return to Saltoun

 

25th August

Just 6 days after the last visit to Saltoun Big Wood there was a decent forecast and I decided to cycle there. I was chomping at the bit to see if the commas had emerged; I saw none last trip and knew they might well be out any time now. And even if they weren't, there was still a million peacocks and admirals to enjoy. And the cycle - 16miles exactly door to 'door', and the same home - would do me good. 

I should have photo-ed my bike. I was quite proud of a tiny amount of maintenance I'd done the day before. I'd had a new tyre sitting beside it for months, maybe a year since Mary was doing some online bike-part shopping and bought me a replacement tyre. The previous ones were Continental 2.2inch Protective mtb tyres, which have some sort of bullet-proof puncture resistant lining. The rear had gone from brand new to balder than Bruce Willis without a puncture but I had been too lazy to change it over to the new one sitting in the hall. I was fairly sure laziness would prevail until a major incident prompted me to change it. However knowing I had this cycle the following day I finally swapped tyres - only 15mins and fairly painless - and then cleaned off some of the filth that was accumulating on the chain and derailleurs (a much longer business). I then pumped both tyres to rock solid, hoping to break my Saltoun pb of 65minutes. The 16 mile cycle has at least 3 major climbs, the first, from Musselburgh roundabout up to Tranent, featuring 2 significant gaspers.

Unfortunately I was 2mins shy of my pb at 67.5mins which I was putting down to stoppage at traffic lights. Although truth be told it was as likely that I haven't been doing a cycle to work anywhere on the outskirts of town recently. Usually 5 days of trying to cycle to work faster than the day before, hones the cycle fitness. I tired to sublimate the idea I was just older and flabbier as I padlocked my bike to a tree in the old car park area. Sometimes I take my bike round the woods - all the main trails are cycle friendly - but there are no places to lean a bike on butterfly alley and it looks abandoned lying prone on the deck as I scamper off to photograph painted ladies. The downside of leaving it in the trees is the extra tonnage of U-lock and cable to be carried along.

I had arranged to meet Mairi and happily she was parked at the entrace when I arrived. We were both early. We walked up to the first pond where I saw this splendid hawker land pondside and within reach of a photo. Mairi was road-testing her new second hand FZ2000 (the same camera I use) which she had got from Wex in exchange for some equipment she never used. And a pound! So she can boast of using a one pound camera. She still has her G9 and macro lens but wanted to try a bridge camera for ease of use with a lens that can go from close up to zoom and saves having to carry a bag of lenses. 

The weather was a bit overcast to start with and many of the early photos I took were a bit flat and lifeless. It was great to catch up with Mairi - possibly the first face to face since covid/lockdown? - and we had loads to chat about. I had had a strong coffee to fuel the bike ride and there was hardly a moment without chat all day. Talking of which, before we had even got once round the first pond Andrew and Unda arrived. They had said they were planning to visit, but hadn't fully decided on which buses and which day. So it was a delight that we now had a gang of 4! (They had bussed to Pencaitland and walked the 2 or 3 miles from there.)

a small copper flies past, just before the second pond

Just as we arrived at the second pond - up the hill and on the right - we saw a female darter land on the water. I thought it might need fished off the surface, but moments later managed to take off itself and flew over to the reeds. I think it hadn't broken the surface, so avoided getting waterlogged. 

There was plenty in the way of dragonflies and damselflies and we wandered about the perimeter of the pond taking photos. 

black darter (m)

stricken beastie

While standing at the far corner we noticed splashing maybe 15 or 20yards out towards the centre of the pond. It was a hawker flapping its wings but very much face down and more under than above the surface. Watching it, it seemed likely it was a goner, and unlikely that it would be able to either take off or swim to anything nearby and rescue itself. (A horrible paradox given that it would have spent a year or 2 as a nymph swimming in possibly that very pond, breathing with gills it now no longer used.) I looked around the edge of the pond and just nearby was a long thin branch of about 4 or 5 yards. It was not long enough to reach the stricken beastie but if I took my socks and shoes off I could maybe wade in far enough. The edge was a bit sludgey but I don't even remember the shallow water being cold. It also remained quite shallow and rolling up my short's legs had been unnecessary. Unda documented the heroics from the other side of the pond!

