Wednesday 12 September 2012

Crombie Park

8 September

Went to Carnoustie for the weekend and paid 3 visits to Crombie Country Park over the weekend.  On the Saturday we went early morning and again in the evening and enjoyed a good walk on a nice sunny morning with hardly anyone else about and saw the customary buzzard and on the water saw numerous swans and herons and also a cormorant and various ducks.  In the evening we went back again an hour or so before dusk but nothing noteworthy was spotted although we heard an owl.
Same again on the Sunday on a nice sunny morning and once again spotted swans and herons but the highlight was spotting a woodpecker - first one in ages!!  Were looking out for red squirrels but nothing doing so better luck next time!

Aberlady to North Berwick

September 2

Off to an early start and we arrived at Aberlady about 8am and parked the car up.  Across the bridge to the local bird reserve we saw a few geese and smaller birds flying about on the breeze.
Got down to the seaside about 9am and there was hardly a soul about as we set off along the coast towards North Berwick.  Stopped on a small beach just past Gullane bents and had our porridge/breakfast overlooking the Forth.  Spotted a herd of 12 swans offshore who also seemed to be heading to North Berwick!!

The sun was shining by now and although it was quiet more people started appearing.  Great views of the Forth islands Fidra, Lamb, Craigleith and the Bass Rock.  Beaches on this coast are amazing and must be among some of the best in Scotland if not the UK.  Spotted some more birds like gannets and plovers on the way to NB and also spotted a buzzard and a kestrel.  Also a few butterflies about including peacock and painted lady.

Arrived in North Berwick early afternoon and lots of people about enjoying the beaches and sunny weather.  The peace was suddenly disturbed by a Bi-plane roaring into view over the bay and it proceeded to entertain the gawping crowds with loop the loop and trailing smoky slipstream!  This went on for a while and was great fun to watch on this lovely sunny day in our favourite town in the whole of the lothians!!

Monday 10 September 2012

Water of Leith

Saturday 1 September

A walk to the water of leith today was very fruitful as we spotted  loads of wildlife including a kingfisher, heron, dippers, grey wagtails and long tailed tits.  Also spotted a few butterflies flying about on this sunny afternoon so a pleasant stroll in the sun was the order of the day. 

Monday 3 September 2012

Mallaig, Morar and Knoydart 18-27 August

18 August

Arrived in |Mallaig some 7 hours after leaving Edinburgh after an eventful bus journey including 2 breakdowns and a change of bus at Fort William. Eventually arrived in Mallaig about 4pm and after dropping our stuff at Mallaig backpackers we set off on a circular walk around the harbour via Mallaigmore back to the village.

The village was buzzing with tourists and we were glad to escape the crowds to go on our walk which took us to the little hamlet of Mallaigmore which is just a mile or so outside the village and has great views over Loch Ness to Knoydart.  It was pleasant and sunny and we were surprised to see that Mallaigmore was full of new houses as when we walked here some 12 years ago there were something like 2 houses!  Obviously a favourite spot for building.

Stopping for a rest just above the hamlet we were rewarded wqith a sighting of 2 golden eagles soaring above the nearby cliffs so off to a great start wildlife wise!  Further on we stopped to take in the views over to Skye and the small isles of Eigg and Rum as well as the comings and goings in the harbour.  As we descended a small sheltered glen back to the village we spotted lots of butterflies and a few dragonflies buzzing about and the lush vegetation was obviously an attraction to them as they were everywhere.

After our evening meal we went for a walk south of the village to a local lochan which just had a new path built to it so it was an easy stroll there and back again and we saw a number of birds, butterflies and dragonflies and there was hardly a soul about.  Great views of Rum and Eigg on the way back.

19 August

After a bit of a restless night in the hostel due to noisy drunks outside and some torrential rain we awoke to an overcast but mild day and after breakfast set out to do another local walk by retracing our steps to the circular walk but doing a longer walk over the hills to another local lochan which was about a 7 mile circular.  We did not see too much wildlife on this walk apart from the now customary butterflies and dragonfliesbut as a consolation the day brightened up and the sun came out for us once again.  The midges were a bit of a pain but we managed to escape without too many bites and made our way back to the village via the old road where we saw lots of birds in people's gardens including finches and starlings.

In the evening we took a stroll around the harbour and got some pictures of local seals and the views.  Dolphins are known to play in the harbour here but we did not spot any tonight despite it being a nice calm evening.

20 August

After breakfast in the Hostel we showered and packed up and awaited our bus down the road to Morar where we had hired a caravan for a few weeks. The caravan was at the side of the owners' B&B so we immediately closed the curtains and got down to some business!

Today turned out not to be such a good day with the weather and there was some torrential downpours so we decided to stay in the caravan for the afternoon. However after making our tea the rain went off so we went out for a stroll on the local beaches including Camusdarroch beach where the film 'Local Hero' was shot - Ben's shack was right at the end of the beach!  We took a stroll around some of the other beaches too and saw a few seabirds and a couple of buzzards and also got some nice sunset pictures so a good end to a frustrating day with the weather.

21 August

A bit of a cloudy start today but it brightened up quite a bit by the time we set off on a properly planned expedition.  We startred off along the old road past the Silver |Sands of Morar heading for Loch Morar. We reached the loch by about 10am and spoke to a local boatman to enquire about boat hire and he informed us that it was available through a local man. After walking a few miles to the end of the road we stopped at a lovely grassy bay where, we were to find out later, the film 'RobRoy' with Jessica Lange and Liam Neeson wass filmed.  I had commented that Loch Morar looked very like Loch Lomond with its wooded islands and apparently that was why the movie was shot here. The scenery and panoramic views on this lovely sunny day were absolutely amazing and it was just a privelege to be here.  Our route took us along the side of the loch and once again the butterflies and dragonflies were out in force and so, unfortunately, were the midges!

Our target was Tarbert over on Loch Nevis and we got there with time to spare before the ferry back to Mallaig came in so we had time to look around and discovered that the old church here had been turned into a bothy for walkers and backpackers.  After a brief look around we went across the bay to the jetty to board the Mallaig ferry.  The ferry actually doubled as a boat trip along Loch Nevis in pleasant conditions and spotted seals, herons and lots of other birds.

21 August

Another nice day today but also some brief but heavy downpours.  we went for some local walks around the local beaches at Camusdarroch and spotted lots of birds including gulls, plovers, herons and gannets. Great views over to Eigg and Rum - one of my favourite views in the whole of Scotland! After going for our mealback at caravan we went out later for an evening walk and got some nice sunset views over to the isles.

22 August

We were up early and heading for Loch Morar as we had hired a boat for the morning to boat around the islands.  It turned out a lovely morning by this point and our trip over to the islands was incident free as the loch was nice and calm.  Our first island had no jetty so we boated in to the shore and had a quick look around but it was tricky to walk about as there were no paths and lots of bracken as well as midges!  On to island 2 and a nice sandy bay awaited us as well as lots of midges!!  After another brief look around we were off again to the next wooded island which had a nice jetty and as we approached it we saw quite a few herons perched on it but they soon flew off as we approached.  This island seemed a bit biggern than the others with a couple of paths so we followed them for a bit but lost them in the ferns.  This island seemed to have a lot of birds on it and we saw lots of small birds and heard herons screeching above the trees.  The local man who hired the boat told us that a sea eagle had nested here in the past and fed on the herons! The sun was still shining as we left the island and headed back to the pier.  A nice trip on a lovely day!

