BLUE!

 

The first Common Blue of the year (my year) happened in Holyrood on Sunday 6th June. It is always special. They are a kind of magical insect and so much more than just another butterfly. (Despite the misleading name.) They usually happen around the beginning of June and mark the start of Summer, the first warm weather. And when newly out they are shiny and fluffy in a remarkable way that not even the best photo can truly capture. The shade of blue is so dazzling that you can see them a long way off and they have a kind of shimmer that makes my heart skip a beat. I had been keeping a vigilant eye out for them in the first couple of places they tend to arrive, as if transported from another planet, directly into Holyrood. Last year they turned up on the last day of May; 2019 on the 10th June. Last year I was in the company of Ken. Same this year though we hadn't arranged it. And the first one was just below Hutton's Section, the site of the last year's 2nd. Soon (now, a month later) they will be all over the park, and if you are lucky you can see the rarer and more discreet females with their uppers of brown and blue and orange love hearts. 

I have been skirting below the crags recently. All the good stuff seems to be in the stonetrap ditch and along the border of the rough and smooth ground between the crags and the fairway opposite Dynamic Earth / Dumbiedykes. Up to the top of the Radical Road which is out of bounds. Unless you have an I-don't-give-a-stuff-about-those-barriers free pass. Luckily I often carry one, though nobody has made me show it yet.

Back on the 6th June there was a ladybird and a spider appeared from under the leaf to ask who went there. Saw it was a tough nut to crack and went back under the leaf to wait for the next visitor. Then a Mother Shipton Moth - you can see her profile on either wing. A great (small) moth for the dynamic patterns although can make you work for a decent photo and isn't shy of an 80 yard runaround.

Mary was out and about too but having a run rather than a butterfly hunt. By this point I had bumped into Ken who had seen and photographed the singular solitary legendary Green Hairstreak (Unda and Andrew had) found in Holyrood this year that lurked in the brambles just below NBA corner. There was a large expanse of unexplored ground immediately above the brambles that could hide a dozen colonies of Greenies and was never going to be explored due to the thick impenetrable brambly underbrush. I was mildly sad not to have seen the hairstreak-in-the-park this year. Their appearance last year (three different specimens all seen round the high road and Crow Hill) was a near miracle as if Covid Jesus was compensating for the fat pandemic by saving us having to go to the Pentlands to see them. But would they return this year? The answer seemed to be no, until this singleton appeared recently and was spotted by Unda (and Andrew.) Holyrood's newest butterfly species taking the total to 21 I think. Crazy for a city centre park. Next anticipated species: large skipper. But not this year.

small copper

small heath

Ken in action!

common blue with cinnabar in background

This specimen was identifiable as it had a kind of blemish or raised (almost metallic looking) stud on the left forewing and scratches on the other side where it closed its wings. No idea what causes that. I'd imagine it was like a birth mark. The weather wasn't super sunny and this encouraged the butterfly to sit happily for loads of photos although it didn't want to pose on anything isolated or out of the way of other grasses which would have been even more helpful! 

that's better, now hold it there!

cinnabar moth

how to steal a perch from a small heath

silver-ground carpet moth

We went for a wander up the high road. That part of the Queen's Drive from the Commie Pool roundabout that leads to Dunsapie Loch. The laybys full of wildflowers were popular with small coppers, NBAs, blues, passing Walls and flyby whites. Until the rangers dropped many tons of rock from the crags above in a health and safety push to stop the rock having a mind of its own and dropping off in dribs and drabs. They seem to have wiped out all the butterfly action there although the barriers have mercifully been removed so we can now take photos of the absent butterflies without the barrier being in the way. No word as yet how many more years the Radical Road will be out of bounds while there is still rock malingering above it. 

Mary appeared for the second time, manfully knocking out the miles and putting us to shame!

gvw

Ken remained to pay his respects to the flattened butterfly eggs and larvae while I went off to climb Crow Hill in a misguided search for Painted Ladies and their Admiral friends. None were found. In fact neither of us saw anything of note after that hour. I think it all went indoors about 2pm and did not bother to say why. Maybe there was something good on butterfly TV?

Alpkit Gaiters

The new Alpkit shop in Causewayside is now open and I bought a number of quality low price outdoor items. Clothes / sunglasses / camping equipment / swim goggles and a great fleece type jumper. The gaiters are really good for keeping small stones and grit out your shoes and don't rub your ankles. They work well with all of the shoes I have worn them with and are easier to put on than 2 other makes I have tried. I wasn't a huge fan of the design of the sunglasses (as seen in the last blog) but they are £20 not £120 and they keep the sun out your eyes on the full 10 days of the Scottish Summer. I am not a fan of £120 sunglasses and presume they are like bottled water and other things that you can't believe stupid people spend money on. Overpriced. £20 seems about right. Maybe even too cheap?

hordes

mini moth party in a buttercup