rinse and repeat

10th November

So the very next day after the hare incident Mary and I set off to do the same trek. Not so much to see the same stuff but just to put in some hiking miles and get out in what was forecast to be similar weather. I bought the train tickets and Mary bought the station coffees.

the day started well with mostly blue skies
as we got off at Longniddry Station, 10am

fox moth caterpillar

Mary wasn't that bothered about seeing the exhibition at Waterston House so first stop was Margiotta's, Aberlady to pick up lunch. Still no frittatas, so just sandwiches again, (which we carried to Gullane.)

starlings on tv aerials, Aberlady

wagtail

wren in the reserve

No sign of the short eared owl on the savannah. A distant kestrel but never within photo-range. And we forgot to check the area I'd seen the hare. Possibly too busy gabbing and looking for stonechats. I was staying well away from the electric fence though! Once we got to the beach there was a gang of sanderlings and turnstones, both delightful birds. They seemed slightly less frenetic than previously although they are almost always moving quickly or just about to, rather than posing for pictures. It helps if there is good light and you can shoot with high shutter speeds. It also helps to put one knee down on the damp sand to get a better (lower) angle of view.

trying to change out of wet trunks without dropping your towel

turnstones

The wind was making it fairly Baltic on the exposed shoreline so Mary was keen to get going. I had just spotted a pair of snow buntings so wanted to get decent shots of them. These Winter migrants were not too timid and came quite close to where I was standing with the other birds. However they are small and difficult to isolate from the seaweed and beach grot as they are nearly identical colours and have sand encrusted beaks. I took dozens of photos but only 5 are worth posting. 

snow buntings
also found at altitude up mountains

sanderlings

the place all to ourselves

quick lunch at Gullane picnic tables

sad to see the tree trolls knocked down in the woods

stonechat near driftwood

offshore windfarming

deer in the field
last couple of miles into NB along the John Muir Way

Although it was less memorable than the previous day in terms of wildlife encounters and number of photos taken it was still an excellent day out walking, chatting, taking photos and having fun. And another 17 miles of exercise with just a Margiotta sandwich to keep us going. The sun set as we sat on the train back into Waverley. Great route highly recommended.