It was by now early afternoon and we headed for a walk along the road up to a high viewpoint overlooking the loch.  A local woman had a wee craft shack next to her house so we went in for a blether with her and she told us her husband had written a local history book and would we like it signed for us!  After getting our copy the kind lady then offered to give us a lift into Morar where we got a lovely Thai meal carryout from a local takeaway and proceeded to eat it on the benches in Morar station!!  Delicious! After this we walked around to the silver sands and then around the coast to Camusdarroch - a very enjoyable day.

August 24

We were on the move today with a taxi to Mallaig with our stuff and then on to the Knoydart ferry heading for inverie.  It was another nice day on this cruise round to Loch Nevis and on the way we saw porpoise and seals as well as numerous seabirds.  Arrived at inverie pier about 11am and went for a brief walk around the village and had a quick chat with the local ranger about walks etc.  After this we walked along to our accommodation which was a local hostel.  After booking in we went for a walk naround the local area and spotted a few stags up in the hills.  After our evening meal we went out again to a local wildlife hide where we hoped to spot an otter but basically spotted a few midges!

August 25

A nice day dawned as we set off to do a huge circular walk of about 20 miles around the coast through the settlements of Sandaig, Doune and Airor and then around the coast and back through the hills to Inverie.  It was a lovely day with gfreat views of Skye and the Small Isles followed by great views over Loch Hourn to Camusferna aka Gavin Maxwell and otter country.There was a small river that we had to cross and it was a bit tricky but an adventure as all the stones were very slippy so it needed careful navigation!! A fantastic day out and a great walk done in lovely weather.

August 26

Another sunny day although it had been raining at night.  We set off up the back of the village to do a
walk of about 8 miles to a local waterfall beauty spot.  The walk was done in lovely warm sunshine and we spottede a couple of Golden Eagles soaring overhead as we made our way up  to the waterfall which was running down from a col between Ladar Bheinn, a munro mountain, and another hill classed as a Corbett. The  stroll back down to the village was lovely as a nice breeze got up and cooled us down.  Rounded off our visit to Knoydart with a meal and some drinks in the Old Forge pub which was heaving!!
The next day was not so nice with rain and wind but we didnt care as we were heading home and after a long day got back about 8pm.

Carnoustie area 4-6 August

4 August Crombie Country Park

Nice day today with sunny spells.  Took the short drive from Carnoustie to nearby Crombie and a walk around the country park.  This small loch here used to be a part of the local water suppl but it was discontinued in 1983 and turned into a lovely country park which has nice walks and lots of wildlife.  Today we saw heron, buzzard, cormorant, swallows, martins and roe deer.  No sign of any red squirrels today but we had an excellent sighting the last time we were here.  Another enjoyable outing!

5 August East Haven to Arbroath coastal walk.

East haven is a small hamlet just a couple of miles east of Carnoustie right on the coast and has a stretch of sandy beach going either way to Carnoustie or Arbroath.  It is a good place for spotting seabirds on the rocks and soaring above the sea looking for fish!  It was a lovely sunny day and we decided to walk all the way along the coast to Arbroath - the beaches here are amazing as the sand stretches for miles and miles and not too many people on them, although like most scottish beaches they are windswept!  Today was a nice walk in the sun and we spotted lots of birds including gannets plunging in to the sea, cormorants, eider ducks, curlews, sandpipers, oystercatchers and various other ducks etc.

6 August The Shanwell

The Shanwell is an area of Carnoustie near the high school which consists of a mixture of farmland and woodlands and is a popular place for a walk with locals.  The weather was a bit overcast today so we went for a walk here rather than along the coast and were rewarded with sightings of bullfinches, goldfinches and yellowhammers.

Tuesday 31 July 2012

EAST LOTHIAN WEEKEND 27-29 JULY

A decent forecast for this weekend so we set off for Blinkbonny wood in East Lothian for a spot of wild camping.  The wood is privately owned by a very welcoming guy called Stephen who owns and manages the wood with his trusty collie dog Sam.Various clearings in the woods are available for wild camping and benches and a firepit are provided as well as the use of  a composting toilet.

We arrived on Friday about 7pm and selected a pitch at the back of the woods with a view of the North berwick law hill and the Bass Rock!  It was a pleasant enough evening so we set to pitching the tent and getting organised, which we did for about 9pm.  A short stroll around the woods then ensued and wildlife spotted included woodcock, hare, buzzard and woodpeckers so this is obviously a good place for wildlife and birds.

After a decent night's sleep we awoke the next day to a sunny day and after breakfast we got ready and had a word with Stephen who told us that there was a nice walk around the nearby Hopes resevoir.  So we duly drove the short but pleasant drive to the resevoir but the weather turned a bit and some heavy showers came on after we set off and we had to dash for the cover of some trees!
however the sun soon came out again and we walked up to the resevoir and crossed the dam to the other side and then did a complete circular walk of this lovely spot.  There was a notice on some of the dam stonework saying that it had been brought from the demolished Calton jail in Edinburgh in 1930!  We did not spot too much wildlife on this walk apart from a buzzard and a fleeting glimpse of a hare from the car.

On arrival back at the camp we got some dry logs from Stephen and got a cracking fire going in the fire pit and proceeded to cook our tea of chicken and sweetcorn over it!  It was a decent evening with no rain so we enjoyed our meal and settled down to read our books by the roaring fire which gave off a lovely warmth!  Woodcock and woodpeckers were flying about overhead and it was a really enjoyable evening.  We did get into our sleeping bags about 10pm after the fire had died out and we had a nice warm sleep!

Up early next morning to the sound of birds and a gentle breeze blowing through the trees.  We took a brief walk around the tracks in the woods and saw a few birds and a few craneflies by the pond made by Stephen.  The sun came up gradually and it was nice to feel its warmth as we headed back to the tent for our breakfast.  Breaking camp took a while as we were out of practice so it was about 10am before we were packed up. No sign of Stephen and Sam this morning so we loaded up the car then parked up just up the road from the wood and set off for a walk up Lammer Law which is the tallest hill in the lammermuirs.  It was breezy and the sun was shining but we could see some squally showers in the distance.  The walk itself was ok but we did not spot much wildlife or birds so not much to report apart from a few other walkers\cyclists.  One lady we spoke to said she had been on holiday in Durness and had gone to Sandwood Bay and got a nice spell of weather whilst up there so that was nice to hear!!

River Almond July 22

A blustery day today but not too bad in terms of rainfall - just a couple of isolated showers!  Took the short drive to near Edinburgh Airport and walked down to the river Almond.  The vegetation was veery dense and as tall as I have ever seen it because of all the rain!  Our mission today was to spot a kingfisher as we have not seen one for a while so we set off along the river bank to a favourite spot and a kingfisher flew past within about 2 minutes!!  what a result!  It then flew back again a bit later so we were happy with that! At the same spot we also spotted a couple of young birds we thought were juvenile goosanders although not certain.

Further on and across the bridge we settled down at the riverside and spotted a couple of dippers and a grey wagtail.  That was about it for this particular walk although we spotted a buzzard on the waay back.

