best part of the day: march on

01-03-22

I decided to celebrate the first of March, the first of Spring by doing a decent sized adventure. (Because the forecast was very positive.) I admit I specifically chose butterfly country as the inspiration but I was happy to be there whether the butterboys appeared or not. That it would be a pretty and inspirational route to run anyway. And a bit longer than I had been experiencing of late.

(Actually I just googled it and Meteorological Spring starts on first March, as it splits the calendar into 3 months per season. Astronomical Spring starts Sunday 20th March based on the position of the earth in relation to the sun (equinox / solstice etc.) And Phenological Spring takes its cues from the flowering of plants and emergence of insects; perhaps the most apt for my interests, even though you may not have heard of it. I hadn't.)

I got off the train at Longniddry at 10am. It was cool rather than mild but the sky was blue and combined with the station coffee I was nearly shaking with excitement. The plan was coming together far too well. Now where are all these butterflies?!! My idea was to run up the cyclepath (the old railway) to Haddington, then follow the River Tyne downstream to East Linton (have lunch) then follow some paths I had never been on, back to Drem station and the train home. Just over 20 miles, mostly trails.

this family of roe deer camped out in the middle of a large field
seemed to be sleepily starting the day

I took 2 cameras with me. The large bridge camera stayed in my backpack and I ran with my TZ100 compact in my hand. This was to capture anything like birds along way who wouldn't hold still while I unpacked the large camera. And I could stop for a quick shot to record them without a major unpack and repack. I have got very used to the greater quality of the FZ2000 and even though the light was perfect I was slightly disappointed by the compact photo results when I got them home.

I had a vague plan to swap cameras and run with the larger camera when I got into butterfly territory; this happened around 8 miles and I ran with the heavier camera for the rest of the day. (A further 14 miles.) I had been trying to limit the possibilities of tripping and falling with the big camera out. It is all a matter of compromise and risk management. And influences the speed of travel. I limited my pace to a brisk walk when the underfoot conditions got really slippy with mud along the riverside while I had the big camera out. Even then, I still managed a couple of one-foot-slides which set my heart racing.

chaffinch

bullfinch

There were plenty birds about cheeping and peeping in the hedges and small trees lining the trail. The highlight was this goldcrest. I initially thought it was a wren before I saw the flash of yellow on top of its head. I was cursing I didn't have the bigger camera out as it hopped between the undergrowth for a short while before flying off.

This tunnel under the main road into Haddington was the first of several I photoed today. I was doing a route I was partially familiar with, but put my watch to sat-nav mode as I had mapped out a specific trail the night before that dropped from the cyclepath through the outskirts of Haddington following a riverside trail I didn't know. A while back I had overheard 2 butterfly enthusiasts discussing comma corner online about a bend on the river near here and I ran the route past a couple of places that might answer that description. I turned my watch to act like a sat nav and sure enough it took me out the back of a housing estate and alongside a small stream that ran into the Tyne. It was nice to explore an area I hadn't previously been aware of but there were only 3 rabbits lazily eating the council grass and zero butterflies.

showing the value of introduced colour on otherwise shoebox architecture

From the diversion through the edge of a housing estate I quickly caught up with the main river by going through a well worn hole on the high wire fence. It led to the familiar riverside paths that meet up and become the Tyne riverside path that makes a beautiful walk from Haddington to East Linton. While I hoped butterflies would appear at every corner there is a particular section just upstream from the A1 bridge, that I had the highest hope for. As I ran downstream and no butterflies appeared, I began to ask myself what I would do if there was no sign of any at this particular section, between the benches. I decided I would walk that section maybe twice and if nothing, go to East Linton and have lunch, then maybe search the area just downstream of E Linton. It was also a good butterfly area and had produced results in the past. I had initially planned to run this section on the way to Dunbar. However if I did this I'd have to get a single train ticket to Longniddry and then a single back from Dunbar, total spend around £20. A return to Drem was under £8. The miser in me chose the latter. It was about the same distance and if I really needed to search the nature-rich area downstream of E Linton, it would only add an extra mile or so to the adventure. And there wasn't much beyond that point that I was interested in. And the route near Dunbar along the John Muir Way might be barred by trees blown over by storm Arwen a month or 2 back. Drem it was.

female goosander

a rare early fruiting of the underpant tree

there was a wave of purple crocus in Haddington

blossoming tree at the weir

This was where I changed cameras. I was sure there would be butterflies as the day warmed up and I didn't want to miss them - or take second rate pics with the compact. It was about 8 miles into the day and I was approaching the day's prime areas. I was optimistic. So took a moment to unpack the larger camera and pack away the compact. I almost immediately came across this Mistle Thrush hunting worms in a field. It saw me and flew up into a large tree. I got a couple of photos of it in the tree but it did its best to hide behind branches. A mistle thrush is larger and lighter colour than a song thrush. Also I think their breast spots are more circular; those of the song thrush being more like inverted heart shapes.

song thrush

I felt the growing tension around here. It gets very pretty (near Hailes Castle) and there was more wildlife. Goosanders and other birds on the river. The weather was near perfect - maybe a little on the cool side but surely the sunshine would lure out an outlier. I tried not to put too much emphasis on the things that weren't there but couldn't help feeling today was the day! Maybe that station coffee egging me on, putting a spring in my step. Then a small shape winging it at a million miles an hour up the other side of the river. A kingfisher! It didn't stop but as it went past I fired off a few shots. I had to scour the photos later to find a dark shape in the shadows, a very poor record of the dazzling bird that had shot past. I hoped it was a good omen.

kingfisher darts past

goosander

This bench marks the spot!

