Monday 1 February 2010

A Confusion of Seasons

This photo looks quite autumnal to me even though I took it today along the Water of Leith. There was quite a frost on the ground and lots of fungi. However against this backdrop the birds definitely think its spring. The blue tits and great tits were calling energetically, the dippers were hyperactive (though dippers tend to always be hyperactive!). I saw a magpie carrying sticks in its beak....
I was delighted to see a pair of bullfinches chasing each other and pecking each other gently. Bullfinches are beautiful birds, though pests to orchard owners and its so nice to see them recovering somewhat from the huge decline that hit them a few years ago. No photos of the birds - I'd rather enjoy watching them then faff around with the camera only to end up with a series of bad photos. The photo I took of the heron was too poor to share here and the heron is a big bird that stays still for ages so should be a good subject!

7 comments:

Bee said...

Even though there is still frost (and ice!) on the ground, the birds (like me) are already anticipating spring. Thank you for the links . . . I'm rubbish at identifying birds, but maybe with a bit of help I can improve.

Marvin said...

Old Man Winter quashed my thoughts of spring under several inches of snow, but they will return as soon as the melting is done.

Gillena Cox said...

well we have no season of winter and snow in Trinidad and Tobago, we are in the Caribbean a tropical hemisphere, however i always equate the behaviour of the Poui trees as spring parrallel for the temperate hemispheres;
Already the yellow poui tree in closest view from my house is showing a sprinkling of yellow blooms; and yesterday i was delighted with a raucous of lowing flying green parrots; i'm thinking;
maybe my haiku pals in the wintery areas will have an early Spring

much love
gillena

Titus said...

Gone back to smatterings of snow and heavy frosts here, though rain tonight, but I have been delightedly watching the small birds rummaging about in the garden detritus for sticks etc. Is it nest-building time? And don't ask which small birds.
My husband is informing me over my shoulder that we get sparrows, chaffinches, blue tits, coal tits, song thrushes, mistle thrushes, blackbirds, robins and one sparrow hawk.
I think it's the sparrows I recognise.

Bill said...

Isn't it funny how many beautiful pests there are in nature?

Michelle May-The Raspberry Rabbits said...

I love to look at all the different birds. I have a blue heron that sits at the pond in my back yard every morning. So still he is waiting for the perfect little fish.

Michelle said...

My sister is in Scotland too and is an avid sewer. She has a blog called fashionsfromthepast.blogspot.com.