Sunshine in the Dells

It was beautifully warm and sunny this morning in the Dells along the Water of Leith.

The water is sparkling as it flows over the weir at Colinton

It was here that I saw my first kingfisher of the day, flying upstream uncharacteristically high through the outer branches of the trees. Five minutes later and slightly further downstream I saw two kingfishers flying downstream!

Many of the yellow flowers of spring are in almost full bloom now including these lesser celandines

and these coltsfoots

the strange flowers of the few flowered leeks are starting to appear

The Water of Leith Trust is currently working to get as much information as possible about all the plant and fungi life along the river. I'm recording as much as I can (adding to a list that predates my involvement with the trust). When it comes to lichens I can't even hope to get any of them down to species level, but I'm taking photos. I think they're very beautiful, and I love how they form little different coloured colonies which have visible boundaries where the two species are effectively waging chemical warfare against each other.

Despite the warmth, some of the orange ladybirds are still hibernating in the fence posts, I was amused to see that this seven spot ladybird had joined the orange ladybirds, the size difference is quite obvious when you see them together like this. Seven spots eat aphids and as far as I know wouldn't eat the orange ladybirds.