down to the woods

 

16-10-22

An end of season visit to Saltoun Big Wood. I'm not sure how I swung this with Mary who drove us both there. Which is SO much easier than the 16mile cycle. However she very nearly loves a trip like this as much as I do these days so I should count my blessings. We coffeed up and I was slightly over-excited by the caffeine and the slimmest chance we may even see some last gasp butterflies. It was nearly warm and sunny enough. Fingers crossed!

There was a car in the small roadside parking area, so rather than try squeeze in beside it and risk losing our catalytic converter on the rutted ground, we drove down to West Saltoun, parked and walked up the half mile to the woods.

no shortage of mushroom
although recent rains left many slimy and soggy

Up the back trail there were the last few flowerheads of devil's bit scabious - the purple flower that attracts commas, RAs and peacocks late Summer. Sadly none of those as we walked up the trail. I was okay with this until we saw an admiral take off from where it was sunbathing and fly up and off into the very high treetops. Curses. Worse than not seeing one at all - now I didn't want to leave until we saw, and more importantly, photographed one. 

we bumped into this friendly wee soul

great to see a few late common darters enjoying the sun

silver Y moth - hardly compensation

an orgy of ladybirds
right at the top of this small conifer

the l of the ladybird
on the B of the Bang

the ghost of a speckled wood

I was turned mildly frantic about "getting" a red admiral. Having had one get away from me but knowing there were one or 2 about the place was infuriating, and I was having trouble enjoying the joys of the surroundings - the mushrooms, the turning leaves, the birdcalls - and was behaving like a junkie short of a hit. I could see Mary's cup was full and she was ready to walk back to the car. I resorted to bribery - "I'll give you £5 for a speckled or Admiral if you see it before I do and a tenner for a comma." This only just managed to inspire another loop back to where we had seen the RA and round the back where we had seen commas and RAs on previous trips. After we had walked past those spots and had seen heehaw, I was pretty much resigned to no butterflies. I was also annoyed with my own petulant attitude which was in danger of spoiling a perfectly nice walk round the woods. 

I was photographing yet another darter sunbathing when 2 older ladies breezed by with their dog who came over to get a get wet kiss while I was squatting down to take a photo. The ladies engaged me in chat, while Mary said something in the background. Through the haze of old lady chat the word COMMA suddenly filtered into my brain and I ran about in all directions like Jones the butcher - don't panic, don't panic. Unfortunately by this time it had flown off. It had been sunbathing on a patch of dry clay. I was informed it flew off into the trees and although I set off after it I knew it was hopeless. The good news was Mary got a record shot, the bad news, it cost me a tenner. I was fairly sure it was the fault of the old ladies I didn't get a photo of it, or even saw it. Definitely someone was to blame and it wasn't me! Although I eventually admitted defeat and that perhaps it was time to head home. 

Mary's comma! Photo Mary!

PB in the bush (photo: Mary)
Come out, come out, wherever you are!

elder berries?

It was not the day I was hoping for but it was really pretty good. In some ways it is easier to focus on the present when there is no chance of an outlier butterfly - mid-November to mid-March - and just enjoy the sunny weather. Saltoun Wood was looking fab and the colours of the turning leaves were spectacle enough. Or nearly enough.