Water Of Leith Conservation Trust News Feed

Bird Watching Classes at the Visitor Centre

Helen — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:01:41 +0000

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

Helen — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:58:20 +0000

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

Helen — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:49:55 +0000

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

Helen — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:23:37 +0000

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

Helen — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:42:05 +0000

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

Baldy Squirrel Spotted

Helen — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:39:59 +0000

Bit cold to go without your fur coat but this little fella seem ok.

A big volunteer team cleans-up Murrayfield

Helen — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:35:00 +0000

Last Sundays clean-up at Murrayfield was a great success, 43 volunteers braved the cold morning and made a fantastic job of tiding up the area. Over 30 bags of rubbish was collected along with 3 trolleys, bikes, road signs and cone. Thank you to all who look part.

Kinauld Bridge, Currie, will be closed for a week

Helen — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:26:29 +0000

There will be a temporary closure to the Walkway at Kinauld Bridge in Currie for essential maintenance works. A local diversion is in place. The works should last around a week. Sorry for the disruption.

Trees, Trees, Trees

Helen — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:19:31 +0000

Visitors to the river cannot fail to have noticed that we have lost a good deal of trees during the New Year storm. The Council Ranger Service and Forestry teams have been out clearing the worst areas, enabling the footpaths to stay open. There are however still a good deal of hazards so do take care. Most dramatically a large tree has taken out a chunk of wall behind Donaldson College, near Belford, which may in the future mean a path closure to fix the wall. There are also many log jams and litter accumulations. But do not fear we are already planning this years BIG spring clean-up of the river, and have some clean-ups scheduled for Jan, Feb and March. If your community group or residents association would like to lend a hand during the clean-up contact us. Or if you fancy joining our clean-up team - simply visit the Volunteering Page of our Website, download the Info Pack and use the form on page 3 to register or click me

Trees have also been in the news - local people in Warriston who whipped up a storm with an online petition to Stop the Chop have managed to get the Flood Prevention Team to look at alternative methods of construction which should save the willows at Cannonmills

And we have had a mystery this week as locals in Sandport were concerned over disappearing trees - Greener Leith have investigated and you can read the full story on this link

Greener Leith News - Disappearing Trees

If you have a photos of the river following the storm we would love to see them.

Next Clean-up Sunday 29th January at Murrayfield

Helen — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:17:00 +0000

The first clean-up of the year will be meeting at Murrayfield Ice Rink on Sunday 29th Jan at 10.00. If you plan to attend do let us know in case we have bad weather. admin@waterofleith.org.uk or call 0131 455 7367