butterflying with C & J day 1

Colin and Joan gave me the heads up a week before the 7th Aug that they were planning a couple of days butterflying and I was welcome to join in. They had booked a room in a Travelodge in Musselburgh and were going to do day 1 in Gullane/Aberlady with Holly Blue being the target species and day 2 down the Berwickshire coast looking for Walls. As the days approached the forecast was looking good. I either juggled work commitments or maybe had finished the job I was busy with on Thursday, but I decided to get involved.

I got the train to Drem and ran through the fields from there to Luffness. It is just over 3 miles of dirt trails and much nicer than trying to run on the pavementless roads. There was a danger of too many distractions due to the farmer planting Lacy Phacelia round the edge of his fields to attract pollinators and keep the bugs off the crop. They make an excellent backdrop for butterfly photos although I hurried by, only taking a token shot or 2 hoping to get more involved at the other end of the day. 

I had arranged to meet Colin and Joan at Luffness and they were already knee deep in butterflies when I arrived. There were several Walls about which they were pleased about though they were mostly males who were intent on finding females, and so not settling but chasing round looking for likely spots to flush out the females. It made getting photos very tricky and after quite a while I felt I had still not quite nailed it. Then Joan found a couple mating which made it easier to get closer without them flying off.

shaded broad-bar moth

common blue

speckled wood seen on the journey across the fields

After filling our boots at Luffness I ran along to Gullane. They drove but only have a van with 2 seats hence me running. We went up the hill and at first it seemed there was nothing to be seen. As we were making to leave Joan saw a blue shape in amongst the snowberries although I think it was actually on a bramble flower. It was the incentive to stay a bit longer and with a bit of luck one flew over to us and settled for long enough for a few photos. There were other fly-bys but the venue has not been great this year. I think the snowberries were underwatered during a dry Spring and haven't fully recovered. The leaves are a bit crispy and burnt. However we felt it was job done and after a wander round the top of the hill went down into Gullane to have a quick look at the famous public toilets. We could see a bit of fluttering but at too high a height for any decent photos. 

wall up the top of the hill

Joan and Colin

at the public toilets

We parted company and I ran back towards Drem down the John Muir Way. There wasn't much to start with but once I got onto the trails that cross the fields I got involved with all the butterflies flying about the moat of Lacy Phacelia. There were loads of whites - a mix of small and large. And Tortoiseshells and some really fresh Peacocks which looked dazzling on the light purple background. I knew I had some time to kill before the next train but nearly stayed too long and had to dash from there to get to the station in time. It was very easy to lose myself trying to get close enough to the butterflies to get macro shots without disturbing them. The sun was out, the butterflies were getting drunk on nectar and I was wandering through acres of purple splendour. Top day out!

large white with passenger

Large white

I like how this looks very fake (it's not.)

Purple haze, all in my brain

Lately things they don't seem the same
Actin' funny, but I don't know why
Excuse me while I kiss the sky