A heron, which isn't all that exciting, but I spotted it just after joining the canal at the Hermiston House Road bridge on Friday evening around 19:25 and I can't recall ever having seen a heron on my cycle home. A small water vole or mousey thing then scuttled over the towpath and jumped into the bushes as I was approaching the aquaduct.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Leisure
Wildlife highlight of the day
(7221 posts)-
Posted 10 years ago #
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A most pleasing occurrence from my journey home on Friday night. I was crossing the Scott Russel aqueduct over the bypass in the blazing sunshine, reflecting on the experience of those trapped in their automobiles in the many lanes of stationery traffic below when I spotted an enormous school of perch heading slowly out of town in the canal.
The idea of a school of perch moving faster than the cars shoaling on the motorway below them, with the drivers quite unaware of the existence of the canal above them, let alone the fish, gave me great pleasure.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Much vole action on the Union canal towpath. Dead vole just beyond the 'duct and a live vole making a mad dash for Wester Hailes sports centre.
Perhaps the demise of the giant shaggy scaly-tailed vole at Kingsknowe has made space for voles more suited to our refined Edinburgh waterways?
Posted 10 years ago # -
"more suited to our refined Edinburgh waterways"
http://kanda.boatingcommunity.org.uk/tales-from-the-riverbank-1/
Posted 10 years ago # -
"
Sea eagles successfully raise chick in Fife
"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-28695948
Posted 10 years ago # -
"Sea eagles successfully raise chick in Fife"
Perhaps worth an 'expedition' to see sea eagles. Combine train and bikes.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Is it not a 'secret site' though?
Posted 10 years ago # -
I wasn't meaning to see the nest (a bit late anyway & I don't know where it is) - rather to try to see them in action. I have not seem them in Fife yet but in winter they can be seen on Loch Leven (almost one once there from RSPB Loch Vane but it was too misty) and Tentsmuir is a hotspot.
Posted 10 years ago # -
A crow chasing a female sparrowhawk rather half-heartedly over Gogar Station Road.
It made me dream of the day when the estates and gamekeepers are gone from Scotland and goshawks can take their rightful place. It would be a brave crow that chased one of them.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Wildlife lowlight, really: dead deer halfway up Lanark Road, just opposite the golf course. I only spotted it because there was a long streak of blood and stuff on the road where it had been dragged onto the pavement and I was looking at the mark & trying to work out what it was.
I'm glad I don't live or walk just there: "someone" if going to have to move it, and who knows who that "someone" is...
Posted 10 years ago # -
@fimm
At the risk of offending the vegetarian wing of CCE, the solution to that problem is roadside butchery. The hind legs of a roe deer can be removed in seconds with a sharp knife and are quite delicious. A few hours by a roadside will in no way impair the quality of the meat.
The fillet is another matter. The crows will have that dainty morsel unless the carcass can be butchered properly.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Sounds like it may be best to take it on a trailer to the local butchers then.
Posted 10 years ago # -
@acsimpson
They wouldn't touch roadkill for hygiene reasons. Wild venison almost went off sale because it was being shot on hillsides that weren't ceramic tiled or covered in stainless steel sheet.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Heading towards the Craigleith Y this morning I spotted a fox step out on to the path. It stopped for a few seconds watching me approach before walking off across the path. In the distance I could see a large dog, ears up, starng in our direction.
Posted 10 years ago # -
@DaveC
There was a fox in our garden last night, howling and yapping at 02h35. It WAS NOT WELCOME.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Loads and loads of deer. All over the place during my cycles over the last few days.
Deer with dappled hides and big 'orns.
I was of course cycling in the royal parks in London.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Highlight?
"
Science could help tackle the deadlock between grouse shooting managers and conservationists seeking to protect hen harriers on UK moorlands, according to a new study.
Scientists at Aberdeen University say the solution could be as simple as moving young raptor chicks from grouse moorland when their numbers become too big a threat.
The research is published to coincide with the Glorious Twelfth today, which marks the new season of grouse shooting in Scotland.
The hen harrier is a natural predator of the red grouse but the study suggests that, under certain conditions, the birds could co-exist with profitable grouse shooting.
"
http://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/science-could-provide-solution-to-grouse-conflict-1-3506270
Posted 10 years ago # -
Disturbing a hen harrier or allowing your employee to disturb one, let alone shooting one, can get you six months in chokey.
Quite why is there any need for compromise? Most of us manage to either comply with the law or face the consequences.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Only three pairs of hen harriers left in while of England?
Posted 10 years ago # -
This is sort of offtopic as it's not in Edinburgh and I didn't need my bike to get to it... but sunbirds are making a nest in our garden! (we made a video and everything!)
Posted 10 years ago # -
That's just showing off Lionfish. :-)
Did anyone see Super Senses on BBC 2 last night? Interesting information but I would like to see the director eaten to death by dragonflies in slow mo.
Here is how it went:-
* Clever focussing - presenter/animal/animal/presenter
* presenter walking in slow mo
* Presenter squinting into bright sunlight
* Presenter asking the same question for the third or fourth time before finally getting round to beginning to answer it.
* Presenter walking in slow mo
* Min shouting at the TVWe liked the man though. I quite liked the woman too though my husband found her annoying.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Oh and they could have easily made it half an hour instead of an hour.
And presenting a snake with a balloon filled with hot water and laughing when it scares the **** out of it isn't cool.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Poor snake. I saw an adder twice whilst away on the west coast last week. It was curled up in a ball in the same place on the way out and then back from a walk - on both occasions it uncoiled and snuck away under a rock after it became aware that it was under observation. I failed to see any beavers, but did see lodges and felled trees.
Today a vole scuttled over the towpath safely in front of me just beyond the city bypass (heading out of the city) and then a bird flew right in front of my wheel, which gave me a bit of a fright, but it made it past.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Pair of roe deer near Rosewell yesterday evening.
Posted 10 years ago # -
"
It is thought the bizarre makeovers increased recycling rates and slashed incidents of flytipping amid claims animal lovers were reluctant to dump rubbish next to bins that look like cuddly creatures.
"
Posted 10 years ago #
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