Monday 31 July 2017

From Dragonflies to Sparrowhawks

As part of my voluntary work with Water of Leith Conservation trust, I did my weekly patrol of Colinton and Craiglockart Dells along the Water of Leith this morning. Sparrowhawk chicks were fledging in or very near Spylaw Park and their calls cound be heard through the whole of the top part of the Dells! They really are raucous! I saw one of the youngsters in the top of a tree, but it was too far away to get a photo.

Meanwhile at ground level in the park the woldflower meadow is looking wonderful



There were a good number of bees and hoverflies in here too.

It was right at the other end of the Dells though where I was able to take photos of this pellucid hoverfly (Volucella pelucens)

Also around the same spot a large dragonfly kept flying past me! It didn't come close enough for me to even guess at what species it was, but it was lovely to see it buzzing around, it's a rare sight in the Dells.


5 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Hello, the wildflower meadow is beautiful. Happy Monday, enjoy your new week!

Jamie Purves said...

Grand flowers, is that a planted meadow? I wonder if the Dragonfly was an Aeshna species. An irony of climate change could be an increase in numbers or variety of Dragonflies in Scotland.

Crafty Green Poet said...

Hi Jamie - yes it's a planted meadow, it was first planted last year and interestingly looks very different this year! No idea what the dragonfly was, it was too far away and too speedy unfortunately. If I'd been able to get clower I may have been able to at least narrow it down a little. I do know it was a dragon rather than a damsel though

Jamie Purves said...

Dragons and Damsels alike always good to see. I'm enjoying the reports of Sparrowhawks and Buzzards. Just shows that given a chance, wildlife will flourish!

Lowcarb team member said...

I love wildflower meadows ...

All the best Jan