Butterflies have been fluttering over Cromarty for the past fortnight, particularly when bright sunshine broke through the rain over the weekend. Our white buddleia was covered with dozens yesterday — mostly Painted Ladies and Peacock butterflies as seen here, but also Red Admiral and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies. After welcoming this sign of late summer, today I saw swallows lined up along electricity lines near the Reed Path. Autumn can't be far behind.