A grand day out

We got a no 26 to Musselburgh and slightly beyond in order to visit the Levenhall scrapes and look at birds. Lots of the usual suspects about but I particularly liked this curlew busily rooting out worms. There were some roe deer close by too (1st extra). I also saw a huge bumblebee zooming about. 

Then we investigated the new reserve - lots of earth moving and tree planting has gone one and already a lot of birds making use of the central area, although it's still fairly bare. Best sighting was a skylark that seemed to be having a wee doze on the path (2nd extra), but eventually noticed us. When it flew up it was joined, to our astonishment, by about a dozen more who treated us to a flying/ascending/tweeting demonstration, with occasional little bouts of disagreement (with each other). Seemed rather early in the year for them to be about - but they were evidently checking out the new habitat. 

We gazed at Leith from a distance (3rd extra) and then walked back into Musselburgh. We had a plan to have an early dinner in the Caprice but had about an hour to spare before it opened. Oh dear. So we found a pub - actually a classic that has often been recommended to us (Staggs). It had Jarl on tap. (4th extra). Then we headed across the bridge to the Caprice - something we've been meaning to do for years, to check out whether it is indeed the same as the old Caprice that was a favourite on Leith Walk for many years (it became La Favourita, now closed I think). Ah yes, that same crisp, non-oily pizza crust that we liked so much. What a treat. Back on the bus eventually after what had been a grand day out.