Signs of Autumn

It's a beautiful autumnal day today. It started with a real chill in the air, but warmed up. I made my weekly visit to Colinton and Craiglockart Dell today (later in the week than usual due to teaching commitments!). The autumn colours are really beginning to show now

 though some of the trees are still very green

I love the hornbeams at this time of year, their chandelier style fruits are particularly beautiful as they start to change colour

Hornbeams are only native to the south of the UK and were planted along the Water of Leith as their very hard wood was ideal to be used in building mill wheels back in the days when this area was full of mills.

The puff balls look beautiful in the autumnal light

The ivy is starting to bloom and attracting pollinators such as this Eristalis sp hoverfly

The woods were full of the sound of robins singing their winter song.

Just as I was leaving the Dells I had a wonderful view of a kingfisher dashing upstream, a blur of turquoise and orange.....