Male Bullfinch, Chinese Border, April 2017. Photo Robert Mill.

The following report on this year’s Bird Walk has been supplied by Tamar Duncan.

It was a windy day on Tuesday 11th April here at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, but it didn’t stop the keen bird watchers from joining us on our Spring Bird and Garden Walk which was led by Pamela Black and Cathy Bell, two of our expert Garden Guides, and Tamar Duncan, Visitor Welcome Team. We had seven people attending, six lovely ladies and one interested child. In the hope that we would see or hear as many birds as possible, we went along the Garden bird hotspots. We walked from the John Hope Gateway along the centre path to the bird feeder, which is a great spot for bird watching all year round. Then we walked through the lower Chinese Hillside to the main pond, and then onwards to the Oak Lawn.

We heard or saw Chiffchaff, Blackbird, Magpie, Mallard, Chaffinch, Moorhen, Robin, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Greenfinch, Blackcap, Siskin, Herring Gull, Wren, Dunnock, Bullfinch, Woodpigeon and a Goldcrest.

Towards the end of our walk in the Chinese Border, next to the John Hope Gateway, one lady asked us what bird nests in the bird box. Just at that moment a Blue Tit flew into the box, then back out! It seemed busy feeding its young! How lovely! Everyone who attended really enjoyed it and we hope to do it again.