It's icy out there!

Today we walked through Inverleith Park 

the black headed gulls (in winter plumage, hence white heads with only a back spot behind the eyes) seemed comfortable enough on the ice

there were redwings in the holly bushes all over town. The photo above (taken in Inverleith Park) sums up why I tend to watch smaller fast moving birds rather than trying to photograph them!

We then wandered over to Edinburgh Botanic Gardens and made friends with this lovely squirrel. 

There was a kingfisher on the Botanics Pond, several birdwatchers had gathered to watch it, I enjoyed seeing it fly across the pond from tree to tree. i didn't even try to take a photo!

This tree is beautiful in the cold winter light

and I liked the arrangement of this cone and stone on the icy pond in the Scottish Woodland area of the Botanics