Sunday 22 July 2012

Pentlands 20 July

A nice evening, more like summer, so we decided to head for the Pentlands and go for an evening walk.  Picked up a couple of provisions on the way out and headed for Flotterstone where we parked the car and set off about 5pm.  Lots of swifts and swallows were flying about on this fine evening and we also spotted a heron and a kestrel on our way up the glen.  Reached the Loganlea resevoir about 630 and sat down and had our meal overlooking the resevoir which was teeming with fish and a few fishermen in boats trying to catch them!
Spotted more swifts and swallows later as we made our way back down the glen and also noted a few butterflies fluttering about - we are sure they were all ringlets.  It was nice to see some butterflies as we have not seen many so far this summer.

Corstorphine 17 July

An ok day today in terms of the weather so took an evening walk to Corstorphine area and the mission was to spot some badgers.   We settled down at one of the setts and waited for some badgers but it was a bit more tricky because there was loads of himalayan balsam in the way and it was all over the place.  Howerver after we had settled down at the sett we didnt have too long to wait before some badgers duly appeared.  At 0one point there were three badgers fighting with each other and making a lot of noise - it looked like 2 were ganging up on another and maybe they were trying to drive off a young one?  or maybe it was just mock fighting?  eventually they disappeared into the undergrowth but a couple of others padded about the sett and we saw about 5 or 6 in total so it was a worthwhile trip.
On the way back we stopped in the woods and watched a couple of bats (pipistrelles) flying about just before dusk so that rounded off a good night as we headed back to the car.

2-16 July 2012

Weather absolutely awful the last couple of weeks so we have not been out as much as we would have liked.  Have done some local walks including blackford hill, the hermitage and craiglockhart dell.  Raining solid the most of the time so we did not see too much apart from a few birds including a kestrel, buzzard and a few ducks and geese etc.  Glad to see the back of this spell and hope the weather takes a turn for the better soon!

Monday 2 July 2012

Peebles\Stobo 30 June

Away at 6am this morning headed for Peebles area to do some walking, wildlife watching and visits to local gardens.  The first stop after driving through Peebles was Cadrona forest which has some nice walking trails and paths climbing up to good viewpoints.  The weather was dry as we set off and eventually the sun came out as we headed uphill through the trees on the 'red route' which was a circular route of some 4 miles or so.  the forest tracks were very wet and muddy but we managed to navigate our way to the highest point where a nice bench awaited overlooking some of the surrounding countryside.  At this point the sun came out so we got our breakfast of porridge, rolls and coffee eaten under a sunny sky!! After relaxing in the sun for a bit after the breakfast we got on our way and headed onwards - in terms of wildlife this was not a great walk for spotting things as we only saw a buzzard, bullfinch and a butterfly - the 3 b's!!

We got back to the car mid-morning and by this time some showery rain came on as we drove along the road to Kailzie (the locals pronounce it "Kailie" - silent "z"!) gardens which has an osprey watch centre within the grounds.  The centre is staffed with volunteers and we were given a warm welcome by a nice couple called Norma and Ian who were very helpful and informative about the ospreys and other local wildlife. As well as watching the osprey chicks on the nest we also looked on as many small birds came to the feeding table including siskins, robins and finches but the highlight was seeing a couple of nuthatches coming to feed - what beautiful little birds and the blue\azure colour on their breast is exquisite.
It was nice to be in the centre at this point as it was raining outside and everywhere looked a bit grey and dreich.  After a good chat and discussion about the ospreys with Norma we headed off and our aim this time was Dawyck Botanic Gardens near Stobo, about 8 miles from Peebles.

We arrived, after driving through some lovely countryside, at Dawyck about 2pm to be greeted by sunshine and showers but it was mild so okay for a walk through this lovely tree garden which is part of the Royal Botanics.  Now I am no tree expert but some of the specimens here are impressive including fir, spruce and larch and there were some trees dating back 300 years!  There were also a lot of tree species from Japan [planted here so the climate in parts of Japan must be quite similar (very wet!!) as they seem to thrive here! Just think it has taken hundreds of years for this garden to evolve and mature and it really is a national treasure situated in a beautiful valley in a lovely part of  Scotland!  The gardens itself is lovingly tended and cared for and one of the features is the number of benches, many in memorium, spread throughout the garden in almost every corner and all in good condition.  There are also some nice little bridges over the cascading stream which give nice viewpoints over the garden and from one of them we spotted a couple of red squirrels scurrying up trees!  Another two were spotted later so 4 in all was pleasing after drawing a blank in Cadrona forest. The gardens are open until 6 so we made our way back to the very nice visitor centre\cafe and had a warming cup of tea as the rain fell steadily outside.  The lady who served us said that she often saw hares in the garden from about 5.30pm - we hung about but no sign of them!  All in all I would say this was a very pleasant experience and this is an excellent place to visit and comes highly recommended if you are in the area!  Also spotted a buzzard and jay whilst in the garden so good for wildlife too!!

By this time it was about 6pm and the next stop was  Stobo Castle health spa for a quick look around as it was just along the road.  The weather had turned a bit grey and chilly by this point but we saw a nice pond in the grounds and there was a path around it so we got out for a brief walk but after spotting lots of jumping fish we thought it might be a good place to spot an osprey so we sheltered under a tree as the rain came down and waited..........after about 20 minutes an osprey duly flew over the pond and took a good look down at the water as if it was ready to swoop but it did not reappear and our hopes of it coming down for a fish were dashed!

However a pleasant surprise awaited as we stumbled across a secluded Japanese water garden right next to the pond!! Although some slippery stones had to be negotiated on the way down it was well worthwhile as the garden had some lovely trees, plants and shrubs and of course plenty of water running through it and lovely little bridges and stepping stones to negotiate the water channels.  It was like being in paradise.  A beautiful little tea house was on its own little island, only reached by stepping stones. 

We'd had a full day out and would have loved to have stayed out longer but the weather had turned a bit more miserable and decided to head back home to Edinburgh. 


REH Grounds 26 June

Took an evening walk tonight around the grounds of REH to see if we could spot any wildlife as roe deer, foxes and badgers have been spotted recently.  It was a rather damp night with some drizzly  rain but the temperatures were mild so okay for an evening stroll.

The rain went off for a while and some swifts and swallows appeared but the highlight was watching some bats doing their acrobatics around the orchard after 10pm - very nice to watch and cheered us up after the poor weather.  The only other thing of note was hearing a tawny owl calling as it got darker.  And that was it!!

Sunday 1 July 2012

Bat count in Livingston 25 june

Out with Stuart from the Lothians and Borders Bat Group tonight to count the numbers in a roost in the loft space of a house.  Quite an exciting prospect as we had never done anything like this before and we looked forward in anticipation on the drive out to Livingston.  After meeting up with Stuart we headed to the house which was a fairly old building with a gable end and sloping roof and apparently the bats sqeezed through the tiniest gap between the wall and the roof to get in and out of their roost - we are talking millimetres so that is amazing! 

Stuart issued us with counters and a bat detector and we settled down in our deckchairs to wait at about 930pm.  Unfortunately it was a very still and damp night and the midges were out in force and on the attack!  Anyway we covered ourselves up and waited......then the first bat duly appeared at 945pm and flew off!  They then started coming out in 1's, 2's and 3's and eventually larger numbers and we were clicking away furiously on our counters....100, ......200, .......300.....and eventually up to 354 bats!!  It was a great experience but a bit tricky in the fading light as some bats already out were flying near the entrance to the building so it was a bit tricky counting them at times. Stuart was quite encouraging to us newbies so all in all a good evening despite the menacing midges!

