butterflies of bavelaw marsh

Taper week leading up to the marathon. I thought some cycling would be good. And a bit of a walk. Round Bavelaw Marsh for the second time, looking for Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries. I had jumped the gun at the end of last month but I was confident as I cycled, mostly up hill, to Balerno, that this time I'd have more luck. The sun was out, but not too out. There had been rain, everything was a bit damp; SPBFs are creatures of the swamp and marsh. They would definitely be there this time! As I padlocked my bike hidden among the trees I was sure this would go well.

There are 3 spots where the ranger informed me (last year) they are found. I checked out the first 2 and there wasn't any butterfly action at either. This was a bit alarming as I had hoped to see lots and take photos. I began to get a sinking feeling of doom. Still the third site was by far the best, a field round the back of Bavelaw Marsh which was heaving with Fritillaries last year. It is a bit of a hike to get there over tussocky ground with lots of slightly hidden damp patches and a couple of fence climbs. It starts beyond the raised boardwalk of Red Moss. On the way there I thought I'd check out the Green Hairstreaks I'd come across last trip. So that in the unlikely event of there being no SPBFs I'd have some butterfly interactions to fill the day. Couldn't find a single hairstreak. Has their time come and gone or was it just not sunny enough? I wasn't sure but it added to the gathering clouds.

I trudged through the depressing grasses and swamp with a heavy heart. It was looking bad. I mean it is a great spot and if you don't mind an occasional damp squidge into ground softer and wetter than ideal, you do get a feeling of remoteness and distance from the bustle of humanity that is very relaxing. As I approached the field where last year dozens of orange butterflies bobbed and danced I was sure there would be nothing there. I saw an occasional white and orange tip but no fritillaries. Can't believe I've come out here again on a fool's errand. How annoying!

empty field

As I bumbled and stumbled around through the long grass I could see the occasional bloom of cuckooflower. There was a small cluster of them near the short trees that creep round the edge of the reservoir. And lots of green veined whites and orange tips floating from flower to flower. What's that phrase they say? If god gives you orange tips make orange squash? Something like that. Since there was little else to do other than cycle home, I wandered round the flowers taking photos and really quite enjoying the company of these attractive insects who were so busy feeding that they nearly ignored my presence. I say nearly because although I had some successes, I also took home and deleted many MANY photos of a flower with a recently vacated butterfly not in the image. Or halfway out the frame. Which kept it sporting enough to be entertaining. Anyone watching from a small distance away would have heard occasional remarkably filthy curses and mutterings as the perfect image was lost to the sudden departure of a subject. And possibly the occasional YES! and Oh Thank You!

pollen party:

it was only when I got home I saw the other 2 insects here

The sun was coming and going. In its absence the Orange Tips would close their wings and shut down. This gave me an opportunity to try a few different settings on the new camera. The above shot was jamming the camera right into the face of the subject then manually focussing it on the head area. This gives a much reduced depth of field making the back of the wings out of focus. As opposed to standing back a distance (a different insect, below) and taking a shot on the zoom which gives a greater depth of field but more blurred background.

I also came across this handsome specimen.

I really enjoyed taking photos of the butterflies and although disappointed about the lack of Fritillaries (maybe they knew the skies were about to open and bucket down!) it was a good reason to cycle the hour out and back to Balerno. Some low impact excercise ahead of the marathon.