luckompensation

 

25-03-26 I am coming to the end of my six weeks jail sentence. I can definitely sense the light at the end of the tunnel and may go for a short local trial run any day now. The sciatica is fading and last night was the first night in 6 weeks I haven't got up in the small hours to take more painkillers. I can still feel the remnants of the condition in my right leg and have to be fairly careful about sitting for extended periods working at the computer (on blogs and photo processing). But I am cautiously optimistic that, along with Spring, freedom is nearly here. It has been gradual; no hats are being flung in the air, nor crutches in the bin, and I did buy the usual 2 packs of painkillers (paras and ibus) in the supermarket yesterday as I have done every second day for 6 weeks, but generally the prognosis is good.

crow hat

The oddest thing about the last 6 weeks is the amount of decent wildlife I have come across. Perhaps because I have been moving slower. Or going out for a constitutional nearly daily as it is the one thing that seems to ease the achy back and leg. Or maybe just luck. Not every trip has been bountiful and a lot haven't even made the grade sufficiently to be archived here. However there has been enough significant photos and encounters that I haven't felt that shortchanged by my recent days out, limited as I've been.

It's as if fate has taken pity on me and stepped in to compensate by throwing me a bone now and again. From the first ever sighting of a Water Rail without even having to change my regular route to the Botanics. A unexpected goldcrest just yards from home that almost sat still for photos and video. The gray wagtail and kingfisher(s) in the water rail's stomping ground. Kestrels, woodpeckers, LTTs and treecreepers appearing just slightly more often and for longer, and closer than the law of averages usually deals out. I was trying to come up with a title to describe this phenomenon and Luckompensation is a clumsy attempt; if you can do better I'll change it. Today continued this trend. I was considering staying home as the weather was dull with a good prospect of a soaking. But, you know, get out and do some steps. You never know. 

I saw these folk gathered at the raised walkway, Powderhall. Kingfishers top the likely bill to gather a crowd, although the water rail was becoming a mild local sensation along the same stretch. Happily it had the good sense to keep quite well hidden most of the time and the crowds don't find that sort of behaviour compelling. Meaning there was never more than about a dozen WR onlookers max, often asking was it kingfishers or otters we were pointing cameras at.

Sure enough this turned out to be a male kingfisher who was expressing his contempt for bystanders by turning his back on the humans, and facing the cemetery wall on the other side of the river. I took a photo and moved on.

The plan was to walk round the Botanics and see what was there. If nothing special (and it wasn't really warm enough for butterflies) then there was always the great tits. Although the initial surprise of hand-feeding great tits was bedding in, the actual joy of a feathered friend sitting on my hand, the feel of minature claws gently holding on in a tiny handshake, is easily the best part of most days.

house sparrow (m)

Just passed the water rail station there is a hedge full of house sparrows. They seem to be chatting constantly. They were ten-a-penny when I was a youngster and everyone had 30 in their backgarden. Numbers have dropped significantly in my lifetime and if it keeps going like this they will soon be as rare as they were once widespread.

Despite the partly rubbish weather checking the rhodies has to be done. Not even any interesting hovers today. Also I photographed the sign near the viburnum, the one I have been watching flower. Those silly folk at the Botanics have labelled it Viburnum furcatum when everybody (Obsidentify!) knows it's Viburnum lantana. Actually I tried ID-ing it again with the flowers this far out and Obsidentify now IDs it as Viburnum opulus and with 100% certainty. Perhaps I have to get a plant ID app as Obsidentify seems better with animals, birds and bugs. Although if you aren't aware what a thing is, how do you know what it is not? Since my primary concern is the aesthetic of the photo and not the scientific taxonomy I am completely prepared to pass the ID buck to Obsidentify and say it was their mistake. I merely took the photo and my responsibility stops there. Please feel free to correct (my) their errors.

Viburnum whatever
(furcatum)

long-tailed tit collecting nesting materials

Kazak pear tree just beginning to blossom
hurry along and catch its fabulous display soon

Kazak pear - towards the South West corner of Inverleith Terrace

Camp Mag

LTT

I think this is the third occasion on which I've had the great tits handfeed. Proving it was not just a one-off. They didn't appear more recently when Mary and I were there, although the robins did a certain amount of standing in for them. I'm guessing they travel about the place and cover a wide territory. They probably don't regard me as particularly reliable either. However when they are there, it doesn't take long before they fly over to let their presence be known. Best video results are to swap to the 12~60mm lens and use slo-mo 120fps. I notice they tend to stay perched on fingertips and reach over to food. The robins will take a couple of steps over fingers and don't mind walking on a flat surface. They don't seem to have a preference foodwise and will vary it although I have smashed up the hazelnuts as they sometimes struggle to pick up a whole nut and would manage broken bits easier.

