mixed fortunes at the rickety fence

 

31/07/20

2 years ago (following advice and directions from Iain) I took a trip to Melrose and the rickety fence to see Scotch Argus butterflies in the foothills of the Eildons. (Blog here.) They are found mainly in Scotland but more frequently over in the West than the Lothians. Melrose is about the closest reliable spot to photograph them. There is a substantial colony between the golf course and the Eildon foothills at a spot near a 'rickety fence'.

After word got out that they had emerged I saw the forecast for the last day of July was looking amazing and decided I would repeat the route I had taken 2 years ago, visiting the fence then doing a run over the Eildons to a pond on the other side at Eildon Hall and then back to Tweedbank Station (the last stop on the Borders line.) It was around 14 miles and worked well last time finding not only dozens of Scotch Argus but a selection of recently emerged peacocks, painted ladies and (at the ponds) loads of damselflies. 

path across Melrose golf course

Last time the day had started overcast and I was worried that I saw no butterflies from the train window on the many hundreds of buddleias passed en route. This time I saw loads - mainly whites flitting about in the bright sunshine. Confidence was high and I assumed that I'd be even more successful than last trip here. 

there had been heavy rain overnight
and I spent the first hour wading through very damp grass

rickety fence 2020

rickety fence 2018

Even before I got to the fence I had seen a few Scotch Argus. Iain had warned me 2 years ago they are far easier to see than to photograph. And sure enough you can follow one for 5 mins while it flits from here to there but never actually lands, allowing you take a shot. And then when they do land they disappear into the shadowy depths of the long grasses. Evolution has produced a proclivity for dark places. Being a dark butterfly they are best camouflaged in shady corners. This was very evident on a sunny day and extremely frustrating. 

one of the very few instances of an Argus up high on a flower

come on! stop ruining the shot with a blade of grass!

After a while I took comfort in focussing on the other butterflies and moths and even flies. It was much more fun and much easier to take their photos while they sat happily on top of flowers (or fingers!). Then a Scotch Argus would cross my path and I'd set off in pursuit until it either flew over impenetrable gorse, or dived into the undergrowth and disappeared. Looking at my gps output I spent 91 long minutes zig-zagging over 1.2miles in the vicinity of the fence! And although I didn't check the results, I felt I had failed to get anything more than just a few average quality record shots. I was trying not to let it get to me or colour the day but for a butterfly hunt in glorious sunshine it was surprisingly depressing. 

I had forgotten how SAs can behave - especially on a sunny day - since my last experience of them had been through the West on a cycle trip across Arran and the Mull of Kintyre. Over there, (blog here) gangs of them sat atop ragwort in roadside laybys and let you poke your camera right in their little faces without complaint. They almost seemed like a different species. I have no idea why their behaviour was so different. Although reports came in about the rickety fence colony being considerably more accommodating in the following days of early August. So it may well have been the very bright sunlight inspiring their elusive conduct.

latticed heath moth
tiny and tricky to photograph (or is it?)

One of the highlights of the rickety fence was this scorpion fly. Called that because the males have what looks like a giant stinger on their tails. However this was a female. And what a looker! Beautiful wings and an amazing "face" this delightful bug was more than happy to sit on my hand and allow the camera up close without scampering off. Cheered me up considerably!

now that's how to pose for a photo!

shaded broad-bar moth

Eventually out of frustration I just jammed my camera into the undergrowth and shot random photos through the grass. I was fairly sure they'd all be focussed on the grass stems, but there was a surprisingly high hit rate of getting the shot. I didn't realise this until flipping through the shots on the train home, which was an unexpected boost. Even with reading glasses on (which I don't wear while taking photos or running) I can't properly check the focus and get a feel for quality of photo until I see them them at home on the monitor. But I realised it probably wasn't the disaster I had felt it was at the time.

very pleased with this lucky in-flight shot

When going through the photos at home Mary was looking over my shoulder and we both had a laugh as shot after shot featured half a wing leaving the photo. A blurred SA taking off. Another, three quarters out the pic. Shot after shot. It was hilarious. I can't remember the last time a species has given me the run-around like this. Not that I haven't had many near-misses or frustratingly close perfect shots that I've blown, or missed by a fraction of a second. It happens regularly. But today's haul must have featured the most straight-in-the-bin deletions in a long while. It does not make me warm to the Scotch Argus even though it is a stunning creature when freshly emerged. 

gps trail at the rickety fence

So after an hour and a half at the rickety fence I though I should go explore up the hills. Last time here I had plotted out a route (and followed it on my gps like a sat-nav) that covered the hills and a couple of ponds I hoped would yield some odonata, and it was so pleasant I thought I'd just do the same this time. It was much hotter this year and I was glad of the breeze on the higher ground. I even put my plague mask buff (worn on the train) on top of my head like a seaside knotted handkerchief as I could feel my brainbox melting. For a while it was so hot I thought I might have to sit in the shade or get into the loch.

