Saturday 3 January 2015

Corstorphine Hill

After yesterday's very mixed weather, today was beautifully clear and sunny, though fairly cold. The light was beautiful on the trees on Corstorphine Hill - this Scots pine for example.


We walked to the top of the hill to the tower, which was built in 1871 in memory of Sir Walter Scott.

Apparently the views are wonderful from the top, but I can't stand climbing long spiral staircases and the tower isn't often open ....

We saw lots of birds, including seeing a great spotted woodpecker for the third time in four days, which is impressive, since outside of Springtime, they always seem very elusive birds for me. We also saw our first nuthatches of the year in an area of the hill where we haven't seen them before (nuthatches are still exanding their range into Scotland and Corstorphine Hill is one of ony two sites where I know of that they can be found in Edinburgh). Thanks to Crafty Green Boyfriend for this photo (click on it for a bigger view).

Just in the same area as this nuthatch we also saw our first treecreeper of the year - again thanks to Crafty Green Boyfriend for the photo (and again you can click on it for a bigger view)


For Saturday Critters 

and I'd Rather-b-Birdin'

18 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

awesome to catch the nuthatch and tree creeper. but that opening shot is beautiful!

eileeninmd said...

The tower is a pretty sight.. And I love the Nuthatch and Creeper, great captures.. Happy weekend!

Gillena Cox said...

Looking forward to a year of your lovely sharings

Happy New Year ☆´,•*´¨★ Ձ๏15

much love...

Jenn Jilks said...

Beautiful photos. We have a smaller tower like that in town. Many Scots mason came to Perth, ON, in 1816, to help build the town.

eileeninmd said...

Juliet, just stopping back to say thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Have a happy weekend!

Maureen @ Josephina Ballerina said...

Love the nuthatch's thin dark beak to eye to ear line!

Anni said...

Fantastic post. And your birds captured....I would love to see a creeper. We have brown creepers here but never had I the opportunity to photograph it.

Super. Very enjoyable.

Thanks for sharing your link today!!

Betsy Brock said...

I love nuthatches....they are just adorable!

Mike said...

Beautiful day in your photos. We've had freezing fog all day. It's a day spent inside and under a blanket!

sunshine said...

Looks like a great area and beautiful birds.

Stephanie said...

Looks like a nice place, great shots!

Michelle May-The Raspberry Rabbits said...

It's so beautiful there. My gracious!

RG said...

I'm a Nuthatch nut! I like to hear them "mew" back in a tree and then flit into - and back out of - the birdfeeder area!

Nice pix.

Bob Bushell said...

Stunning photos, the Nuthatch and the Treecreeper,but I love so much, it's the tower, superb.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

I love those tree climbing birds! And you are the best at showin tree love beautifully.

Glo said...

What a lovely walk with beautiful sights ~ including the nuthatch and tree creeper.

nmj said...

Lovely to see close-ups of nuthatch and tree creeper, Juliet. I have recently been getting clouds of starlings in garden, they come for a burst of activity and dissolve away again, as quickly as they came, I wondered if you had any ideas why suddenly they are coming? Not had them before now.

A Colorful World said...

Great photos of the nuthatch and creeper. What a lovely place too...I am so entranced by the tower! :-)