Arthur's Seat and Duddingston Loch

For Easter Monday we took a lovely walk along the lower road round Arthur's Seat and down to Duddingston Loch. The weather was beautiful and the gorse was in full bloom

The Norway Maples were also in full bloom, lovely trees when they're in flower 

We went down to the shore of the Loch and met this friendly hybrid Canada-greylag goose 

Of course these days you can't get too friendly with wildfowl given the avian flu pandemic which is still raging. 

We also saw a Pinkfoot Goose which had no feathers around its head, probably because the other geese have attacked it, it's the only Pinkfoot at the Loch (and has been for some time as far as I know). 

We also saw this caddis fly near the loch. When they are larvae, the caddis flies live in the loch and make armour for themselves out of sticks and other materials, but this is what they look like as adults click on it for a closer view!)

We also saw this queen Common Wasp, who sat patiently while Crafty Green Boyfriend took her photo, her markings are quite beautiful.