great tits - still an absolute treat

where to find handy great tits (x marks the spot)

I've also marked the rhodies that attracted red admirals early on last year. Sadly they are now past their best and the flowers are wilting on both these shrubs without a sniff of an admiral. I also marked the Pulmonaria which is a continual success with the bees (and occasionally butterflies.) It has been flowering for weeks now and the hairy-footed flower bees love it. (More bee footage in next blog!)

robin shouting

handheld robin - wait for it!

for those who can't be bothered to wait for it

Campbell's Magnolia in full bloom

many rhododendrons coming into flower

tree bumblebee

bullfinch

robin with squint beak

This is one of the robins who will come to a hand depending how playful he/she is feeling. Sometimes it just sits on a nearby branch looking at you. I took his/her photo as the sun was out and making interesting shadows and light and dark.

dunnock

hairy tulips!
(pulsatilla?)

back along Warriston Rd past the hedge hogging sparrows

female

When I got to the raised walkway Mr K Fisher was doing the business; diving into the river and pulling out sticklebacks and minnows. He saw me across the other side and did his best to hide behind a large stump next to the bank. 

cormorant swam downstream - love the green eyes!
look how low in the water they float/submerge

The KF flew upstream and looked as if it had settled on the nearside bank. Could I be arsed retracing my steps? Okay, I traipsed back along, putting off my lunch soup yet again. It was on the opposite side and sat on a branch just above the water. I hoped it would dive in and catch a fish there, where there was half a chance of decent slo-mo video of it fishing. Nope. It flew up and sat on a higher branch and faced the opposite wall. Okay message understood. I was about to leave the huffy wee shit to himself when everything changed dramatically. There was a peeping from downstream, from another kingfisher. The huffy male immediately perked up and turned around. I started filming. In real time rather than slo-mo becuase the latter doesn't record audio and I wanted to record their peeping back and forth. Unfortunately there was a lot of ambient noise and bird calls and its difficult to discern what is kingfisher to-and-fro and what is not. In a second he was off and landed 60 yards downstream ON THE NEARSIDE BANK where the female was advertising herself.

huffy male

hang on, who is that calling out?

This is the only time I've ever got a decent photo of 2 kingfishers (Luckompensation?) I walked stealthily downstream to get a closer photo but not so close I'd chase them off or discourage their courtship. The female (lower, with more orange on her lower beak) seemed very keen and was edging up the branch towards the male.

If you look at the video I shot you can see he is not so keen. He transfers to the branch next door and after further consideration headed over to the other side of the river and then after another interaction with the female, flew up stream and round the corner. She stayed and took a perch on one of his favourite branches.

I have no idea why Mr K found her unsuitable. His initial excitement was tangible but as soon as he got beside her, he lost interest. We were laughing later thinking he maybe recognised his mum. Whatever it was, I was both disappointed they didn't take it further but also delighted to have been passing by at just the right time, and that they, for a glorious moment, were sat on a branch so close I had to slightly zoom out to get them both in. If I hadn't been totes overexcited by the scene, I'd have zoomed out slightly further to allow the crop-in that happens when you apply stability in the video-editing in post. It was a bit shaky, but I think I can be forgiven in the circumstances. And not bad for handheld full zoom without tripod etc.

deserted female

kingfisher video,
a hit and a near miss!

5.5miles in 3hr15m

a fork on the tyne

21-03-26  Another really enjoyable day out and while I didn't see everything I'd hoped for, I saw and photographed lots and came home feeling rich! The River Tyne from Haddington to Dunbar is often one of those places I visit around now as it has a few corners that I associated with early Spring butterflies. I will probably return fairly soon hoping for orange tips. Far too early for them today - I was still on the hunt for the fourth over-winterer, the red admiral. And if not them, then some of the other three species on blackthorn or cherry plum blossom. Other than that if the sun was shining and I was taking photos and getting a few miles in, then I was happy as a pig in shit!

station peacock 30secs off the train

I got off the 10.08am train from Edinburgh in East Linton. The newish station is possibly the bleakest place in East Linton and not much more than a few steps down off a hastily improvised platform next to the playing fields. This was greatly improved by the sight of a peacock butterfly crossing the stairs as I descended them. I raised the camera and recorded the peacock when it landed on grass next to the platform. An auspicious start and good omen. The sun was out and it wasn't even 10.30am! I could feel my pulse racing which is likely attributable to the station coffee, the first in months. 

