two cemeteries

 
cemetery wall

30-04-25 I hadn't realised this was what today held in store but when there was little of note in Warriston, or rather, less than required, I returned home. Where Mary suggested going a walk for her constitutional. We decided upon New Calton cemetery to see if the errant wall she had seen there could be coaxed to show itself. Meet you by the cemetery gates?

chaffinch

wren

two speckleds go head to head

great tit

bullfincher

mrs. bullfinch

long tailed tit

chiffchaff possibly

orange-tip

dunnock

LTT

hover

GVW

OT

hover

a thrice of stock doves!

And that was all in Warriston. I returned home early and not entirely satisfied. Only because Warriston is great for meeting my needs and normally I only return when I need fed or darkness is falling. However Mary said she fancied a walk so we headed back out.

New Calton Cemetery
full of flowers but also sometimes littered with drunks and ne'er-do-wells

and all within sight of Holyrood and the parliament buildings

Much to my surprise we found Mary's wall which she had seen there a week ago.

It was a splendidly fresh female and I have no idea what it was doing there. It certainly wasn't seeking out human company and did its best to avoid the two humans with cameras slowly following it about the lower half of the cemetery. I managed to get some shots but it was not easy. Eventually in an effort to lose us it flew over the wall and out of sight. 

photo taken as above but

turned 90' to show the right way up.

Like the wall recently photographed at Gullane this one would land with open wings or flap them a couple of times before shutting up shop. I tried to get photos at that point but it wasn't easy. Interesting how it picked stones to sit on that almost exactly matched its colour-scheme with its body nearly disappearing in the photo below. Great instincts for evading predators.

robin watching with amusement

nearby concrete jungle

I like the name Josephine Pear but suspect this was originally Joseph Spear

I used to dislike the parliament building. It is growing on me. (Which is more than the horrible turd of St James Quarter will ever manage.) However I still feel some bits are successful while others are not. I like the originality of the non rectangular windows and repeating shapes which are distinctive to that architect however when you look at parts individually you realise no provision has been made for maintenance, which seems a bit of self-indulgent oversight.

just how are they going to re-varnish those wooden frames?

they open the wrong way to do one from the other!
and are already needing a good sand and 2 coats of varnish
(Although I do like the steel and glass shapes against the stone/concrete.)

this made us laugh
I presume it's pronounced Hairy Poater

another example of a low brainpower

chiffchaff or willow warbler

pheasant

on the way home down Leith Walk this peacock landed
beside me taking its life in its hands on a busy street
- lovely sunny afternoon though!