Beautiful along the
Water of Leith today in Colinton Dell. The weather was very changeable and it rained a fair bit but that didn't stop the birds!
Blackcaps,
blackbirds,
wrens,
chaffinches, and
song thrushes were the most tuneful of the singers along with more
willow warblers than usual in the area and I think I also heard a
whitethroat.
I was captivated by the unfolding leaves on this horse chestnut tree.
And delighted to capture both the male (brown) and female (green, under the leaf) catkins of the hornbeam. Later in the year the female catkin develops into a wonderful chandelier, which you can see in a photo in
this post.
You can see a photo of sycamore leaves unfurling from a couple of weeks ago
here.
Oh and here's some wild garlic (also known as ramsons) not to be confused with few flowered leek which you can see in
this post here.
As ever, text in red contains hyperlinks that take you to other webpages where you find out more. Plus the hyperlinks for the birds will give you the option to listen to their song!
For Nature Notes.
Wonderful that you can identify birds by their song. As I am only learning to identify them by appearance - as you know! - this seems like an advanced skill ;)
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in England some years ago, I was sitting in a small park watching a blackbird. I soon realized that it is just like our American Robin except for the color.
ReplyDeleteIts behavior was exactly the same since it's also a thrush. Of course, our robin was given that name by English immigrants because it has the same coloration as the British robin which I believe is a wren.
nmj - thanks, it takes practice!
ReplyDeleteMs Sparrow - our robins are thrushes too, but a different branch of the family.
I took photos today almost like yours, for a post called coming out. Yours are better!
ReplyDeleteWow, great photos :)
ReplyDeleteEverything is opening up and showing many shades of green!
ReplyDeleteYou've captured the unfolding 'green', perfectly, Juliet.
ReplyDeleteThere is no tree that gives me greater pleasure this time of the year than the horse chestnut Juliet. We have a row of them outside the village Manor House and at present they are all in flower = one has red flowers and that is a real treat.
ReplyDeletei love leaves for some reason.
ReplyDeletethose are so beautiful!
thanks for this refreshing post.
wish you a great day!
The leaves on the horse chestnut truly are lovely as they unfold. I shall have to watch the tree across the street as it breaks out into leaf this spring.
ReplyDeleteMagical photos. You are further into spring than we are here. Your photos and words about the trees and birds will sustain me until our leaves start. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteMagical photos. You are further into spring than we are here. Your photos and words about the trees and birds will sustain me until our leaves start. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThat horse chestnut is really interesting. Looks like beach umbrellas,waiting to be opened up on a sunny day!
ReplyDeleteI too enjoy new leaves and you captured them wonderfully..I listened to the bird song and they are all lovely.. We have a wood thrush that sounds a bit like your song thrush...yes it is spring...Michelle
ReplyDeleteGreat photos! I really liked the little umbrellas that the horse chestnuts make!
ReplyDeleteI love being able to see what is going on in Scotland :)
The unfolding leaves are a treat to see. You did a great job photographing them and also the wild garlic.
ReplyDeleteJust to say I saw a wee blue tit this evening, just after 7pm, it made my day! Was just sitting on the branch, hanging out, the gorgeous splash of blue on its head - like it's been dabbed with paint. I can tell the difference quite easily between coal tit and blue tit when I listen on RSPB but real life is another matter, the blue tit seems more of a trill, the coal tit's like two syllables... fascinating!
ReplyDeleteHi nmj - blue tits are lovely (in fact they're Crafty Green Boyfriend's favourite bird!).song too, bot like any bird they have a variety of calls, which is the man reason bird calls are so confusing!)
ReplyDeleteI've been enjoying the catkins so much this year...they have really been elegant here too!
ReplyDelete