group trip to burnmouth

 

28th May

Iain was leading a group of East Scottish Butterfliers to look primarily for small blues around the Burnmouth area on the Berwickshire Coastal Path. Although I'd been twice to check out the small blues I went again because it is a great part of the world and you often see really worthwhile stuff. And the group are good fun. We mostly communicate online and post photos on a facebook page, so it is interesting to put faces to names and chat in real life. Although I am far more used to looking for butterflies solo, it was fun to mix with like-minded souls.

In order to get to the 10am start in Burnmouth, I caught a train to Berwick, getting in just before 9am, then running the 6 miles North, arriving bang on ten. 6 mph you're thinking, is a bit slow. Yes well I was stopping to take photos along the way. And it is quite rough ground. First up were some starling fledglings, hounding their hassled parent. Then a pair of stonechats. 

The coastal path runs parallel to the rail line and as the next train came down from Edinburgh I waved at it. I had a good idea Andrew and Unda would be on it and would be looking to see the site at Lamberton we'd be going to for small blues. They were and they did. 

sadly this excellent comedy sign has fallen off its poste

Last time I called past Lamberton there was no sign of wee blues next to the railway. This time there were heaps. So many I was able to get several in the same shot. I was watching the time though and careful not to spend too long here, even though we'd be returning to this spot in about 45 minutes.

As I was approaching Burnmouth I bumped into Andrew and Unda, off the 10mins bus ride up from Berwick Station. They confirmed they received my wave! 11 in total set off back down the coastal path. Before we even got to Lamberton the team had spotted various butterflies including small blues and we became dispersed over a hundred yards or more. This became the pattern of the day - there were so many things to see and photograph it was a much better strategy than all queuing up to photograph the same specimen. 

dead mole

drinker moth caterpillar

more small blues

ruby tiger moth

small heath on Shannon's finger

looking down the coast to Bamburgh Castle (right)
and Holy Island (left)

burnet moth pupa

6 spot burnet moth final instar caterpillar

small heaths

thift

I have been up and down the coastal trails many times but never made the hike down to this smugglers bothy on Lamberton Skerrs. The same one I miscalled the Hilton Hotel recently. (Hilton Bay is next one North.) There are various tales of fishing and smuggling associated with John Robertson. Google it if you like. It was fun to take the time to follow the steep winding path down to the ruin and see it close up for a change. 

grasshopper nymph

crane fly

stop for lunch

Up until this point we hadn't seen much of the sun and as a consequence some of the butterflies had been shy about opening wings and performing for the camera. So when the sun came out I pocketed my sandwich and briskly walked back to the small blues. I was annoyed to miss the best small blue shot of the day - a solitary blue high on a pretty flower away from distractions and undergrowth, but by the time I zoomed in it flew off. Frustrating! 

wall

plume moth - well spotted Mick!

small blue eggs with Iain's thumb for scale!
they are very VERY small

special butterfly egg shaped cakes with glittery finish
big thanks to Sonia for these marvels!

When small heaths land they close their wings. I think there are several (8 or 9) UK species that behave like this. In order to see their handsome uppers I was photographing them in flight. Often when 2 are circling each other and are otherwise engaged is a good moment, although it is tricky to get the right shutter speed and distance of zoom in without overdoing it. It is quite unusual seeing the uppers and something of a surprise - so much lovely warm yellow!

female small blue egg laying on kidney vetch

wall (f)

I felt lucky to be in the right place when this small blue landed beside another and within seconds were joined together in creating another generation. Next to zero vetting, forms to fill out or foreplay - just how about it? Yup, lets go!

possibly the only small copper of the day

silver Y moth

So that was the official tour over - we had found the small blues. However it was still fairly early and the sun was out - time for a look down Burnmouth Brae. A sun-warmed steep hillside with loads of blooming wildflowers which often records the first NBAs of the year. Also potential for large skippers. Slowly wandering down the road was an absolute pleasure and sure enough there was a large skipper on some valerian. Managed to get a few photos. 

Rather than stand about waiting for stuff to appear I felt a better option would be to run a mile or 2 along the clifftops to Blaikie Heugh, the high point between Burnmouth and Eyemouth, before the coastal path descends into Eyemouth. Depending on which way the wind is blowing this can be a butterfly and moth mecca. It can also be windswept and completely deserted.

I said thanks and goodbye to the gang but as I headed up the Brae I saw something flutter on the scree. I took a couple of photos to confirm it was the first NBA of the year then whistled on the guys who jogged up the hill and would have thought I was winding them up without the photographic evidence. Unfortunately it had flown off after my photos and failed to return. Once again I said my goodbyes and headed off. The NBA did not reappear, so the pic below was the only one of the day. 

