back to warriston

 

I am a little disappointed to notice that I blogged fewer episodes in 2022 (first ever year under 100 blogs posted!) than in any previous year. Mitigation is I clumped together several days on several occasions, and I suspect there is a similar number of words and photos for the year compressed into fewer episodes. 

Like my return to running, I think you can't force these things and you have to work with your enthusiasms waning and waxing. My enthusiasm for wildlife photos is as big as ever and threatens to eclipse the running business. However recent parkruns and all that holiday track running are really firing me up, so all is not lost. More of that later; first a compilation of 3 trips along to Warriston, the first before Tenerife, the next 2 since then.

8th December. This lovely blackbird was enjoying the last of the berries in Pilrig St. When I saw it I thought it might be a redwing or fieldfare, but no, a female blackie. I had also been hoping for waxwings and my only vague regret about the holiday in December was that waxwings turned up in Edinburgh just as we were leaving for sunnier climes. They were attracting birders to the berry trees at Saughtonhall where they had appeared in previous years. Just how they target the same trees in a country many won't have even visited before is something of a mystery. Anyway it looks like I may have missed them again for another year. However I wouldn't have swapped the Tenerife holiday for any amount of great waxwing photos. 

Now this "art" appeared on the wall at the Craigroyston FC changing rooms (St Marks park). I suspect it may have been done to cover over some graffiti, though I'm not sure. I really like it and can't work out if it was done by some really talented artist or is just a lucky happenstance or doodle. It is difficult to say exactly why. First I really like the colours against the white wall. The composition is quite challenging being much busier over on the right and less so on the left. Normally I'd find that unbalanced but it seems to get away with it. Also I really like the underpainting. Or that's what you would call it if it were in oils. You can see some of the stuff underneath that has been overpainted and that gives it a greater rhythm and vibrancy. The linear drawing is confident and assured. I think it is better than most of the stuff in the Gallery of Modern Toss at Belford Rd. If anyone knows whodunit do let me know and pass on my regards. I don't have the neck to ask on the Craigroyston FC fb page - doesn't seem the right environment to discuss community art somehow!

Update: I was going past on Saturday and asked the guys stood around - coaching staff etc. They didn't know the artist but said it had been like that for 3 years! It had evaded my notice till now.

The riverside robin seemed to remember me, although has been playing harder to get last couple of visits. I wish they had more individual markings so I could tell if it the same robin as the one which takes food off the gravestone a hundred yards further along the path. I don't think it is and yet they both seemed to have a ruffled feather at the same spot the other week. Maybe one followed me through the graveyard. But seems unlikely.

great tit

blue tit

chaffinch

the other riverside robin

This was the only light dusting of snow I saw in December. I was away for the more convincing falls of snow later in the month. I did wonder how all my little pals were surviving and hoped they were getting some help from others in my absence. I have seen large dods of seeds on gravestones recently so suspect someone else has been helping out, which is nice. One of their sites seemed to be attracting Stock Doves (not to be confused with the more common feral pigeons!) and I saw 3 of them near the secret garden on a long stone covered with birdseeds.

stock dove

I also saw this thrush sitting high in a tree the way that mistle thrushes tend to, and yet it looked more like a song thrush. Both are seen regularly in the cemetery.

a thin layer of snow did not deter the regulars in the secret garden

yes even him

incoming smartbomb

attack!

good to see the great tit standing his ground

Then the holiday.

By Boxing day I felt a trip to Warriston was in order to see who had survived the big chill of December. The light was good as I went past the berry trees in Pilrig St where Mary spotted this fieldfare. Sadly nearly all the berries had gone and it was just sitting there looking a bit sad and reflective. 

fieldfare

By the time we got to Warriston the weather had deteriorated and no more decent photos were taken. We had a quick scoot round then retreated swiftly.

29th December
Undeterred, I returned on the 29th and although the weather was unspectacular it was at least mostly dry with glimpses of sunshine. Quite a good variety of interesting species.

Eastender

Okay so I have been looking at the images a little closer. This is the East end riverside robin who never handfeeds but will sit really close to where I am standing. He also has a better temper than most and doesn't get overly territorial. 

This is the West end of the riverside about 100 yards away from the first place. I think we can defo say this is the same bird (with a ruffled tummy feather) who has followed me along the path despite there being plenty of food left on the other stone. (Although the pigeons and magpies are often quick to move in once any humans have left.) 

wren

westender?

I think this (above) is the resident robin who hangs out near the flat stone I put food out on at the West end of the riverside area. He is often in the sticky tree (as above) and sometimes lands on my hand but not always. It's a great shame they don't all wear name badges.

I was wandering up near the East Gate when I saw this squirrel in a tree. There are usually one or 2 about under this evergreen and it was watching me so closely I stopped to take a photo. I was just getting the seeds out by way of saying thanks for these photos when it dashed off up the tree and I muttered "stupid" under my breath. At the same time I noticed a wood pigeon having a splash about in the puddle near the gate and raised the camera for a photo. It was not a pigeon but a sparrowhawk and I immediately went into stealth mode and stopped moving. Then crept carefully in towards the shadows. I knew I had been spotted for sure but after giving me a searching look, I was dismissed as harmless.

I was whooping with delight internally and kept as quiet as possible.

the encounter finished when this dogwalker went past
you can see the bird on the left, which then flew off

treecreeper

redwing

mistle thrush

I saw this mistle thrush but it saw me, and as I closed in it continually flew to the next tree. This was about as good as it got. 

long tailed tit

I returned to the secret garden where I had already put out seeds. They were all gone, possibly this squirrel helped, although it's usually the pigeons and magpies who will clean the surfaces once I've left. There were quite a few visitors including a dunnock which is rarer although the sun was behind cloud and the light pretty awful.

blue tit

coal tit

great tit

dunnock

I take a Sainsbury's or Tesco's carrier bag and use it like a prayer mat, placing it on the soil and then kneeling on it. After about 20 mins I then make all sorts of noises getting back on my feet.

when the sun comes out the quality of photo improves massively