Sunny Lunchtime!

It was sunny today when I joined Crafty Green Boyfriend for a lunchtime wander round Corstorphine HIll (which is conveniently across the road from his office!). We picked quite a few raspberries, which his Mum (who we unexpectedly met on the hill, also picking raspberries!) will make into jam.

There were lots of butterflies around, enjoying the sun - we saw ten meadow browns, a few ringlets, a small tortoiseshell and a red admiral, all of which we will record for the Big Butterfly Count.

We also saw a lot of honeybees injoying the rosebay willowherb, there must be a hive somewhere nearby, as it's very unusual, speically these days to see so many honey bees all in one place! There were also lots of bumble bees about, which is more of a common sight, lovely to hear them buzzing away as they gather nectar and pollen.

None of these insects were happy to be photographed apart from this small tortoiseshell, who allowed me to take quite a few photos, though none of them are particularly good

These caterpillars were happy to be photographed (look carefully and you can see the caterpillars inside the 'web'). Thanks to Edinburgh Natural History Society Facebook Group, I think these are parsnip moths.

This wood mouse was happy to be photographed, though I suspect that was because it isn't very well

This smashed snail shell on a rock is probably a song thrush's anvil, where the bird will smash up snails and eat them.

The air was full of the sounds of summer too, grasshoppers in the grass and the gorse bushes were popping in the heat, as the seed heads opened explosively to let the seeds out

 The red campion seed heads are ripening too, if you look carefully you might be able to see the tiny seeds on the front seedhead in the photo below

The puff ball fungi are up.

We were very happy to see a couple of young rabbits in their traditional place in front of the hotel on Corstorphine Road, next to the zoo, (and just next to the bus stop!) only one stayed round to be photographed though

Three swallows were flying round here too, they seem to be nesting in the abandoned building across the road from the hotel. I don't think the bunny noticed them though!