Teddy Edward: May 2023

A couple of weekends back we were invited to join our friends John and Louise on a guided walk round a community woodland just outside Leadburn, near Penicuik. It's a place we have passed many times on the way to Peebles , but have never stopped to explore until now.

We met up with John and Louise at the entrance to the woodland before joining the rest of the group. We were introduced to Florance who organised the event and Rick who would be showing the group round. There group consisted of volunteers who help look after the woodland as well as others who (like us) had been invited to join them. After a brief introduction we were on our way.

On our way

I should point out at this early stage that Leadburn Community Woodland is not a small concern, in fact I think it covers about 50 hectares and is made up of mature conifer plantation, moorland and recently planted (within the last 15 years) native woodland. It also contained several ponded areas and boasts no less than two disused railway tracks.

It was these two disused railway tracks (which now form part of the pathway through the woodland) that made it particularly interesting to John; who was keen to put his new electric wheelchair through its paces. We started the walk by heading North up the Peebles Line

The former Peebles Railway Line to Edinburgh

The group pause to look for birds

Regarding birds in the area, we had already heard Robin, Song Thrush and Chiffchaff at the start of the walk and were currently investigating a bird that was singing from the top of a nearby bush/tree:

What is that bird?

A quick zoom in with the binoculars and it was clear that it was either a Willow Warbler or a Chiffchaff:

Willow Warbler or Chiffchaff?

Although these two species of birds look quite similar, they have distinctive songs which easily identify what they are. The Chiffchaff calls its own name "chiff chaff, chiff chaff" whilst the Willow Warbler sings with a series of notes on a descending scale. This one turned out to be a Willow Warbler.

We carried on a little further along the track, where we passed a bench carved out of a solid tree trunk and a little ponded area which was ideal habitat for insects and amphibians:

Carved Tree Trunk Bench

Little Ponded Area

John seemed to be quite happy with his new electric wheelchair, which was coping well with the terrain; so much so he had to slow down sometimes so we could catch up.

John and Louise with organiser Florance

Further along we were admiring some of the flowers at the edge of the track, which included Cuckoo Flower (aka Lady's Smock) and Common Spotted Orchid (not yet in flower) when we were introduced to another character:

Sawfly Larva

Larva stage of one of the Sawfly species

The volunteer who had found this larva identified it as a Sawfly and said that it would make a tasty snack for a Song Thrush.

Here's the Cuckoo Flower:

Cuckoo Flower or Lady's Smock

Its alternative name refers to the colour, which resembles a common colour used for Lady's smocks in "ye olden days".

Back to the walk; here is a view across the moorland to a line of trees which the volunteers had planted. They have planted thousands of trees over the last fifteen years and they are at different stages of growth. I also include a stand of Gorse which we found added a splash of colour:

View across the moorland

Gorse Bush

It was at this point we saw (and heard) another bird singing from the top of a tree:

Willow Warbler

It was of course a Willow Warbler and I managed to video it, but the distinctive "descending scales" song is very faint so it would be hard to positively identify it from this clip:

Around this point in the walk we reached the junction where the old Peebles line (which we were on) meets the old Leadburn, Linton & Dolphinton line and this was our cue to head South West (ish) down the Dolphinton line.

Heading South down the old Dolphinton Branch Line

A little further down the track we saw a small bird flitting about in the rough grass, moving from ground level, on to a bush then back down to the ground. as it was obscured by the long grass it was hard to get a decent view of it:

What is that little bird

When it finally rested on a bush for a few seconds I managed to get a better view of it and identified it as a Meadow Pipit:

Meadow Pipit on Hawthorn Bush

Meadow Pipit

This is quite a common bird in rough grass / moorland habitats and unsurprisingly we saw other Meadow Pipits as we walked along, including one doing the distinctive "parachute" display. Unfortunately I wasn't quick enough to get it on video.

From this track we got great views across the moorland towards the Pentland Hills:

Across the Moorland to The Pentlands

Towards the Pentland Hills

The views would have been better if it hadn't been so overcast and misty over the hills, but a great view none-the-less. Whilst enjoying these views we also caught a glimpse of a distant Kestrel hovering and swooping down below towards the ground. I tried to capture it on video but it was so far away and moving so fast I failed miserably. All I got was a one second clip of a distant bird, which I have attached below (slowed down to give you any chance of seeing it):

A bit of a disaster, but never mind.

We carried on along the track until we reached an area where there was an old derelict building, this is where a large pond had been created:

Large Pond with Derelict Building

Great habitat for wildlife

These ponded areas are great habitats for many species of wildlife and provide benefits for everything from tiny aquatic invertebrates up to large mammals. There were plenty of insects buzzing about and I enjoyed watching some Whirlygig Beetles spinning around on the pond's surface (for some reason I had Kylie Minogue on my mind?................ but that happens a lot!)

Back to the walk. A couple of Shelduck flew passed when we were in this area and we were told that there would normally be a few Greylag Geese around the pond.

At this point in the walk the group had choices: we could continue south on this track which led to the mature conifer woodland (but the track would be narrower and rougher); we could head down another narrow track which went passed some other ponded areas and was the shortest route back to the carpark; or we could head back the way we came along the old railway lines.

We chose to head back the way we came:

A last look across the pond to The Pentlands

Heading back along the branch line

We passed the alternative return path that went alongside the ponded area where the Greylags were thought to be:

Towards the woodland and further ponds

Just after this point we saw yet another Willow Warbler on a tree top, this time it was singing its little heart out, and yes I did get it on video:

Now you should be able to distinguish a Willow Warbler from a Chiffchaff by its song!

When we reached the car park we were treated to home-made shortbread and tablet (thanks Florance) with just added to an already enjoyable morning walk. When we totted up all the birds we had seen that morning it came to 25 different species, a fair haul which would have been higher in better weather.

Thanks to all those organising the walk and for inviting us along; with a special thanks to all the volunteers and friends of Leadburn Community Woodland for making it such a pleasant place to visit.

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By way of contrast (and by no means comparison) I was lucky enough to have time for a brief visit to Echline Community Woodland in South Queensferry a few days after the Leadburn visit. This is a much smaller woodland located in a sub-urban area and was establish just over 30 years ago on what was once a farmer's field.

It is planted with native species of trees and shrubs and has since been colonised by many native plants and flowers. It was a lovely sunny day when I visited and the woodland was looking lush: