Saltoun Big Wood

 

Tuesday 8th Sept. 

What a day! I had heard from Julie, a poster on East Scottish Butterflies fb group that Saltoun Big Wood was jumping with butterflies. That was on the 5th Sept. I must have been able to get Tuesday off and Mary regularly has a Tuesday off so we jumped in the van and headed first to Gullane for a run. However I had stowed my bike in the back and planned one way or another to go past Saltoun Woods. I love comma butterflies and relished the chance to get close to some. They bookend the butterfly season appearing both at the start of the Summer and at the end. So far the end of the year was fast approaching and I'd seen far too few. Thanks Julie for the tip-off!

First though Gullane. Blue skies and decent enough temps to tempt some butterflies out at the main street buddleia bushes and along the JMW to Aberlady.

long pointy tongue!

a few darters near Marl Loch

Big skies above the beach

Biggest surprise of the day was this common blue. Sunbathing on the trail at Gullane Point, I nearly ran into it and had to slam the brakes on. It flew off while I shouted COMMON BLUE to Mary who was less excited than I was. Just brilliant to see one unexpectedly like that, and with the power to make your heart soar, just like the first one of the Summer.

The more I do similar runs/adventures the more history repeats itself. Just done a bit of checking and 2 years ago TO THE DAY on 8th Sept 2018 I ran into a solitary common blue male in exactly the same condition (ie pretty fresh!) at Aberlady dunes, half a mile from here, during a Tynecastle Bronze blogged HERE. Weirdly, weirdmost, it was not the last blue of the year. I do wonder if these sleepyheads ever see another of their own sort. I'm guessing somehow they do and it's just me who can't find the females after August. And that they mate and their offspring continue the process of emerging late, seeing that runner (optional) and onwards and upwards. Anyway between Mary and I we followed it to where it landed very briefly for a couple of photos before flying off properly. I was stoked to get a reasonable photo before it disappeared.

I then walked through a spiders web and made this chap (below) homeless. I apologised and after a quick photo returned him or her to the sea-buckthorn.

I had been prepared to jump on my bike from Gullane and cycle over to Saltoun but Mary was having a jolly day and was sufficiently interested in the prospect of a quick wander round the woods, to drive us there in the car. The car park is now closed - perhaps as a result of flytipping in the area (was a suggestion from Julie) and there are only 3 spaces near the road turn-off to park. Being a Tuesday we got one and walked in. I left my bike - now feeling redundant - in the back of the car. Although Mary did suggest any bad behaviour and I'd be cycling home. The weather had deteriorated and I was now worried I'd blown the best part of the day at Gullane and should have gone directly to Saltoun. 

harvest machinery

a speckled wood on the beech hedge as we arrived - a good omen

We checked out the ponds before going to the back trail where there was more chance of butterflies. There were a few dragonflies just appearing as the sun was coming out intermittently. The hawkers were being their usual frustrating selves; flying round the pond perimeter without ever stopping for a photo. The damselflies - blues and emeralds - were more obliging. Although they are tiny and it is all a bit hit and miss, never realising the quality of the photo till much later.

Up towards the back trails Mary spotted this comma, (above), the first of the day which was floating around the trees and ferns as we approached. It seemed magical in it's deep orange and almost red tones and I clambered through the bracken and grasses to get close enough for a decent shot. I have suspicions it might have been the best one all day and was disappointed it flew off before I got that close. I hoped I'd see more. Sure enough as we turned onto the back trail we became aware of dozens of butterflies on the devils bit scabious flowers that lined the trail. As the sun came out so did many more. Deep joy!

rarity of 2 in the same pic

Some butterflies are happy to flock with their own kind - Red Admirals for instance. Or Small T-shells. Not so much (male) speckled woods or green hairstreaks which do live in small colonies but chase the bejesus out of each other or anyone else they feel is encroaching on their territory. Similarly blues and NBAs although I suspect there might be more playfulness with them. But commas; they don't really hang out together much.

And as I said earlier I had seen very few this Autumn. So I was really delighted to see somewhere between a dozen and 20, maybe 30. I find trying to guess numbers really tricky as I forget how many I've seen, after getting lost in a photo session spending a while with one or 2, then maybe 10 minutes chasing another. 4 or 5 later and was that 3 or 30? Never mind the Admirals and Peacocks in between. I get lost in the process, and also lose sense of time as well, as an hour passes like ten minutes. This being-in-the-zone happens in a couple of other areas of life: playing musical instruments and running. (Also working but that is less joyful!) I imagine my brainwaves either go extremely flat or extremely peaked. Whatever, it is close to an ideal experience. Nirvana! 

threesome

One of the few grumbles was there was a bit of a wind blowing. The long stemmy flowers would sway about like buggery and it was tricky trying to keep the subject in focus as it rode the waltzers back and forth. In frustration I tried to hold the stem to see if I could still the image. This worked a bit but who wants a big clumsy hand in the action. The butterflies were so keen on their drug of choice they seemed not too bothered. 

Being spoilt for choice it was sometimes difficult to know where to point the camera. So, rather than just get the clearest shot of the specimen in a symmetrical pose in the centre of the frame I was experimenting (when given the chance) with different compositions shooting through the grass and from lower angles looking up. It often helps to get a bit of blue sky in a photo of an orange butterfly. I was aiming for a butterfly's point of view. Also, when possible, more macro shots than just zoom. 

I was glad Mary was also enjoying this bonanza. With so many subjects she was happy to spend some time walking up and down the trail taking photos.

This one had a weird silver spot on it's right forewing.

but was happy to pose for photos

blue sky orange butterfly

I saw this Silver Y moth fly into the undergrowth and settle there.
Otherwise would never have noticed due to its great use of camouflage. 

perfect butterfly country

the whites were in the minority

lots of peacocks

I struggled to get as many comma underwing shots as I did.

Eventually we left the butterfly trail and headed back to the car. On the way we had a quick check at the pond to see if more dragonflies had come out along with the sun. There was a guy there also hunting dragonflies. I was fairly sure he was the dude I'd seen at Gosford Estate hunting Banded Demoiselles. He said he was there with a neighbour but didn't remember myself. He had also found just 2 males. We chatted for way longer than Mary was happy with. I think when you stand at a pond for a couple of hours waiting for a dragonfly to appear you might be more prone to giving the longer version of events if someone comes along and gives you the chance. Being slightly guilty of this myself I gave him a chance to tell us about his adventures but yes he was kinda long-winded. We eventually escaped after a couple more photos of the emerald damselflies. The last photo or rather sequence of photos in a gif, shows the damselfly blowing a kiss as I left. Nice!

One of the best days butterflying of the whole year. A cracker!