Edinburgh Birds

Moorhen without it's usual black background

Surprised it didn't instantly vanish behind the tree trunk

Day 5 of wearing my shutter out taking hundreds of pictures of the same bird. Some improvement. #WildlifePhotography

I'm constantly frustrated by inaccurate bird names so concur Little Shit is more compelling than Little Grebe.

392 pictures of a Little Grebe and this was the best one.

Today's birding discovery is the Marsh Sandpiper looks almost exactly like a Greenshank. But not quite. Size comparisons useless as always as they refuse to stand next to each other. #BirdingScotland

Not just one, two! Spotted Redshanks.

Surprise of the day - this young Sandwich Tern's parent actually came back for it, much to it's screechy relief.

Excitement of telling a stranger about finding a Wheatear in Edinburgh diminished by him explaining to me that they nest in his walls up north and he has to sweep them out of the way to get to the bins.

Bored? Go out and see how much of a Goldcrest you can photograph. #Birds

No surprise at all, although the learning opportunity it affords (why it's missing a call or why it's misidentifying a call) is invaluable. Currently trying to figure out how it can reliably differentiate between Stonechat and Blackcap clacks. It can do it every time and I can't (yet).

They seem to be eating almost exclusively black-headed/common gull and wood/feral pigeon. Thanks for helping me narrow it down a little.

I think I've finally solved the mystery of Inverleith Park's weird duck. I've been watching it for months, noticing it's got stubbly wings and can't fly. Today I've caught him out of the water for the first time. He's a tall boy. I suspect a large chunk of Indian Running Duck. #Birds #Edinburgh

Once again I go completely unnoticed by the marauding sharp-eyed raptors. An Edinburgh Peregrine earlier today. #WildlifePhotography #Birds

Long tailed tit plus interesting shrubbery. #Birds #Edinburgh

I should just call this Edinburgh Dippers. I'm wondering if this is one of this year's fledglings from the end of April, photographed back at at the nest site and generally not caring about tourists. #BirdingScotland

My newest regular bird pal is this Herring Gull who likes to pretend it's not up to something.

If you spend long enough watching a Sparrowhawk, you'll be rewarded by discovering the look of surprise on their little face when they fall off their perch. #Birds #Edinburgh

Juvenile Dipper in it's urban environment. One of three fledglings I found earlier this year, great to see him alive and standing on one leg if not kicking. #Birds #Edinburgh

As a keen local patch birder, I have become outraged by the song "English Country Garden", a garden which apparently will be visited by a selection of North American birds, including the Bobolink. My tangential birding goal setting methodology is wrecked.

Today's peregrine dinner. Black headed gull?

Grey Heron enjoying the first day of the Edinburgh Festival #Birds

Stubby little monster. #Birds #Edinburgh

Dipper, keeping cool by default. #birds #Edinburgh

Pretty good day for the bird photography / cycling hobby.
#birds

It's the time of year again where you can go to a shady park and not quite get photos of Swallows. By shady I don't mean there's lots of trees. #Birds

Young Heron fails to catch anything. #Birds

Apropos the Only Living Boy in New York, here's the only Moorhen Chick in Edinburgh's Inverleith park that's not been eaten by a gull. Probably because it's so ugly. #Birds

Here's the third juvenile Kingfisher I've found in the North part of the Water of Leith this year, which represents an improvement of three over previous years when I've gone looking for them. I'm sure there's more. #Birds

This buzzard is the latest urban bird I managed to sneak up on completely unnoticed