Early April, but you wouldn’t know it from the temperatures and weather we are having here in Edinburgh. It’s more like early January on both counts.
Nature is unpredictable. She keeps us on our toes. This is our view on a sunny day:
This is how it looked this morning (it’s snowing now as I type!).
I am in no way complaining. I find these changes endlessly fascinating.
And I am also captivated by those events which remain regular and routine. Nature is the ultimate paradox – plus ça change plus c’est la même chose.
Take ‘our’ gulls, for example. Every year, these greater black-backed gulls* return to the roofs of the houses opposite us.
Our regular neighbours (with apologies for the terrible photo)
With spring comes, of course, mating. They seem to enjoy many weeks becoming reacquainted before getting on with the business of creating life. This involves spending a lot of time together on the right-hand roof, before they build a nest which, appropriately enough, nestles among the chimney pots of the roof on the left.
Right roof = courting; left roof = nesting!!
It has become such a pleasure, over the five years we have lived here, to get to know their routine. Waking up to their soft cawing and cackling as an added dimension to the dawn chorus. Watching their courtship, home-making and in due course incubating. And most excitingly of all, watching the chick-rearing. That comes later. But it will come – of that we can be certain.
*of course, we have no way of knowing whether they are the same gulls. But I like to think they are… 🙂
Wonderful to be able to watch these rituals. I hope you will post more as the season progresses and keep us up to date with the gulls’ progress 🙂
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It will be my pleasure to do so Sandra! 🙂
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It seems like spring is reluctant to come no matter where we live in the world. Of course, your city is so beautiful, it can be forgiven for its rough start to April. Edinburgh remains one of my favorite cities. Was there for two days and would love to go back.
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Yes, I can forgive this gorgeous city anything! It is a privilege to live here. Hope to be able to welcome you back some time 🙂
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It is so lovely to observe the gulls, great to see them coming back (home). I would think they are the same. Well here in Germany it was 20 degrees yesterday. What a jump from the nights 0. The sun is very strong and so p!easant. I think Spring has come here. It will come over the channel too. 😊
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fingers crossed that it won’t be long! 🙂
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It’s lovely to know that there are other gull watchers out there. Down here they are still at the standing on the roof staking their claims stage, and jackdaws are coming in the garden every day to see if we have put out any more of Briar’s hair.
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brilliant! look forward to comparing notes as the weeks go by 🙂
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Spring announces itself in so many diverse ways!
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How lovely to have your gulls back. I would guess they are the same ones, year after year. Birds, unlike the weather, are usually very reliable in their habits.
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yes indeed! It’s snowing (again) as I type…!! 😳
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I like to see the birds getting on with what they have to do each spring. I hope you post more photos of your ‘neighbours’.
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Thanks Clare – will aim to keep you posted 🙂
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🙂
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I too am endlessly fascinated by the ways in which nature stays the same and changes. What a lovely view you have to look out on! In times where I have lived along coastlines, I’ve enjoyed the somewhat melancholic cry of seagulls waking me up.
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I give daily thanks for our lovely view. No two days are the same and it is a wonderful part of our lives. I have read plenty of complaints from people about feeling bothered by the gulls, so it is lovely to be in touch with fellow fans! 🙂
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Nice pix! Thanks for sharing. Yes, the weather is unpredicatable here too. We had four different kinds of weather here yesterday.
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lol – it keeps us on our toes! 🙂
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By April I definitely ready for the warmer weather. Just a bit more warmth, nothing to drastic 🙂
Beautiful photos.
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Thanks Kim – yes, fingers crossed we are now through the worst of the wintry weather 🙂
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I hope so. I just noticed all the typos in my last message. Lol. I do apologise 🙂
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No worries! 😀🌸
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