not all sunshine

Early May was full of mixed emotions. The sun was shining and there were lots of early butterflies about. Marathon training was going fine, work was busy without being too busy, and everything was going along fine. Then on a run to North Berwick on the 5th there was an incident. A tragedy! 

Mary set off and I gave her a 55 minute headstart to even out our different speeds. I hoped to catch her about two thirds of the way down the coast. It would give me a reason to push the pace. I was running with a back pack and my good camera in my hand. It was fun waving to the Porties on the return from their Sunday out and back down the coast. Judyta passed on the bike and said she had seen Mary, but gave no idea how far ahead she was. I was trying to keep about 7 min miling going for the first 10 or 12. 

great to bump into Michael who leads a parallel life but on 2 wheels

caught Mary after 12 miles

sign at Longniddry

I caught Mary about Longniddry Bents. She was taking off a layer as it was warming up. I did similar and enjoyed the reduction of pace. We had coffees at Aberlady and I asked to do a slight diversion to a spot where I had been told it was good for butterflies. We hadn't seen any all day, so I was impressed that when we got there it seemed to be quite busy with orange jobs which I initially thought looked like fritillaries. Which would be impossible. I was scampering around (high on caffeine) trying to take photos when I slipped on the steep ground and sat down heavily. As I did so my hand whipped back to catch myself and I whacked the camera off the grass. NOooooooo! I didn't need to look twice to see it was properly mashed. Then lens had been out as it happened and I now had a very dead camera. I was extremely distraught, going from whooping in delight to howling in pain - not from falling but from killing my trusty friend

last photo

The rest of the run to NB was done in a state of ptsd. OK I slightly exaggerate, but I surprised myself how attached I felt towards my camera. I tried to console myself by realising if Mary had been hurt or if I had broken my wrist and couldn't work (I have no sick pay etc.) things would have been a LOT worse. This was just a bit of plastic and metal and was probably even under warranty. All the same it had been a wonderful 20 months, now over because I was a bit careless in slippy road shoes on steep grass. SO annoyed with myself. Come on Buchanan get a grip. I can't have been much company for the rest of the day, even though it was a pretty decent run.

Upshot was
1/ not absolutely 100% sure but pretty sure it was under warranty. (I defo bought a warranty 20 months ago - was it one year, 2 years or 3???) TZ100 currently at factory either being repaired or replaced.
2/ this takes four weeks. FOUR WEEKS!!!!!! 😲😭🤬
3/ I'll need to get a replacement. (After some consideration buys a TZ200)
4/ Those orange butterflies, the ones that broke my camera (the bastards) were of course Wall Browns not fritillaries. I am an idiot.
5/ I now feel really trepidatious about running with the NEW TZ200. First couple of times out I ran wearing a thin glove to protect the camera from greasy paws. Full review and results to come.

Mary, very much feeling my pain, loaned me her camera (TZ70, a model midway between the TZ100 and my backup TZ35) and she carried my TZ35 next time out. This was because she is not as concerned about photo quality as myself (her notion, not mine) and also that it would let me assess whether I could buy and live with a TZ70 (which you can find for a ludicrously cheap £200 or so) until the TZ100 came back from the dead. Which was very generous. Thank you Mary, what a pal!

So this blog features photos taken with Mary's camera. Yes they are fine. But there were many more deletes and missed focus shots than I usually get. I concluded since work has been busy of late, I could just about afford to buy a TZ200, an upgrade from the dead model but largely the same except for 50% more zoom. And Mary will inherit the TZ100 when it comes back from the factory. She deserves it for her generosity.

So this was a run - the usual Gullane run - on Saturday 11th May. 

First up we visited the ruined buildings just at the start of the JMW when leaving Gullane by the golf course. The roofless walls are jammed with nettles and occasional wildflowers and it's a good spot for butterflies. Last time past, there were so many nettles you'd need to be wearing more than shorts to venture through.

nettle central

Further along the John Muir Way there were Walls on the wall. I have forgiven them their role in the camera debacle, they were not really to blame. They are not the friendliest though, and it can be tricky to get close enough for a photo.

Another skittish one is the large white. I felt I had seen quite a number of these but due to them not landing, couldn't get a proper ID photo. This might be the first static pic of the year. You can tell the species by the larger marking on the forewing tip.

A bit alarming to come across a spare deer leg lying unattached on the trail next to the golf course. I doubt the original owner felt it was surplus to requirements. We wondered about the story behind this. We thought maybe a roadkill that had been scavenged by fox or dog and dropped here. Imagining a dogwalker's horror as they see the nature of the stick their mutt has been carrying for the last mile.

backlit wall

small copper

All of the above photos were taken at the place I killed my previous camera. As you can imagine I was very much more careful on this occasion with Mary's camera. It was a necessary visit to lay the ghost of the last trip there. 

We went across the bridge at Aberlady, as usual, and saw this Speckled Wood in the run before Marl Loch. No sign of odonata by the loch as yet. Should be soon.

However to the right side of the trail between the loch and the beach there were hundreds of Orange Tips and Green Veined Whites feeding and laying eggs on the cuckoo flowers. A lovely sight and an excellent challenge trying to get photos.

female Orange Tip gives the brush off - to a GVW!

lots of St Marks Flies about - less pleasant

I think we did some strides along the beach.

Thrift or Sea Pinks

A delightful sight at this time and sadly far too short seasoned. Excellent if you can get a small copper or wall to pose on top. (Not sure how Iain manages this - I'm hoping to find out tomorrow.)

I chased a couple of cinnabar moths for ages without much success. When they landed they folded up quickly mostly hiding their glorious scarlet cloaks. So a couple of in flight shots will have to do. You will have seen their caterpillars, black and yellow hoops, on ragwort.

Last year this weekend we went in swimming at Gullane in wet suits. And then briefly dipped in again just in swimwear when getting out. Still a little cold for that this year although this chap (I'm sure I've chatted to him before) didn't think so. 

Bumped into Dr. Neil at Gullane. While Mary chatted I took the chance to take a few photos of all the butterflies winging past. See you at the marathon Neil!