got till it's gone

The Botanics was one of the first places to close due to C19. I felt they were a little too quick to close up and perhaps relished shutting out the screaming kids, the overly romantic couples, the sprawling families, the dawdling oldies. I mean who wants all of them in your beautiful garden? I would have preferred them to close the cafe and front entrance-way but maybe left the garden open as a refuge for the locals. Sadly not to be. This was one of the last visits there (on 14th March) just before it closed. There were lots of birds and flowers but no butterflies as yet.

Ann and Michael again!
(before social distancing)

selfie in a squirrels eye

robin singing from the treetops

Finding no butterflies there I went for a run round a couple of other places. First I went up the Water of Leith. Nothing much apart from a dead fox over the other side of the river.

I had heard the Colinton Tunnel was getting a make over. I was impressed that it is actually being done really well. Although a variety of styles there is a continuity and I liked the large text (having done a fair bit of sign-painting in my time) although some of the phrases chosen didn't seem to say much. But it was all very upbeat and struck the right note. And nearly everyone through was admiring it and taking photos. Top marks to those involved.

there's been a mordor

Next place to check out was the Hermitage. At least if there's no butterflies there usually a chance to watch dippers do their bobbing and fishing. There was a pair doing just that between the bridges, oblivious to the dog walkers and me. The male was just a little plumper, larger and more fearless than the female. But both have become accustomed to the passing traffic unlike the other dippers further downstream. A delight to watch them fish for caddisfly larvae.

There is an area over the burn (upstream of the Howe Dean Bridge) where butterbur (above) grows and flowers and attracts the early butterflies - peacocks, small tortoiseshells and commas. The butterfbur was out! The butterflies were not! I felt disheartened and to make it worse stepped in a wet muddy bit. Said lots of bad words. Double checked for insects there and at the Walled garden then popped over to Blackford Pond. If nothing else there'd be ducks to photograph and maybe even a sighting of a rat or 2; well fed on duck food but are smart enough to know how popular they are with most humans.

This one saw me and stayed hidden for ages.

I waited for a bit but didn't get any better pics than this.

The light was fading and I think I put the camera away and ran home 

round the boundary of Holyrood Park. 20 miles in 5 hrs