along the coast

 

6th Aug. A decent but not outstanding forecast beckoned, so I decided to get a train to Longniddry. (The bus is free but the train is half the time.) I was a bit late in getting going and only stepped off the train at midday. However there, in the station car park, was a buddleia with several beauties on it. An excellent start to the day.

peacock and small tortoiseshell

large white

The plan was to run along the coast and maybe rendezvous with Mary at Gullane at a later unspecified time. The coastal path was bright and busy with butterflies. I was particularly delighted to see this comma on delicate flowers. It was a bit flighty and not happy about having me for company but I got a couple of pics before it flew off.

loads of speckleds

The first part of the plan was to check out Postman's Walk. There were a few holly blues, mostly males who were chasing about in search of females and often staying high and out of reach on the ivy boundaries of the field perimeter. There was one wall but it wasn't super-fresh. There was also a better looking small copper.

wall

small copper

small white

holly blue

ichneumon or similar

There were one or 2 HB females about and they were generally being hassled by the males. If they are uninterested they seem to flap their wings to say no! (Unlike several other species including whites who rear their tail-ends to convey "no thanks".) When seeing them together it was apparent the difference in size between the sexes. The females seemed so much smaller than the males. It could be just this site as I don't recall seeing such a size difference before.

a slowed down interaction which only lasted 2 seconds

male holly blue

I apologise for this poop-party photo! I like the shiny bonnets of these green bottles but I'm not so keen on their culinary preferences.

Gullane Bay

While at Postman's Walk I got a call from Mary. She was about to leave to drive to Gullane beach car park. I arranged to meet her there in about 45mins, although I knew it would be nearer the hour if she hadn't left the house. I also knew my own propensity for dicking about en route if anything interesting turned up. So spent another 10mins at Aberlady and then headed up to Luffness Quarry. There was very little there except a couple of ancient common blues, who were being flighty and refused to pose. I ate a sandwich and then pushed on to Gullane. I got to the car park in plenty time and reckoned Mary would arrive about 2.15pm. As there wasn't a large queue at the ice-cream van I spent the time chatting to Hazel, who always has a smile, and is interested to hear the latest butterfly news.

Mary arrived and we set off heading West. There was no particular plan so we went out past Gullane Point then up and inland to the concrete blocks. It was a little breezy there and there wasn't an abundance of the usual suspects. Mary had promised me we would find common blues to make up for the ones I had hurried away from at Luffness. To my surprise she was right and we found a couple on the way to the blocks. I thought it would be too late in the season. However I was remembering that we have come across an occasional late specimen as far on as late Aug early Sept. 

small skipper

last of the common blues?

Mary was feeling so well that she tried running up and down the sandy trails. Just a tester, a trial to see how her knee behaved. She hasn't run in 5 months so I hardly dared look between my fingers as she very gently tested the dodgy knee. She has been doing lots of exercises from several physios (and swimming and cycling) and although the process was far from smooth or easy, she seemed not to do anything to set it back. I got the feeling she was naturally a bit disappointed the difficulties didn't melt away as she ran cheetah-like across the trails. Baby steps. We continued, but walking.

speckled wood

concrete blocks

ghostly DGF

Mary reckoned she saw an ancient DGF. I was on something of a high species count so chased around in the general direction she indicated, until I found the ghost of a DGF. It was in nearly perfect condition if almost entirely colourless. It is sad to see an end-of-season specimen like this, but hoped it had had a good life here on the Aberlady savannah. That took the count to 16 species across the day. Potentially could have been at least 4 more. (Grayling, ringlet, painted lady, NBA)

Seen: small white, GVW, large white, red admiral, small tort, peacock, comma, holly blue, common blue, wall, small copper, small heath, small skipper, meadow brown, speckled wood, DGF

stonechat

goldfinch

shaded broad-bar

small heath

meadow broons

little bunny foo foo

the gulls were enjoying the flying ant party

I was annoyed to lose the chance of a decent pic of this wall. It was investigating the ragwort but then sat on the sand which made a less captivating photo, and refused to do anything more interesting with flowers.

seascape at Aberlady beach

lion's mane jellies (foot for scale)

Mary found a common tern's skull
such elegance and beauty even in death

There were some dead birds on the shore line but not many more than average which would indicate the bird flu is doing the rounds but not wiping out whole populations.

At the far end of the beach was this nudist proudly displaying his form. (It is an official nudist beach so is allowed.) You'd think if someone's hobby is nudism they might aim for what the young people call a beach-ready body. Not rolls of pendulous flab and man-tits. Much nicer scenery pointing the camera in the opposite direction!

this weather looked to be heading in our direction

washed up jelly

Warning; dad joke approaching.

I was saying to Mary that everyone gets all concerned and social-media-sobbing about bird flu and a couple of seabirds washing up on the beach. But nobody sheds a tear about all the jelly fish that get stranded and die on beaches all the time. And that seeing them, I got some jelly pangs. "Isn't that what you make marmalade in" says Mary. 😁

this cheeky wagtail would land 15 yards in front of us
and then run off pretending we were chasing it

health and safety questions

I was flipping through the terrestrial telly stations the other day (a truly horrible experience if you haven't watched it for a while, particularly the adverts which seem to be aimed solely at the under 50s. I mean IQ, not age.) Anyway there was one of those Rescued at Sea filler programmes which at least makes a scenic venue change from Cunts on the Road, traffic cop programmes.

The rescuer was saying there was one recent development that added hugely to the number of rescues required annually and that was the Stand Up Paddleboard. You can see why. I always thought the idea looked fun to play on, but was no comparison to a kayak which has a much lower centre of gravity, a more efficient paddling method and an ability to self-right if the person in it has skills. However for messing about on flat water that is contained (a loch or large puddle) while drinking wine they are possibly ideal. My sister got one recently so there is a strong chance of me being exposed to one (immersed?) in the near future. I will keep you informed.

downpour coming this way - time to leave

11.6 miles over 5 hrs
(7 "run" and 4+ walked)