holly hunter pt 2

 

27-04-26 Big thanks to Derek for flagging up Newhailes as a potential spot for Holly Blues. I think he may have been dogwalking there; and had noticed around ten HBs in passing. I thought that sounded like twice as many as I'd seen in other hotspots this year and that a visit may be overdue. M and I had cycled along this way some years ago but I couldn't quite remember how you got into the estate grounds from the Brunstane Burn path so had a quick look at the map before setting off.

fence post peacock

I cycled via the coast which seemed like the most direct route. Just after Joppa you cross at the lights at the bottom of Milton Rd and join the end of the Brunstane Burn path for a couple of hundered yards before going through a wooden swing gate and into the estate. It was nearly ideal weather being sunny again and I was expecting the place to be swarming with butterflies, which it wasn't. There were loads of flowering lilac bushes (great fragrance) which you'd think might be heaving with butterflies. They weren't. 

Newhailes House
you can probably go right up and peer through the windows, but I didn't

detail of larger map at bottom of page
I arrived from the coast and left via Brunstane Burn path

However, I scanned every holly tree and ivy clump of which there were loads. Derek had mentioned the Northern boundary and he was spot on. Between the flowering lilac bushes were quite a number of holly trees and if you loitered, eventually a powder blue topped silvery fluttering thing would exit one and flap its zigzag way along the hollies and ivies and disappear into another. If you were very lucky it would land on foliage for a breather and a photo opportunity. Less lucky and it would disappear behind a thicket of hollivy never to be seen again. 

It was not an easy game to play. However, given that Colin R tried his luck sometime later and got in the region of zero photos of HBs I think I can consider today a great success. Difficult to say how many of the wee blue bastards were there. Because quite some time would pass before another male popped out and did his stuff. Was he the same as the one I'd already seen? Who knows! You couldn't see them at rest (sitting high in a holly tree well out of sight) and keep tabs on repeat offenders and they refused to give even names and serial numbers, so there could have been as few as 5 the whole day playing on repeat or there could have been 15 taking turns at winding up the photographer.

I eventually sent a conservative guesstimate of 8 in total to the area recorder; 6 males and 2 females. The females were dead certs as one was involved in a coupling and the other was sat with wings open (showing dark edges) while I tried to keep my hands steady and get a decent photo. The rest were all boys hunting for females, flying up and down the line of bushes in a tireless yet tiresome manner.

a fab male specimen posing very nicely
this was not the norm!

I padlocked my bike as I walked several hundred yards away
the area was mixed with mostly (pleasant) dogwalkers and just the occasional weirdo

Luckily it was a lovely day for it and I was really enjoying the venue, despite the taunting behaviour of the prime suspects. I'd say a jolly hello to passing dogwalkers, a few of whom stopped to enquire what I was there to photo. It was a very pleasant task and the occasional successful sighting or photo kept me from getting on the bike and riding off to look elsewhere. This seemed the best spot given the direction of the sun and number of suitable bushes. It became evident early on that despite the blooming lilac bushes looking like they would be prime candidates for butterfly attraction, they were pretty much ignored by all the orange tips, speckleds and peacocks as they fluttered past.

carder bumblebee?

Perhaps the best section of the area was to the right of some lilac bushes where an ancient 7' wall was covered with a mass of ivy. Holly tree next door. I was delighted to see a mating pair of holly blues on my side of the ivy and I moved in to get photos. There was a wire fence between them and myself but I was able to lean in quite close and got a couple of photos before they moved. They seemed to be having some trouble on the slippy glossy leaves and I don't think it was just my presence that chased them up onto the top of the ivy. Inconveniently out of reach of easy photos. I cursed them but could see where they were sat and noticed that more than 90mins later they were still locked in combat. 

now that is not helpful!

Now this one didn't sing. Which was the only way I'd be able to tell a chiffchaff from a willow warbler. Obsidentify says willow warbler so I will take its word for that. It was paying close attention to me and having a right nosey. Which I was glad of as I was able to get these pics.

hunting male checking out the mating couple

the only other confirmed female sighting of the day

darker forewing edges = female

note nearly hidden hb below the flying male

When I saw this female mooching around checking out places for egg-laying I followed her about from a distance and only moved in for photos when she landed. She kept fairly low, while many of the males would hunt at mid-height and higher. 

This (above) was the only static small tort of the day. It was flying about near where I was standing and occasionally landed close to me. Being a shit place for a photo (on the dirt trail) I just took a few burst shots assuming one would catch the butterfly with open wings - it was opening and shutting them rapid fire. I didn't even bother to chimp; confident that the quick fire shots would coincide with the wings flat on the ground. Apparently not the case.

bottle

Arthur's Seat as a backdrop

plenty speckleds about

dunnock

small white
lots of whites breezing about the place

one or two commas to be found too

this one a cracker

I didn't go any closer to the big house than this

the Northern boundary - 2nd best section - plenty holly trees

best section with ivy covered wall right of lilac bushes

This robin was a real charmer. (Highlight of the day!) I put some seeds out for him but he wasn't really interested. However he was definitely interested in my presence and tried out my bike. I think he fancied a shot on it. I had laid it up against a wall to check out some ivy of which he was clearly the resident gatekeeper. He jumped onto my handlebars a couple of times and posed for photos happily, holding still while I approached and did his close-ups, unfazed by me being just a metre or 2 away. It was delightful. Not sure if someone chats to him daily but he was very tame.

and back onto the handlebars

I checked out these other lilac bushes halfway across the fields,
but they were poorly attended as well

a shy male holly blue

and a second appearance from the chiff-warbler
this time obsidentify says chiffchaff 100%
so maybe a different bird?

the mating pair still going at it 90mins later

a male with an identifying notch

blue tit shouting

The tattered birdstrike remains of this peacock might suggest the reason butterflies aren't inhabiting the lilac bushes. It could be the light coloured flowers outline the butterflies and make them an obvious target for predatory birds? Just a thought. I have seen butterflies elsewhere enjoying the pollen of lilac bushes. Large whites in particular.

OT female

great tit

Just as I left the Newhailes estate I came across this lovely orange comma
who was a bit flighty but I got a couple of pics between circuits.

I cycled home up the Brunstane Burn which is the lower red line on the map below. It doesn't look it but is quite a bit longer. On the upside it is mostly on cyclepaths albeit there are dodgy sections through the Brunstane ~ Bingham areas which encourage one to up the pace and speed through. We used to do evening runs with the Porty crew here and it always kept us on our toes!

map of Dumbo holding a feather?
just under 14 miles cycled (and walked) in 3hrs44m