beach bums

Saturday 11th Aug.

Usual Saturday entertainment and a lovely still day with the sun breaking through the clouds and humid air. A bit muggy for running, ideal for butterflies and coffee and cake.  

First time into what was Falko's and a very similar set up, ie a bakery coffee shop. Goose on the green! (Everyone likes a goose on the green.) How would it compare? The restrained lower case typeface and colour is a bit anonymous while hinting at high-end. Inside was much the same layout as Falko's and yet they were quite a while refurbing it. There isn't much evidence of cakes and bakeries compared to the previous legendary cake display. And I didn't see a menu, so not sure what was on offer. We opted for jammy scones (I had to ask as there were none on show) and a coffee. The coffee was fine but it would have been better if the excellent large and recyclable cup was filled fuller and with hotter coffee. Scones unmemorable. Quite expensive and maybe the slow service will improve as it beds in, but I'd go back. (How's that for damning with faint praise?!)

The JMW next to the golf course has been casting up occasional treats this year 

and Walls were another first.

meadow brown (f)

wall

specklie!

Little Egret on Marl Loch

The above pic of a Painted lady is the reason you are reading this post. I was going to skip it and jump onto more recent happenings as it doesn't cover much new ground. However this Painted lady was so happy to pose for a pic and I liked it so much that I couldn't disregard it. They are such fantastic specimens when fresh. And great fliers. Also, when disturbed, they often return to the same spot after a couple of skillful fast-flying cirles. Now that has to be celebrated. Other less obliging types (frits spring to mind) will do a couple of loops then catch the breeze and be 120 yards away over a barbed wire obstacle course before you can curse their selfish hairy bodies. M & F Painted ladies indistinguishable.

Somehow we got distracted at the beginning of the Blues' season and haven't returned to Aberlady reserve much since and so I was feeling I needed some Blue action. Mary ran on to the beach and I felt my time was limited. There wasn't a lot in the air but as I waded through the long grass around the old stomping grounds near the deceased butterfly-bush there were plenty of subjects lurking there. Along with the occasional passing PL and Peacock and Meadow Brown. 

small heath

common blue

lots of moths and micro moths littering up the place!

just the odd stray darter about

I quite like this tiny moth for at least making an effort.
note miniscule spider over on the right

I gave myself 15 minutes from M's departure; best not pushing my luck! I caught up with her on the beach. Highish tide.

The warm weather brings out lots of unusual creatures. Including nudists. These can be seen skulking about in the sharp grasses of the dunes, not as one big happy group but as individuals posted along the dunes above the beach. Often they come onto the beach for a solo parade before returning to the seclusion of the dunes. I admit I don't understand their compulsion or hobby. I am all for breaking societies unwritten rules and defying the norm, but to me they come across as slightly creepy. It doesn't help that they are almost exclusively male and in a group of one, ie it's not a laughing group of half a dozen males but just individuals who lurk.

The one below waited till Mary (who was ahead of me by a few hundred yards and looking like she was on her own) was close to where he was before "going for a swim" which involved a quick scamper to the sea directly in front of her, partial immersion, then quick retreat giving M every opportunity for an eyeful. Mary says she resolutely stayed eyes ahead, trying to give him the least possible audience. And I think that is my problem: that their pastime involves display and an involuntary audience.

They are probably lovely people who just love to be in the outdoors without clothes on, and there are too few places that sanction this, and Aberlady is a good spot for this (not particularly family orientated beach like Yellowcraigs or N Berwick!), though most children I am sure would be amused and entertained, unlike me who feels slightly tainted! Anyway. I'm sure they're not sad creepy dudes one degree away from flashers, they just sometimes come across like that. Also if you are going to show off your body you'd think they would get in better shape. Nobody wants to see that!

Something I was very pleased to see creeping along the beach was this flowering plant. (Can't be bothered to google it for id.) It attracts loads of bees, Silver Ys and butterflies and makes great backgrounds for pics of the same. There is more and more of it appearing this year, and not just at the far west end.