The improbable playing field Curlew. # Birds

Another Kingfisher. I've named this one the Shitfisher because rather than put on a show, it bellyflops onto the water, splashes about a bit and somehow emerges with a fish. #birds

There's always an exciting bird to photograph if you can get as close to Rock Dove as you can tell amongst all the manky boys in Leith. #birds

Kingfisher. It's either a good photo or a bad photo. Either way I can't see out of one eye now. #birds

Water of Leith Kingfisher, distant gloom version. #Birds

Enjoying taking pictures of tiny brown Treecreepers in the murk. Using all the ISO. #birds #ukbirds

Moorhen without it's usual black background

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

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

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

Chaffinch, destroyer of grubs #Birds

Everyone should be as pleased as this Pigeon for simple possession of a twig. #Birds

Discrete stalking of urban Kingfishers continues. Much busier today, my guess is chicks have arrived. Occasional breaks on bleached sticks needed. #Birds

While discreetly stalking my local kingfishers in the Water of Leith - expecting fledglings to appear any moment, this guy turned up. Presumably a fledging from a previous brood? Can I tell how old it is? #Birds #BirdingScotland

Its a Chiff Chaff Chaff Chaff Chiff Chiff Chaff (Huweep) #Birds

Unpopular opinion. Lesser Black Backed Gull is a handsome creature. #Birds

Most of a Reed Bunting, which I think is probably as much as you can expect. #Birds

At the opposite end of the cuteness spectrum to baby Swans, a Coot fledgling. #Birds

It seems if you go to exactly the same place every day, the #birds become accustomed to you (and whatever snacks you've brought them). My newest pal, a Black Headed Gull.

More baby Swan. #Birds

When life gives you Herons. #Birds

Careful, it'll break your arm. #Birds

Black Headed Gull is not Black Headed. #Birds

#BirdingScotland I'm almost certain there's been a Sedge Warbler singing in Edinburgh's Inverleith Pond in bushes behind the Swan's nest for the past 3 days. Also a second bird that looks almost exactly like a female Reed Bunting? Both very skittish and hard to see. Any other town birders seen them?

Willow Warbler in unusual being-able-to-see-it pose. #Birds #NaturePhotography

Today I've switched to taking photos of newts, this one being respectfully displayed for me by a Heron. #UKWildlife #NaturePhotography

Bird photography challenge - get a whole Grey Heron in frame, even it's toes. #NaturePhotography #Birds

No need for exotica when you can have a Blackbird staring at you. #Birds