@ Aken, cheers for the information there, will pootle along and have a well deserved pint at the Bluegoose afterwards too...
Hopefully the kingfisher is nesting...
Regards
R :-)
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Leisure
Wildlife highlight of the day
(7223 posts)-
Posted 11 years ago #
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With regards to the "colour of the Kingfisher", my marine biology lecturers at Uni liked to do slides with "spot the brightly coloured tropical fish" - when viewed in the ambient light of their natural surroundings, all those yellow, pink, blue, orange and red little fishes quickly turn dull and inconspicuous. It's not until you put them under the fluorescent lamp of the fish tank that they appear so exquisite and flamboyant.
I suppose same might go for Kingfishers - they look spectacular in bright light, but place them in the shade and shadows where they like to hang out and they are equally low key. Perhaps why we don't think we see them so often - only notice them when the light catches them.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Well you certainly notice them when they flash past.
But sitting still they don't blend seamlessly into the background -
Posted 11 years ago # -
But sitting still they don't blend seamlessly into the background
Ah but those aren't in the shade!
unlike this little fella
Fish will only see it from below, potential predators likely from above, hence the top/bottom split of colouration that many fish-eating birds have.
Posted 11 years ago # -
A few times I've thought a Dipper was flying towards me until a beam of sunlight caught a Kingfisher.
Regarding hoping they're nesting. If they are, DON'T GIVE AWAY THE SITE! Apart from anytihng they're a species that are protected, and you'd be breaking the law by revealing where you'd seen it if you know it's within a certain distance of a nest - and you're not allowed to take photographs within that distance unless you have a licence).
Last year on Lewis I was following a Golden Eagle and grabbing snaps. Landed on a craggy bit, not far from the road, and snap snap snap. Then noticed a second. Then noticed they were shifting nest material about. D'oh! Stop snapping.
Posted 11 years ago # -
"Sharp drop in Scottish bird poisoning cases follows new crime legislation"
Posted 11 years ago # -
Cormorant trying to eat a decent sized fish in the canal, Harrison park east area. Surprised by the fish, looked about dinner size ,e.g. 10" long or so. Cormorant gave up and fish got away.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Going along the Roseburn Path on Sunday, through that cutting where they cleared the dead wood some weeks ago - the banks there are now smothered in wild garlic, as green and fragrant as can be.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Took a spin into the headwind to Musselburgh today and got rewarded with a few nice bird moments.
Red-breasted Mergansers are true punk of the duck world
Female Red-breasted Merganser by blackpuddinonnabike, on FlickrThen watching a Kestrel hunt, I saw it drop into the undergrowth, only to re-appear with an unfortunate wee vole in its talons
Kestrel with Caught Lunch_3 by blackpuddinonnabike, on FlickrAnd then a couple of Redshanks (which I really like, stilty like waders) had a set-to
Redshank Fight 6 by blackpuddinonnabike, on FlickrPosted 11 years ago # -
9 waxwings in Bonaly Crescent this morning, while we were watching them they were joined by a couple of redpolls. 4 city deer grazing next to the city dogs creche.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Saw five buzzards at five different locales in Edinburgh, west Lothian and north Lanarkshire today
Posted 11 years ago # -
Eider ducks on the beach at North Berwick.
Posted 11 years ago # -
A wander into town along the WoL today. Lots of dippers, several goosanders and a couple of grey wagtails, but alas no kingfishers. Or otters. Very nice lunch though, at the Modern Art Gallery.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Lowlight obviously -
'Thousands of puffins may be dead' in North Sea storms
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-21941240
Posted 11 years ago # -
Gotta love a red squirrel. There's a wooded park that I used to play in as a kid in Ellon, north of Aberdeen, that is awash with the wee critters. Got so many photos of them from there. Loads of Harbour (Common) seals up there at Newburgh, in between Ellon and Aberdeen, as well. Most amazing red deer sight was a huge herd descending off the hills near Lochnagar at dusk a few years back, stunning. Obviously have got my Figgy Otter pic from last year, but see them out at the Isles, and the cottage we're staying in again this year on Lewis has a river below it that sea otters wander along. And, if last year is anything to go by, we'll get gazillions of golden eagles to.
So that's my big 5 sorted! ;)
Posted 11 years ago # -
I love the red squirrel too. Most years we holiday in Nethy Bridge where there's hundreds of them - you're pretty much guaranteed a sighting everytime you look out of the window. But for me the sight of my first golden eagle, seen last year gliding down the Lairig Ghru, was so spectacular that it will be the eagle that gets my vote. Sorry Tufty !
Posted 11 years ago # -
Bit of a rigged vote since you have to choose from the five they picked for us but the eagle is my favourite from those.
The most iconic creature for me is the wildcat. Seeing any cool wildlife is cool but nothing will ever beat that in Scotland. Nothing.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Yep, Wildcat would have been great on the list. Or Capercaillie. Pine Marten. Gannets.
I think the list was most likely put together with wildlife that people are 'likely' to be able to see.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I love seeing ptarmigan. I've seen them more often in winter. For me it is special because you have to go into their environment to see them...
I've only once seen what I thought was a golden eagle - it was a long way off, over Glen Sligachan, but it did look like a very large bird a long way off, rather than a smaller bird (i.e. buzzard) nearer.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Oh I love ptarmigan, they are so sweet.
WC - Yes, you are probably right.
Posted 11 years ago # -
"WC - Yes, you are probably right."
Does make the list a little less fun though. Ptarmigan I'd forgotten about. Having to search out wildlife is part of the fun, and makes it feel even better when you find something.
Posted 11 years ago # -
"
David Miller (@BBCDavidMiller)
27/03/2013 21:59
Big response to yesterday's #puffinwreck story. Suspect news editors often underestimate public interest in Scotland's amazing wildlife."
Posted 11 years ago # -
Back to the voting list, other notable omissions are Scotland's only bird found nowhere else in the world, the Scottish crossbill, and the beautiful little crested tit. And what about the merlin - a fabulous bird and a fabulous Glasgow-built engine as well.
Posted 11 years ago # -
What about midges?
Posted 11 years ago # -
[nerd]Sort-of similar to the Scottish Crossbill is the Fulmar, which up until about 130 years ago used to breed only on St Kilda.[/nerd] And of course there is the St Kilda Wren!
A friend of ours once caught a Pine Martin on one of those trap cameras. There were a series of photos.
1. Pine Martin walking past
2. Pine Martin staring at camera
3. Extreme close-up of Pine Martin eyeball.So cute! Sadly I have never seen one in real life but I live in hope.
Posted 11 years ago # -
What about midges?
An excellent suggestion, and any visitor to Scotland is pretty much guaranteed to encounter them !
Posted 11 years ago # -
And not forgetting the other famous beastie, the wild haggis !
Posted 11 years ago # -
I think the problem with both of those is that they are not very photogenic. In fact I don't think anyone has photographed a live haggis in the wild?
Posted 11 years ago # -
The hotel I was staying in the other week had fresh haggis listed on the breakfast menu, the waiter couldn't tell me if it was clockwise or anticlockwise stock so I left it. Nothing worse than waiting staff not knowing their product.
Posted 11 years ago #
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