River Almond

There's a lovely walk along the River Almond towards Edinburgh airport that we only ever do in summer, as it's a long walk and needs warm weather for a picnic lunch by the river.

Today was wonderfully sunny and sometimes warm, though not as warm as it could be for the time of year.

We enjoyed the light playing through the trees

 and the ferns

Lovely views of the river

and the wonderful array of flowers,

above are wild garlic (ramsons), red campion and pink purslane. Below is leopard's bane

and below is crosswort (the yellow flower) and speedwell (the blue flower) - I'm not sure which species of speedwell it is, i find the group very confusing (perhaps sorting out the speedwells is something I should take on for the 30 Days Wild challenge!

There were lots of birds about - including chiffchaffs and blackcaps in the wooded area and yellowhammers, reed buntings, meadow pipits and whitethroats in the open fields. Sand martins and swifts were flying about above the river. Orange tip birtterflies were fluttering amongst the riverside vegetation, they're particularly beautiful butterflies as the orange in their wings flashes in the sunlight as they fly.