Winterwatch at Warriston

 

15th and 19th January

Here we are in February already and I haven't even had time to update the blog after the excitement and inevitable disappointment of the Winterwatch team coming to my favourite wildlife haunt: Warriston Cemetery. I'm not sure who tipped them off that Warriston was a good bet - I had some correspondence with someone who was doing some wildlife filming a while back and would have mentioned Warriston, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't me who led them to this known wildlife spot. For all they made of it I'm not sure why they bothered. It wasn't awful or ill-informed, but they seemed only to do a few seconds of drone footage and an item on ladybirds, and then record Iolo live in the dark, while missing all the abundant bird-life because they didn't/wouldn't do the legwork required. 

grey wagtail

Winterwatch drone

I wonder if they just didn't realise the weather in Scotland is shite? (Something of an oversight as everyone knows this.) I saw this dude set up a tracking/timelapse camera but don't recall much in the way of tracking shots; there was one briefly, but in sunshine. I don't think there was much sunshine in the week before the programmes aired and it may be they just couldn't get any decent bright footage. Although you'd think a programme called Winterwatch would have anticipated this.

The next thing they could have done is got in touch with locals. Their pre-filmed section on the Water of Leith otters was good quality, as they got in touch with a guy who has spent a long while filming them. The ladybird item not so much. A bit mundane, and they should have consulted Alan C who has photographed and identified something like 13 species in Warriston.

Although there was mention of the Botanics as being another rich site for wildlife the WW team did not seem to have permission to record stuff there - or just didn't bother. We popped along to see if the kingfishers were about. They were not on this occasion.

There were, however, the usual 2 (or more) robins at the Chinese pond. Probably shouldn't say Chinese pond these days; how about Lunar Pond? One of the robins is normal the other was the scruffy one which has been known to handfeed. Both sat close by, neither came to a hand. Probably too well fed by half the birders that passed by here looking for kingfishers. The kingfishers have been hanging out here (and at the duck pond) with such regularity, it was surprising the WW team couldn't be arsed sending someone along with a camera for a look-see. 

the scruffy one!

Since we had to visit my mum's we went via Inverleith Park but there wasn't much there, just the usual ducks and pigeons. 

19th Jan

I had heard the WW team were filming in Warriston midweek. I popped along again on Thursday and saw quite a few vehicles and many tons of equipment and cables. They seemed to be setting up to film Iolo instead of the far more interesting wildlife. I didn't speak to them. I was far more interested in the sparrowhawk I followed to a tree which I stood below. I took it as a challenge to photograph loads of different species to show up the lacklustre reporting of the WW crew. I think they televised some stock footage of a sparrowhawk from elsewhere. It was not particularly inspiring.

For which I should probably be grateful: if they had shown Warriston to be a place of excellence where you are tripping over loads of animals and birds it might become overrun with hordes of the great unwashed trying to capture nature on their smartphones. Or worse, divert twice the number of dogwalkers into the place. The council have put up notices saying dogs are only allowed on a lead. Largely this is ignored but others have decided to run their dogs elsewhere. That, and the East Gate no longer being a point of entry has dissuaded many of the dogwalkers. Although there is no shortage of them either. Most are well behaved and friendly and I nod hello and exchange pleasantries with most I pass. Although if they banned dogs entirely I wouldn't be heartbroken. To be fair the wildlife will scoot up trees or into bushes as dogs pass but often quickly return to normal after the barky ones have rushed off. I saw one dogwalker draw another's (a much younger group of dogpeople) attention to a poop their dog had just dropped off with the phrase "...I thought you'd want to know!"  I bet! 

mistle thrush

dunnock

After a visit to the secret garden I was swooped past by this sparrowhawk. It landed in one of the ivy covered trees nearby and I dodged around the base trying to get a line of sight up into the dense branches. It was hard work and every time I could make out the bird's shape it saw me and hopped along the branch until I could no longer get a photo. I couldn't even identify the gender.

WW crew - not actually filming wildlife.

orange ladybirds (as seen on the telly)

I must have returned to the secret garden where I caught up with Hitlerrobin and either his wife or offspring. I suspect offspring but have no proof. He certainly wouldn't let a rival sit this close without a pagger!

dunnock

great tit

chaffinch

We have taken to putting food on the gravestones near the tunnel. There is a good selection of garden type birds hang out in the nearby trees and many more who come over to splash about in the small stream that goes under the tunnel. It is slow flowing, shallow and seems just right for finches and smaller birds. The highest tariff birds likely are bullfinches and a pair of goldcrests. The grey wagtail is often pottering nearby and goldfinches have been coming past more recently.

bullfinch

blue tit

bullfinch

goldcrest

one of the male blackbirds has this
rather ordinary coloured beak (and eye liner!)

another couple have this much brighter orange colouring

While the blackbirds tolerate each other's company better than the robins, I have noticed they chase each other around the feeding stations. But as I say, less violently than the robins.

long tailed tit

coal tit

song thrush

This (above) may well be the female blackbird with the wonky foot. Andrew calls her Mrs. Hopalong. Often the males chase her although I suspect her normal territory is along nearer the Eastern end of the riverside and not beside the tunnel. She is very friendly and Andrew reported she was not far off handfeeding lately. Great to see her doing well despite the disabled foot.

song thrush

treecreeper

Mrs. Bullfinch

Mr. Bullfinch

wren

all those WW vehicles
and yet so little footage!