dr. neil pt 2

Different day, different Dr. Neil. Sunday 22nd March the sun was shining and I was keen to run round Holyrood Park in the search for butterflies. Mary was less keen but looking to do something similar. So I set off ahead, on the understanding we may or may not meet. Easter Road was ghost town like. Social distancing had been proclaimed but not full lockdown. 

Scott and Judyta demonstrate distancing

sunny park fairly busy

I first went to what I think Ken was calling the stone trap. The bottom of a scree slope below the Crags and just down from the Commie Pool roundabout. Where the Northern Brown Arguss (Argi?) were hanging out last Summer. There are various places around town, a turn on the river, a disused quarry, a small stand of shrubs or trees, favoured by wildlife. Be it a favourite branch for a kingfisher or the best copse to find a rare butterfly. It is often difficult to see the draw but there are definitely hotspots and areas of concentrated whatever it is. Corstorphine Butterfly Park is such - even though it is subject to fly tipping, brambles and looks a bit scuzzy. I've had it in mind to write a paper on the top 11 (or 25?) preferred elements of the butterfly world. They might include nettles; rotting wooden fences; a suntrap wall or brambles hidden in long grass that you step over then catch your trailing foot on, drawing their serrated fangs down the back of your other calf. It is not just foodplants, but a combination of litter and natural or manmade obstacles and random bruck. If butterflies were humans they'd probably choose to populate scenic riverside walks. Which they do. But they can also hang out in dog turd dandelion grassy strips next to car parks and building sites and seem drawn to that blue or orange nylon rope you find on beaches and wasteland next to burnt out vehicles. Milk crates and wooden palettes.

Anyway, the buddleias haven't flowered as yet at the NBA site and there are usually only a peacock or 2 sunbathing on the rocks at the bottom of the scree. I have been past there a couple of times more recently and been a bit hacked off to find folk sunbathing or having picnics at that spot as there is a bit of a wind break if you are (against lockdown rules) sitting down having a picnic. (I know, pot, kettle, black.)

I was keeping half an eye out for Hunter down below and sure enough from high up under the crags I spotted her distinctive running style down below. I dropped down and we ran together for a bit until I got distracted by a pheasant shimmering in the sunlight near Murder Acre.

waved to Sandy round the back of Duddingston

The White Rabbit to my Alice

I said bye to Mary again and headed into Dr. Neil's garden at Duddingston. A miniature Botanics it is beautifully maintained and brimful of blossoming trees and shrubs. It does attract the reading-poetry crowd but I was able to take photos while keeping a distance from them.

I seemed to arrive at just the right time. A comma was jamming itself into the flowering heather and ignored me standing right beside it. Occasionally it would take to the air to chase off a peacock or another comma then return to the flowers. There seemed to be one or 2 peacocks about and a small tortoiseshell was stationary, basking on the broad-leaved flowers and rocks next to the loch. Just then I bumped into Andrew and Unda. Unfortunately the comma had disappeared by then but we had 10 minutes chasing the peacocks and small torts before they too decided it was either too cold or too near bedtime (not yet 3pm) to stay out any longer. The flowering heather made a great background for pics - so often in the cooler blowy weather those 3 species will sit on the grass, leaf-litter or dirt paths and it is a struggle to get any kind of a dynamic photo.

Andrew and small tortoiseshell

I ran back through Holyrood very pleased to have caught all of the March species available in one place. I took the boundary path keeping an eye on the ivy covered walls. The sun was still out and sure enough a peacock was looking for a place to catch the last of it high in the ivy. I just had time for a few full zoom photos before it disappeared for the day.

saw Nicola and Senna on the run home

and a young thrush

Next time I ran past Dr. Neil's garden it was closed, shut down for lockdown. 😭