Blackford Hill

Up very early today and out for a walk to Blackford Hill before 6am - a lot of surface water about but it was actually a nice sunny morning.  We started off by walking past the pond and saw the swans and the cygnets in the exact same place as last time!!!  Also a lot of ducks about and plenty of bunnies on the grass at the pond side.  No sign of a kingfisher today so we took the path round the hill to a short but steep climb to the summit and once there we were greeted with the sight of swifts and swallows soaring over the hill.  Also spotted a buzzard flying high over the hill looking for prey no doubt.

Hermitage of Braid - butterfly day! Sun 24 june

Another kinda damp and showery day today in keeping with the summer(?) so far!  We went along to the Hermitage of Braid visitor centre for a workshop in identifying butterflies organised by the CEC ranger service.  It was certainly an interesting experience and attended by a varied group of nice outdoor type folk!!

Another interesting twist was that the ranger, Jessica, was from the island of Corsica so full marks to her for putting up with the vagaries of the Scottish weather!!  We started off with some classroom instruction on identifying butterflies and even doing some drawings - it was good fun but the two girls at our table were brilliant at drawing and their works of art made our drawings look like those of a 2 year old by comparison!!!!  Anyway we learned some interesting facts and figures about butterflies and that there are 18 different species of butterly in Scotland!

After a break for lunch the group went out on to Blackford hill in search of some of our quarry but it was not the best of days for butterflies as it was a bit wet and showery.  However the weather did brighten up a bit and lo and behold the sun came through and we eventually found our first butterfly which proved to be a small white - nothing too exotic but just nice to see one!  We also found a small moth which could not be identified so that remained a mystery.  It was nice to be out but after some more hunting around on the hill we called it a day as some squally showers came in and we headed back to the ranger centre.  Also spotted a few birds while we were out including swifts, swallows and buzzards.

Saturday 23 June 2012

Musselburgh Lagoons

Another rainy and very blustery day with strong winds and fallen leaves and the chilly temperature made it seem more like October than June!!  The wonderful vagaries of a Scottish summer!  On arrival in Musselburgh we parked up near the racecourse and went along the track next to the sea wall
where we saw a huge flock of eider ducks and swans at the mouth of the River Esk and also lots of other seabirds, most of whom were hunkered down on the shore waiting until the gale force winds subsided a bit.
The track was a bit of a nightmare as it was almost totally flooded and covered in huge pools of water which was indicative of the amount of rain that has fallen recently.  eventually we made it to the lagoons after crossing through a wooded area with young trees which has been reclaimed from waste ground so that is very positive.  A path up to the lagoons takes you to 3 brick built bird hides with no roof on them? but they do afford good views of the birds in the lagoons and today we spotted curlews, redshank, snipe, shelduck, goosander, various ducks and swans as well as various LBJs so it was a worthwhile exercise despite the poor weather.  We have decided to return in the autumn (not tomorrow but a few months!) and hopefully see some other birds on a nicer day!  As we made our way back along the coastal path the weather improved a bit and plenty of swifts and swallows were flying about.

As it was still early and we were in the area we decided to head for the NTS garden at Inveresk Lodge which is just along the road behind Musselburgh.  On arrival at 930 we found that it did not open until 10.00 so we decided to park up nearby and enjoy our breakfast of rolls and porridge washed down with coffee!   The warden informed us that a good bit of the meadow area was flooded and sodden with water so we were unable to visit the pond.  However the rest of the garden was nice enough and it was interesting to read the history of the place which was fascinating.  A Mr and Mrs Brunton, who were local businesspeople, bought the property in 1911 and began transforming the garden and the meadow up to the point where peacocks and golden pheasants roamed around.  Today the mixture of mature gardens and meadow is a haven for wildlife including a wide variety of birds, bats, butterflies, foxes and frogs.  A few corners of the garden are a bit shabby but overall it is a pleasant place for a stroll and some wildlife watching!

Blackford Hill 22 June

We went for an evening walk to Blackford Hill on this wet soggy evening and thankfully it the torrential rain and thunderstorms from earlier had stopped although the ground was soaking wet and the braidburn was in spate!!!  What a day for midsummer! 
Did not spot too much as we alked through the Hermitage but as we got near Blackford glen there were a lot of swifts and swallows flying about but the highlight was seeing a young baby roe deer sheltering behind a bush in a nearby field - it looked about 2/3 months old and very cute.  A buzzard also flew overhead as we climbed up the hill through the soaking wet grass.  Great views as the clouds had cleared away but the midges were out in force so we beat a hasty retreat back down the hill and through the Hermitage and before we got back to the car saw a fox ambling along the path in front of us!

Thursday 21 June 2012

Blackford Hill 20 June

A very early start today out before 6am to blackford hill on a nice summer morning with little wuind and nice sunshine!  makes a change!  We started off at blackford pond and saw geese, various ducks, lots of jackdaws magpies and various other birds flying about.......very lively place!  We passed a pair of swans at the side of the pond and they hissed loudly as we passed as they had 4 young cygnets sitting on the ground sleeping.  After the pond we took one of the circular paths which culminated in a steep climb up to the top of the hill.  Blackford hill really is a great viewpoint and you can see all of the Lothians and Fife......and well beyond to even see Ben lomond on a clear day although it was a bit too hazy today.  By 630 am the sun was shining over Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crags and the swifts and swallows were zooming about overhead..........this is what summer should be all about we decided as we took in the glorious views!
After making our way downhill past lots of scarpering bunnies we returned to the pond for a walk past and got a fleeting glimpse of a Kingfisher flying across the pond!  This was a real treat as we did not know that you got them here as we have never seen one here or in the nearby Hermitage of Braid so that was a nice way to finish a pleasant early morning walk.

Craigmill Den 18 June

Weather a bit better today so we decided to take a walk to a local beauty spot just outside Carnoustie which is know  locally as the 'Fairy Steps' - not sure why it is called that but if any local can tell me then thats great!
It was actually quite sunny on the walk and to begin with we saw plenty of swifts, swallows and other small birds flying and buzzing about overhead.  There was a mature gentleman on the path doing some spotting with his binoculars and he greeted us with a friendly hello and introduced himself as Bob McCurley from the Dundee\Angus birding club.  Bob proved to be a very engaging and informative individual with great knowledge of birds and told us he was just back from a birdwatching\wildlife trip in the Spanish Pyrenees so he was a real enthusiast and it was nice to meet him.  He had been to this spot yesterday and spotted some 16 different species of bird and he was trying to spot some more today! He pointed out a lot of whitethroats flying about and there were also swallows, swifts, goldfinches and a few warblers all buzzing around this nice little den.  Bob told us that a friend of his spotted a bee-eater bird here a few weeks ago, which is amazing as they tend only to be found in the south of England in the UK.
After a good chat with Bob we walked up and down the Den (which is not the longest) and saw a buzzard and a kestrel and on the way back we got a glimpse of a Fox slinking through the gorse bushes on the other side of the burn.  This place is lovely and green and blooming with wildflowers so highly recommended although it is a fairly short walk.