local house sparrow

flowering currant

I took a slightly circuitous route to the riverside path along past Preston Mill. Going up the side of the orchard and along a narrow lane behind the houses. A few insects but no butterflies. On popping out back onto the main road a car pulled in and George (Dod) M got out. He was on his way back from a storming parkrun and we had a roadside blether catch-up. Unfortunately his day was planned out and didn't leave room for a leisurely wander alongside the Tyne looking for wildlife. He had been thinking about Mary and I when he drove past the wobbly roadside convex mirror we always take selfies in...

back into shorts

The plan was to walk about a mile out of town (downstream) to a bend in the river (point A on map at bottom of this page) where there are a load of riverside willow catkins. At this time of year the catkins provide pollen for the butterflies and bees. As I was getting there I bumped into several butterflies including a small tort in great condition. I took quite a few photos but it wasn't going to move far from the grassy floor so I moved onto a comma that was up on those yellow polleny fingers moving about the canes of what I think is goat willow. 

cracking small tort!

magical fresh comma

Great to see a comma in such good shape. It will have spent the Winter in a garden shed or in a cavity in a tree, emerging when the temperature reaches double figures and it judges things warm enough to go get some food. I took way too many photos and video and then some more. I then checked a further 200 yards downstream to make sure there weren't any outliers just beyond the clumps of willow. I had originally planned to walk another mile downstream then return to East Linton, have lunch and do the same at a similar spot 2miles upstream. However having found the three species I was looking for here in less than half an hour, and no sign of RAs, I changed plan and returned early to EL, bought a sandwich at the Coop (no Pastel de Nata sadly) and headed upstream, giving myself more time to explore likely areas on the riverside trails.

did I mention there were several peacocks on the willows as well?

East Linton from downstream

On the way back into the small town I saw this wagtail and took a photo or 2 as it was constantly moving and you can never really tell if sharp or not. When I saw the pics at home I was annoyed I had not noticed there were two birds there. And they weren't pied wagtails as I assumed but White Wagtails if obsidentify is right. I felt like I had missed a chance, or at least failed to recognise a species I'd never knowingly captured before. In my defence I had to lean over some jaggy shrubs and aim the camera down into the river. But yes I botched it. Too busy thinking about the best places upstream to photograph some butterflies that weren't there!

sorry I chopped the head off the one in the corner!

Preston Mill

peacock on way back into town

As I was on my way to the Coop to buy lunch this peloton swooshed down and past me. I took a few photos. And then as it went past Mark K shouted out hello. I hadn't seen he was leading the cyclists but was glad I was able to send him some photos later that evening. He reported it was a great bike ride and I imagine the improvements on the previous Wintry cycles round EL would be noticeable.

most exotic bird species photo-ed today!
seen on outskirts of town

The budgies drew my attention to this rook which was sitting on the fence of the budgie's house. A second species I have never knowingly photo-ed. Instantly recogniseable from the white bill near the head, which has a gorilla-like shaped bump on top. It then proceeded to step awkwardly along the fence making some interesting shapes before flying off. I was pleased to get 2 new species. 

that fibreglass hare at the first / last house on the riverside walk

just delightful with much promise of butterflies

I would stop and examine every large willow with blossoming catkins. Most did not have attendant butterflies, the occasional one did. The one below did and I was able to position myself in such a way to get blurred out bokeh balls from the passing river behind. The video is perhaps more successful than the still shots.

riverside peacock
soundtrack: Sarah by Kusanagi

ground ivy

great tit

I also checked all blossoming trees and canes for butterflies. I hoped to get some shots like the above, of butterflies on cherry or blackthorn blossom. This was as close as I got and most of the image was in shade rather than sunlight so it took a bit a work in post to get it lighter and brighter. There were a couple more shots of distant commas and peacocks on blossoming flowers but I didn't really feel I did justice to the concept. There's still time although every cloudy day makes it less likely.

cherry plum

blue tit

gray wagtail

I find that many rural birds are far more flighty than their urban cousins. Possibly because in town the birds get used to the proximity of humans and largely ignore them and live alongside. They aren't keen on touching or stroking but will let you get close enough for a photo. In the countryside they are possibly less used to passing traffic and will keep their distance from those odd 2-legged potential predators.

