George – our male swan – met a sad end during the night of the 17th June. He was killed defending the nest and the three remaining eggs were taken. The most likely predator would have been a fox though it would have been unusual for a fox to cross the fairly deep water around […]

Our swans have chosen a new nesting site this year. There is a splendid view of the nest but it is undeniably in a more vulnerable position. Please be considerate and keep dogs well away from the site. Please don’t throw rubbish or food into the water beside the nest. This is the second brood […]

Little Grebes or Dabchicks have been spotted during March on Craiglockhart Pond. They are, as the name suggests, the smallest members of the grebe family and are widely distributed across Europe, Africa and Asia. About the size of a moorhen, they have a sharper beak and a ‘fluffy’ rear end. In the summer, they have […]

The closing months of 2014 saw much activity across the Local Nature Reserve. The causeway in front of the pond has been weeded and repointed.  Broken or uneven setts have been repaired. There are new railings across the stream. Paths have been scraped and refinished at the Glenlockhart Road, Lockharton Crescent and Craiglockhart Terrace entrances. […]

Work to improve the path network within Easter Craiglockhart Hill LNR will begin week commencing the 1st of December 2014. It is likely to be from the Tuesday. The work should not take longer than one week to complete. The main contractor is WB McLaren Planthire and Groundworks. The work comprises of some path surface […]

To mark the centenary of the Start of the First World War Edinburgh Napier University with support from Edinburgh Council have established a “War Poets Trail”. The Trail commemorates the life and work of the Poets Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen who were both patients at Craiglockhart Hospital. You can find out more by visiting […]

Yesterday (6th Oct)  the SSPCA  picked up two cygnets that were found wandering around in Lockharton Avenue. The  cygnets have now been safely re-homed  to the “social” pond at the foot of Arthur’s Seat. Another was picked up in the evening and has now joined it’s siblings in their new home. We  understand that (at […]

On Saturday 16th August, a squad of swan ringers from Lothian and Fife Swan and Goose Study Group descended on Craiglockhart Pond. Their mission was to ring our seven cygnets. The task was approached with a degree of trepidation. After all, only a few weeks earlier, George, our male swan, had featured in the national […]