burning bush

Now my therapist would probably say I have taken a full week to post this blog as I am in denial and didn't wish to revisit such a painful experience, but it may just be that I have been kinda busy this last week and didn't take the time to write up last weekend's Sunday run at Gullane. However it was a bit of a shocker.

No, not because Falko's have now drained their coffee machine and transported it to Haddington, silenced the cheese tongues and closed the doors for the last time. Although Mary is more a creature of habit, I think adventures and pastures new are the way forward. There have to be other ways to get a caffeine high and a bun, round here, without driving to Haddington. Since the Gannet Deli is closed Sunday (can that be right?!) the next choice was the Village Coffee House which has seen our custom before. In the past we found that the dude, possibly the owner, was a bit in-one's-face and slightly offputting. However he wasn't there and the interaction was less boisterous. The coffees and jammy scones were fine, if pricey (over £8 to take out). I think it stills remains plan B as a venue; yet to find plan A.

This little bird (possibly a Siskin?) sat on the JMW

 until the second before Mary raised her camera.

(Update: George M says more likely an immature Greenfinch.)

this one made a slower getaway

So we crossed the bridge at Aberlady and after a quick look at Marl Loch (nothing happening) we noticed someone had a bonfire going a short distance away. As we approached, we jogged past in disbelief - a group of grey haired vandals were chopping and burning the Butterfly Bush! I struggled to comprehend why they would be doing this in a nature reserve, although I suppose yes, it was a bit overgrown with thistles and nettles. But of all the collections of Sea Buckthorn bushes around the place, this was the epi-centre of butterfly life on the reserve - precisely due to those same nettles and thistles, the preferred food of several of the Nymphalidae - Peacocks, Small Torts and Red Admirals. Normally I'd have marched over for a word but we were so gobsmacked we just walked past incredulous. I did wonder was it because I'd posted that their electric fence wasn't electrified, so they were taking their revenge?

Although there haven't been any butterflies there for a few weeks I wondered just how many caterpillars and eggs and pupae were torched, in this no doubt well intentioned if somewhat unnecessary gardening. There are literally hundreds of similar shrubberies all over the reserve and next to the golf course, and yet this is the only one I have found with such an abundance of butterfly visitors. I emailed the ranger to ask what the thinking was, though as yet - 8 days later - have heard nothing back. I will post any correspondence.

It was hard to put the surprise of the burning bush behind us and run on like nothing had happened. Like seeing a favourite house or museum being deliberately torched by otherwise normal looking folk, filled with the moral high ground, that they were doing something worthwhile, and for the benefit of everyone and the wildlife, no doubt. We would run along the beach trying to enjoy the place as normal and then return to the unanswered question of WHY? It certainly coloured the day.

Later, through the woods and out the other side, the sun came out which cheered us up a bit. The Sea Buckthorn is in max overdrive producing a corridor of fragrant orange berries to run along. And the starlings are out rehearsing their murmurations in small groups, regularly regrouping round the red clay chimney pots of Gullane's sea-facing houses.