demoiselles!

 

26th May

What a day! Alistair and I had been chatting about Banded Demoiselles and when they were likely to appear. I associated them with July more than late May but then Iain posted a superb photo of one and so the next sunny day was earmarked for BANDIES!

2 large grouse and 3 miniatures
Joke on loan from Michael L!

The sun was slow to appear on the 26th so we deliberately didn't shoot down the A1 to Chirnside and Bluestone Ford. (A lovely venue for bandies.) Instead Alistair drove towards Lauder and then turned left across the Lammermuir foothills on a lonesome road over the moors where you could drive slowly without danger of annoying other road users and park - sometimes in the middle of the almost singletrack road - take a few photos, and then move on, seeing no other traffic for ages. This was a new experience for me - shooting birds from inside a car. Windows down and sometimes just a few yards from birds sat on fence posts or in the heather just at the side of the road. 

One of the first things we saw was a cuckoo. I have never seen one live before and it sat on a fence post not a million miles away. Unfortunately my camera was in the boot and the bird had flown off before I got out the car to retrieve it. I must go hunting them in the Pentlands sometime - they are nice looking birds. And have that fascinating parasitical backstory. 

We did photograph lots of grouse and grouse chicks. It is almost a monoculture of breeding grouse so the shooting crowd can murder them later, something I don't really understand, but if it keeps the moors from being developed I suppose it has a purpose. There were also a few lapwings who weren't shy about posing not far from the car. They have an irisdescent patch on their wings not unlike some butterflies which catches the light like an oily sheen. 

why did those grouse chicks cross the road?

grouse mum - love the cammo plumage

female stonechat

curlew chick!

Alistair at the ford

It was around midday when we got to Bluestone Ford. I first visited there in 2018 and found it amazing. There have been sightings and reports of bandies in the Lothians, but rather than search all day for one there I thought it better to go to this spot where I knew they would be relatively easy to access, numerous, and in a place of great scenic beauty. It was quite windy so they were staying low in the vegetation of the riverside. In the 60 yards downstream of the ford there were maybe 20, and about 60/40 male/female. But that is just a loose estimate as I was so excited about taking photos I wasn't carefully counting them.

just amazing creatures - very sci-fi

Being a small creature when you zoom in to take their photo, if they are not parallel to the lens then one end will be out of focus. The one above the head is sharp, the tail not. The one below, the other way round. So in photoshop I joined the 2 focussed areas together to make a new photo. This is the essence of "stacking". A decent quality modern camera will do it in camera, if you know how to ask it. Using multiple shots at every focal point then joining chosen areas seamlessly. In theory. In my experience better results are often got by using software in post or doing it manually. More often I just try to stand with the insect perpendicular to the direction the camera is pointing. It can be quite time consuming in photoshop. 

result

large red damselfly

I was very pleased to get this large red. It was in such contrast to the grass all around it really popped! And was jealous that Alistair found a couple in cop. Where is Alistair by the way? Well the last time I was here I brought sandals and waded into the river, being super careful not to get my camera dooked. There were loads of demoiselles on the reeds right at the river's edge and so it was easier to photograph them from in the river than wading through the nettly jungle beside it. With the wind blowing strongly on this occasion there were more insects cowering in the grasses further away from the actual river and so less reason to get wet feet. 

Alistair used to be a keen angler and fly-tie-er. (Just checked and it is apparently fly tier. I think Alistair was a top tier fly tier.) So he had looked out his old chest-waders and took a certain pleasure in getting suited and booted in prep. I spent 10 mins taking pics of insects while he changed, wondering when he was going make an appearance...

ta-daaa! An angler emerges.

male banded demoiselle with dark band on wing

female - golden green with no wing band

They are both amazing looking creatures and I like one as much as the other. Often the males will be jousting and easier to see, however on this occasion there were nearly as many females. Both have that metallic look that lends them an alien sci-fi quality. As Iain once said they are very more-ish. 

It helps to have a decent zoom - they aren't super flighty but they will fly off if you get too close. Which is why I was keen to visit a venue with lots of them rather than just one or 2 you'd have to hassle continually.

Alderfly - plenty of these about too!
Alistair the Angler had an extensive knowledge of all riverside bugs!

Feeling slightly left out, this red admiral came past a few times and settled nearby
 as if offering itself up for a free photo.

another alderfly

hand to show scale
they are pretty much the largest of the damselflies

Being so close to the river brought out the angler in Alistair and he got out a net and examining tray to do some pond-dipping. Collecting all the stuff washing downstream after turning over a submerged rock he emptied the net onto a white tray. At first it looks like just grit and shit off the riverbed but then you realise it is all swimming and wriggling and full of life! I was familiar with Caddisfly larvae but little else so it was lesson in what was what. If you know what the fish are eating you can imitate it and then catch the fish.

green thing in centre is alderfly larva

caddisfly larvae and one out its casing

Well we definitely ticked the Bandy box, they were spectacular! It was about 3pm when we were walking down the coastal path to hit the second target of the day, 6 miles away, looking for small blues. It was a bit overcast and we wondered if they would be in hiding or not. It had already been such a rewarding day out it almost felt greedy to pile on more treats. But when so close to this great small blue venue, why not?! 

drinker moth caterpillar

rushing to see the small blues

sedge warbler

When we arrived at the Lamberton siding there was no sign of small blues so we descended Catcairn Brae an assortment of grassy shelves with scree and boulders to slip and trip up tired feet. There were a few specimens about but they had wings firmly closed. We took some photos but it was not the full show. Then the sun came out and they opened their wings - and suddenly there were 3 here, 2 there and five over there all appearing as if by magic. The sun would go behind a cloud and instantly the wings closed and these tiny butterflies disappeared.

from angler back into lepidopterist (and birder)

wall

narrow-bordered 5 spot burnet caterpillar

waited ages for this one to open its wings

and when the sun finally came out it flew off!

After another couple sunny spells we called it a day and retreated. There were loads of small blues, a few walls and plenty other things of interest - caterpillars, moths and the usual suspects. It was a fine end to a magical day and a great haul of different amazing species. From the birds in the Lammermuirs to the Small Blues on the coast. My favourites had to the magical demoiselles. It is a real joy to find such exotic looking creatures in Scotland and to spend time in the sunshine taking their photos - can't think of a better way to spend the day - and good company as well - many thanks Alistair for driving me about all day, really appreciated! And I am a real convert to in-car photography.

linnet?