'shroom with a view

We swithered on Sunday; was it worth the drive along to Gullane when the weather was likely to be a bit crappy? We risked it and were rewarded with lots of good and a bit of bad. Overall pretty good fun. However...

It was quite windy so we ran along the beach and trails heading towards Yellowcraigs. I checked out the late flowering Buddleia near the woods and to my delight saw a Comma (as well as peacocks.) I didn't get closer than below to the Comma (raggedy looking wings with a small white c or comma on underwing) before it took offense and flew to the underside of the bush. I tried to follow but it dropped to the ground and disappeared - identical to the thorny leaf litter which bit me when I tried to dig in to find the butterfly. I eventually gave up in disgust.

comma,

 spider in cammo colouring

It was Amanda who first drew our attention to these Earth Star fungi. (The "eyes" in the above photo.) In previous years you could find them in the woods near Gullane, if scouting about in the undergrowth; this year they are all over the place and are more like an invasion. I find they walk the line between attractive and repellant, although I do like their burst-open-factor. 

ok, they probably don't grow on tree stumps

for scale

3 stages: closed, half open, fully open

Mary and I seemed to be in similar moods today. Neither up for a fast or long run and after having a bit of a walk in the woods becoming immersed in the environment. Very much like the beach and the shells at gallery corner, the more you look, the more you find. The rain began to fall and so we stayed a bit longer. I watched 2 Red Admirals on a nearby buddleia. One dropped to the ground underneath for shelter, the other flew into the top of the pine trees around us. We mooched around the woods more, finding different fungi and signs of passers by. It felt like we were seeing what the deer see as they walk through here. Becoming the landscape. Snails shells 5 feet up a pine trunk. A second rate Ray Mears shelter. Some beer cans, a line of mushrooms.

teddy bear fungus?

Eventually we left with the idea of running along to Yellowcraigs. However before the end of the next beach the rain began to fall. Then fall heavily. Then really lash down. I was very glad I had a polybag for the new camera, although I was finished with any further running plans. I told Mary I was heading back and she agreed. We were both as wet as if we had gone in for a swim. We had to keep the pace up to keep warm. Before we got back to the car (and dry clothes - we had anticipated the potential for this) the rain let up and the clouds eased back to let the sun through. But the best part of the day was behind us!