catcher on the fly

 

04-01-26 Nice cheesy title to get the year at Warriston underway. Quite pleasant blue skies on the 4th although too cold to stand around gassing with Paul from the council. He was kind enough to open the window of his van and watch the warm air rush out as we talked about the last time I saw him (escorting a right see-you-next-Tuesday off the premises for unleashed dog behaviour and a blunt refusal to follow the rules. What a disagreeable twat.)

Paul's van just visible above the newly de-ivied crypts.

After a bit of a wander around the main cemetery where not much stirred, I went through the tunnel and into the riverside area. The squirrels might be getting to know me or they might just panhandle everyone who looks like they might have handout. The cold weather was making some bolder. I put out food by the stream and although there wasn't an immediate uptake, eventually there was a steady stream of birds and squirrels coming past for snacks. 

coal tit - nice to see one of the rarer visitors

After their total absence at Cammo cheerful to see at least a pair of chaffinches.

there's usually lots of blackbirds come and go

and the stock doves are more a common sight as well
to be seen at every visit

mrs chaffinch

stock dove

and again - I tired to lure them into the sunlight with peanuts

blue tit

this stock dove was too shy to get stuck into the foodpile
while the squirrel was hogging it

the crows were keeping an eye on things

I saw this male GSW fly about the treetops in the riverside area. I ran after it and followed it for a while and even got some pretty decent video of it pecking off the lichen and rot to find edibles underneath. No drumming though.

woodpecker video - peck twice 😄

stock dove

crow

handsome chap!

wood pigeon

On the way into the cemetery I'd been expecting to see the usual large numbers of curlews and oystercatchers on Goldenacre playing fields. There were none. Not one! When I saw half a dozen in the cemetery it occurred that the open ground of the playing fields might have frozen solid but the grassy cemetery might have stayed softer (for probing bills) the trees and surroundings sheltering the grass in part. I can't be sure because the oystercatchers were saying nothing, just keeping half an eye on my whereabouts as I slowly snuck up on them.

I used the gravestones as cover and got within 8~10yards popping out from behind a tree to get photos. At which point a single high pitched pipe-blast was let out and they all took off and flew over to the other side of the cemetery.

Unusually since I was near, I checked out the North side of things. There are high trees and quite a few finches and tits, squirrels and starlings. Plenty of birdfeeders over the fence attract squirrels and they were surprised to see me too - running with great speed and agility along the top of the fence.

Five of the oystercatchers had returned to the cricket pitch leaving just this one looking for his pals from the highpoint of a gravestone. I crept up and round very slowly to get a photo before it departed over to the playing field as well. A treat to have these shoreline waders so far inland.

the team reunited on the pitch

I could see there were approaching dark snow clouds on the horizon and thought I best get home too. On the way down the cyclepath I skidded to a halt as half a dozen LTTs were going through the trees and bushes right beside the path. I had just enough time before the next cyclists scared them off and raced the camera out the harness switching on and lifting it to my eye in one smooth movement. I took a dozen pics (edit - just checked that and I took 19 photos but many were duplicates run off at speed) but only a couple were usable. I should have zoomed in more but in doing that might have lost the shot or decreased the chance of sharp focus. Anyway I got a couple of ho-hum shots.

long-tailed tit

I took a shot of Arthur's Seat, out the window when I got home, thinking it might be white
by morning but the snow hasn't yet fallen in earnest in Edinburgh (09-01-26)