saturday stuff

 

14th Aug.

Myself and Mary out our Saturday run. I can remember very little of this run other than it was fun and although it looks like we did Postman's Walk rather than the usual coastal run, I don't think it was me forcing Mary against her will to go see butterflies. In fact it may well have been her suggestion to combat tireness, boredom or a strong coastal wind. We started (and finished) on the John Muir Way between the woods and golf course and there was almost instantly a good hit rate of butterflies. 

wall (m) on a wall

small tort

peacock

common carpet moth

How can this be called common? It is one of the best of the carpet moths I've seen and doubt it is the most prevalent by a long shot. I will be writing in the strongest terms to my local mp. (Moth Person.) 

While we were standing about at that bit just before the corner where there is good wind shade and plenty of thistles to attract butterflies, there was a flash of orange, back and forth. It had the flight of a DGF but it was too late in the season for a DGF. It was Mary who suggested it might be a comma. Which it turned out to be. It landed on the wall nearby and we stealthed over to get some photos before it did another circuit or 2. It was a splendid specimen (possibly ab. Hutchinsoni) and defo the best of the day.

I think Mary suggested Postman's Walk as an alternative and being as there might be more butterflies there than on the coast I readily agreed. Maybe some Holly Blues although the ones there seemed to have emerged ahead of the Gullane colonies and so were beginning to age more rapidly than the ones in St. A's churchyard and elsewhere. 

fine female wall

(m) holly blue

I think we found some HBs about halfway along the Postman's Walk or 3/4s. I remember standing about quite a long time and watching this deer (below) watching us and trying to work out our motivation. It eventually left the field but kept half an eye on our movements until that point. It was about a third of a mile distant. 

female wall hiding in the grass
possibly egg laying

Then we noticed this very small female HB. It may have even been the same one I photographed recently doing almost exactly the same: flitting from each daisy head to the next taking nectar. Mary took a million photos, because it was all that was going on, while I resisted having already taken a million pics last time. 

On the way back along the JMW there were several common darters on the path as well as another wall (f). There was also a wall on the golf course wall. They like to land on the white patches and it does make for a better photo background. I took loads of photos, knee deep in nettles beside the wall. 

I have turned this photo through 90' because it makes it
easier to read. Love their subtle underwing patterns.

wall (m)

I think this might have been taken at the (famous) public toilet site, Gullane.

very pleasant day out