unexpected sighting of uranus

 

29th October. Sunny forecast so we jumped on the train to Longniddry. Started running around 11am, heading to North Berwick. Again we were primarily doing this as a run, not a nature walk, so backpacks were light and kit minimal. The only concession was I took the bridge camera because I was sure we'd come upon some wildlife and I'd regret only having the compact. It is a while since I have run with the FZ2000 and while it is perfectly possible it was more of an encumbrance than I had remembered. Also the quality was still a bit lower than I have become used to with the G9. Note to self for similar trips: carry the DJI Pocket as a nice light option and forget about the wildlife. Which was (spoiler alert) almost entirely absent today.

down the road from Longniddry Station

spectacular blue skies

not long before Mary stripped down to a t-shirt

curlews

Given how sunny it was I was disappointed that there were no butterflies at the SOC just before Aberlady. As we approached it I was remembering it would be closed on a Tuesday (open Weds~Sunday) but the gates were open and we were able to walk about the garden area and admire the plants. The building itself was closed.

campervan dashboard delights

there was quite a bit of halloween celebrations in Aberlady

across the bridge to enchantment

Buffalo Hebridean sheep on the savannah

sanderling

I had hoped to photograph some sanderlings today - it was the main reason I'd taken a better camera. However there was only one along the whole length of Aberlday beach, which was unusual. They are social birds who run around in small groups of half a dozen or more. Although it posed initially it then flew off down the beach. When I eventually caught up with it, it then flew back up to where it had been previously. However I noticed a young seal had hauled out down the far end.

While it didn't seem to be a full grown adult it was not a baby either and had presumably left the sea to sunbathe on the sand. I think they do this to rest and we kept well away from it so as not to chase it back into the water. It looked alert and well, and kept an eye on us as we went past. At least with the massive zoom on the bridge camera I could get close ups without going too close and disturbing it. Wildlife highlight of the day.

It was glorious weather - a little cool, but really fine running weather. I was disappointed to see zero butterflies. (Apart from a speckled wood between Longniddry and Aberlady which didn't stop for a photo.) We checked out the Gullane backgarden asters in Marine Drive, but again, nothing. We didn't even divert at Archerfields gatehouse as all the buddleias were gone and everything looked finished for the year. Other possible places we looked included the yellow buddeleias on the corner at Dirleton which still had a couple of plumes viable but no radmirals there either. A shame as the run was going along very nicely (Mary setting a comfortably brisk pace) and the lack of wildlife slightly coloured the day for me.

it is always 500 yards to cake!

We really enjoy our food. I think most runners do - being outdoors gives you a great appetite. These days though it is a constant battle to measure out the cake and exercise. To make sure there is plenty of the latter and not too much of the former.
Just after the right turn towards Dirleton we stopped to look at Uranus which we weren't expecting.

reflections in the sun

Things became clearer when we got to Dirleton. There was a sign up explaining that the installation along the John Muir Way was a Solar Walk. We seem to have missed most of the planets but quite enjoyed taking distorted selfies in the silver ball that was representing the sun. I'm not entirely sure of the value of such a project, maybe better to ask local parents if their kids enjoyed the walk. I suppose it encourages familes outdoors while passing on information about the solar system.

nae butterflies on the Dirleton buddleias

Fidra lighthouse in the background

a small gang of roe deer in the field we cross just before NB

Mary floating across the field

I think this was our fastest time over this 14 mile route. The Dirleton diversion is quicker than running along the coast which is on sand and rougher ground. We realised we just had time to go into the shops in North Berwick (coop was closed due to a refurb!) and get back to the station for the 2.22. So that Mary could have a sandwich on the train. We arrived at the platform in perfect time just as the train was appearing. Another excellent day out if slightly disappointing on the butterfly and bird front.

14.9miles in 3hrs18

needs and wants pt deux

 

Following on from the previous blog, we went out again four days later (26th October) in very similar weather to a couple of the same places. The difference was like night and day. Why? No idea. It's as if an email went round the animal kingdom saying looks like decent weather today everyone; let's get out and there and make the most of it. Which was what we did as well. It was so much better than just a few days previously and left us really cheerful by comparison. Life was worth living again! There seems no explanation of why there was such a change; conditions were very similar although maybe there was some pressure or weather difference imperceptible to humans?

However I feel I must also take a moment to mark the 25th Oct as the sad farewell to our old pal the Berlingo. Over fifteen years it has taken us on all manner of adventures local and not-so-local, and mostly (!?!) been a reliable companion. However as a diesel, its days of city living were very limited. We took it to We Buy Any Car down at Granton and ran home. It was older than the guy who took it off our hands for not much more than the cost of filling the tank. We have not yet finalised an alternative but have joined the Car Club thing as well as pricing replacement cars. As we don't cover that many miles annually it is not entirely obligatory to own a car.

bye bye Berlingo!

