Autumnal colour in Colinton Dell

It was a beautiful mild, sunny morning for this week's walk round Colinton Dell, by the Water of Leith.

Autumn has definitely arrived

the beeches are in full beautiful colour 

and the river is starting to fill with leaves that glow under the rapidly flowing water

There were lots of insects about, this ivy bush in Spylaw Park was a mass of common wasps and Eristalis pertinax (a species of hoverfly) this individual of which was quite happy to be caught on film. 

I spent several minutes sitting on a bench by the riverbank watching a dipper, that was too far away to photograph. It was hunting for insects in the water and jumping from rock to rock. I also saw a family of goldcrests (the smallest UK bird) junping around in the trees. 

I also took time to catch up with the larch tree I'm studying for Tree Following. It hasn't really changed very much recently, though the wild flower meadow behind it is totally bare now, after having been cut back by volunteers working with the Water of Leith Conservation Trust. Hopefully it will bloom beautifully next year! 

For Nature Notes

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