fox news

12-11-23

A hike up the WoL and then home via the Botanics. Ostensibly looking for kingfishers and waxwings. Didn't see either of those but sometimes it's the journey, not the designation. Other times you get lucky and a handsome fox strides through the sunlight across the river, pausing to have a portrait taken! 

The waxwings did eventually turn up at Baird Drive near the Jenner's Depot, just not when I was there on any of the half dozen times we've gone past. I try not to curse my run of luck any more than I count my blessings when I get exceptionally lucky. Okay, I do a fair bit of both but on the understanding I don't buy into being either very lucky or unlucky. Any successes that come my way I would put down to regular walkaboutdoors, rather than an above normal batting average. There's a reason it's always a dogwalker discovers the corpse on the common.

fieldfare

Redwings and fieldfares have been eluding me this season. I have seen a few of either but nearly all have stayed at a distance or behind too many branches or hidden in trees.  

house sparrows in their natural environment

After a thorough search for the kingfisher between the Dean Gallery bridge and the next bridge upstream of that, we saw this family of roe deer there, wandering through the gardens of the big houses on the other side of the WoL. We were interested as we were trying to imagine the green corridor that could have brought them into the heart of the city without too many large road crossings. They looked sort of natural and also incongruous at the same time. Most folk on the riverside path passing us didn't notice them. They are quite large animals to stroll casually through folks back gardens. First time I'd seen deer here.

only bird vaguely kingfisher colour near the bridge

Then the highlight of the day. I was looking just downstream of the Gallery bridge for the kingfisher or anything worth a photo when this very healthy looking fox strode into the frame and posed. I took a few quick photos before he resumed his walk along the opposite riverbank. He was very unfazed by the people nearby on our side, and seemed far more interested in catching a snack. He appears to be quite close to the heron in the photo below, but that is a trick of the perspective. There was quite a large gap between the heron's vantage point and the other logs where the fox is. I'm not sure a fox would comfortably take on a large bird like a heron unless it was desperate.

the heron on the log from the other angle
fox had quite a swim if he wanted a heron dinner

instagram city

St Bernard's Well

drone caught midflight

I think we must have had a quick detour through the Botanics to see if there were any KFs but there weren't. Just a guy taking huge dragonflies out on a raft to set up on the duck pond for the Christmas Light Show. It seems quite early in the year to start complaining about Christmas! 😄

deja vu - I've done the rock (star) garden joke haven't I?

I'd guess song thrush 

more spuggies

A good pic of a sparrow is better than a bad pic of a waxwing. That said there are some more waxwing photos coming up. It has been an excellent year for them even though they are keeping the birding community on their toes and are flying about from venue to venue, often not returning on request to places they've been spotted. Saves them from becoming too commonplace. 

Here are the record shots of the St Mark's Gormley changing sides (or at least colours) from Hearts (see last blog) to Hibs. There is no way of accomplishing this without a shin deep immersion in tepid water which suggests an impressive commitment. Maybe waders or tall wellies were employed? Something to keep him warm on these colder evenings we've had of late.

mostly squirrels

 

11th Nov.
After the weekly torture of parkrun Mary and I went along for an afternoon at the Botanics, catching a quick Warriston visit on the way home. Parkrun was fairly awful. Still well over 21minutes; a minute slower than before I went down with covid. I should train more or complain less.

We noticed some wag had put a Hearts jersey over the St Mark's Gormley. It is too close to Easter Road to get away with that for long and it was changed to a Hibs vest in a day or 2. It is interesting to note it looks more naked (or at least exposed) for wearing an item of clothing.

the WoL was quite high 
still over the concrete raised pavement opposite Warriston

Mary taking a photo of a ladybird on the railing

Chinese Pond - no kingfishers

We had forgotten the Botanics would be filled with all the plastic and metal apparatus of the Christmas Light Show. Which looks great at night but rather like the place is littered with junk during the daytime. It limits movement although they keep the place open, for which we should be grateful. We saw very few birds and nothing of note. Lots of squirrels though. And some woman wittering on about pine martins predating greys over reds and how we should get the pine martins to eat all the greys so the reds can thrive. Mary and I rolling eyes and taking photos nevertheless. 

Now that photo above - I didn't notice it at the time but a flying ladybird (there were lots about in the recent sunny days) was approaching the squirrel's neck. So, if had it landed centre front (with carapace open) and the squirrel lowered its front paws for a second, we could have had a squirrel wearing a ladybird bow tie. I think we could all try harder next time but it's difficult to organise these things!

light show stuff

I prefer the more natural things hanging in the trees.

glorious light on autumnal trees

rock (star) garden

In one area next to the rock garden there was a squadron of gnats dancing in a sunbeam the way they do. I like to photograph them as they fly with legs out and look like fairies. Tricky trying to focus on tiny flying insects as the camera has the tendency to focus on the background foliage.

That was about that in the Botanics. We hopped over the wall into Warriston on the way home but it was a similar story. Mostly squirrels. With magpies trying to cheer us up by doing silly walks.

hoodie / carrion crow hybrid I think