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14 Jan 2021

Wildlife spotter’s guide: Inveresk Lodge Garden

Two long-tailed tits stand on a lichen-covered branch. Both extend their tails fully behind them. They have pale tummies, with pink and black markings on their bodies. They also have a little orange stripe above their eyes.
Long-tailed tits
A mixture of habitats, including a garden, woodland, a meadow and a pond, results in a wide variety of wildlife found in this pretty hillside garden.

Click on the pictures below to find out a little more about some of the species that you may spot whilst enjoying a gentle walk.

A goldfinch perches on a yellow-flowering thin branch. It has a bright red face, sharp thin beak and a gold flash on its wing. Great spotted woodpecker clinging to the side of a white-barked tree with knobbly bits. It is facing up the tree. It has a red cap. A grey heron stands among a reed bed, its lower body obscured by the grass. It has dark grey, shaggy feathers on its body. It has a white head with a strong black stripe running from above the eye to a crest down its neck. It has a very long, sharp orange beak. Three geese swimming in the pond at Haddo House. The deep blue water is so clear that the geese are reflected in it. A kingfisher perches on a thin branch, with trees in the background. It has a very round orange tummy, with a turquoise blue back. Its long thin black beak is turned to the right. Two long-tailed tits stand on a lichen-covered branch. Both extend their tails fully behind them. They have pale tummies, with pink and black markings on their bodies. They also have a little orange stripe above their eyes. A male and female mallard duck swim on a calm pond, with gentle ripples around them. The green-headed male is nearest the camera, with the brown female slightly further away. A moorhen picks its way across a reedy area, walking towards the camera. It has a very round black body with a red beak. A mute swan swims across a smooth loch. It is all white apart from its orange and black bill. Its neck makes an S shape, and it holds its wings slightly out from its body, making it appear even larger. A roe deer stands in a flowery (possibly lavender) area with saplings. It has turned its head to face the camera. Its very large ears and white rump are clearly visible. A small orange and black butterfly rests on the top of a purple thistle flower, its wings spread out wide. Yellow flowers surround it. A small brown and white bird clings on to some rough bark on a tree trunk, facing up the tree. It has a long curved beak and very long toes to grip with.

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Inveresk Lodge Garden with poppies and house in background
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Inveresk Lodge Garden

Peaceful hillside garden and pond tucked away in a charming village

Edinburgh & The Lothians

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