best part of the day: Berwick to St Abbs

20th May

After carefully watching the forecast I chose Monday 20th for a long run up the Berwickshire coastal path. It was the perfect day for it and I was sunbaked under blue skies virtually all day. Every step was surrounded by birdsong, and the Small Blue butterflies, the main reason for the trip, were out in force. Also it was the first day in about 3 months of consistent running, and felt like a welcome return to something resembling health.

I had a fairly relaxed start, catching a later train than usual, stepping off at 10.15am. If I'd known how much I'd have to photograph I'd have caught an earlier one. But the previous days had suggested the haar might swamp the coast until later in the day, and I wanted to be well slept for the strenuous run. I haven't been working up to this, apart from long days out walking and hadn't run as much as 3 miles continuously for several months. Although I'd be stopping regularly to take photos there were at least 15 miles ahead to get to St Abbs where I'd catch a bus back down to Berwick at 4.55pm. The only plan B was to run until I ran out of steam and then catch the coastal bus service back to Berwick.

sedge warbler

But with the sun shining and the birds singing, I was high as a kite and doubted there would be any problems. I regularly run this stretch of coast at this time of the year to see the Small Blue butterfly which doesn't appear in the Lothians. But can be found at various points along this coast. It is also a great excuse to reacquaint myself with this trail which is an excellent mix of dirt-path coastal scenery, wildlife and just enough in the way of towns and bus stops to keep me focussed, fuelled and happy.

stonechat

meadow pipit - they were everywhere all along the coast

reed bunting (m)

reed bunting (f)

I was very pleased when she turned to face
the same direction as the flowers

less obliging male

wall butterfly

This was the first wall of the run. Before we even left England. At this time of the year they litter the paths sitting on the warm dirt or as their name suggests sunbathing on a wall. They seem to hear your footsteps and fly off before you can get in close for a photo. So are a mix of really attractive and frustrating to deal with. I was expecting hundreds, but maybe only got dozens. Perhaps the recent rubbish weather contributing to lower numbers. Maybe they had the good sense to postpone emergence until the rains ceased. There was still a good turn out though.

there were also loads of stonechats
to keep me company

And some would come right over for a good look!
They were the boldest with meadow pipits next.

There is a caravan park at around 2.5 miles, just before the border at 3 miles. I took some photos of these decorative statues outside one caravan. I suppose people feel it gives them character. I enjoy it but I don't have to live next to it. I also enjoy the caravan park as it means the border is just the other side. I normally take a photo of the gate at check point charlie but didn't this year as there was a guy there with his little dog. As the dog started to approach me (in a friendly manner) he screamed such a shriek of disapproval at the dog that I was in recovery for several minutes before I returned to autopilot normal and realised I had missed the gate photo. I was too stunned by the yelp of the dog owner to even say something sarcastic like "lovely relaxing day?"

miles of delightful coastline - happy Mondays indeed!

fulmar

At this point I saw a small heath. I nearly didn't bother with it as they are a modest smallish butterfly and can be uncooperative about posing for pics. However I remembered it was possibly the first one of the year and I should record that. I saw a second one a hundred yards later. Neither posed nicely for pics but tried to make the shittest photo possible by flying away when I got near and then only sitting on grass never on flowers. I remembered they are very charming when fresh like this, but was distracted because I was almost into small blue territory.

Another distraction was this mallard and four chicks who seem to have nested on the footpath. When they saw me running up the footpath they raced into the nearest small shrub, hid for a while and then lost their courage at the last moment as I approached and ran harem scarem around as there is not many lines of escape. Normally I'd get the bread out and we'd all sit down for a photo session but the mum was so freaked out I just got past as quickly as possible and left them to calm down. The mother was going through a whole trailing-a-broken-wing-routine while leading me away from the ducklings. She did not have a broken wing. I edged around, got past and left them to it.

second small heath, also uncooperative

Finally I got to a place where there is kidney vetch and mixed rocks, flowers and small blue butterflies. I found a couple and was reminded how they are also super tricky to photograph as they like to sunbath deep down among the long grasses, although occasionally perch on leaves as well. My pal Iain lives down in the Borders and is always posting immaculate photos of perfect specimens of small blues which gives the impression they are delightful and easy to work with. Of course when you arrive you realise how much hard work he has put in to get those images as it is not a walk in the park.

