down the coast

 
one swallow doesn't make summer - how about 2?

20th June looked sunny so I thought I'd cycle down the coast a bit into East Lothian and see some butterflies. It was a wee bit early for it but I was keen to see some common blues and dark green frits at Aberlady. So a plan formed to cycle over the bridge to enchantment and then head up through the golf course to the tank trap concrete blocks. I wasn't sure whether to tie up my steed next to the car park or cycle. I decided to take the bike with me which made some things easier and I didn't have to leave anything valuable at the car park. It was almost warm enough for hummingbird hawk-moths. I saw one on the rise up the golf course here a year or 2 back. But only for 30 seconds. They are like seeing whales breach, you get one regularly every 2 years but it rarely leaves much time for taking photos and videos. I got my camera out about now and sure enough a common blue gave me a right runaround. Up at the blocks there were plenty of distractions stopping me getting my sandwiches and juice out.

common blue

lovely spot for a picnic

meadow brown

small skipper

fantastic view over the savannah

common blue

Now this, ^ this is a female common blue being chased into the undergrowth by a male, keen to mate. I'm pretty sure the female had no such interest. I have seen nearly no female common blues this year. A great disappointment. They are rarer to see on account of keeping to the long grass and staying hidden from the continually horny males. And have a more purply/brown colour with lunules on the upper wing. And unlike the males which almost always start the same colour, the females rarely wear the same outfits as each other. And so have a higher tariff than the males. Now you'd think there was some way of seeking them out, but other than stomping around off piste in teh long grass, I am unaware of one. And I have done more than my fair share of bushwacking. And mostly all I get are ticks.

little stumpy
the smallest small skipper I've ever come across

After lunch I coasted back downhill to the bridge then cycled along to Luffness where there is a spot that sometimes has a few butterflies. Sure enough the viper's bugloss was out in force and attracting a number of butterflies including a rather worn Painted Lady.

There were also 2 or 3 common blues. One was too shabby to photograph but I kept mistaking it for another one so I'd line up a photo then realise. The newer one was much more shy and stayed in the long grass looking for love. 

small skipper action

small tortoiseshell

painted lady

the better blue

on viper's bugloss

nearly perfect camouflage

Then a hummingbird hawk-moth turned up. It stuck around for less than a minute during which I took maybe a dozen quick fire shots (above, being head and shoulders better than the rest) and a short video. None of it flattered either of us and I felt the brief arrival and exit actually took the afternoon down a level rather than enhancing it. I think what is required is a long line of valerian where it will go from one to the other while you video it. I tried not to let it get me down. 

Anyway nice day out. Well, mostly. I think this was the first of several trips to East Lothian on windy days when at the end of a day shooting butterflies I climb back onto the bike and cycle into a 20mph constant headwind for most of 2 hours. One trip I checked out train times back from Prestonpans as I couldn't stand it any more. Train was 50 mins later so I got back on the bike and did single digit mphs back to Leith. Slog. Makes me want an e-bike!