Okay this is the area. I had sat Mary down on this bench a while back and asked her to wait while I chased orange tips and admirals. This next section was the best hope of seeing butterflies today. I have spoken before of wildlife-rich areas which although similar to the places all around seem to have a much greater concentration of butterflies and birds. There is some assemblage of just the right ingredients to make this corner of the world attractive to different species and they make a home here or tarry a while on their way through. It might be invisible to the naked eye; often it might look more scenic or there may be a tree that seems to be at the epicentre of attraction. But often I only recognise these spots having wandered through a few times and then realising afterwards that yet again that particular place produced the best photos of the day. I was almost holding my breath. All my eggs were in this one basket. I walked slowly, examining the flowering/fruiting ivy type plants on the riverside thinking I wouldn't be surprised to see a bright red butterfly (peacock or red admiral) sunning itself on the rich green foliage.

where?

a troop of long taileds flew by

2 blue tits cavorted about on the low branches only metres away from where I walked. They presented a challenge as they didn't hold still for a second and mostly foiled my efforts by keeping several branches between themselves and the camera. This single decent photo was the only keeper of dozens taken and later deleted. A treecreeper was nearly as annoying. They have a bad habit of searching the shadow side of trees, instead of posing on the better lit side! And very much like the blue tits are constantly on the move.

treecreeper

buzzard overhead

Nothing on the first pass. I walked slowly back upstream to the top bench and began again. But with much less optimism. I tried to keep my spirits up but by now was bracing myself against the hard truth emerging: that today was looking very like a non-butterfly day.

second bench which marks the end of the best wildlife section

grey wagtail

I had been focussed on every patch of snowdrops. They are one of the few flowering plants currently and as such are one of the few nectar sources for early butterflies. As well as making an excellent backdrop for butterfly photos. My eyes were getting burnt out scrutinising every clump for butterfly shapes. Just as I approached East Linton I had to stop all this gloominess and have a strong word with myself. It was a really fabulous day. The sun was shining, everything looked beyond brilliant and here was I ruining the day because it was a butterfly or 2 short of requirements.

I thought about my lovely friend S who has a birthday on the last day of Feb and has been struck down by advanced MS in recent years. She is wheelchair bound. She would (I imagine) swap anything and everything to be able to run down a beautiful riverside trail taking photos and witnessing the Winter transition into Spring. How dare I be anything other than hugely fucking grateful my life is literally a walk in the park. Pull your socks up Buchanan and get a fucking grip. Words and ideas to that effect. I actually managed to turn my mood around and appreciate what WAS there, rather than what wasn't. I sent my thanks, love and birthday wishes to Siobhan, through the ethers.

superb tree stuff

more tunnel action - tunnel under the A1

robin

dunnock

Just as I came up the lane exiting the riverside trails for E Linton I saw a couple of blackbirds interacting. I thought it was possibly a courtship ritual. Because it did seem to be ritualised dancing. Although it was also quite aggressive, and perhaps too fighty to be courting? I googled it and could only find one similar (nearly exact) video on youTube. Which the o.p. suggested was courtship. I took a video and slowed it down because you can't really see it clearly in real time.

It does seem to be a male and female although when I posted it in the Lothian Birdwatch fb group, there were suggestions it might be the female bird being territorial about feeding areas. I think this might be closer to the truth though why they go about this hopping dance is anyone's guess. I have had trouble posting video on this blog before as it limits the size. So I made a compressed version of the video and will post it at the end on the page. See if that works. If it does, turn the volume up to hear sounds of other garden birds equally slowed down. They sound like tropical birds of paradise, and the background traffic audio (slowed down) gives it something of a David Lynch feel.

still of the video of 2 blackbirds interacting

good to see honey and bumble bees out
they are often the precursors of butterflies

East Linton

felt I'd seen this lamp type before

Usually I carry sandwiches for a longer run. However the Coop at East Linton would supply me with all I needed for lunch. I sat on the bench just up the road at the turn and ate it there. (Prawn sandwiches and beyond excellent Portuguese Custard Tarts - was it Nick who told me about these?) Before carrying on downstream past Preston Mill where there was a lovely stretch with pussy willow, famous for butterflies and a kingfisher in the past. Just as I was approaching the section I bumped into Keith and Ronnie, a couple of Carnethy runners I have known for years.

