best part of the day: scrooge celebrates the c-word

Sunday, 12 January 2025

scrooge celebrates the c-word

We got back from Tenerife on xmas eve. Travelling back is never as bad as travelling there and I think we managed it door to door in 9hrs which is one less than usual. A very unpleasant 9hrs but an acceptable price to pay for the 3 weeks of bliss.

We had no particular plans for christmas day which I don't celebrate. Mary was a bit done in from whatever bugs she had picked up and then vomiting on the plane but had survived the travelling remarkably well considering. The weather was not bad so I thought I'd have a wander along to Warriston and see if my wee pals there were still speaking to me even though I'd deserted them for all of December.

One of the best birding areas is the small stream by the tunnel. Unfortunately lots of dogwalkers will pass by there and the birds have to scarper every time but they have got used to it and 5 minutes later most will return. I put down a few seeds to encourage them but it doesn't make as good a feeding area as the raised dry gravestone tops, which keeps the food out of the reach of the rats. Much as I love them I don't think I should be actively encouraging them.

there is also a wooden bench there
on which I'll put out food

very pleased to see the grey wagtail

there's only ever one and I'm sure it is the same one each time

Today's highest tariff birds in the stream were a couple of redwings. These can be very flighty and shy round the cemetery but also the opposite. Difficult to read - we saw one the other day in Holyrood; Mary had to swerve while running as she was nearly going to step on it. I stopped and took photos and it was hopping about only a couple of metres away. Very strange!

mrs b

The bullfinches are regulars here. I'll hear them in the trees nearby, a social bird, they go around in small groups and if you imitate their easy-to-do calling note they will often come over and investigate. I always whistle back to them and several times I have convinced myself they have come over and then maybe seen the seeds and then joined the party. Difficult to tell whether my whistling actually makes a difference.

mr bullfinch

From the badly lit tunnel I went over to the crypts where at least the sun was falling on this robin who sat singing in these shrubs while I took pics of him. I was thinking a chrismas robin! while telling myself off for being soppy. I feel christmas is such a poisonous time of year (and I used to love it as a kid) that it can't be panned enough, from the tree murdering, to the humbug, to the trashy tinsel and lights, to the overeating and drinking, not to mention the underlying christian theme which has been ridden into the ground by alcohol manufacturers and party promoters. I admit I felt a surge of warmth and happiness when the New Year in Princes St was cancelled due to weather. My second thought some time later was that I actually have turned into Scrooge. Oh well, too bad.

The crows seemed to be forgiving of my absence and neglect, and instead concentrated on getting as many peanuts in their beaks as possible. Which is life back to normal. One of them seemed to be wearing a completely white base layer. You couldn't see it until the wind caught his top black feathers and it looked as if his stuffing was coming out.

I was delighted to see a woodpecker. This male (the red flash on the back of his head means male) flew from one tree to another before cannily turning himself into a pigeon. Very tricky but it threw me off the scent and I had to make do with just 3 pics. Hadn't seen a woodpecker here in months if at all this year so it was a lovely christmas present.

another redwing

treecreeper

The bullfinches love the seeds on these dock leaf seed heads. A pretty drab looking affair but the bullfinches will leave the trees and descend on those seeds. I came upon them near the O area, and immediately stopped in my tracks, waiting to see if they flew off or returned to eating seeds. Which they did. The male returned and I got a couple of decent shots.

this is the fattest squirrel in the cemetery and he lives near the tunnel

I managed to get closer to the grey wagtail, also in his stream at the tunnel as usual. He was keeping an eye on me but I approached super-slowly and he didn't fly off. It was low light and his bobbing tail requires a higher shutterspeed to avoid motion blur. He is one of my favourites and I was pleased to get some decent enough shots, despite the fast dying light.

While all this was going on I got a text from Mary who was recovering well enough to want to get out and record at least some steps. I told her I was nearly on my way home but we could meet about St Mark's park. Here is a photo of her responding to my text which had said something along the lines of... I wonder if you are nearly here as it has been some time and I am standing in a cold park feeding the crows. It might have been shorter and less sweet than that.