Carnoustie 17 June

A wet and breezy day today with a lot of steady rain - still, must look on the bright side as rain cleanses and makes things grow!!  Everywhere is so green just now because of all the rain!  We rose early and drove the short distance to Crombie country park which was looking lovely and green despite the wet weather.  Last time we were here we saw a red squirrel but despite looking in the same area there were no signs this time of any squirrel activity!  As we walked around the loch we were on the lookout for sandmartins as there is an artificial nest building with lots of nest holes for them.  However despite seeing a few swallows and swifts flying about we did not spot any sandmartins flying in or out the nest holes or over the loch as we watched from the impressive bird hide at the side of Crombie loch. 

Continuing on our walk around the loch we saw a buzzard and then a heron flew past and disappeared into the reeds at the lochside!  after this we then came across a pair of swans with 5 cygnets just drifting along at the edge of the loch in search of food!  That was basically it but the big question we were asking ourselves at the end of the walk was 'where are all the sandmartins'?  Do they not come out in wet weather or is it just a poor year for them?  anyone know the answer please let us know!

On return to Carnoustie we proceeded to settle down in Cas's mums conservatory and watched loads of goldfinches and greenfinches feeding and squabbling over the birdseed! Saw a young goldfinch which had not fully developed its plumage and looked baldy on top like AN Other! A nice day despite the rainy weather.

Wednesday 20 June 2012

Blairgowrie, Alyth 16 June

Got out early at 6am for a walk along the river Ericht which flows right through Blairgowrie.  A bit of a wet morning but not cold so we parked up and set off on walk.  Quite a few birds flying up and down the river but nothing unusual although we did see a couple of goosanders.  Further on up the riverside saw a red squirrel crossing the river on a fallen tree and then scarpering off into a garden to feed!  We waited for a bit and then saw it coming back again!  That was the highlight of the walk as we did not see much more before returning to the car.

After a hearty breakfast back at the hotel we set off for Alyth to do the Den of Alyth walk just outside the village near Glen Isla.  The walk here through mixed mature woodland and a steep-sided valley next to the Burn of Alyth is a very pleasant experience and very relaxing.  On this occasion we were fortunate that the shady mature trees gave us good shelter from the steady rain that was falling.  We did not spot too much in the way of wildlife apart from a grey wagtail and a dipper but this did not take away from what was a lovely walk in a lovely spot.  We were under cover for virtually the whole walk so stayed nice and dry for the most part.

Loch of the Lowes, Dunkeld 15 June

Friday morning

Weather not so good today, in fact it was awful, cold and rainy. It didn't matter though as we had planned to go to the Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre which can be enjoyed in all weathers! When we got there, there was loads of actions going on at the bird feeders, including red squirrels (one was a kit as it didn't have any ear tufts yet), siskins and baby siskins, mallards and chicks, pheasants and blue tits and chaffinches. There is a special white-headed female chaffinch, called Blondie, but unfortunately we didn't see her. She and a brown woodpecker (it's brown where it should be black) the warden explained have been recorded on the anomalies register. We saw the male osprey fly into the nest, he didn't have a fish, he was only paying a flying visit. Apparently the male will stay close by the nest when he's not out hunting for fish to keep an eye on things. Crows and herons can also be a threat to the chick when it is really small. The female also got out for a fly about to stretch her wings. The chick is really doing well. The other eggs haven't hatched, so the parents can devote all their attention to this one chick. Popped into Dunkeld (saw a buzzard on the way) for a bite to eat and then came back to the centre (your ticket covers you for the whole day) as it was pretty miserable and there wasn't much else to do in that weather. Went back to the hides and saw some deer across the other side of the loch. Also saw the great crested grebes and some chicks. Spotted a jay from the hide and also saw one on the feeders later. The woodpeckers are great - the wardens put peanut butter into holes in the trees beside the feeders and the woodpeckers enjoy pecking it out - there is a young family who have been coming to the feeders for a bit.  It really is a fantastic place and the ospreys are really the jewel in the crown and top marks to the SWT for investing in the facilities which are first class.


Perth, Scone and Blairgowrie. 14 June

Away for a wee minibreak in Perthshire area.  Left at 6am and arrived at Kinnoul Hill just outside Perth at 730.  Drove up to the main car park form Kinfauns and the weather was nice enough but a bit breezy.  The walk up to the point is a pleasant stroll through mixed woodland that is home to various birds, red squirrels, roe deer and various wildflower, although on this occasion we did not spot deer or squirrels!  Spotted various birds including bullfinches, buzzards and a couple of nesting kestrels chasing a buzzard away from their nest! 
The view form the top of Kinnoul hill up the River Tay is amazing and it is a great vantage point for looking over the Friarton bridge to Perth and beyond.  We proceeded to admire the view whilst sitting on a bench having our breakfast  and watching the various birds flying up and down the steep cliffs.
Can't believe I have never been up here before despite passing below on the Perth-Dundee road scores of times!

After the pleasant walk back to the car through these lovely woods we drove the short drive into Perth to the NTS Bracklin garden, another first for us!  It is one of the smaller gardens the NTS have but oh what a garden!  They have an amazing collection of mecanopsis (Himalayan blue poppies) and the garden is absolutely stuffed full of things.  Had a great chat with the manager's wife, Annette - there are lots of benches that people have put there in memory of friends and relatives so it's a very special place to a lot of people - Annette said that some old guys put in a bench in memory of their friend and every year on the anniversary of the guy's birthday they would come and sit on the bench and drink a few G&Ts and have a toast to their friend!  There were lots of wee birds, including robin, green finches.

Then went on to Scone Palace to see the fabled hawfinch (saw a programme about them on Landward) - thought they would be all over the place and easy to spot but alas that was not the case.  Thought we saw one in the trees but not a 100% sure - they have a special cry "deek waree ree ree" according to the bird book which we thought we heard but again not totally sure.  Even though we didn't get a definite sighting, we were rewarded with lots of other great things - saw goldfinches, robins, loads of chaffinches, pheasant and a red squirrel ran out right in front of us.  The grounds were pretty spectacular and there were special trees in the pinetum.  Nuthatches are also starting to be spotted in the palace grounds but we didn't see them  David Douglas, plant hunter of the Douglas Fir fame, was a gardener at Scone Palace and he died very young, only 37, on a trip to Hawaii where he fell into a pit dug to catch wild boar. 

After that had a very pleasant drive to our hotel in Blairgowrie (the Altamount - very nice!) - the hotel had peacocks, including a white one (he was apparently the bossy one!) and also three peacock chicks who were very cute - you wouldn't have guessed that they would grow into peacocks just by looking at them!

After a quick meal in the hotel, we then went out to see the Beavers at Bamff Estate (their website is brilliant - link to go in) - one of the main reasons for our trip.  Paul Ramsay, the estate owner, showed us round and explained the background of why the beavers came to be there and all the work the beavers had been up to - they have been very busy beavers indeed, damming streams and felling trees.  He also set up a camera trap on one of the areas the beavers had been working.  We also spotted a couple of wild boar from the estate coming down the path.  When we finally went to the big pond we were absolutely amazed, we couldn't believe it when we saw several beavers out.  We were fairly close to them but we were very quiet and they didn't seem to mind us being there.  They seemed to be eating grasses/sedges.  They are wonderful animals, so peaceful and utterly captivating.  Also saw jays, sandmartins and swallows flying about.  Went to visit another smaller pond and saw another beaver there.  Paul was so knowledgeable and told us all about the wildlife on the estate, including otters and pine martens - we also saw lots of chewed pine cones left by red squirrels.  He is very wildlife friendly and it was great to meet a landowner with such an enlightened view.  There is a holiday flat attached to the big house and we said we would definitely be back next year for a week-long visit - it would be a week in a wildlife paradise - what a holiday that would be!

