jan done, feb one

 

01-02-26 Another day of iffy weather and because there is no choice really, let's go for a walk.

murder scene - chalk outline of Mr. Blobby in St Mark's 

The plan today was a quick hike round the Botanics and then M would continue home as that's about her limit before sore legs kick in, and if it was looking at all bright, then I'd go along to Warriston. First up and we hit the pulminoria where the bingo bees hang out in Spring. Nothing there, natch, however we did find one answer to what was something of a mystery...

Something makes a lingering perfumy aroma around there. We've always been too busy chasing bees and butterflies to tie it down to a specific shrub until today when about the only thing flowering was the aptly named Sarcococca confusa. (Common name Christmas box or Sweet box!) It has a very pervasive and almost artificial pong like someone has plugged in a room freshener. (Wikipedia says honey-scented.) When Ken said something about sarcococca the other day I assumed he was referring to a beetle or hoverfly and it went whoosh over my head. I was very confusa. 😁

the culprit

the sundial at the cafe was less than a half hour fast today
I could only just see the shadow it cast

this I instantly identified as Turkey tail bracket fungus
mainly because of the sign right beside it

useful!

we went by the Chinese hillside pond and sure enough 
the kingfisher was there again catching fish aplenty

but snce the weather was a bit crappy we didn't hang about

just waved to Ken and Hugh
(Ken Hugh we saw at the 'Tanics?)

There wasn't much to take photos of until we got to the East Gate at the Inverleith Row entrance and a wee robin looked fearless as we approached. So tame, I gave Mary some bread and seeds and she held out her hand. Almost right away this little charmer flew over and sat on her hand choosing the best bits. I totally fkd up the photo. (Below.) I was really annoyed with myself as it was the only decent photo opportunity today and I missed the shot. I asked Mary to try again, but knew I was pushing our luck. Just in case, I switched to slo-mo and sorted the focus. The robin DID give it a second go and this time I had my thinking cap on and pushed go just ahead of the robin leaving the branch. Success! Just as well, since the robin did not return for a third bite of the cherry.

argh! How not to capture a magical moment.

perfect timing!

At this point we parted company. Mary went home and I went along to have a wander round Warriston. It wasn't superb weather but it wasn't bad either. A bit of sunshine between clouds, warming the snowdrops. I was approaching them when I scared off a large drone fly. First of the year. Happily it flew in a big circle then returned to continue visiting the snowdrops. I let it get involved and then slowly kneeled down beside it and got a few shots.

banana-shaped rear tibia

Eristalis tenax - common drone fly

The most common of the drone flies, so called because they mimic bee drones (male hive bees). Differs from E. pertinax in having dark front tarsi and banana-shaped rear tibia. This one was busy collecting pollen from the snowdrops and would clamber upside down into the flowers.

Once the hover had flown off I stayed to get a few pics of the snowdrops and see if anything else turned up. I shot the flowers backlit, looking towards the sun and from as low an angle as possible to give the feeling of being in among the flowers. I knelt down and flipped out the screen tilting it up to frame the shot rather than lie full length on the damp muddy turf to look through the EVF. I did not have my reading glasses and the process reminded me that the electronic viewfinder is specifically tuned to match the deficiency of my eyes and the screen isn't. I had to chimp the results in the EVF to see if they were sharp. I imagine from a distance I looked like someone who slipped over in the mud and was having trouble getting back on their feet. Something to look forward to?

another favourite subject when nothing else is about

there were a few wrens about but they have a bad habit of
diving into the undergrowth after giving you the heads up alarm call

caught a glimpse of a kestrel but it didn't hang about.
I'd spoken to Dan in the Botanics and he'd seen 2 in here recently

kingfisher (m)

I checked out the riverside area after hearing an owl hoot from approximately that direction. Nothing doing. (I checked recently and it was May 2021 when I last got decent tawny owl photos in Warriston. Ever hopeful though!) However as I turned the far corner near Powderhall bridge where I used to climb in until they put up daft high fences, I saw a small crowd gathered on the opposite side of the river pointing mobile phones towards the cemetery. I guessed a kingfisher (or at least an otter.) I stepped noisily over to the wall through the undergrowth, trying not to scare whatever animal was there. I slowly had a look and it was a kingfisher. It was in sunlight with the river behind, and I felt the photos I got should have been slightly better than they actually turned out. I was about to shoot some video but it flew off. 

great tit

I went back to the tunnel stream and put out some nibbles for the birds, although the light there was terrible and I would never get any decent photos. However the birds collect around there in the trees and shrubs and quickly appear when I put down handfuls of seeds. I didn't want to put down too much as there is a regular parade of dogs and they eat all the birdfood. Oh don't be so mean I thought and got the bread out - no point in taking that home anyway. As soon as I put that down a black lab came through the tunnel and ate it all. When Peggy also appeared I realised it was famous double act Peggy and Dora and I didn't mind them nicking the birdfood. I chatted to their owner, first time our paths had crossed in ages, whose name I can't remember. They are a fine team and getting through the Winter, happy to see a few signs of Spring around the place.

chaffinch

blue tit

great tit

Since the light at the tunnel was rubbish and still sunny up near the crypts I went to see if there were any other birds about. I heard a regular noise, almost a barking and realised as I approached it wasn't a bird of prey (as hoped) but a disgruntled squirrel. Half way up a tall tree and no sign of what was upsetting it. It continued to call out as a dude with binoculars strolled by. We had interacted on Friends of Warriston fb group but I hadn't met Scott in person until then. We chatted about all the good stuff around the place. He had recently seen a water rail on the WoL, a bird I've never seen.

The Merlin app on his phone picked up a woodpecker which we eventually saw, up towards the top of a nearby tree, out of the range of my camera. I don't use the Merlin app as it requires a more modern iPhone than the second hand one I have. Looks like I'll have to get a newer refurbished one. Another app for Lothian Buses similarly refuses to work on my ancient mobile and I HATE standing at bus stops not knowing when the next one is due and whether I'd be better running/walking or staying put. I also hate that so much tech has built in redundancy and I am obliged to replace it rather than just keep it going and be prepared to live with a rubbish battery life etc. Nice to chat with Scott as the light slowly went. Time to get home for a late lunch.

g s woodpecker out of reach

obligatory St Mark's stock photos doves