a fork on the tyne

21-03-26  Another really enjoyable day out and while I didn't see everything I'd hoped for, I saw and photographed lots and came home feeling rich! The River Tyne from Haddington to Dunbar is often one of those places I visit around now as it has a few corners that I associated with early Spring butterflies. I will probably return fairly soon hoping for orange tips. Far too early for them today - I was still on the hunt for the fourth over-winterer, the red admiral. And if not them, then some of the other three species on blackthorn or cherry plum blossom. Other than that if the sun was shining and I was taking photos and getting a few miles in, then I was happy as a pig in shit!

station peacock 30secs off the train

I got off the 10.08am train from Edinburgh in East Linton. The newish station is possibly the bleakest place in East Linton and not much more than a few steps down off a hastily improvised platform next to the playing fields. This was greatly improved by the sight of a peacock butterfly crossing the stairs as I descended them. I raised the camera and recorded the peacock when it landed on grass next to the platform. An auspicious start and good omen. The sun was out and it wasn't even 10.30am! I could feel my pulse racing which is likely attributable to the station coffee, the first in months. 

local house sparrow

flowering currant

I took a slightly circuitous route to the riverside path along past Preston Mill. Going up the side of the orchard and along a narrow lane behind the houses. A few insects but no butterflies. On popping out back onto the main road a car pulled in and George (Dod) M got out. He was on his way back from a storming parkrun and we had a roadside blether catch-up. Unfortunately his day was planned out and didn't leave room for a leisurely wander alongside the Tyne looking for wildlife. He had been thinking about Mary and I when he drove past the wobbly roadside convex mirror we always take selfies in...

back into shorts

The plan was to walk about a mile out of town (downstream) to a bend in the river (point A on map at bottom of this page) where there are a load of riverside willow catkins. At this time of year the catkins provide pollen for the butterflies and bees. As I was getting there I bumped into several butterflies including a small tort in great condition. I took quite a few photos but it wasn't going to move far from the grassy floor so I moved onto a comma that was up on those yellow polleny fingers moving about the canes of what I think is goat willow. 

cracking small tort!

magical fresh comma

Great to see a comma in such good shape. It will have spent the Winter in a garden shed or in a cavity in a tree, emerging when the temperature reaches double figures and it judges things warm enough to go get some food. I took way too many photos and video and then some more. I then checked a further 200 yards downstream to make sure there weren't any outliers just beyond the clumps of willow. I had originally planned to walk another mile downstream then return to East Linton, have lunch and do the same at a similar spot 2miles upstream. However having found the three species I was looking for here in less than half an hour, and no sign of RAs, I changed plan and returned early to EL, bought a sandwich at the Coop (no Pastel de Nata sadly) and headed upstream, giving myself more time to explore likely areas on the riverside trails.

did I mention there were several peacocks on the willows as well?

East Linton from downstream

On the way back into the small town I saw this wagtail and took a photo or 2 as it was constantly moving and you can never really tell if sharp or not. When I saw the pics at home I was annoyed I had not noticed there were two birds there. And they weren't pied wagtails as I assumed but White Wagtails if obsidentify is right. I felt like I had missed a chance, or at least failed to recognise a species I'd never knowingly captured before. In my defence I had to lean over some jaggy shrubs and aim the camera down into the river. But yes I botched it. Too busy thinking about the best places upstream to photograph some butterflies that weren't there!

sorry I chopped the head off the one in the corner!

Preston Mill

peacock on way back into town

As I was on my way to the Coop to buy lunch this peloton swooshed down and past me. I took a few photos. And then as it went past Mark K shouted out hello. I hadn't seen he was leading the cyclists but was glad I was able to send him some photos later that evening. He reported it was a great bike ride and I imagine the improvements on the previous Wintry cycles round EL would be noticeable.

most exotic bird species photo-ed today!
seen on outskirts of town

The budgies drew my attention to this rook which was sitting on the fence of the budgie's house. A second species I have never knowingly photo-ed. Instantly recogniseable from the white bill near the head, which has a gorilla-like shaped bump on top. It then proceeded to step awkwardly along the fence making some interesting shapes before flying off. I was pleased to get 2 new species. 

that fibreglass hare at the first / last house on the riverside walk

just delightful with much promise of butterflies

I would stop and examine every large willow with blossoming catkins. Most did not have attendant butterflies, the occasional one did. The one below did and I was able to position myself in such a way to get blurred out bokeh balls from the passing river behind. The video is perhaps more successful than the still shots.

riverside peacock
soundtrack: Sarah by Kusanagi

ground ivy

great tit

I also checked all blossoming trees and canes for butterflies. I hoped to get some shots like the above, of butterflies on cherry or blackthorn blossom. This was as close as I got and most of the image was in shade rather than sunlight so it took a bit a work in post to get it lighter and brighter. There were a couple more shots of distant commas and peacocks on blossoming flowers but I didn't really feel I did justice to the concept. There's still time although every cloudy day makes it less likely.

cherry plum

blue tit

gray wagtail

I find that many rural birds are far more flighty than their urban cousins. Possibly because in town the birds get used to the proximity of humans and largely ignore them and live alongside. They aren't keen on touching or stroking but will let you get close enough for a photo. In the countryside they are possibly less used to passing traffic and will keep their distance from those odd 2-legged potential predators.