Neither of us voted for parkrun so unusually for a Saturday we opted to head along the WoL to the Botanics. The weather was looking pretty decent and another mild-ish day of Autumn. The berries along Pilrig Street were looking fantastic although they rarely attract much attention from the birds. I wonder if the waxwings will appear again like they did in great numbers last year?

streets paved with gold

The first treat was this dipper. Mary spotted it as we went along the walkway looking for kingfishers. It had hauled out a proportionally large fish and was bashing it off the log - more to display how clever it was than to dispatch it, as the minnow was already dead as a doorknob after the first couple of whaps! I was hurredly changing lens from 12~60 to 100~400 and although I missed much of the fish boasting, it was kind enough to stand still for a photo in among the leaves on this side of the river. (The long birding lens stayed on for the rest of the day.)

ceratostigma minus

On to the Botanics and first stop, the rock garden where Mairi had seen a comma recently. Always worth checking certain plants and warm rocks just in case. Although there were no butterflies initially, the light was fantastic and making everything look great. 

the last leaf on the ginkgo biloba tree

mrs mallard

After going past the scabious (no commas) we wandered down to the Chinese Pond. The ducks and moorhens were being fed and within easy reach of the camera. I am not a huge fan of the moorhens but it can be fun to try to get a close up of their striking red eyes.

Decaisnea fargesii - common name: blue sausage shrub!

The upside of being a weekend was the Queen Mother's Garden was open. It is near the Palm House redevelopment so I think is closed apart from Friday afternoons and weekends. For no real reason I suggested we take a look round it. (Ken had mentioned it last time we were chatting which flagged it up in my head.) Anyway it was a very good idea as Mary quickly spotted a red admiral on the verbena. She pointed it out and I couldn't see what she was excited about. Just as I realised, it flew off and away and I asked M if she had got a photo. She said no, and a minute later we were still animatedly discussing who was the bigger idiot when it flew back into the garden and landed on the nerines right under our noses. It made a fantastic photo on the bright pink flowers and we stopped bickering and took a million photos.

It seemed to be enjoying just warming in the sun so much that when Mary offered it a hand, it was happy to climb aboard and sit there. We went through a phase of tame admirals and commas last year around now. When the weather gets cooler they quite enjoy a warm perch and Mary has freakishly warm hands. It sat for quite a while before flying off and landing nearby again on the verbena.

RA on verbena

I was still basking in the glory of all of this when Mary, who had wandered off to explore, announced there was comma over by the roses. I can't remember ever seeing a comma on roses. It would return to that perch between visiting other flowers. 

I texted Ken to let him know there were 2 butterflies in the garden. He said he was over by the pond and would make his way there. We waited a bit longer taking photos of the admiral but then left as we had some shopping to do. There's only so many photos of a red admiral you can take and the comma seemed to have gone to sleep on a metal trellis. Ken later texted to say thanks, he had found the butterflies. I was absolutely stoked to have seen such late season beauties. And the day wasn't yet over. (Such a difference from 4 days earlier when we saw nothing of note all day.) 

the small building in the Queen Mother's Garden
is lined with decorative shells

unusually shaped honesty

Botanics Cottage

long tailed tit

blue tit

Next venue was Inverleith Park. After the Botanics we'd go through Inverleith Park (and then walk up to the west end and visit 2 running kit shops). There might be redwings or fieldfares there, you never know. We didn't spend long looking, but it was still really sunny so I suggested a quick stroll past the pond. I wasn't expecting anything more exotic than black headed gulls and duckies but saw this unlikely specimen lurking in the long grasses. I threw some duckbait and it came over (along with half the black-headed gulls) and I got some photos. I am no expert and reckoned it was a mallard / domestic duck hybrid. I heard later from Ken these are known colloquially as manky mallards. This specimen was far too lovely to be called that and it outshone the other mallards who I'm happy to report did not give it a hard time for being different or the star of the show. 

b-h gull, winter plumage

And that was about that. We walked into town but the running shops were not as interesting as all the beauties we had seen earlier and were something of an anticlimax. "Up and Running" is a very poor successor to the previous occupants "Run and Become". There is no comparison and this shows as the place was dead, with only one bored young lad behind the counter. Years gone by, on a Saturday, Run and Become would be heaving with customers and the Stott clan attending to their needs with knowledge and experience. Hardly worth visiting Up and Running and you wonder how long before they throw in the towel. Run 4 It up Lothian Road was not a huge deal better with a poor selection of running clothes although a decent selection of shoes. 

The weekend shopping crowds were beginning to flavour the day and we decided to make our escape. First through Princes Street Gardens but that was equally mobbed so we got up onto Princes Street and caught a bus home. Far more interested in seeing the photos from today than being surrounded by shopping- and mobile-phone-zombies. Let's get out of here!

the horror, the horror!

over 5miles, over 3hrs