Also spotted some more wild boar (including little boar-lets!) on the drive out and as if that wasn't enough, a hare ran out in front of us and ran along beside the car for a few seconds before jumping into a field.  Also saw some deer too on the way back to the hotel.  What an evening!


Blackford Hill Mon 11 June

Up early today for a 6am walk to the Blackord hill.  Not such a great morning as it was a bit grey and drizzly but not too chilly.  Did not see too much wildlife on this walk apart from loads of rabbits and a couple of squirrels and a few of the regular birds like jackdaws, crows, magpies etc.  Only walking for an hour or so so not too much to report but a nice start to the day in any case.

Tuesday 12 June 2012

Saturday 9 June Helensburgh area

Took a trip through to the west early this morning on a mission to combine some walking with visiting relatives in Helensburgh.  It was a nice enough morning and we were away at 6am with the objective of arriving at Ardmore Point for about 730 for a pleasant early morning stroll around this lovely bird and wildlife sanctuary.

On arrival at 725 we were greeted by some pleasant sunshine and hardly a breath of wind so we sett off with breakfast packed into our rucksacks on the circular around the point.  There were plenty of seabirds buzzing around the shore including shelduck, merganser, oystercatcher and mallard.  other notable sightings included flocks of starlings and a couple of buzzards.  At a point on the shore facing Greenock we stopped for breakfast and were lucky enough to spot 3 seals swimming about not too far offshore, a great sight!  Two of them pulled up on rocks just below the water and just did a bit of impromptu sunbathing as it was a lovely morning!!

After breakfast we continued our walk and to our great delight found a small bluetit fledgling trying to fly on the path right in front of us!  We thought it might be good to catch it and remove it from the path incase someone stood on it or it was caught by a dog or even a marauding cat.

Tuesday 5 June REH grounds.

A wet and soggy morning today and everything was damp and wet.  Took an early morning walk through the grounds of the REH which has lovely wooded grounds with lots of mixed mature trees and an abundance of wildlife!  Plenty of birds singing this morning and lots of rabbits and squirrels out and about but the highlight was a fleeting glimpse of a badger which disappeared into some bushes and then went through a hole in the boundary wall next to the adjacent rail line!  A very unexpected bonus as we did not expect to see one of them this morning although we had heard that you get them here.  This is such an oasis of peace and tranquility that its sometimes hard to believe that you are surrounded by housing, roads and traffic nearby.

Monday 4 June - Hermitage of Braid

An early morning (6am) start today on a nice sunny summer morning to the Hermitage.  A lovely place for a walk with lots of mature mixed woodland, streams and plants, animals and wildflowers - an amateur naturalists delight!  It was also very, very quiet and we only saw 1 man and his dog!

Spotted a few birds this morning including dippers, thrushes and heron.  Plenty of bunnies out and about and also a couple of squirrels too.  A nice way to start the day but weather clouded over later on so got the best of the day with being out early.

Sunday 10 June 2012

Sunday 3 june

A nicer day weather wise today as there were some nice sunny spells but the odd spot of rain.  Today we took a walk along the water of leith which was idyllic and so peaceful.  All the wildflower was blooming and there was lots of birdsong so it was lovely to be out on a nature walk today and enjoy all the sights, smells and sounds of this time of year.  Ended up going into the grounds of the Scottish gallery of Modern Art and saw a few swifts and swallows flying about over the grassy banks.

Back on the river sawa couple of dippers and a few squirrels in the leafy branches.  Also spotted a couple of bullfinches and a possible outlier badger sett so definitely a worthwhile exercise and always a pleasure to walk along the riverside here as it is a haven for animals, plants and flowers.

Saturday 2 June

Went on a badger survey in west edinburgh area with officials from the local badger group.  A bit of a breezy day today and some spots of rain too so mixed weather.  Found lots of badger setts in the area we were looking at but no badgers as it was the middle of the day!  However saw plenty of other wildlife including bunnies, squirrels, and plenty of birds including treecreepers, oystercatchers, mallard, eider and shelduck.  Also spotted the now customary buzzards and a kestrel.  An interesting day out.


Tuesday 29 May 2012

Monday 28 May

An evening walk to a local badger sett about 9pm.  Did not have to wait long for the first badgers to appear and they started ambling about in 1's and 2's until we counted about 8 or 9 of them in total. After a while most of them seemed to have wandered off and a fox casually trotted right through the middle of the sett!  After a further wait of some 10 minutes or so a tawny owl flew silently across the sett low to the ground and being chased by an indignant blackbird! A great but oh so fleeting moment to savour!

After a while and near 10pm we headed back and on the way stopped to see some acrobatics from the local bats who put on a good acrobatic display - great stuff!  This walk just illlustrates what is on your own doorstep in terms of wildlife watching!

Sunday 27 May River Almond

Beautiful day yet again so off we went along the river Almond in the afternoon to see if we could spot a KF.  Took up our usual position on the riverbank and watched the swifts, swallows and martins flying about overhead.  A KF duly appeared after about 20mins and flew up and down the river a few times!
Also saw lots of butterflies including the orange tips and a peacock, as well as numerous whites. A perfect day for buzzards today with a good breeze and warm temperatures.  Saw about four of them soaring on the thermals and one was chased and harried for ages by a crow that seemed determined to drive the buzzard off!
Other birds spotted included siskin, goldfinch, warbler, robin and thrush so it was a good haul.  On the way back to the car saw more buzzards and also spotted a kestrel and another siskin.  Another nice walk in warm sunny conditions - how long can this weather hold out for??

Saturday 26 May - Pentlands

Another lovely sunny day today with clear blue sky.  Took the car to the Pentlands and parked up at Flotterstone Inn car park.  we then walked up the glen and took one of the hill paths but the army were on the rifle range so it was pretty noisy with lots of bullets being fired.  Still, it was a nice day and we saw plenty of butterflies including some orange tips, as well as numerous birds including greylag geese, a couple of buzzards and various swifts and swallows.
Later on we met up at the picnic site with folk from the local badger group for a barbecue which was most enjoyable on this lovely day.  The highlight here was seeing a roe deer on the opposite bank of the river.

Saturday 26 May 2012

River Almond

Another lovely day today. Took a walk along the river almond in the afternoon and sat down for picnic right next to the river at KF corner saw plenty of swallows and sandmartins but no sign of any swifts.  We did get a glimpse of a KF whizzing past a couple of times but very brief sighting and they didn't land.  A great day for butterflies with the warm conditions and we saw plenty of orange tips and cabbage whites fluttering about but no sign of any others - not seen many peacocks this year?

