)."

    Posted 12 years ago #

  9. gembo
    Member

    Saw the butt of a bittern in Suffolk last summer. Easier in June when they are Booming Bitterns

    Posted 12 years ago #

  10. Mabs
    Member

    Stunning male bullfinch at Kings the day. First time seeing one and a fine start to my campus list.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  11. Mabs
    Member

    Bittern at Duddingston between half and 5. Was initially high up on reeds and embarrassingly I spotted it earlier though binoculars and just thought it was a hidden heron. Oh well. Got nice but brief view through scope before darkness came in.

    Also a mink nearby which one of the guys was adamant it was an otter. Looked too black, had a cat like tail and didn't move like an otter. I may be wrong as I didn't view through scope.

    A most successful mad dash after uni anyway.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  12. DaveC
    Member

    Gembo. Where did you holiday in Suffolk? We lived in Bury st Edmunds & spent time in Felixstow, Framlington, Aldburgh, Southwold, Cromer, Etc...

    Posted 12 years ago #

  13. DaveC
    Member

    Where we lived, we had a lovely reserve by some lakes just North of us. I'm no bird spotter but is was a lovely place to visit in the warm summers.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  14. splitshift
    Member

    wildlife question, is it my imagination or are the numbers of heron on the increase, when we were young it was a very novel thing to spot one, but now they seem to be everywhere ! Or am I just travelling more ?Big buzzard types sit on lamp posts as I ride to work, they just kinda glare at me as i go underneath !

    Posted 12 years ago #

  15. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    @splitshift, it's certainly not unlikely. Rivers and streams all over the UK are getting cleaner, which means more fish, which means the ability to sustain a larger population. Kingfisher numbers appear to be on the rise (presumably for the same reason) and Otters are now in every English county (they've been in the whole of Scotland for quite some time).

    Now if you want to see a LOT of Herons head to Duddingston Loch. Dozens congregate this time of year to create a Heronry in trees on the south-west shore. They're at the creating-their-own-space aggro stage at the moment.


    Heron Aggro by blackpuddinonnabike, on Flickr

    Posted 12 years ago #

  16. splitshift
    Member

    geese, at approx 18:00 hrs last night, stopped c*r outside house, I honestly thought there had been an accident, could hear what i thought were emergency sirens, listened more carefully, (grangemouths close by, it pays to listen ! )realised it was geese ! thousands of them , flying in a clockwise circle overhead, probably/possibly bean geese, heading for slamanan moors . I know they go there but not sure when, it might have been any kind. Half dozen neighbours outside in the street watching the sky !
    great.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  17. maninaskirt
    Member

    It'll be a while before I am back on the bike (I am a summer cyclist - no other reason) but occasionally I do see heron's on the Water of Leith path near the bypass. Did take a pic in the past - but got to find it before I can post it here.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  18. splitshift
    Member

    yesterday,(I know its wildlife highlight of today !) Driving past blackford/sherrifmuir area, I saw a " ball of birds" flying overhead/over a field, now i was driving my lorry, but it looked like a big bird diving into this ball and it splitting and then regrouping. Could this have been a sparrowhawk type thing ?Are they around at this time of year, sorry ive no other info, i was driving, am going to head back up there on the bike, through the week for a wee look see !
    Scott

    Posted 12 years ago #

  19. Min
    Member

    Yes, you get all sorts of raptors flying about at this time of year. Wonder what it was you saw?

    Posted 12 years ago #

  20. splitshift
    Member

    was too far away to see and like i say i was driving ! But heading up next week, theres a bird (rspb) reserve up there, on the north side of the A9 a deserted house and a loch, always lots of ducks, swans and divers and stuff, i dont know enough about birds, I like them so should really get out the books etc !Ill take a camera and try again to post on here !
    scott

    Posted 12 years ago #

  21. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Otter again on Duddingston Loch yesterday; I was there hoping for a sight of the Bittern, but no joy there.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  22. lionfish
    Member

    anth: We stopped by Duddingston loch last weekend to look for the otter, no luck :/ What time's best? When are they about?

    I did see the fox you mentioned on the canal a couple of weeks ago though :)

    Also saw a cat wandering about on the ice...

    Posted 12 years ago #

  23. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Hey lionfish - the two times I've seen the otter from the SWT Bawsinch gate have been at completely separate hours of the day. First time was about 8.30am; yesterday was at 4.30pm. Seems it can be seen at all parts as well, but I've spent more time on the other shore and never seen any sign. All pure luck I guess, which doesn't really help!

    Nice to know the fox is still about (I've not seen him since the day I got the photo).

    Saturday morning I was out at an easily cycle-able spot. Blindwells, between Tranent and Cockenzie. Old mineworks, that I think was supposed to be turned into houses, but at the moment is just scrubland, with a big pond/lake where there was an old opencast section.

    There's a rought track more or less follows the trainline - going to have to investigate where it goes one day, maybe next Sunday morning. Didn't see the Smew that had been there, but loads of Wigeon about, and a nice Buzzard sat watching a field of Woodpigeon. Perfect raptor territory (a Kestrel had been hunting nearby before I arrived apparently).

    Posted 12 years ago #

  24. Min
    Member

    "Also saw a cat wandering about on the ice..."

    Probably going for a constitutional after having eaten the Bittern.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  25. Greenroofer
    Member

    Two female goosanders together on the canal in Wester Hailes, and a male on his own a bit further on.

    They make a change from the usual run of mallard, arguing seagulls and posturing swans.

    On the subject of swans, are they territorial? To a naive and untrained observer like me, it looks as if there's two families of swans on the canal through Wester Hailes: the westermost ones own the bit near the Education Centre, the eastern posse are based nearer the Police Station. There seems to be regular conflict on their boundary, under the Wester Hailes Road bridge.

    It's hard to tell what's going on, though, as all the swans look alike...

    Posted 12 years ago #

  26. Min
    Member

    Oh my yes. Very territorial and vicious.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  27. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Yep, as Min says, quite vicious. Seen quite a few swan fights down the local park!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  28. Min
    Member

    They'll attack anything smaller than a cruise liner that is in the water with them too.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  29. Uberuce
    Member

    A kestrel putting on his Rock Steady Eddie act, up Blackford hill.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  30. gembo
    Member

    Dave C holiday was in south wold. I cycled erly one morning down to minsmere and back for breakfast went back on bike next day with twitched pal. I think minsmere is to twitchers as diggers is to real ale drinkers - Mecca. This I-pad predictive text is playing havoc with my spelling.

    Posted 12 years ago #

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