Tuesday 3 September 2013

The Trees are Turning along the Water of Leith

The lindens (lime trees) are starting to turn along the Water of Leith, their fragrant flowers disappeared a while ago to be replaced with the fruits that dangle with the pale leaves you can see in the first photo here.


The hornbeams are starting to turn too, their wonderful chandelier catkins are starting to turn yellow

and the acorns are out on the oak trees

I was delighted today to see a kingfisher flash past me downriver almost as soon as I got into Colinton Dell. Then right at the other end of the walk, where I turn round and come back along the other set of paths, I saw two ravens and a buzzard. This is the first time I've seen ravens along the Water of Leith, though I think they live on the nearby Craiglockart Hills. Ravens are huge crows with big diamond shaped tails and their call is a huge deep 'kronk'.


for Nature Notes

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13 comments:

aspiritofsimplicity said...

I love when the acorns come. I don't know why...I just love acorns. I end up with small plates of them on the tables in my house because I gather them as I walk. They're just so round and cheery and green and brown and filled with hope.

Naquillity said...

i've been noticing trees changing here too. hard to believe it's almost fall already. i love the waterfall in the post below and your berry picking post makes me remember a walk along my hometown lake this summer. my daughter and i picked a few berries (not completely ripe ones) and ate them on the spot. they were delicious. hope all is well. have a great day~

TexWisGirl said...

i like the light coming down in the 2nd photo. :)

The Weaver of Grass said...

The first sign of Autumn that I have heard of Juliet - always rather sad - but in your case made up for by the sight of that kingfisher.

Tommaso Gervasutti said...

Reading your latest posts I once more have enjoyed the photos and was appaled by the news about the Victoria Falls!
I am painfully aware of the little or nothing most of us, I am afraid, can do to avoid that.

eileeninmd said...

Cool to see the Raven, I love the Kingfishers too. I am not ready to let go of summer just yet. Have a happy day and week ahead!

betty-NZ said...

That's one thing I miss about the US--the changing of fall colors. There are mainly pine trees here in New Zealand so there's very little color change.

RG said...

The pictures of the lindens - especially the first one - look exactly like what I see right out the window here - ours looks just like that. Frequently small groups of warblers and chickadees will twitter about in there - eating bugs I think. Later it will be Juncos.

Andrea said...

You might laugh at me, but i haven't seen an acorn even if i read it all the time. We only have two seasons but the changes are also obvious although not as dramatic as those with temperate climes.

Little Miss Titch said...

its is the begining of the end of summer *sigh*xx Rachel

Bill said...

morning light
on the oak tree
acorns!

Rambling Woods said...

Yes I am afraid that summer is winding down and the plants are more willing to accept it than I am. What a lovely place to walk. I love kingfishers, but we didn't have much activity here this year and I would love to see or hear a raven...Michelle

Carol Steel said...

Your photos are gorgeous. The light shining through all the greens...lovely.