I was pleased to run in the shade of the trees round Bowden Loch. This is an anglers' paradise with small jetties at regular intervals round a very pleasant loch which you presumably rent time on to get away from the family and sit in a deck chair or hammock while putting a line in the water. You could see fish in the shallows and every now and then a plop would confirm their presence. I saw many common damselflies though I was more excited about getting up the hills where I saw painted ladies and superbly fresh peacocks last time.

Bowden Loch

Bowden Loch far right. The wee lochan between the hills I thought might make 
for an interesting swim later.

same place from 2 years ago

I failed to see any butterflies up the hill, or on the way down, at the place I saw several peacocks in the heather last time. I passed this peacock sat proudly on a leaf in the woods and stopped for a photo. I suspect they prefer to keep their wings closed in the really hot weather. 

On the upside I found slightly better paths through the woods than last time. Last time I had ended up bushwacking through jungly undergrowth and over fences on a disused trail. This time I remembered the difficulties and found a nearby alternative that worked much better. And in no time I found myself nearly running past the trail that led to the pond below the big house.

It was absolutely full of wildlife. Swans with cygnets, and about 20~30 mallards. Fly-by whites and damselflies a plenty. I went 2/3rds round the perimeter to where I took some photos of the damselflies last time. It is the best sunlit spot to get pics. The swans, perhaps seeing all the ducks move out into the middle of the pond in pretend alarm, came to investigate. They must be used to human contact and handouts as they came over to where I was even before I got my sandwiches out to give them a few small corners of lunch. The cygnets made a curious whistling noise that adult swans don't make. Translated I think it means "give us some bread whydon'tcha". They were in luck.

emerald damselfy

Meadow Brown or Scotch Argus? 

swanabstract

whistling cygnets

lots of loveliness

I mostly remembered the route back round the hills although I had it on my Suunto if in doubt. There was no sign of the hundreds of small and gv whites I'd seen roadside last time but there were quite a few peacocks and others fluttering about the field edges. I had to double check where the small trail ducked into the undergrowth then widened out to run up sun-dappled tree lined paths, constantly climbing through the woods to emerge near that wee lochan. By now I was very hot and thinking I'd have a swim in it. 2 minor problems: no towel and no cover. It was a bit exposed and there were quite a few walkers brought out by the amazing weather.

When I arrived I decided not to bother with a swim. It looked murky as anything and I suspected I'd be scraping the mud and filth off my feet long after the pleasure of immersion had worn off. If I had a towel and spare shorts I might have been bolder. Swallows zipped over the surface sometimes scooping water with their bills. No sign of dragonflies.

Since the route runs down the road beside the golf course I had a second look in at the rickety fence. I hoped things there had maybe settled down and the butterflies, exhausted from all that chasing about earlier would be flopped on top of flowers and leaves and not so skittish. Nope. If anything they might have been worse. Or my patience/tolerance had worn thinner. I got even fewer SA photos than earlier. However I was glad to have popped back in as I got to meet 2 members of the East Scottish Butterflies facebook page. There had been much chat about the famous fence and various members had been motivated to visit. First was Fiona who wasn't having much more luck than I was. However she returned in less hot weather and got significantly better results. I think that is the moral of this tale: watch out what you wish for! (I always enjoy sunny weather, the hotter the better.)

Fiona at the famous fence

Even the peacocks were shutting up shop and hiding in the shade.

"same" butterfly from 2 years ago
(flipped horizontally to face same direction as above.)

There were a couple of fresh Common Blues but they were not for settling either. This was the closest I got to a photo. I also heard there was a DGF. This was seen by Fiona and then by Lisa, so I completely missed it even though it was obviously about during the time I was there. Oooh the shame! Nice to meet Lisa as well, and Archie the dog. Archie gets a little bored with butterfly hunting and I said Mary sometimes feels the same!

I didn't have any more patience for chasing SAs so after a last shuffle round the area failing to see any DGFs or Painted Ladies (not a single PL all trip! 😢) I was thinking more about liquids. I had taken 2 bottles of juice for the day. I knew it would be hot so half filled them with water then froze them overnight. Topped up with juice they slowly unfroze all day until I was left bashing the bottles to break and crunch the remaining small berg of ice at 4pm. I was very dehydrated and thought the best route to the station might involve a diversion through Melrose where there was bound to be a shop. I was surprised to see there was also a shop selling butterflies! I bought way too much to drink, refilled my bottles and ran to the station.

this was the same place and similar photo 2 years ago

I saw a large yellow underwing moth flutter out of the harsh sunlight and into the cool shade of the train carriage. I thought it might not want to be relocated to Waverley so shoo-ed it back out. Not so lucky the grass veneer or small whatever moth I saw later on the inside of the window.

platform shoes

gaiters kept out a good deal of grass seeds and bruck but filth got through

On the train I ate the remaining sandwich I hadn't shared with the swans and looked through my photos. It's a great way to pass the journey although means I have to carry my reading specs. I was surprised that my SA photos were better than I felt at the time and I may not need to return on a less sunny day. And although I hadn't seen any painted ladies or that many peacocks I had still had a great day out and eventually clocked up 16 miles around Melrose and 2 to the station and back. And the weather had been the sort you normally only get abroad. Maybe not ideal for Argus photos but I had enjoyed it thoroughly.