@Greenroofer
Someone leaves rat food there, on the out of town end of the duct. Who knows why?
Caught like a mouse in Greenroofer's dynamo lights...
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Leisure
Wildlife highlight of the day
(7221 posts)-
Posted 9 years ago #
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Always wondered what those kernels were. Now I know. Rat food. Often collection of poly bags too
Posted 9 years ago # -
Yes, and middle-aged rat-fanciers loitering.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Had a dream about a big dead rat in a school playground because of this last night.
Don't worry, the children were not at the school. Two small dying rats also in the dream
Nothing compared with the entire fil called Commune that I dreamt the night before about a rebel in a vegetarian commune who gets beaten up by the others because he is a rebel and who tags along with a wilder sect who also beat him up and then returns to the original commune to find they have become industrial producers of hummus. There is then redemption as the rebel is nice to a child who has been teased for eating fish. The rebel then smokes weed with commune leader who is wearing top half of panto horse costume. The rebel then starts to make a loaf of bread. The end
Posted 9 years ago # -
Following Gembo's reminder about Pintail's kingfisher spottings on the canal in Wester Hailes last winter, I was extra observant during my cycle this morning beyond WHEC and was rewarded by spotting a kingfisher perched in a tree opposite the Calder Road bridge chicane... I then spotted a kingfisher just beyond the Scott Russell aqueduct as I did on Monday! It is quite possible that the kingfisher flew around the corner and then perched for a second spotting, but I would prefer to think not.
Posted 9 years ago # -
aargh.. I was going extra slowly (less than 6mph) and trying to be extra observant, and failed to spot either!
Posted 9 years ago # -
@shuggiet bad luck! I try to scan the first metre or so of vegetation and low branches on the far bank, looking for incongruous patches of blue or orange which usually turn out to be carrier bags (but hopefully not so much following bag charging) or disposable cups... My first few spottings were more chance than intention (although that is partly because I wasn't aware that kingfishers were around), but once you have spotted one kingfisher it'll hopefully be the start of something more regular!
Posted 9 years ago # -
A kingfisher flying up and onto a perch in the branches of a tree located in the fairly narrow gap between the Calder Road bridge and the first Cultins Road bridge.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Sadly both Cammo and Hopes fell by the wayside, but a wee wander out at Musselburgh today was nice.
Fair list including Wigeon, Teal, Turnstones, Velvet Scoters, single Slav Grebe, Oystercatchers by the gazillion, Redshank, Buzzard being mobbed by everything going.
Figgate just now has some very confiding Goosanders, as well as a solitary female Goldeneye. The usually resident Shoveler has done a bit of a disappearing act, but the Kingfisher is getting spotted a little more (I saw him on Thursday, but sadly just as he was flying away from me and into the tunnel under Sir Harry Lauder Road).
Need to get out to Aberlady or the like on a Fieldfare hunt.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I saw plenty of fieldfares in the Humbie area today along with pleasing numbers of kestrels.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Just in from a walk along the Lancaster Canal, heading a little out of Preston, during which I spotted a kingfisher which took off from is perch as I approached and flew off along the canal into the far distance. Whilst it reassures me that my Edinburgh sightings are not flukes, I was a bit disappointed not to spot it again as I continued walking.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@jdanielp - you deffo got the canal kingfisher spotting mojo
Posted 9 years ago # -
Blackcap in the garden this morning, which is a bit of a first. Pity we've also got a very territorial Robin who was chasing him (and the Dunnocks) for a good while.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Coal tit, great tit and female blackbird right up at the windows. Thrush in neighbours garden atop a small shrubbery they have shaped like a cat. Almost spherical Robin at Harlaw on xmas day
Posted 9 years ago # -
Jay in the garden at Boyfriend's parents house. Don't think I'd ever seen one before.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Gorgeous brown hare on the way home from Hopes reservoir today, after buzzard, kestrel, stonechat and grouse on the walk there itself. Sadly also a hunt, with the dogs thrown off the scent to chase an arctic hare that had the misfortune to stray into their path. Spoiled a good walk.
Hare_6 by blackpuddinonnabike, on FlickrPosted 9 years ago # -
On the twelfth day of Christmas some wildlife I did see
Twelve sparrows squeaking,
Eleven geese a'gliding,
Ten pigeons pecking,
Nine ducks a'dozing,
Eight coots conversing,
Seven swans a'swimming,
Six herons hunting,
Five grey squirrels,
Four calling birds,
Three moorhens,
Two collared doves,
And a kingfisher in a small tree.(ok, so I didn't count each of the above and I didn't see them all today, but all within 12 days at least!)
Posted 9 years ago # -
I disturbed a pack of twelve grouse on the Whang by tarbrax yesterday. Curious as the shepherd we met the other week on the Thieves Road was of the opinion that are no grouse any more due to long Heather.
I am going down that towpath tomorrow as first time back for many teachers and parents taking weans to school so roads will be chocker. Hope to spot the mythical blue bird @ jdanielp have you ever spotted it going in to town or only the other way?
P.s. Pack is the collective name for grouse
Posted 9 years ago # -
@gembo only once as I can remember; I had left work early one day, probably around late spring, and stopped briefly under the bridge after Hermiston House Road bridge to put my waterproof top on. A blue flash of kingfisher whizzed past me in the rain.
Posted 9 years ago # -
P.s. Pack is the collective name for grouse
Ooh, my book has it as "drumming". Controversy!
I saw two wheeling seagull towers today before dusk, both in the line of the aforementioned seagull column. I guess they were collecting ready to join the mini-migration.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Pack from list at back of Collins English dictionary from 1977, which is a very scottish dictionary of english.
Not definitive, does not have a runcible of spoonbills
Also possible pack of grouse refers to them on the ground and drumming in the air. Or vice versa. I will google
Covey, pack and one instance of lek, on very brief Google.
Also exaltation of larks and parliament of owls.
Edward Lear invented the word runcible I understand ( tho clearly that might be wrong) if so then the collective noun for spoonbills is late.
Collective nouns sound quite Georgian to me but maybe Victorian. Era when toffs had time on their hands for such things.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I suspect these things are a bit fluid anyway so both may be correct. A gallup of Redpolls is definitely a modern invention.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Got my Fieldfares today out at Aberlady
Fieldfare by -blackpuddinonnabike-And if you happen to be in the Seabird Centre, one of these shots is mine...
Posted 9 years ago # -
"
Gamekeeper George Mutch jailed for killing rare bird
"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-30777299
Posted 9 years ago # -
I cycled up to Figgate Park yesterday to see if I could spot a kingfisher. I didn't but did see goosanders, coots, moorhens, goldeneyes, mallards and swans.
Last week there was a flock of turnstones at the Goose Green bridge in Musselburgh.
Posted 9 years ago # -
One of my wee pals turned up last night (should hear them howling soon....)
Untitled by blackpuddinonnabike, on Flickr
Fox3 by blackpuddinonnabike, on Flickr
Fox4 by blackpuddinonnabike, on Flickr
Fox10 by blackpuddinonnabike, on FlickrPosted 9 years ago # -
Nice fox pictures WC! I startled the cormorant on the canal this morning a little beyond the Scott Russell Aqueduct, which caused it to partially take off as it attempted to escape from me before settling back down onto the canal shortly afterwards at a wider section.
Posted 9 years ago # -
"
Earth Pics (@EarthPicturz)
07/01/2015 10:20
A murmuration of starlings fill the evening sky above Gretna, Scotlandhttp://pic.twitter.com/Std5O5ox4l
"
Nice pic!
Posted 9 years ago #
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