Kingfisher!

Okay, no, not in this shot. With the day off work before heading to Skye I got a nice morning to myself wandering up and down the River Almond between Cramond and Cramond Brig on as kingfisher hunt, stopping every now and then to stake out a likely location. It wasn't a blind approach ? I'd been in touch with a guy on Flickr who has some fantastic kingfisher shots from this stretch. My luck wasn't going so well, however, and just as I was giving up... Well... I caught sight of one.

Only a few seconds, but the neon blue skimming the surface of the river was unmistakeable, and even more so when it banked for the turn in the river and showed off the bright orange belly. I didn't get a shot (as the above image will testify) but I was chuffed just to see the bird. As a small kid my folks had bought me a partwork magazine on British wildlife, and the first issue had a huge image of a kingfisher on the cover. Ever since then I've wanted, and failed, to see one. I don't mind admit to a little choked moment of emotion.

What a perfect way to begin a holiday...