I saw 2 toads in a medium sized puddle. One heard my footfall and ducked into the bottom mud. The other hung about the surface while I tip-toed around taking photos. I had to be quick as three women were coming down the trail towards me. I would be returning this way and have a second chance now I knew they were here.

turkeytail fungus

chiffchaffchiffchaff

if only this blackthorn(?) was in blossom
I'd have my b-on-b photo!

Pulmonaria officinalis - lungwort

carder bumblebee

chaffinch

rather worn small tortoiseshell

I have a fair bit of history with this riverside trail and the Traprain Hill Race which is more of a trail race with a climb over Traprain Law at the far end before returning to East Linton playing fields. Distant memories of when I used to love that endeavour. I've done it several times. Carnethy organised and coinciding with East Linton festival day in June.

Traprain Law Hill Race in 2019 - at the river crossing
ahhh happy memories! (Photo Mary, I think.)

It involves a dash up the riverside trails then THROUGH the river which always proved interesting, as was the ascent up the steep side of Traprain Law beside the quarry. Happy days! Last time I did this was in 2019 and remarkably I came 3rd overall which is almost unheard of in a hill race. (Too fat to climb fast.) However if you read the small print here you get the full story of how the first five runners were sent in the wrong direction after Trap Law, which moved me up from 7th to briefly holding first place, before a couple of the original front 5 overtook me and I finished in third. I should probably quit while ahead. I'll never get anywhere near that podium again

lunch

Now see that fudge brownie - I am not to blame for that! It happens regularly: you buy a sandwich and a bottle of water and the person behind the counter says if take a packet of crisps or a chocolate bar you get a meal deal discount which will cost you about 70p less than just your sandwich and water. So the coop paid me 70p to take that chocolate brownie. Which is not to say I didn't enjoy it enormously. (Although sadly no Portuguese Custard Tarts which would have been first choice.)

I wandered upstream as far as Hailes Castle and a bit beyond. I was considering walking to Haddington another few miles and then catching a bus back to Edinburgh from there. However I was also thinking the best parts of the river for butterflies were downstream. And I'd get a second chance on the return journey. I was also thinking it was taking much less time than I had anticipated (maybe that coffee making me go faster!) and unless I came across some really involving wildlife I'd get back to the train station way ahead of schedule.

I had lunch at point B on the map at the bottom. There is a bench where I've tethered Mary before saying just another 10mins to search for orange tips and then we'll go back. It was like that today with a couple of commas and peacocks high up the steep banking behind the bench. I could get poor distant shots but if I wanted anything closer I'd have to take a risky gradient under and over branches and up through the thorns. I thought I'll eat my lunch and then contemplate the options: risky ascent to get the prize photo, or walk away with all my blood still in my body and no gashes or broken camera parts.

Normally I wouldn't walk away from a challenge like that but today sense prevailed and the steep hill of blackthorns remained unclimbed. Not worth an accident just for a comma or peacock on blossom photo. Maybe I'm getting old? 

On the way back down the river the toad puddle
had only one occupant visible and it was now submerged

LTT

cormorant
(v timid and flew off)

Perhaps the best peacock of the day. But would it sit on
something flowery to have its photo taken. It would not!

bees on catkins

another superb small tort

It was very difficult to count all the butterflies seen today. Even though it was only 3 species which makes things easier. I send the figures into Nick the area recorder and had to guestimate numbers as I probably saw many of the same individuals going upstream as coming down. So I conservatively reckoned over 6miles of riverside I saw 18 peacocks, 7 commas and 5 small torts. It felt like a great day out - when the sun is shining and there are insects, birds and flowers to photograph you can't complain? For once I didn't, even though I was hoping for something exotic like an early white or of course an RA. 

deep joy!

another scaredy gray wagtail

that hare again

When I got back into EL I was heading towards a 35min wait at the station for the 25minute trainride back to Edinburgh. I noticed there were 2 people at the bus stop and wondered if that meant an Edinburgh bus was due. I asked the young dude and he said there was one along in 5 minutes. I was trying to calculate the time the bus takes vs the combined wait for the train plus 25mins travelling, minus the 5 minutes closer the bus stop to home than the distance from Waverley. Fuck it, let's get the bus and I can look at the 800 photos on the journey to pass the time. I think on reflection it was a close thing with just a minute or 2 advantage getting the bus (and of course no further expense as I have my Saltire Card). Even calling in for shopping on the way home I was having a cup of tea in front of my photos on the monitor well before 4pm. What could be better?!

6miles in 3hrs45