waxwing lyrical

 

5th Nov. The waxwings were still about the following day AND the sun was out. Unfortunately this brought quite a few photographers out too. Inevitably a larger group of people standing around near the trees the birds are trying to feed in will start to alter their behaviour. Happily waxwings are not timid and still made a few sorties to the trees for berries. But they also diverted to other nearby trees and were more difficult to photograph. While it was nice to chat to Ken, Hugh, Andrew and Unda, we felt we would rather wander along to Warriston than disturb the birds any further. It was also great to meet John Scott, the local bird and wildlife enthusiast who had initially noticed the waxwings in Dalmeny Street Park and brought them to our attention. 

not a waxwing!

flock of geese overhead

small well-behaved crowds forming!

dunnock

then a pair of sparrowhawks flew high overhead and 
the waxwings disappeared for a while!

some other locals

there was possibly 50 or more gathering in the tallest trees

So we waved goodbye to the waxwings and headed along towards Warriston. It was a bright sunny day and we hoped there might be some wildlife to photograph.

the squirrels in Warriston are not as tame as in the Botanics
but they appreciate nuts, seeds and bread at this time of the year

Above the crypts we noticed there were lots of ladybirds. Many were flying about - not quite swarming, but a few more than usual. And most really busy. Double-busy! They enjoy the warm sun-facing stones and were flying between trees and gravestones in a very active manner. It didn't seem to be a mating ritual as they were largely indifferent to the presence of other ladybirds and would go round each other with little more than a quick good morning! Often they would get to the highest point of a stone and then open up their wings and fly off. It was very difficult to guess which ones were walkers and which ones were fliers, and I challenged Mary to a see-who-can-photo-one-taking-off competition. It was very pleasant standing around in the warm sun getting lost in the minutiae of bustling ladybirds. With little more than an occasional curse word as one of us missed the ladybird next door open its elytra, unfold those cellophane wings and take to the air, unphotographed! Good game!

bingo

ready for lift off...

we have lift off!

Unfortunately it wasn't super bright under the trees and it was tricky to get enough light for a suitably fast shutter speed to freeze frame the ladybirds in flight. The above pic is 1/640th of a second. I cranked the iso and took it up to 1/2000th of a second but the results didn't improve much.

I believe their wings are folded in half to fit under the elytra - the hard casings that open like a gull wing sportscar's doors before the wings are unfolded and set in motion. Which is quite amazing. They are not the most elegant fliers especially when taking off and landing. Which made photos all the more difficult - they would be pointing in one direction then take off perpendicular to that. Every now and then as we stood among them you'd feel one land on the back of your neck or face. Mary took a couple of pics - see bottom of page. I could have happily spent another hour at the ladybirds but Mary was done after maybe 20mins. Although we still spent another hour with the magpies, squirrels and a couple of surprise RAs!

1/2000th but still meh!

Given the lack of other birds and wildlife I have been giving my bread and peanuts away to the magpies and crows a lot recently. They have been growing in my affections although I wouldn't trust them to look after anyone's baby. I will toss a few handfuls of bird food onto a well lit area of path and the corvids will jump around clearing it off. The crows are top dogs but will squabble with each other and have territories and pecking orders that are fiercely controlled. The magpies defer to the larger crows. And the squirrels - fewer in number and possibly more timid than the magpies will hover on the peripheries. 

admiral (and ladybird)

I think it was Mary noticed this red admiral. It was doing circuits but only landing on tree leaves medium high up. It has slightly wonky (curved) antennae. Now I wondered if this was caused from having already started hibernation. They will find a cool dry shelter in the nook of a tree, wall or garden shed and hole up there for Winter. They put their antennae back between their wings when sleeping presumably to avoid them being damaged or just for comfort. Perhaps a little like a duck putting its bill under its wing when sleeping. I have no evidence this was the cause of the wonky antennae. And given none of the early Spring ones have bent antennae from over-Wintering it probably isn't. While watching this one in the trees another one appeared and circled my head, also landing in the trees somewhere. We later spotted it and the straighter antennae (and less ragged wing edges) identified it as RA number 2. Almost certainly the last RAs of the season. Or so we thought!

RA number 2

While it is always thrilling to see a woodpecker, this female (or juv) was hugely frustrating. It seemed to know just where to perch to make for the worst photos. Round the back of branches or in dark obscure corners. And we both got sore (belayers') necks from peering up to the top of this tall tree trying to watch for a change of venue that would give a better photo. We began to hate the thing long before it flew off never to be seen again. Whew, right let's get home for a late lunch!

covered in ladybirds - photo Mary

ladybrow'd