I saw 2 toads in a medium sized puddle. One heard my footfall and ducked into the bottom mud. The other hung about the surface while I tip-toed around taking photos. I had to be quick as three women were coming down the trail towards me. I would be returning this way and have a second chance now I knew they were here.

turkeytail fungus

chiffchaffchiffchaff

if only this blackthorn(?) was in blossom
I'd have my b-on-b photo!

Pulmonaria officinalis - lungwort

carder bumblebee

chaffinch

rather worn small tortoiseshell

I have a fair bit of history with this riverside trail and the Traprain Hill Race which is more of a trail race with a climb over Traprain Law at the far end before returning to East Linton playing fields. Distant memories of when I used to love that endeavour. I've done it several times. Carnethy organised and coinciding with East Linton festival day in June.

Traprain Law Hill Race in 2019 - at the river crossing
ahhh happy memories! (Photo Mary, I think.)

It involves a dash up the riverside trails then THROUGH the river which always proved interesting, as was the ascent up the steep side of Traprain Law beside the quarry. Happy days! Last time I did this was in 2019 and remarkably I came 3rd overall which is almost unheard of in a hill race. (Too fat to climb fast.) However if you read the small print here you get the full story of how the first five runners were sent in the wrong direction after Trap Law, which moved me up from 7th to briefly holding first place, before a couple of the original front 5 overtook me and I finished in third. I should probably quit while ahead. I'll never get anywhere near that podium again

lunch

Now see that fudge brownie - I am not to blame for that! It happens regularly: you buy a sandwich and a bottle of water and the person behind the counter says if take a packet of crisps or a chocolate bar you get a meal deal discount which will cost you about 70p less than just your sandwich and water. So the coop paid me 70p to take that chocolate brownie. Which is not to say I didn't enjoy it enormously. (Although sadly no Portuguese Custard Tarts which would have been first choice.)

I wandered upstream as far as Hailes Castle and a bit beyond. I was considering walking to Haddington another few miles and then catching a bus back to Edinburgh from there. However I was also thinking the best parts of the river for butterflies were downstream. And I'd get a second chance on the return journey. I was also thinking it was taking much less time than I had anticipated (maybe that coffee making me go faster!) and unless I came across some really involving wildlife I'd get back to the train station way ahead of schedule.

I had lunch at point B on the map at the bottom. There is a bench where I've tethered Mary before saying just another 10mins to search for orange tips and then we'll go back. It was like that today with a couple of commas and peacocks high up the steep banking behind the bench. I could get poor distant shots but if I wanted anything closer I'd have to take a risky gradient under and over branches and up through the thorns. I thought I'll eat my lunch and then contemplate the options: risky ascent to get the prize photo, or walk away with all my blood still in my body and no gashes or broken camera parts.

Normally I wouldn't walk away from a challenge like that but today sense prevailed and the steep hill of blackthorns remained unclimbed. Not worth an accident just for a comma or peacock on blossom photo. Maybe I'm getting old? 

On the way back down the river the toad puddle
had only one occupant visible and it was now submerged

LTT

cormorant
(v timid and flew off)

Perhaps the best peacock of the day. But would it sit on
something flowery to have its photo taken. It would not!

bees on catkins

another superb small tort

It was very difficult to count all the butterflies seen today. Even though it was only 3 species which makes things easier. I send the figures into Nick the area recorder and had to guestimate numbers as I probably saw many of the same individuals going upstream as coming down. So I conservatively reckoned over 6miles of riverside I saw 18 peacocks, 7 commas and 5 small torts. It felt like a great day out - when the sun is shining and there are insects, birds and flowers to photograph you can't complain? For once I didn't, even though I was hoping for something exotic like an early white or of course an RA. 

deep joy!

another scaredy gray wagtail

that hare again

When I got back into EL I was heading towards a 35min wait at the station for the 25minute trainride back to Edinburgh. I noticed there were 2 people at the bus stop and wondered if that meant an Edinburgh bus was due. I asked the young dude and he said there was one along in 5 minutes. I was trying to calculate the time the bus takes vs the combined wait for the train plus 25mins travelling, minus the 5 minutes closer the bus stop to home than the distance from Waverley. Fuck it, let's get the bus and I can look at the 800 photos on the journey to pass the time. I think on reflection it was a close thing with just a minute or 2 advantage getting the bus (and of course no further expense as I have my Saltire Card). Even calling in for shopping on the way home I was having a cup of tea in front of my photos on the monitor well before 4pm. What could be better?!

6miles in 3hrs45