After a lazy snooze on the riverbank we headed further along the river and saw a warbler, siskin, mallard and cormorant. Weather was amazing so we just stayed out and took another seat on the riverbank and watched the swallows and sandmartins buzzing about overhead.  On our way back we spotted a songthrush singing away in front of us and saw lots of birds but no swifts which was a surprise. Got a good view of a heron soaring over the river and also spotted a couple of buzzards.

By this time it was late evening so we decided to head for Cammo as the sun went down to see if we could spot an owl.  Sat under the owl box but no sign of any activity although we heard one later as dusk fell.  Found a nice picnic table tucked away in the trees and sat there for a while before heading back to the car and on the way we spotted a couple of bats.

Wednesday 23 May 2012

River Almond 22/5

Another lovely day in this fine spell of weather so hopefully it will  continue! As it was a lovely soft evening we decided to go along the river almond in search of kingfishers!  It was a nice soft evening so lots of swallows flying about as we made our way to  kingfisher territory.  Saw the mallard with 5 ducklings so hope they all make it.  We stopped at the corner where sandmartin nests are and spotted a few martins going in and out the nests at great speed!  Whilst this was happening a siskin landed in the tree right above us!  More and more swallows and sandmartins appeared but curiously there was no sign of any swifts despite an abundance of flies and insects etc.

After about 30 minutes we got a sighting of 2 kingfishers on the opposite bank and they proceeded to fly back and forward for a while and then one landed on a branch in the river and we got a good view through the binocularsof those amazing colours!  Absolutely delightful!  They kept going back and forward for a while so it was an excellent sighting.  Spotted my first orange tip butterflies of the year so that was a bit of a relief as have always seen them in April in previous years.

After this about 930pm we went to a local ruined barn where we had been told by a local wildlife person that there may have been barn owls nesting there.  The building looked ideal but after staking it out for a while we did not spot any barn owls and a man living in the cottage nearby told us he had seen any owls in the last year or so.  has the very wet spring affected them as they cannot fly/hunt when it is raining?  We will maybe try again to spot them but it does not look promising.  On the way back  in fading light we saw  lots of bats flying along the edge of the trees and hedgerows. Another relaxing walk.

Badgers again!

Went on a walk to the badger sett with a local wildlife enthusiast\photographer who was going to try and get a photo if possible without spooking the badgers.  Got there about 930 and got a vantage point overlooking the sett so settled down for a possible sighting.  A couple of badgers duly appeared within about 10 minutes but they maybe got a whiff of our scent as they seemed a bit jumpy.  The light was still quite good but the breeze was quite chilly.  Eventually about 5 or 6 badgers did appear in 1's and 2's but they were rushing about from one entrance\exit to another so the sightings were not that good tonight.  The real highlight was when a tawny owl flew silently right across the sett quite low to the ground - a great sight!
After this we made our exit and on the way back saw a lot of bunnies and a few bats which were very small so probably pipistrelle bats.

Corstorphine hill LNR

A nice sunny day today so took a walk up to Corstorphine Hill which is a lovely walk with lots of wildlife.  Saw loads of birds including spotted woodpecker, green woodpecker, thrush, kestrel, 3 buzzards - one being chased and harried by a crow, 2 others dive bombing each other!!  Also saw swifts and swallows and lots of smaller birds including wrens and a goldcrest, the UK's smallest bird.

Other wildlife spotted included loads of bunnies, one of which looked like a dutch rabbit!  Also spotted a couple of squirrels and a few butterflies including cabbage whites and painted ladies.  Rounded off the walk to the walled garden which is looking lovely just now and is testament to the work of the volunteers from FOCH.  A magpie landed right in front of us and we got a good picture so will post this in due course.

Saturday 19 May 2012

River Almond\Edinburgh Badgers

Today a bit better weather wise after 2 dayus of monsoon rains - cloudy but mostly dry apart from a few spots of rain.  We set off on the almond walkway from the airport end and walked down the track towards the river which was swollen with rainwater and a dirty brown colour after all the rain of recent days.

First thing we spotted, unusually here, was a lesser spotted woodpecker perching on a tree next to the river, the firt time we have spotted a woodpecker here.  The river was buzzing with swallows and sandmartins despite the swollen waters.  Curiously however there were no signs of any swifts as we walked along the river towards Cammo although we saw a few reed buntings jumping about the riverside and also spotted the duck family at the same area and it seemed the young were down to 5 inm number so 1 less than the last time. At the area of the river wwe have named 'kingfisher corner' because of numerous sightings in the past we stopped for a while on the riverbank but no kingfishers this time but we did see 2 grey wagtails bobbing up and down and a couple of wrens. we sat here for a while just listening to the sounds of the birds, the breeze and the fast flowing water.  A lovely spot.

On the way back along the riverside path we at last saw some swifts flying about and too many sandmartins and swallows to count! Great to see the swifts again as they are one of my favourite birds and its such a shame they are only here for 3 or so months of the year - wish they were here for a lot longer!  We decided to go under the railway bridge next to the airport and take shelter under a willow tree next to the riverbank as the wind had got up and there was a few spots of rain.  The river was still buzzing with swifts, swallows and martins but the highlight was seeing a kingfisher whizzing past and down the river!  Lovely to see as we have not spottted one for a while and did not expect to see one as the water was very dark brown colour which presumably means they cant fish?

Making our way back to the car we spotted a siskin flying along the edge of one of the farm fields and that was a nice way to round off an enjoyable walk on a breezy afternoon.


At night just after 9pm we went back to a local nature reserve and settled down at a badger sett in expectation of some badger spotting.  We were sat down for 5 minutes when a 'pack' of 6 badgers all together came into view!  so nice to see as you usually spot them in 1's and 2's.  This group were going in and out of the sett and sniffing and shuffling about while oblivious to our presence.  Cags (partner) had a slightly better vantage point than me and she saw a tawny owl flying silently through the woods just above the sett! Amazing stuff but I was slightly jealous as I did not see it from where I was sitting!
Anway another good badger expedition and owl was the icing on the cake for this time.

Thursday 17 May 2012

Edinburgh badgers

Out on wednesday night to a local nature reserve with some great wildlife not too far from the city centre.  Quite a nice day today with sunny spells\cloud - a nice change from the recent rainy weather.  You could definitely call this a 'soggy spring' as its been raining most days now since the beginning of April and most of the outdoor walking paths are all very muddy and wet so maybe its time to get the wellies out!!
Anyway I digress! The walk last night was amazing as 2 badgers came out of the sett just a couple of minutes after we sat down to watch which was very obliging of them!  After another few minutes there were more and more badgers out and about running, walking and shuffling about.  One even appeared to be moving backwards doing a kind of MichaelJjackson moonwalk!!  I think it was taking fresh bedding into the sett! Brilliant to watch.  At this point we counted something like 10 badgers although difficult to work out if we were double counting, ie they go down one entrance then come out another exit as the sett is quite big.  Anyway they were running about all over the place although a couple stuck their noses in the air and got a whiff of our scent then shot down their holes! After a while most of them seemed to have wandered off in various directions so we took this chance to make an exit from our viewpoint so as not to disturb them at all.  What a great badger watching experience as you normally see a few at most when watching a sett.  They all seemed about the same size so not sure if some young were still down in the sett.

On a more serious note away from the badgers' antics I cannot give away the location as there are some people out there whos intentions towards badgers are not very honourable.  I am sure anyone reading this will understand.  As a member of a local badger group I am all too aware of the need to keep locations of setts private etc.  A shame we have do this in the 21st century but the welfare of these wild creatures must come first.