I then had a clamber down the stepped levels of scree and turf that eventually lead down to the shoreline. About halfway down there is a shelf of grass, gorse, brambles and large boulders where the small blues hang out. They were slightly more helpful but I couldn't help but feel my photos were okay but nothing special. I took many photos but felt I should be doing better, leaving slightly unsatisfied.

On the way down the trail, very next section, there was a really nice wall. It was distracted, feeding on dandelions and not as flighty as many. I spent 15 minutes trying to get on the sunny side of it until eventually it flew off the dandelions and into the leaves at the edge of the path. I managed a couple of photos but they were not quite as good as the earlier shots I'd missed on dandelions. My thinking was I'd be bound to come across another in the next ten miles that would help nail it. There were plenty walls but these remained the best wall pics of the day.

Burnmouth was fast approaching and I had 2 choices. Follow the road along through top fields or drop down across a field, to the stepped descent to the houses on the shore. I did the latter. Although longer I would arrive at the bottom of Burnmouth Brae, a steep climb back up to the road, which often has an early NBA of Large Skipper, although it was a bit early as yet. But it's easy to be optimistic when the weather is so perfect.

Partanhall - a lovely row of cottages beneath the cliffs

The Brae was full of beautiful blooms and wildlfowers but no sign of any exotic butterflies. I tried to enjoy the arduous climb back up, and think of it as good training, rather than curse the gradient.

wall

GVW

small copper

GVW (with lurking shadow!)

After the Burnmouth Village Hall (and catching my breath) it was out onto the paths that go round field perimeters, heading North to Blaikie Heugh, the high point between Burnmouth and Eyemouth.

rock pipit

Blaikie Heugh high point

As I came over the fields from Burnmouth I passed a couple maybe a little younger than myself but moving less swiftly over the uneven ground. I said hello and they asked was this the right path to Eyemouth. We chatted briefly and the husband, seeing my camera, asked about what I was shooting. I mentioned butterflies then I went past them and ran up the hill to where I hoped the next gang of small blues were waiting.

Burnmouth

male stonechat - stood on fence about 5' away

I like to imagine the stonechats, when they come so close and peep and click away, are welcoming you to their patch. I suspect it may be less friendly and more of a you are trespassing here, f off! sort of communication. However it does make it easy to take their photos and they are so charming that I always enjoy their company.

linnets

the only small tort of the day

When I arrived at Blaikie Heugh I thought there wasn't a great show of butterflies. However they were keeping near to the ground as there was a bit of a breeze. Which meant they were tending to fly less and stay huddled on flowers. It is a precipitous shelf of grass and flowers with extremely high drop-offs on one long side, so care has to be taken. Also, the small blue specimens were fresher here than at Lamberton, and made for better photos. For the first time today I changed over from the long lens to the Macro. This means having to get down on the ground and carefully slide up to the butterflies until they are only an inch or 2 away from the lens. The result is a lot fly away, so the hit rate is diminished, but the shots that come off are often more involving and take you closer in to the butterfly. I enjoyed the process much more here although I spent half the time shouting out swear words as yet another flew off. Many fewer photos but I felt they were better and I enjoyed the challenge of having to slither up to a specimen, try to get the camera at a decent angle and make sure there wasn't grass and vegetation between the lens and subject. I spent 40minutes at it but it felt like 10.

a bench of meadow pipits

I do like the seapinks or thrift

herring gull

sparrow at Eyemouth

As you arrive in Eyemouth you have to negotiate the harbour which runs halfway up the road. Meaning I eyed up this table at the Contented Sole pub 5 mins before I got there. I was super thirsty as it was nearly 4 hrs since I'd got off the train. I had a reservoir in my backpack but had been trying to go easy on it as it was a hot day and I didn't want to run out.

At the far end of the harbour I passed the couple I'd spoken to outside Burnmouth, surprised they had arrived here ahead of myself. I didn't stop to speak but jogged past with a cheery hello. It made me realise I'd spent more time at Blaikie Heugh taking photos than I realised.