I kept an eye on the time. The trains that go between Edinburgh and Berwick are a mix of LNER and another flavour - is it Scotrail? Anyway apparently you can't just buy a cheap day return and get on any passing train. (Or maybe you can at weekends. I saw a sign saying as much at Leuchars recently and photographed it in case the guard requested he shaft me on my cheap day return.) It is a complex business which if you get wrong costs an additonal £20 when the guard checks your ticket. So when booking tickets the night before on Trainline online I had chosen designated trains rather than book a cheap day won't-work-on-every-train-but-we're-not-telling-you-which-trains, return. I mean what sort of way is that to run a business? Shower of fuck-ups. And now they're on strike because £50k is not enough to drive a train. Reckon I could drive a train after 2 days instruction. (With all due respect to Roly and David who work on the trains.) I'd like to see a train driver master painting and decorating after 2 days. And my salary would be about £30k annually if I ever worked more than 20 weeks a year. Anyway I plumped for the 5.45 I think as it lined up with a bus that went down the coast stopping at all the likely places I might be, which would get me to Berwick Station in time for the train.  

yellowhammer

gutted this one flew off before I got the focus on it

fancove bay

I was pleased to get this photo of a female orange tip mid flight. It was flapping about in front of me but not settling on any plants, so I took a few random shots while it moved from bloom to bloom. This one came out in focus with a reasonable backdrop of the rape-field and wall as it climbs the hill.

silver ground carpet moth

3 raggedy whites having a game of chase

dew moth
nationally scarce - locally common

not sure what story this plaque at Blaikie Heugh is telling
hadn't seen it before

There was not a lot happening at BH. I did spot a large skipper and a reluctant red admiral and a couple of birds keeping an eye on me but no small blues and little else worth hanging around for. I was happy enough to have made the journey though as there was plenty along the way to enjoy. Out the corner of my eye I saw something quite large and VERY swift zipping back and along the wall. It would stop and I'd hunt around finding nothing until -swoop~swish- there it was again. I had more than an idea of what it was: a painted lady was top suspect, since I'd seen one here in exactly the same format in late May 2018. (Blog here.)(Notable for being the first time I had communicated with Mr Cowe - it seems impossible that I have not known him longer; really? only 4 years??) It was behaving in exactly the same manner. And in a similar condition. A bit worn and faded, perhaps from a long migration. Guarding the highest point along the coast and taking on all comers. I have often found painted ladies and red admirals drawn to summits and high spots - Crow Hill summit, the apex of Salisbury Crags, Traprain Law summit. And painted lady was what it turned out to be. It took a few more fly-pasts to get close to where it was regrouping on the wall. I moved extremely slowly and got plenty shots of it settled on a lichened wall that almost perfectly matched the colours of the butterfly itself. 

large skipper

Blaikie Heugh

meadow pipit

yellowhammer

painted lady

perfectly matched

as it was in real life

turned 90' to fit the landscape photo format

There were lots of walls about and I'd only stop to photograph the finer specimens. This female was an absolute cracker but it wasn't helping with poses. It would jam itself somewhere without enough room to fully open its wings or just not sit where I could get close for a photo. Eventually it flew off. These are the best I got. 

this pipit was really unhappy I had the cheek to pass through its area.
It stood where it could keep watch, all the time giving me the stink eye.

turning a corner I realised there were 2 deer very close,
they moved off although I got some photos

This boat had been out all day with a fishing party.
I wondered if it was a second group or the same dudes all day.

The last butterfly of the day was this very alert and active red admiral at the back of Burnmouth Village Hall. It took off for a couple of laps as I approached but settled back on a similar spot, allowing for photos. We had quite a bit of interaction; it flying off if I got too close but returning to the next along leaf. Like the painted lady it was a very strong flier.

The bus was supposed to come past the village hall at 5.07 or something. There was not a huge window for overlap with the designated train departure time so I was concerned when it didn't show up on time. There was another a while later and I think they both showed up together about 12 minutes late. By this time I was wondering about hitching down the road, too late to run the 6 miles. It all worked out fine though and another excellent day on the Berwickshire Coast was had. It is a really great part of the world. Highly recommended.

Massive thanks to Iain who organised the trip and didn't even bother to charge us for the pleasure! A reflection of his generous nature and pure enthusiasm for this part of the world and the notion to share it with other enthusiasts. And all that even before the common blues and DGFs have appeared.