On the way back from the sett to the car saw loads of bunnies and a few birds but it had turned a bit dreich and rainy and light was fading (10pm).  Stopped at the edge of the reserve and waited to see if we could see any bats at a place we have seen them lots of times before.  Waited for a fe minutes and then a couple of tiny bats started flying low over our heads in search of insects (hopefully not from our heads!)!  They were very small and although I am no expert on bats I believe they were pipistrelle bats.  Absolutely love watching bats and their acrobatics, its one of the great displays in nature and to think they do it all for free!!  Great stuff and I am sure they come out in the rain because by this time there was some light but steady rainfall.  A nice walk and will file it under the 'pleasant local experience' category.

Monday 14 May 2012

River Almond Walkway

Went for an evening walk along the Almond across from Cammo estate and out towards the airport.  Turned into a nice evening after a showery day, a bit more like spring.
First thing we spotted were a couple of bunnies playing in the horse field. Then a robin was singing in a tree above our heads and we managed to spot it.
Further along the river we saw a few swifts soaring on the breeze and then we turned the corner where the island is a nd proceeded to see lots of sandmartins buzzing about in a sky which was also alive with swifts and swallows!  Wonderful to see all these summer visitors flying about together especially as its our first sight of sandmartins for at least 9 months!

Further along the river we saw more birds including a mallard with 6 ducklings - it was looking a bit twitchy so has probably lost some already to predators.  A siskin then flew into a tree just 10 yards away and a reed warbler landed on a bush nearby and sang heartily!  The sky was still buzzing with summer visitors as we made our way back on the same path when two song thrushes came out of the scrub and sang beautifully right in front of us! Probably they were nesting nearby?

We stopped at island corner and watched some sandmartins flying in and out of their nests and we commented upon how they looked almost like a kingfisher when they flew out of the nest.  No sign of any kingfishers tonight though.  The whole walk was so nice and green, leafy with lots of wildflower and lovely scents in the air.  Have still not spotted an orange tip butterfly yet this year and they have probably been affected by the poor weather and wet conditions.  Saw a couple of buzzards perching on trees at the edge of the fields.

Stopped at the old bridge on the way back in fading light (945pm) to see if we could spot any bats but none showed up so we called it a night at 10pm and headed back to the car. A pleasant evening walk and much more like spring tonight.  Here's hoping it continues!

Sunday 13 May 2012

Corstorphine Hill LNR

A very windy morning but dry.  We went on a guided bird walk with FOCH around 10.00am on Corstorphine Hill bird spotting with a group of about 14 people.
Started frrom Clermiston Road car park and proceeded up the hill. The walk was mainly about spotting and listening for birds for survey data for the local ranger service.

First bird was a chiffchaff followed by a blackcap then assorted tits , robins and thrushes.  At one of the highest points we spotted a kestrel followed by a pair of buzzards. Near the first badger sett saw a buzzard flying low through the woods jusgt above head height!  Also spotted a few other buzzards and some more robins and thrushes. Next up was a willow warbler and then we listened to a blackcap singing in the trees,  sometimes hard to make out what the bird was when many were calling at same time.

Near badger sett 2 Keith the walk leader said that he had spotted a nuthatch so we hung about there for a while and Carole spotted one!!  I also spotted a treeecreeper and then a woodpecker near the end of the walk so it finished well.  keith pointed out that the difference between a great tit and a coal tit is that, apart from size, the coal tit has a white bit on its head!! Did not know that! Also learned a bit about stock doves which are very similar to wood pigeons but do not have the white stripey bit at the neck.

An enjoyable walk on a grey and windy day so all in all a worthwhile exercise.

Saturday 12 May 2012

Pentlands Circular

Set off at 7am and arrived at Threipmuir Car Park 730.  Very quiet to begin with but a nice day with some blue skies and sunshine at last! 
The first thing we spotted was a few swallows flying about near the car park. Next up on Threipmuir reservoir were a few tufted ducks followed by a skylark and wheaters.  At the far end of the reservoir we heard the clear call of a cuckoo! Loud and clear and one of the great sounds of summer! Also saw a kestrel hovering in the sky.  At this point we decided to stop at the edge of the plantation wood and have a nice breakfast of porridge, hot chocolate and some nice bread. Yummy!  As we were having breakfast a chaffinch landed right in front of us and proceeded to grab and eat a cranefly!

Back on the walk we were on the road up to Loganlea reservoir and saw dippers, grey wagtail, reed bunting, thrushes, more swallows and another kestrel.  Loganlea busy today with lots of anglers out on the slightly choppy waters - very breezy.  Weather nice when the sun is out but chilly when it slips behind a cloud.  We did not spot too much after the reservoir and walked down the big hill and through the gate along to the Robin Aitken hide.  Sadly, the bit round the bird feeders was all flooded and no-one - unless wearing waders! - could get out to fill them up again so there weren't the usual numbers of wee birds flying about.  We heard a cuckoo over the water and then thought we saw one flying by the hide but weren't sure - will need to read up about them in the bird book.  Also saw a moorhen and a swift.  A pair of swans were nesting over the other side of water.  Also spotted a heron over the other side.

Went on the Red Moss walk - looked back along the boardwalk walk and saw a little roe deer running along behind us then it disappeared over a small ridge.

After tis nice sunny walk we took the car down to Malleny Gardens (National Trust), somewhere we had been meaning to go for ages.  It was a really nice wee place - saw 3 different types of butterfly - peacock, cabbage white and some type of fritillary butterfly? Not sure but will identify it later.  Also saw robins, swallows and a crow came walking by our bench.  We sat there for ages enjoying the sunshine and watching the birds whilst listening to the water gurgling past in the stream outside the garden wall.  Spotted a couple of hoodies from the car on the way home just past Riccarton. Another enjoyable day out and much better weather made it a pleasant experience!

Friday 11 May 2012

Dalmeny Estate

A wet and windy day today but better than yesterday's downpour!  We went for walk to Dalmeny at 10.00am.  Parked Car near Gatehouse and started off through Glenpunty Wood where we almost instantly saw a Roe Deer and a Kestrel. Off to a good start!  Then down at the edge of the Golf course we saw our first Swifts of the year soaring overhead!  What a welcome sight as its been 9 months since we last saw them!
Saw a few buzzards soaring about as we walked along the beach towards Queensferry.  At this point the rain was on and off and we saw a few seabirds including Curlew, Oystercatcher and Cormorant. On the way back through the woods we saw a Spotted Woodpecker and then heard the faint call of a Cuckoo from deep in the woods somewhere! Probably the first Cuckoo we have heard in over a year at least!
No sighting but definitely the call of the Cuckoo.

Saw a few small birds on the way back but the main attraction were the lovely Bluebells which had carpeted large swathes of Glenpunty Wood - lovely, despite the heavy rain!! One other interesting footnote to this walk - saw a Police Dogs Van parked on the estate and two officers were out on a grassy area training a young German Shepherd which was hanging on grimly to the arm of 'the criminal'. Fascinating stuff to watch.

All in all a good day despite the weather and two firsts of the year - our first Swifts and the call of our first Cuckoo so a good day despite the iffy weather.