holyrood and bawsinch

 

29th June

A bit of a wander around Holyrood and Bawsinch. I thought I'd never get going today. I had to get an emergency haircut as I had a social event (unheard of) at the weekend. I ran round to the barber on Easter Rd as they do not require an appointment but there was only 1 guy working and there were three customers in the shop. I ran back and got my camera and backpack with packed lunch and set off a second time, remembering I did not have the Bawsinch keys before I got to the end of the road. After a quick return I was nearly at the end of the street for the third time when I bumped into the postie who had a package for me. I thought I was going to have to return yet again, but it was thin enough to cram into my backpack. (A t-shirt I'd ordered and hoped would turn up in time for the BBQ. Yes it did, but nobody saw it as it was under a jacket which didn't come off all day!)

narrow-bordered 5 spot burnet moth

Holyrood was warm but under threat of showers and clouds. Fairly typical Scottish Summer weather. I checked a couple of areas known for NBAs and Blues and there was the bare minimum to point the camera at. They (along with 5-spot burnet moths) all emerged just as we were having a spell of crappy weather and I suspect this weather was the reason numbers have been poor this year. Small skippers on the other hand waited just a moment longer and have been having a huge year: they are everywhere. I can remember the first ever I saw, near the nature reserve at Aberlady and checking their list to see if this unusual "moth" had been recorded there. To my disappointment it had but was their most recent addition. Maybe 12 or more years ago?

This year they are one of the most prodigious butterflies currently out. (Although meadow browns and ringlets are equally ubiquitous.) There was one patch of those pinky purple thistles with a small skipper on pretty much every bloom. I really like them and they are very characterful but after a short while I stop taking photos. Interesting to see large skippers quickly following in their tracks. I haven't seen any in Holyrood yet but a couple have been recorded by Ken. And they are along at Musselburgh in good numbers, so they are on their way.

small skipper

northern brown argus

common blue

many skippers

female common blue

I was pleased to find a female common blue at last. I have been kicking through the long grass wherever there are males looking for their more shy counterparts. None was forthcoming and I was beginning to wonder if I was going to make it through the season without finding any. They are more interesting than the males as each is a variation on a theme, and go from nearly as blue as the males right through to entirely brown like an NBA, and with the chevrons the males wear on the underwing, on the upperwing. This one was about average, some blue, some brown, but with some wear and tear. I have a couple of fabulous specimens in the archives, but seem to have lost my touch for finding them.

female cb underwing.

from the archives

This juv male pheasant wasn't sure whether to run and hide or come
closer for a handout. Quite a lot of the latter.

quite a few admirals lurking too

meadow brown

I went up the hill to see if there were any painted ladies (and admirals) on Crow Hill. I think one reluctant admiral was the answer. Then admired the new steps up from Duddingston Loch. They won't make the run up here any easier, nor any worse. It is a trial no matter what line you take.

I then went into Dr Neil's Garden to eat my sandwiches. It is an oasis of plants and trees and often there will be a few butterflies there too. None today. But a delightful spot to sit on a bench and have a moment.

From there, a short walk to Bawsinch. Another superb place to escape the horrors of the modern world. I was surprised there weren't any common blues around the small flowering meadow area near the entrance. (Joan let me know there was later!) Just meadow browns and more skippers. 

As I walked the path parallel to the Innocent Railway I saw a woodpecker high in an adjacent tree. It saw me and swooped off over the cyclepath. Coming down the grassy path was Joany, her first visit here in a month I think she said. We nattered loads about what wildlife we had come across and then went down the path to the hide at the far end. Along the way we came across a splendid new comma, the highlight of the day. It did a couple of loops, returning to a similar spot and we took photos. When newly emerged they have a vivid bright orange colour that stands out from the surrounding greens, making them easy to spot. 

brand new comma

Joan is far more knowledgeable about the local wildlife than myself and was pointing out plants and looking for fungus that I normally just walk past. It is great to hear (and learn from) someone enthusiastic about all parts of the environment and how they interact. I have tried to remember the species she was pointing out (figwort and water figwort etc.) and was passing this on to Mary next visit. Btw figwort has an unusually square cross-section stem. And there is a figwort weevil, Cionus scrophulariae, but we didn't see any today.

We sat in the small hide blethering about this and that, sheltered from a light shower of rain that blew over. Nothing much happened on Duddingston Loch but it was spectacular in a quiet way. As we chatted a wren flew over and perched at arms length for a closer look at us but flew off before cameras could be raised. The usual suspects; mallards, greylags and heron went about their business. Then a large bow-wave from something submerged, swam at browsing pace over towards us. I initially thought an otter was just below the surface, but actually it looked a little large for that. (And no bubbles.) I took some video and you can just see a lazy dorsal fin lift slightly out the water. It might have been a couple of fish swimming in tandem or something like a large pike or carp. I like the idea of starting a rumour about the monster of Duddingston. 

the monster!
all blurry and ambiguous photos welcome!

On the way back from the hide, Joany stopped to hunt for a fungus or similar. I said my goodbyes as I was hoping to catch the barbers before they closed. I saw the comma briefly at the same spot and Joan reported it was still there when she went past later. (It was not there next visit, a few days later. 😥 ) And that, apart from a snoozing admiral on the way back through Holyrood, was that. A very pleasant day out. 8 miles walked, three false starts and a short back and sides at the far end of the day. 

note: white spots on orange band
Often denotes female as this case (or male aberration identifying as female!)

8 miles