First attempt worked a treat; I dipped the end of the branch under the water and raised it under the dragonfly. It needed no encouragement to grab the stick and emerge baptised but breathing as I retreated back through the algae with it on the end of my branch. The stick was a bit unwieldy so I lifted it off onto my hand and it seemd to appreciate the warm dry perch before I transferred it to a suitably photogenic clump of heather. It was a bedraggled female hawker possibly having attempted to lay eggs and misjudged the depth of water. It buzzed its wings to disperse the water but was unable to fly and looked a bit drookit. I took some photos of it drying out on the heather. It was superb to get so close to such a fabulous creature. And nice to not have to watch it drown in front of us! Andrew recalled a similar incident at Leadburn and had found it hard to witness. 'Not as hard as it was for the dragonfly' I teased.

photo: Unda

you can see the background biohazard I had to wade through
(but I survived!)

mrs. hawker waving thanks

this was Mary's cheeky take on it, cranking up the drama

common darter

We then headed to butterfly alley, half a mile of butterflies-in-abundance on the East side of the wood. It is rare to find just so many. The devils bit scabious, lilac coloured blooms on long stalks, either side of the wood lined trail, are why they are here. Dozens, if not hundreds of really fresh peacocks sat on the flower heads and on the path and would fly up as you passed by. It is difficult to choose an individual to photograph as others swoop by and land. It has an almost unreal feeling - especially after a less than brilliant Summer for butterflies. It has to be largest amount of butterflies in one place I have ever seen. Reminiscent of the 2019 invasion of painted ladies. Although this was confined to a half mile stretch. 

I took a photo of a bloke I saw further up the trail. (The women were a separate party.) I could tell he was one of us from his camera (macro lens and diffuser flash!) but didn't recognise him. I heard later from Richard that he is David S - and like most of us butterfly folk, used to being out on his own and not particularly gregarious when photographing wildlife! I assumed we would catch him up but the appearance of 4 (possibly quite noisy!) folk approaching up the path sent him scurrying off. I can understand why although if he knew the individuals personally I'm sure he would've been happier to see us! 😆

As with the last visit the peacocks outnumbered everything else by 10 to 1. However there was a comma early on. I expected to see more on this stretch but didn't. There were more on the west side a bit later but for now it was mainly peacocks, red admirals, a few walls, small coppers and an occasional small skipper. With quite a few large whites.

wall - the females, like this one, slightly easier to capture

RA

small skipper

peacocks aplenty

wall (m)

I stopped taking pics of peacocks unless they were very well posed close by or looked in mint condition. (Which most did.) The scabious has a small flower that disappears behind a nectaring butterfly which lends itself to a photo with the butterfly crisply in focus and the background nicely blurred out. Or that is the aim. The slightly overcast weather was pretty good for calming the butterflies and several of the large whites and painted ladies posed perfectly on flowerheads for photos. It was virtually my idea of a perfect day although my camera takes slightly better photos with a splash of sunshine. All four of us were in a very upbeat mood, given the delightful surroundings. 

large white posing for its photo - this pretty much never happens!

painted lady numbers increased from 2 or 3
last visit to double that or more this time

a few small coppers still about

perfect peacock

peacocks queueing up for perches

When we got back down to the junction Mairi decided to head off. Since the sun was still out I opted to head round the West side with A and U. I was trying to remember to leave enough in the tank for the cycle home, which although is more downhill, almost always takes longer as I'll have been out all day and will often just coast home via the Pencaitland cyclepath.

I don't often bother with this part of the wood and so was interested to see what it threw up. More commas was the answer! And painted ladies too. Both species had been a bit thin on the ground until this point. Round this side the butterflies were more dispersed and often found on the bracken or on the path rather than being just on scabious flowerheads. There was also the occasional hawker or darter, and we all kept our eyes peeled for wildlife while chatting about all sorts. Andrew, like myself, enjoys a good chin wag, and I don't think Unda got much in sideways as we both rattled on! It was very pleasant as usually I only have my own thoughts for company.

layout of woods
(ignore mention of East Saltoun - it is only West Saltoun)

admiral and comma

male hawker

painted lady

A few weeks ago Carolyn H had made mention of a popular buddleia bush down this way and I had made a mental note to check it out next visit. We did come across this bush and it had maybe 3 butterflies in attendance until we got too close and the comma and RA flew off, leaving just a peacock for me to photograph. Unda got a shot of the comma and RA - perhaps because she was talking less? Hmm difficult to say! 

another small copper

Dozens of shots of this perfect painted lady rounded off the day nicely. It was unfazed by us all standing quite close and taking photos. After unlocking my bike I walked to the road with A&U before heading home, hurried on by the thought of seeing all the photos of the day. (I was home sat in front of the computer 80mins later while A&U were still on their bus.) It was well over 1000 photos again of which about 80 made the grade to tweak and post here. I try to limit the number of similar shots but I find it difficult to hone it down to just the best handful and hate binning decent photos. Every few trips I have to clear the hard drive photos onto an external hard drive.

Another FAB day out at one of my all time favourite places. Especially splendid to see the large amounts of quality specimens here when nearly everywhere else seems to have dwindling numbers. And great to spend time with such good company. It was not long before I was back again. Brace yourself for much more of the same! I'm not even going to apologise for it!

2 deer on the cycle home

Nearly forgot about this video I shot to show the amount of peacocks on butterfly alley. Difficult to convey in still photos. The video gives a better idea.