high summer

6th July 2019

This was so long ago I have little memory of it. I can remember all the photos I just can't separate it from other days out with similar routes, butterflies and conversations. It looks from the gps that we ran just over 12 miles and took a very leisurely 4hrs53minutes. More a walk than a run. Except there will have been stops for photos and chats. 

 

narrow bordered 5 spot burnet moth

small skippers

dgf

my impression of a common blue
photo Mary

There were loads of Dark Green Fritillary this year at Aberlady. Could be a best ever year for them in recent history (since I've started taking notice of them.) Probably due to last summer being a good one. However they remain flighty and cautious (except when feeding) so can be frustrating. This one did a super quick nectar hunt on the Vipers Bugloss then was off before Mary got a photo. They don't hang about. It was great to see so many skippers too. 

just about everything in focus except the ringlet

probably some sort of Tachinid Fly
also known as Scary Hairy Fly

Meadow Brown

This Chinese Privet, near the propeller folly was an excellent place to catch DGFs feeding. They tend not to stop regularly and trying to get a photo can be frustrating. However they would nectar on this bush and if you were fairly stealthy you could get a photo or 2. They were also very interested in the Wild Thyme and the Red Clover.

cinnabar caterpillar

While we were there Rosie and Olive turned up. Also a couple of cyclists who were asking Olive about directions. She saw me and said I would help. I directed the bikers along the front and to clamber up the steep path through the bushes. They seemed up for adventure and were heading to NB on trails. 

Rosie!

Mary spoke to Olive while Rosie and I fooled around. Rosie is always up for a bit of a chase, perhaps the only thing missing from her walks with Olive, and tries to get me to join in. I was reluctant to get her overexcited but took some photos while she showed how fast she could go.

yellow shell

spacemen by Arran Ross in Fidra Fine Art

We finished with the traditional tempo pace from Archerfields back to Gullane. Not sure what we were doing for nearly 5 hrs but it was most likely very good fun.

12+ miles