woods today

Sunday 3rd Sept. The surprise when we went down to the woods today was just that. Speckled Woods. And lots of them. They were having a laugh at my expense, too. They posed for Mary to get a decent photo. (While I was further back on the trail chasing others which refused to land and pose.) Then flew off when I got close. I was beginning to get a bit hacked off while Mary was feeling smug. Then we stopped at one area where they were congregating and I eventually got a couple of decent pics. They are darker, later in the year as second and third broods emerge.

this will be gone before a month is up

We took a slightly different path to usual covering the ground from Gullane to Archerfields and back. Just a short run of about 5 miles but we were out for 90 minutes stopping regularly to take photos and to chat to Amanda.

Seeing a load of bushes not unlike the butterfly bushes of Aberlady I checked them out for signs of butterflies. None. So I suspect I am correct in assuming the butterfly bushes are singular in having such a community of lepidoptera.

Mary laughed at the thorn bush above. Someone had placed a dandelion right on the top of it. I was more curious - it seemed far too fresh unless placed there just a moment ago. I gently tested it and it was firmly attached. Looking more carefully it was apparent that it had grown from directly beneath the bush into the thicket then pushed through to the top before flowering. It was quite a performance.

From here we skirted Muirfield golf course then into the woods on the outskirts of Gullane. The tree trolls had been at work. There were far fewer Speckled Woods here than earlier in the summer though there were a couple higher up in the trees 2 photos down.

speckled wood point of view

Most buddleias are finished flowering but this one was still going and had a
couple of peacocks and a moth in attendance

the sea buckthorn is busy producing thousands of these bitter berries

I left Mary with the camera, taking selfies as I went off into the long grasses

there is a good deal of summer growth going on

As we were approaching the finish of our run we bumped into AGF who we haven't seen in ages. With her 2 mad hounds. Actually they were behaving pretty well. Nice to have a quick catch up. She had already been for a run in the Pentlands (more skyline training) and was now walking the dogs.