best part of the day: archerfields

Wednesday, 26 August 2020

archerfields

2 commas in the same sentence

9th Aug 2020
It was probably the wind direction that encouraged us to head East out of Gullane and along to Dirleton and Yellowcraig beach, rather than the usual Gullane circuit. It was while since we had done this route and I was delighted to find that just past the first mile, the gatehouse at Archerfields was hoaching with butterflies. I knew that it had potential and always check it out, but the last few visits it had been a barren desert with (for instance) a wasp and a lacewing as sole occupants. I had begun to lose faith that it ever was one of these wildlife oasis that crop up where foodplants and windshelter/suntrap overlap, making a mini-zoo of concentrated wildlife.

However, first we did a scout around Gullane looking for Holly Blues. We had been aware of sightings in the churchyards and elsewhere and it seemed the Holly Blues were really establishing themselves around many areas in Gullane. It was becoming apparent they were now in such numbers that they were beginning to emulate the behaviour we see down South where they are the most common blue butterfly likely to be found in gardens. While they form colonies based around high trees and ivy bushes, as numbers grow they can be seen flitting around the neighbourhood looking for flowers on which to nectar. Reports were coming in from all over Gullane.

We did a quick circuit of the old graveyard around the ruins of St Andrew's, next to Sandy Loan. There is a very nicely kept vegetable garden at the back and I was admiring the many large whites benefitting from it, when I saw a Holly Blue take off and fly into the nearest sycamore tree. There were also peacocks on the buddleias nearby.

On the way back across Goose Green I stopped to check out a high ivy-covered wall (below) and saw several holly blues flying above it and into the tree next door. Yet another site. And it does make you wonder if every high wall with ivy contains a mini colony. Tricky to explore or get close to for photos, but there may well be loads more activity than we are ever aware of until it spills over into folks' gardens.

rubbish photos

Hope this chap discourages the speed merchants heading into Gullane.

Anticipating there might be a wasp and lacewing needing their photo taken I ran ahead to Archerfields gatehouse on the John Muir Way. I was well over-excited when Mary arrived 2 mins later and we stayed for 25 minutes taking photos of the walls, COMMAS, Peacocks, RAs, whites and Holly Blues that had converged there. Lots of commas have been posted on facebook butterfly groups and yet I hadn't seen any since the first generation ones right at the start of the year. I was very pleased to see 2 here, sat fairly patiently in the foliage. They tend not to gather in groups.

wall (female)

comma

holly blue

Just as Mary arrived a Holy Blue arrived at the same time and I couldn't help but think she had something to do with it. She also took a better open-winged photo of it than I did. There have been so many photos of them recently (this year and last) that some of the rarity value is rubbing off. They are not quite common place but they have definitely changed in status (in East Lothian) from exceptionally rare to seen-on-a-regular-basis. And photos are frequent rather than a hastily snatched shot of a distant HB in the tree tops. I suspect we are at the beginnings of an invasion and that in 5 years time they will be well established in East Lothian. At least I hope as much. They are a charming and attractive species and still uncommon enough to make my heart skip a beat when I see one. I think their mythical (Scottish) status owes much to their habit of living in inaccessible places and perhaps not appearing in the same place twice until they become established.

Mary's shot with her cheap camera.

There were a number of brand new Red Admirals centred around the buddleias.

After 25mins of taking hundreds of photos we ran on to Dirleton and then down to Yellowcraigs before turning West and coming back along the coast.

speckleds in the woods

late in the year for small skippers

spider hiding in the berries

We had both been so impressed by the numbers of butterflies at the gatehouse that when Mary suggested we head back inland at Archerfields beach I was totally in agreement. We ran up the side of the golf course then spent another 25mins taking a whole load more photos. Not quite shooting fish in a barrel but reassuring that I wasn't mistaken about the venue. No Holly Blues on this occasion - it was getting later in the afternoon. But 2 commas sat near each other and looking gloriously orange. They were sat in the middle of a clump of brambles and tricky to get anywhere near. Worth a few scratches though.