Common British birds - photoshoot

Yesterday, Laura and I had a relaxing morning in Edinburgh. Around noon we were feeling a bit restless so a walk was in order! We decided to visit Blackford Hill Local Nature Reserve which is a bit of a green oasis along the southern edge of the city. For being in the city, it is surprisingly large. It consists of a moderately sized pond, surrounded by some woodland. The hills look typical for the Scottish countryside, containing an abundance of gorse. From on top it is possible to see Arthur's Seat, the Pentland Hills, and most of the city of Edinburgh.

Edinburgh and Arthur's Seat

For perhaps the first time in history, the winds were not howling all day and the walk was quite enjoyable! We stopped at the pond for a while where the various ducks were overly tame. The Eurasian Moorhens were doing their best Mallard interpretations, walking right up to us as if to beg for food. I just had to break out the big lens to nail some pics....It is weird how tame they are here, yet the moorhens back home are the exact opposite!

Eurasian Moorhen - Edinburgh, U.K.

Eurasian Moorhen - Edinburgh, U.K.

Eurasian Moorhen - Edinburgh, U.K.

Eurasian Moorhen - Edinburgh, U.K.

Eurasian Moorhen - Edinburgh, U.K.

While we were having fun with the overly tame moorhens, a Robin came by to check out what was going on. It happened to land on a stick with perfect lighting, allowing me to get my first usable photos of the species.

European Robin - Edinburgh, U.K.

European Robin - Edinburgh, U.K.

The surprisingly loud song of the Robin is familiar to many people who live in Europe, and was probably the first "foreign" bird song that I learned on my inaugural Scotland trip back in February, 2012.

European Robin - Edinburgh, U.K.

European Robin - Edinburgh, U.K.

While walking up Blackford Hill, we stopped to watch the antics of some Eurasian Jackdaws. They are always up to no good...

Eurasian Jackdaws - Edinburgh, U.K.

Eurasian Jackdaw - Edinburgh, U.K.

A Song Thrush also allowed our close approach so I could photograph it. This species, along with the larger Mistle Thrush, is fairly common in Edinburgh green spaces and gardens.

Song Thrush - Edinburgh, U.K.

The Common Wood Pigeon is a large, abundant bird that looks like it could feed a family of about five. Laura and I refer to them as "dinner"...

Common Wood Pigeon - Edinburgh, U.K.

Common Wood Pigeon - Edinburgh, U.K.

After hiking to the top of the hill and back down again, Laura and I stopped again at the pond to see what we could find. A nice surprise was the discovery of several pairs of Common Toads in amplexus, heading towards the pond! The males were just a little eager it seemed.

Common Toads - Edinburgh, U.K.

Somewhat related to the Eurasian Moorhen, but uglier and with cooler feet, is the Eurasian Coot. They often can be found together in most wetland habitats throughout the U.K.

Eurasian Coot - Edinburgh, U.K.

Eurasian Coot - Edinburgh, U.K.

It was a pretty fun afternoon at the pond! Next up will be a post detailing today's adventure, which will include the coolest sounding bird that I have ever heard.