I said I was out looking for butterflies and Keith told me they had just seen one. "In the last half-mile?", I enquired with growing hysteria. "Last hundred yards" they gleefully informed me. My inclination was to barge past shouting "which direction was it heading"; but I manfully remained and chatted as I hadn't seen anything of either of them all lockdown. Keith was the organiser of the Alternative John Muir Way - one of my all time favourite days out - and they had just done a cycled version of it this year the previous weekend. Getting lucky with a similar day to today of blue skies and sunshine. I said goodbye and then scoured the area for about 40 minutes. But no sign of the butterfly. (Another brief sighting of a flypast kingfisher but so quick this time I didn't even raise the camera for a photo.) I had to fight off the feelings of disappointment again, but having won that battle earlier, it was easier to resume the journey with a happy heart. And the day wasn't over yet.

Keith and Ronnie

I loitered for a long time but no butterflies.

Preston Mill

I went back through East Linton and out the sports ground on the other side. This, again, was new ground I'd never covered before. Rather than return the same way, I'd planned a different route that went West to Drem. I'd had a good look on google maps planning on the Suunto app what looked like mostly field perimeters and dirt trails with only a mile or 2 of metalled roads. BTW have you ever wondered about that phrase metalled? I just did and google says it is from the Latin metallum meaning quarry and refers to a level surface made of small stones, especially used of country roads and tracks.

another tunnel - out the back of East Linton sports fields under the railway line

Traprain Law

The route climbed for a while, but not horribly steeply, out of East Linton running parallel to the A1, up the hill to a layby and small toilet block. Which was handy as I was in need of a pit stop. Unfortunately it was being cleaned so I ran on unrefreshed. Immediately there is a small trail going into the scrubland field perimeters (and an archery place?) making a pleasant trail that tops out and descends heading West between fields. Much nicer than roads, which around here often don't have pavements. When planning my route the day before, I ran it past Bruce, a super keen fatbiker who knows all the best trails in East Lothian. He fine tuned my route past Athelstaneford which was helpful - thanks Bruce, it worked out very nicely!

I saw this kestrel on a post way up ahead. Unfortunately it saw me and flew off, eventually landing behind me on this electricity pole. I reluctantly walked back taking photos until it felt I was too close and flew off again. The coward! For all their armoury and mastery of the air, they can be very timid.

Similarly this buzzard was settled in a tree half a mile away in a field. I walked very slowly and inconspicuously up the hedge of the field but barely got 20 yards closer before it flew off. Being near to East Fortune airstrip there were plenty microlights flying in the area.

buzzard off

It was all very picturesque rural loveliness (and I'd been taking so many breaks and going so slowly I was still in decent shape) so when I saw a yellowhammer at the top of a tree singing away I stopped for pics and video. It was unperturbed by my presence, making it much braver and BETTER than those scaredy-cat-birds-of-so-called-prey.

Sadly yellowhammers are listed as conservation status red. Which means at least a 50% decline in UK numbers over 25 years or more. Bummer as they are a very cheerful and exotic looking bird. More likely to be seen in rural areas than in town. Just as Mary perversely enjoys pronoucing nuthatches as new-thatches, I am inclined to voice these as yello-whammers.

roadside flyers

There was a wee bit of unpleasant tarmac which I recognised from the Alternative John Muir Way before turning left up the dirt trail to Barnes Castle. But turning right to Athelstaneford about halfway up the hill. Round the perimeter of the ploughed field then across a bridge over a muddy river and up the other hedgerow to Athelstaneford Kirk.

I was still looking out for anything butterfly-ish. Which included these 2 ladybirds.

Bruce had advised the trail left of the kirk and sure enough...

I looked at my watch. It was ten past 4 and the next train was at 16.33. I was fairly sure 20 mins was plenty time to run 2 miles, although if it was a long 2 miles and there was difficult ground or incidents occurred...

As I climbed the hill - not very steep, but enough to slow me, I went by a woman who said something. I slowed and asked her to repeat herself. She said she was out walking her large young greyhound and it was likely to run after me when it saw me running. I thanked her for the heads up and asked the dog's name. At the next junction there was a massive greyhound the height of a small horse standing down the hill. My sat-nav told me to go straight on, and I was glad I didn't have to run past the hound of the Baskervilles. I had asked the name (Finn) so I could use it to friend-ify the beast if it came charging up to me. It watched with regret as I went the other way from it. Thankfully it didn't follow.

This left me feeling relieved and upbeat as the road was now all the way downhill to Drem Station and I seemed to have plenty time to make the train. I even took some photos as I came out the gloom of the shadowy wood and into the glorious early evening. I romped down the long hill faster than 7 min miling (a consideration given I had the big camera in my hand) but only due to the gradient. I felt pretty good considering the distance at the end was nearly 23 miles. (Not including a further 2 up and down from Waverley.) A brilliant if butterfly-less day out. And a reminder of how much I like this sort of adventure, and a reason to keep some sort of fitness ticking over.