@greenroofer
Those are not small flies, those are baby hummingbirds. Shame on you.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Leisure
Wildlife highlight of the day
(7221 posts)-
Posted 10 years ago #
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Today's highlight was a white-tailed kite: a beautiful bird that hovers like a kestrel but looks superficially like a sea gull. I also watched a soaring raptor but failed to identify it - best book is at home.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Good view of a jay today, not uncommon but I don't see them very often. Heard several willow warblers and my toil up the Meldons was accompanied by the wonderful croak of a raven overhead.
Also pleased to see a few belted galloways near West Linton.Posted 10 years ago # -
Last day before the long return journey, rewarded by sighting of a pair of lesser grison (Huron minor).
Posted 10 years ago # -
A goldfinch crossing the canal about a metre in front of me at Sighthill police station, pausing to give little liquid musical warning trill.
There seem to be a lot of goldfinches at Sighthill and Wester Hailes. I guess its the thistles on the waste ground?
Posted 10 years ago # -
Some of you may not be aware of the annual wild bird slaughter in Malta. Chris Packham has produced some information which makes for grim watching. There are some positives though.
Having seen my first Little Bittern a few weeks ago, the blogs were particularly poignant.
You may also wish to write to your MEP.
Cheers
ColinPosted 10 years ago # -
Two swallows fishing for insects over the swirly pond infront of the Modern Art Gallery yesterday. Also on Friday afternoon a Skylark singing over the wasteground behind the trams portacabin offices at Edinburgh Park.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Wasp building a nest in our shed at the allotment. All very pretty, but I shall unfortunately be visiting it every evening on the way home to give it a quick squirt of something repellent, as I'm highly allergic to their venom and we use the shed to keep the baby out of the sun.
Posted 10 years ago # -
@ kaputnik
'the swirly pond infront of the Modern Art Gallery'
That's not a swirly pond! That's an accessioned work of art by Charles Jencks. Raises all sorts of issues. They'd never let ducks crap on the Titians, but they do in the Jencks. Can a groundsman clean the duck crap or should a conservator do it with cotton wool?
Posted 10 years ago # -
That's not a swirly pond! That's an accessioned work of art by Charles Jencks.
Dont get me started on how I might describe some of the very valuable and highly-regarded contents of the gallery ;)
Posted 10 years ago # -
More impressive displays of Jencks' work at Jupiter Artland, well worth a visit.
Posted 10 years ago # -
+1 for Jupiter Artland. Wonderful place
I was lucky enough to see a Stonechat & Ringed Plovers at the Esk mouth the other day.
I've heard Chiff Chaff on my commute every day for a few weeks now. Still haven't seen one though.
Posted 10 years ago # -
If you like Jupiter Artland Tania Kovats (who did 'Rivers' out there) has an excellent exhibition on at the Fruitmarket at the mo
Posted 10 years ago # -
Heard Chiffchaffs on my post-PoP ride, around Eskbank IIRC.
Today's 'highlight' came when I was cooking dinner tonight, with the kitchen door open to stop the smoke alarm going off (again!). Turned round to see a mahoosive bumblebee had come in and was battling to make it through the close window. After a few attempts to help it out on the end of a jiffy bag, I got it to the door just as it decided to take off towards me. I ended up gently batting it towards the door, safe and sound :-D
Posted 10 years ago # -
Today's highlight was a drake mallard. Nothing odd there...it was on the railings by the road down to the Meggetland sports complex, which is not too strange.
But...as I approached it took off and hover-flew two feet in front of me all the way down the hill, with me trying to bat it out of the way like a large, feathery, irracible bluebottle. It was so close I could see its breath. It wasn't aggressive, it just seemed confused as to what I was doing disturbing it.
Maybe it had read Focus's bumblebee post on its iPhone?
Posted 10 years ago # -
Two swallows on way up to Harlaw on the telephone wires, four on the way back down. Summer is here.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Not today but Friday night, I just didn't get around to mentioning it sooner. On an evening wander around Craiglockhart pond, there were impressive numbers of bats flying over the water catching insects. Standing out on the duck feeding 'plinth' was fun with bats whizzing past my head...
Posted 10 years ago # -
@ gembo
"Two swallows on way up to Harlaw on the telephone wires, four on the way back down. Summer is here. "
Saw a couple myself up there today (Monday) too. I don't suppose you went up Kirkgate with 2 companions, did you, one dressed roadie style, the other two more casual?
Posted 10 years ago # -
Huge number of snails on the newly-surfaced section of the Pinkhill-Balgreen path this morning. Quite a lot of casualties squashed by bikes - I think I may have added to the carnage.
Posted 10 years ago # -
@focus, no. Kirk gate is for going down, Harlaw road very gentle and gradual.
Tonight on the WoL path after colinton two dogs harassing two horses. It was quite tense. One of the women riders saying she nearly came off. The dog's owner was miles back from the dogs and quite slow to react. I was kind of in the middle of it all. Fortunately ep resolved without rancour,
Posted 10 years ago # -
Baby moorhens now on the canal.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Three swifts above the New Town yesterday morning.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I got so excited about going to the Birdfair today I forgot to plug it here. There is still tomorrow.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Cuckoo in the Moorfoots (heard)
Posted 10 years ago # -
Todays walk along WoL and Malleny Garden included a whitethroat and a blackcap. Still looking for my first local nuthatch.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Still looking for my first local nuthatch.
Amir and I chanced upon one scuttling up a tree somewhere down in the Lyne Valley maybe 2 years back when we stopped to answer a ringing mobile phone. Only one I've seen round these parts.
Used to see treecreeper all the time in the Meadows but not for a while now.
Posted 10 years ago # -
A Duck crossing Spylaw Road down toward Grays Loan.
Jumped off the wall next to the old folks home and sauntered across the road.
Posted 10 years ago # -
(failed to find the nice ride thread)
I had a lovely ride in today along the NCN1 (relaxation therapy). The bit between Dalkeith and Whitecraig is wonderful - lots of birds singing and flowers out. Rabbits making suicide runs. Frost on the edges. Down by the River Esk there are swathes of wild garlic in flower, still with a lovely scent. On the bit by the Queen Maggie's Uni, yellowhammers were calling and the rape field to the north is in full bloom.
Posted 10 years ago # -
First swifts of the year for me - high over Morningside Cross.
On the last bend inthe canal before the bypass there were ripples on the surface....huge cormorant popped up next to me. They really do look like dinosaurs.
Posted 10 years ago #
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