Close encounter with a hare tonight coming down the old coach road. It jinks left, I go right to give it space. Then it jinks right so I go left. Left again, and as I am moving off to the right once more it decides the only thing to do is an almighty leap across the road, which happens to be right over my front wheel and within touching distance just in front of bars.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Leisure
Wildlife highlight of the day
(7166 posts)-
Posted 1 year ago #
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Hare-raising.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Passing by Blackford Pond again this afternoon, turned out to be just at the change of shift on the dabchick nest. Looked to be at least five eggs in there. They don't seem too bothered by people strolling by within 10ft or so. I wonder how many people actually notice that they're there? Certainly not as obvious as the swan's nest in the reeds at the 'curling pond end' (Mr Swan in residence, having a bit of shuteye, so no chance to check clutch size).
Posted 12 months ago # -
Dabchick is a word with "abc" in the middle.
Spotted: a magpie trying to peck its way into a rubbish bag at Musselburgh station. After a bit it decided that whatever potentially edible thing it thought was in there wasn't worth the effort, and few off.
Posted 11 months ago # -
Treated to the sight of 6 stags about 5 miles on the road to Helmesdale just after 8am a few days ago. Currently on holiday in Brora :)
Posted 11 months ago # -
Little Grebe nest at Blackford Pond has at least two grebelings:
Mrs Swan was still sitting tight on her nest. My guess is whatever she's sitting on will hatch while we're away in Canada.
Posted 11 months ago # -
There appears to be a third in your photo. Directly in front of the parent and rather hard to spot without zooming in.
Posted 11 months ago # -
Two clydesdale horses in Clydesdale near Douglas Water
Posted 11 months ago # -
Spotted what I think may be a kestrel hovering by Saughton tram stop.
Posted 11 months ago # -
If it was hovering then almost certainly.
Impressive skill to watch them doing, especially when windy.
Perhaps small furry animals use the tram route as a corridor?
Posted 11 months ago # -
There's some nice grassland around the tram stop where I suspect something small and furry thought it was well hidden.
Posted 11 months ago # -
A swan family with five cygnets has been encroaching from the west on the canal recently due to a lack of other swans to dispute the territory. I spotted them by Hermiston House last week and they were at Wester Hailes today, and had clearly slept on the towpath based on the mess.
Posted 10 months ago # -
Two hares
Five buzzards, all think8ng they were eagles
One Fox gallus as Fox strolling across the road
One deer leaping over a hedgeLot of dead badger, as ever, one looked like a skunk. Lowlight ok.
Edinburgh, west lothian, south Lanarkshire, east Ayrshire south Ayrshire
All good.
Posted 10 months ago # -
Male sparrow hawk plucking its lunch - a young starling - in our garden this afternoon. (Maybe not so much of a highlight for the starling, come to think.)
Also, during a rather ill-timed and thus exceedingly wet stroll around Blackford Pond: two rapid diving rednecks* bobbing up and down and calling. Along with multiple mallard, Mr & Mrs Swan and their five cygnets, the odd moorhen and several black-headed gulls.
* Tachybaptus ruficollis i.e. litle grebe/dabchick.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Bavelaw has been drained to fill Thriepmuir
Lot of birds with good action herons, swans and Lapwing mainly. From the wee bridge before Beech Ave or maybe the hide.
Did my west side east side walk from the bealach at west Kip yesterday with bins. Only needed to conform geese near the little Loch. Before nine mile burn. Mrs Garto accompanied me as I promised trees. Nice little wood west side and farmer at East Side. Has planted up many trees for her own beech Ave.
Posted 9 months ago # -
“
We have a kit! After retrieving and checking the wildlife cam... we were thrilled to spot this little one swimming about
This is the first beaver to be born in this corner of Norfolk for over 400 years
“
https://twitter.com/n_rivers_trust/status/1677256908028125184?
Posted 9 months ago # -
Fox near the Burdiehouse Burn this morming. It wandered into someone's back garden, had a good look in their kitchen window and then trotted off again.
Really hope someone was also watching it from the inside at the time.
Posted 9 months ago # -
A newt crossing the canal towpath close to Gogar Station Road Bridge today, and The Kingsknowe Rat prowling around under the bridge nearest to the Scott Russell Aqueduct one evening last week when I was sheltering under it from the rain (luckily on the opposite side to me).
Posted 9 months ago # -
Fox near the Burdiehouse Burn this morming. It wandered into someone's back garden, had a good look in their kitchen window and then trotted off again.
Really hope someone was also watching it from the inside at the time.
Have now discovered, via other places on the internet, that the owner of the house regularly feeds half a dozen foxes in their back garden, and has loads of great photos taken from their back window.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Pigeon with balls of steel. Faced me down in a game of high-speed chicken and won.
Posted 9 months ago # -
We’re on a Lewis for a couple of weeks. First day here and we saw a sea eagle soaring above the beach. Lovely.
Posted 8 months ago # -
Not one but two kingfishers on the canal around Kingsknowe this morning. I only spotted the first one because it flew by along the canal, then banked and headed into the foliage on the far side. Two kingfishers then emerged, one flying in a wide circle around and back to around the same point, and then other flying on ahead before landing on the edge of the towpath. It spotted that I was approaching and took off again, heading away along the canal before landing on the edge of the towpath further on. It spotted that I was still approaching and took off again, this time flying away into the far distance towards Wester Hailes.
Posted 8 months ago # -
Barn owl flying through my parents' garden last night. Only the third or fourth time I can remember seeing one in the wild.
Posted 8 months ago # -
Barn owl flying through my parents' garden last night. Only the third or fourth time I can remember seeing one in the wild.
Barn owl twice again the next evening.
Posted 8 months ago # -
https://twitter.com/thefigen_/status/1686080535670489104?
Nest building video
Posted 8 months ago #
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