rave from the grave

22-09-21

A couple of trips to Warriston to round off September. Pretty much the end of the butterfly year, although there can be stragglers on sunny days until the end of October but they are outliers rather than regulars. And so my mind turns from 4 wings to 2. I sort of hoped I'd also get back into run training as well but that requires an amount of discipline. Whereas going out to take photos on a sunny day is just total pleasure and not a chore at all. Unfortunately we live in a country where the sun (at this time of the year) is an occasional visitor.

There are currently 3 tables set up in the secret garden, one with an old frying pan which makes an excellent water dish and bath; the other two with bricks on top. I put a finely chopped slice of seeded wholemeal on them and a handful of seeds (sunflower and pumpkin) which attracts a few garden birds. The light is pretty terrible there until the local trees shed their leaves. But it is a joyful reminder of the Winter wildlife I discovered there last year during lockdown. My Lumix bridge camera just about captures things adequately if the birds hold still for a second.

The radge robin is still fiercely guarding "his" territory and does not enjoy sharing any of the tables with anyone. He chases off the (smaller) coal tits who have worked out a tag team distraction. While some of the bigger birds, the great tit and the nuthatches, pay no attention to him. At which point he sits on a nearby branch and huffs. Watching this rather foolish attitude makes you appreciate the different characters of different species. Some, (LTTs for example) travel in a cascade of 6 or more family members flitting through the trees calling out to each other, very much the social group. The robins though, are individuals. They will rear and bring food to an offspring but do not hang out in small flocks like the bullfinches, goldfinches or sparrows.

Some species, goldcrest and treecreeper for instance, while not travelling in family groups, will hang out on the periphery of another species group. And move from one tree to another along with a tribe of finches etc. On the upside the robins are bold and curious and are one of the few species that seem to enjoy human company and will respond very favourably to bribes and handouts. Sadly none of the robins I made friends with last Winter have reappeared in the same spots as last year. Apparently they have a short life outdoors, an average of only a couple of years, so I have to assume my pals from last year didn't make it. Which is too sad to contemplate as I had grown really fond of the cheerful welcome I'd get at 2 or 3 places around the cemetery. 

great tit

Not much sign of the wrens either. I see an occasional one hopping through the undergrowth and hear them practicing alarm calls, but it won't be until early in the breeding season that they start sitting on perches and boldly blasting out their declarations of intent.

coal tit

woodpigeon

Despite being much larger than the garden birds the pigeons keep their distance while I stand photographing the tables. As soon as I am gone they, and the magpies, move in and hoover up anything left. I assume this to be the case. If I return after a circuit of the North side there is usually nothing left. I did this the other day and also saw 2 squirrels tidying away the last of the remaining crumbs and seeds. They are not discouraged by the squirrel-proofing black plastic tops, and easily jump from nearby items to gain access. But like the pigeons are a little shy in company. Occasionally one sneaks in at ground level to see what has been swept onto the earth from above. Also a tiny mouse recently. And elsewhere the stirring ground cover ivy revealed a rat, the most shy of all the wildlife locally. 

my eye was caught by 2 identical names
then you read the inscription and it tells of heartbreaking tragedy

last of the speckled woods in dappled sunlight

Helen Miles mosaic work

26-10-21

Another trip a few days later and much the same joys.

The frying pan waterdish was empty. I presume knocked over by one of the many marauding dogs that jump up smelling bread and birdfood. (I stand rolling my eyes as embarrassed owners put their badly behaved pooches on a lead and drag them away, yet again.) The radge robin eats some of my (admittedly dry) bread then hops to the waterdish and looks at it longingly. You expect me to fill that? It cocks its head and couldn't be more clear. Can I have some water please? Really? Even though he is a wee bastard to the other birds, I pick up the dish and walk 200 yards to the tunnel where there is a murky stream down to the WoL. I half fill the dish and carry it back. The robin flies over almost immediately sits on the edge of it and drinks. It chirrups and chats between sips. It might be saying thanks or it might be saying haha sucker, what a div!

can I take a hint?

After a circuit of the cemetery fails to find much, I decide to visit the Botanics. It hasn't been great for butterflies this year but the leaves are beginning to turn and there's usually something worth the effort. The heron is up the usual perch above the duck pond and there are a few squirrels about. Since the sun is shining, I check out the most likely spots for end of year butterflies. 

nice small white - one of the last of the year

The herbacious border yeilded nothing (yet again) and I felt a bit shortchanged. Nearby a squirrel was twitching in the leaf litter. I shook my food bags and it immediately tuned in. As I said here before, many of the super-tame squirrels seem to have disappeared during lockdown. It seems unlikely they have just changed behaviour during the short absence of human handouts, so until I hear otherwise I will continue the rumours that they were caged and culled by the authorities and only the wary remain. Anyway, one came over and was prepared to hunt for bread and seeds thrown a small distance. It is strange how bad their eyesight is. They see you throw stuff but a small corner of bread landing more than 6 inches from their nose goes unseen. They revert to sniffing to try to find it. And yet they dart up trees like rats up a drainpipe, and across branches like they had perfect vision - leaping huge distances with great accuracy. I cannot understand the apparent discrepancy. 

While I was doing the squirrel shoot a red admiral swooped in and landed just yards away. It couldn't have been more obliging and I followed it being extra cautious not to spook it - only one of the day so far! Unfortunately it did not open its wings much before flying off heading up, up and away towards some high trees like a total arsehole! I returned to the squirrel who had noticed my easily distracted self and decided to behave more encouragingly. I put the camera low to the ground and used the flip out screen to check framing and focus rather than lie in the leaves like a stroke victim. It makes for a more engaged angle and with the dappled sunlight picking out every detail I was really pleased with the natural looking results (while being really quite contrived.)

lipsmacking!

I then went up to the cafe. Not to enjoy their overpriced (but delicious) products, but to see if there were any butterflies on the buddleias there. There were! I was momentarily distracted by an RA until I noticed a COMMA two yards away and right beside the path. There were 50 other flower plumes further away and here it was near enough to reach out and touch! I took 5 million pics, mostly indifferent quality. It was a bit raggedy on the rear wings but in not bad nick.  It flew over to the green foliage plant and then back again. I took another 5 million pics. 

I think this was taken at 2.35 so less than 20mins out!

on the green foliage

back again

On the way out of the gardens I noticed this pine tree. I have never seen cones appearing from the trunk as well as on branches and it looked like someone had faked these sprouting cones - maybe sticking them on with glue.