Gledstane

It was a mixed day of sunshine and showers today. I went for a wander in mid afternoon and was lucky to get sunny weather. This is the bird of prey at the National Trust for Scotland's Gladstone's Land on the Royal Mile. It is a corruption from Gledstane an old Scots word meaning Red-tailed Kite (or Red Kite presumably). There's a staircase by it so you can get up to its level. As it was in the shade I used the flash to show up the gilding. In the background is St Giles. The tourist season is in full swing now and it's getting less easy to get places quickly.