Two Robins Fighting

I heard these two robins before I saw them. I was walking with Ellie around the estate and stopped briefly to rest on a patch of grass by a small wooded area.

We heard panicked sounds, somewhere between a sharp screech and a chirp and then saw two robins in hot pursuit suddenly burst from the tree cover and straight across the footpath. The sounds didn't stop and twice more we saw them emerge and disappear again.

I assume it was a fight between individuals establishing their territories after the breeding season. According to the RSPB, robins are "aggressively territorial and quick to drive away intruders."

This kind of behaviour is especially noticeable at this time of year because so many species are quiet and unobtrusive, now that breeding has finished.

Wildlife at Work

I'm lucky that my office is based in stunning grounds that are well looked after with the wellbeing of both us workers and the local wildlife in mind.

RBS Gogarburn was opened in 2005. It sits on an impressive 78 acre site. The development was "designed to minimise impact on the natural environment. In parallel with this landscape, water management and habitat strategies have been developed."

There are several walking routes through the grounds. If I have time available over lunch (not as often as I'd like!) I try to get out for a walk.

There is woodland (old and new), reedbeds, open grassland, and a stream that cuts through the site. Songbirds are a common sight but I also occasionally spot something more unusual.

A few months ago I saw a roe deer standing silently at the window of the office restaurant.

Earlier this week I came across a fox. It was a magical encounter. It was quietly grooming itself, sitting in the middle of the footpath in a secluded part of the grounds. It didn't notice me. I must have been downwind. I stood still for about a minute watching it. It was wonderful to see an animal that is usually so wary and alert looking completely relaxed.

Wildlife encounters are always to be treasured. But there's something about these unexpected moments in the middle of a busy working day that is extra special.