back to Gullane

1st May
Nice to return to running at Gullane. Mind you we were so busy chatting I didn't really notice or appreciate much of the scenery as it flew by. We met Nick at Goose on the Green for (carry out) coffee and scones, thanks Nick! And then did the longer run to Yellow Craigs and back round Aberlady Beach then inland. 

stretching on the dirty pavement or just old lady fallen over?

scenery - tide was waaaaay out

no exaggeration?

water seemed high at Marl Loch

So, rather than just run back up the JMW through the golf course I suggested we return via Postman's Walk. Not that I was being selfish by wanting to see the butterflies there! I also wanted to check out what the chances of a pal (who was coming down from the North East) seeing Holy Blues was, so I could advise whether Gullane or Aberlady seemed the best bet. I had a feeling the answer was neither as they only appear in warm sunny weather and the whole weekend was borderline. However with the East wind sheltered by the ivy clad wall, the Aberlady site was not bad. Especially as I saw my first Wall butterfly of the year, unusually a female. They are great butterflies although the early males can be hellish skittish. This female wasn't too bad and I got a couple of decent close-ups.

loads of OTs about

Wall!

at the Holly Blue wall

Eventually a Holly Blue turned up. There was probably only one the whole time we were there (20mins to half an hour) While it was nice standing about in the sunshine taking butterfly pics the weather deteriorated while there and Geoff didn't get to see any Walls or the large white which had been buzzing the place. Looked like we got lucky with the timing. It made me nervous about Tony coming down to see HBs as they might not appear. 

Nice to meet Geoff - who had originally flagged up Postman's Walk on East Scottish Butterflies, a great resource and useful place to exchange tips and suggestions on finding butterflies. And to be able to say thanks for pointing out a butterfly friendly part of the world especially one with a new colony of Holly Blues. (Even though that was news to Geoff!) There was also a Large White bombing about but I didn't get any photos. 

as the sun went in so these orange tips closed for business
(Mary spotted these 2)

you can see a tiny orange OT egg below the flowers

Sadly Tony didn't get to see Holly Blues (yet again!) and my advice about Aberlady instead of Gullane came just too late as he travelled a day earlier; the forecast was better for Saturday than Sunday. He wasn't too upset though, and had a very busy day spotting many excellent butterflies and birds in East Lothian and elsewhere. Next time Tony, next time!