I arrived at the pub in a bit of a heat haze and ordered a pint of Belhaven Best and a pint of tap water and a cheese & ham toastie. The pint of water (with lots of ice) went straight into the backpack reservoir and the pint of Belhaven went straight into me. About 3 gulps and it was gone. As the toastie hadn't arrived I thought I'd take the glasses back in and maybe encourage them to get the toastie out. (I was in a hurry as I had a lot to get done before 5pm and it was now 2pm.) While back inside the pub I accidentally ordered a half pint of Staropramen to go with the toastie. Both were consumed with gusto. I was still carrying my sandwich but reckoned that would be appreciated on the train later.

best pint of the day

BTW that wasn't the last of the Burnmouth couple. As I travelled back to Berwick on the small local bus at the end of the day, they both got on the same bus at Eyemouth. I smiled and they sat next to me. They were keen to show me the husband had managed a butterfly photo on his mobile. Not the orange ones I had told them about (Walls) but a wood something. A speckled wood I said, and told them that was one photo I hadn't managed myself today. (The eternal one on the hedge at Burnmouth Hall must've been on his lunch break.) (I didn't try to explain any of that to my new pals.) Anyway they showed me the "speckled wood" photo that their mobile app had ID-ed and of course it was a Wall.

Had I a brain in my toasted head I would have have loudly admired it and let it go. But my capacities were substatially reduced by 7hrs of strong sun and I let them know it was a wall not a speckled wood. So now this self proclaimed butterfly expert had impuned their technology. Oh dear! However, very sportingly, he accepts my call and googles both speckled wood and wall butterflies, gets them both up on his mobile, compares the 2 and agrees the app got it wrong, the sweaty butterfly boy got it right. They were off a few stops later at Burnmouth, possibly where they'd parked their car. We all waved!

I was chuffed that that starling photo came out like that. I turned a corner and it was sat there looking at me. I love their glossy iridescence but I only had half a second to get the shot before it flew off. The previous bridge camera would have focussed on the fence or background but the G9 (with the long lens back on) nailed the focus perfectly. The animal eye detection is particularly effective with birds.

The path after Eyemouth is set back from cliffs above a shingly beach. As I climbed up there I began to look for Iain who was along this stretch checking for small blue colonies. I saw a distant character and thought yeah that'll be him. I took a couple of photos and thought it looked a bit like he might be texting. (Photo above.) Sure enough seconds later my mobile pinged that a text had arrived. I didn't bother to get it out but ran along to where Iain now recognised it was me.

We had a chat about what we'd seen and how marvelous the day was, both of us a bit overcooked in the sun and me, giddy with a pint and a half of beer skooshing about. It was very jolly and we both chatted away about the day's highlights while meadow pipits landed on tall grasses nearby.

Northern marsh orchid

Knowing I had a bus to catch I said bye and pushed on. The paths just get more and more pretty as you go along to Coldingham Bay where there are some impressive houses back from a lovely beach and rows of beach huts. I realised I could get to the bus stop for 4.55pm but that there wasn't sufficient time to get much into St Abbs NNR. It had been such a fab day out I didn't feel short changed, and just relaxed. It would have been nice to go another mile and see the small coppers on sea pinks but I have managed that on past trips and it usually results in a last minute dash back to the bus stop.

Instead I arrived at the bus stop half an hour early then went round the corner into the NNR but not more than a hundred yards. I didn't expect to see much but enjoyed someone's gang of racing pigeons circling and then landing in their back garden. They are often greatly underrated, pigeons, except by those who keep them.

And then bumped in a goldfinch and large white, both keen to pose for photos. It was the first stationary large white of the day. And then as I returned to the bus stop I saw something weird poking up from the churchyard garden. A dog perhaps? I whistled and coughed loudly and a head with antlers looked up lazily. It gave not a hoot and went back to eating. Luckily I didn't have the time to sneak into the church yard and test just how tame this roe buck was. I caught the bus which arrived in perfect time and listened to music for much of the half hour ride back to Berwick upon Tweed where I caught the train home. What a superb day out in perfect weather! Home by about 7pm for a well needed shower and a remarkable dinner!