There was a post on East Scottish Butterflies that a brimstone butterfly had been seen regularly on sunny days just outside Haddington. I thought why not and went to see if I could find it. I got the train to Longniddry and ran along the old railway cyclepath to Haddington. It is very pleasant and the trees either side are filled with peeping birds.
I reckoned this ivy would contain Holly Blues which might show themselves on a warmer sunny day. They often hide up the tops of ivy bushes so not easy to find. Only you can stand up the top of this stuff. It wasn't warm enough for the blues to appear.
yellowhammer
About 2 miles along the path and something white flitted about the hedgerow on the left. I stopped to investigate and found the first orange tip butterfly of the year. Hurray! If nothing else this made the trip worthwhile. I took a record shot in case it didn't land but the butterfly was very obliging and I hardly had to cross the fence into the adjoining field to get a photo of it sat still. Another Hurray! - they don't tend to do that for a day or 2 - preferring to chase madly around hunting female orange tips (who don't have orange tips.)
male orange tip - the epitome of Springtime!
This shot was to show how well used the path is. (The cyclist is actually with the horse ladies.) Although there is occasional traffic this was by far the busiest moment. Normally there is nobody to see ahead or behind, and you are left alone with your thoughts. Which is great if you are lining up a photo of a bullfinch and the oncoming cyclist is about to chase it to fuck. True story.
In Haddington I have a route that goes behind some houses and follows a stream which joins the Tyne. Across the road and I usually take Long Cram, a bizarrely titled road down to the river. However this time I took the path into Clerkington, which seems to be the estate of one of these large country houses with stables and mill. And gatehouse. This is where David K walks his dog around midday and reports sightings of the brimstone. He is a birder, and sports binoculars, not camera. I had done a quick check the night before to memorise his facebook profile pic, in case our paths should cross, and mapped out a 2 mile circuit round Clerkington, which I'd run until I saw the brimstone or the sun went in, or I died of boredom. I had vague memories of this place a few years back when I was following up any holly blue sightings and one was near the stables. I got to within 80 yards and then heard a terrible barking and retreated. I hadn't returned.
However as soon as I entered the place it became evident it was really very pleasant and I could understand why you'd choose here to walk a dog here or run circuits round, if you lived locally. I was cross referencing anyone with a dog with my fading memory of David K's facebook profile, but when I saw this couple walking a dog I put them down for a definite maybe. They were taking a different route to myself so I carried on, thinking we might pass later.
first bee fly of the year
There were a clutch of trees in blossom round the edge of a field I was perimetering. Below, on the ground beneath, were a number of drunk insects. Including this dark edged bee fly (the most common sort) which was the first one I'd seen this year. I was pleased. They are very cute, (don't sting - that impressive doofer out front is for eating not biting) and are an immediate precursor to the appearance of butterflies. Immediately after I saw it, I saw several peacocks, staggering about on the grass waiting for the sun to come back out so they could sober up and head back into the blossom.
Now here is the confession. I am not really a big brimstone fan. They are yellow/greeny-yellow and sort of leaf shaped. They are large powerful fliers and have a bad habit of not sitting still for a photo. I have encountered them in Spain a few times and they are not my favourite butterfly. I was on this hunt due to their rarity in Scotland. They are not what I would consider a Scottish butterfly, only really an occasional migrant. However at the end of last season and the beginning of this, there were enough sightings in E Lothian to suggest they are pushing into Scotland from England. Climate change and all that. I'd much prefer Marbled Whites or any of the blues we don't get but, well, if it is to be a brimstone then yes we'll take it! But it wouldn't be my first choice.
As I was running into Haddington the sun went out and with it any realistic chance of seeing the brimstone. As I turned along the riverside path I saw the couple dogwalking and as I approached asked if I had David K. I did! He told me he had regularly seen the brimstone, and never more than 1 at a time, but unable to say definitely whether it was one or more or the same one every time. Had his wife seen more than one - perhaps, I can't recall, as we chatted about lots of wildlife and what I might see in the area and where to look for brimstones. It was a very helpful chat so that when/if I returned on a sunnier day I would know the best area to scan.
Dougie the dug!
yellowhammer
small tort braving the cool overcast weather
And that was really about that. I now know the lay of the land and where to scour for brimstones although that does not ensure a photo. Abbie M went along shortly after I did and got the sunshine I didn't. She reported seeing both a male and female brimstone, but neither stopped for a photo. Great to know they are about the place and perhaps pushing North to add another species to our countryside.
I quite fancy going to this psychedelic event.
So this bullfinch flew up into a trailside shrub and sat perfectly for a photo. He had an entourage of several females who were certainly about to follow suit. At which point a cyclist and ladyfriend came barrelling down the cyclepath and off flies the bullfinch family. And the cyclists had the cheek to give me a nice smile. I was probably scowling as they went by.
dunnock
robin shouting
path kill
chiffchaff
normally I photo this bench from the other side
I do like these signposts
I had failed to memorise the train timetable but thought the trains were about once an hour around half past. I reckoned I would kill the 30min wait by chasing butterflies out the trail side undergrowth but when I arrived back at Longniddry Station there was train in 4 minutes. Nice! Butterflies can wait.
12.5 miles! Nice day out.
No comments:
Post a Comment