Bird Watching Classes at the Visitor Centre

The Councils adult education classes will be running a Bird Watching Course from the Visitor Centre starting on 20th Feb. Volunteer Juliet delivers the courses and she is very good. If you are interested do not contact us but contact CEC ADULT COURSES at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/adultcourses

Ben Spots the Otter

Ben our new Community and Volunteers Officer has been in post less than a month and he has already spotted the otter. He was up in Juniper Green assessing a site for a clean-up and work party when up popped the otter, he managed to follow her and watch her for around 10 mins. This was about 10.00am last Friday. So keep your eyes peeled and remember if you see the otter, mink or kingfisher we want to know.

Some Burns Style River Poems to Amuse from an anonymous friend...v funny

Ode to the Mink

Wee, furrie, coorin, timourous beastie,

Oan first sighting yi wid think,

Aye that’ll be right

Ye devastate the ither wildlife,

So gang back hame,

Fae whence ye came,

Ya little MINK.

 By Leith Burns [ nae relation ]

A man’s a man for a' that (S---)

 [ Or a true story that happened on a river patrol last year, read in the style of Tam O' Shanter, with apologies to Rabbie ].

"An doon the Water o’ Leith I speed,

Wi ma moontain bike, new helmet oan ma' heid,

The water lapit aye sae neat,

A fine day, sae complete.

Bit noo a twig caught in ma chain,

I hae tae stop, it is a pain,

The bloomin chain comes aff,

Now that is awfae, awfae rough.

I turn the bike upside doon,

Tae try an fix the metter soon,

But much worse is still tae come,

I smell ma finger it has a hum.

Aye oan my handlebar is doggie pooh,

Now that aint whit I want the noo,

Its on my glove, then on my hand,

This is not just what I planned.

So here’s a warning tae ye all,

When if you cycle or should fall.

Just watch were you put your mits,

As you too could end up in the [doggie ] s--ts!"

Anonymouse

Email and Internet Problems at the Trust

Just to let volunteers and friends know  we are currently with out internet access at the Visitor Centre and Office so if you need to contact us urgently please phone 0131 455 7367. We can see emails remotely but we may not be able to respond as quickly as you may like. Apologies. We hope to be back up and running soon.

More beautiful photos of the river from Charles Everitt

Link to Charles Everitts Water of Leith Photos - click on me