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| spring at Ballachurry Reserve |
Another Tuesday morning visit to the Reserve. A cloudless blue sky but only 7 degrees when I arrived because of the very strong south easterly wind. It blew the cobwebs away! I wondered if I would see the Water Rail again but this week's treat was different - as I photographed the Moorhen a Snipe walked into the picture ! I had lovely views of it for about 10 minutes. Here is my report:Birds:
SC209694 ( hide) Moorhen; Snipe; Robin; Mallard drake; Pheasant heard not seen; female Blackbird; Magpie; Goldfinch heard not seen; Pheasant heard not seen.
SC209694 ( elsewhere) 2 x Magpie; Chaffinch; Blackbird on track of gorse boundary; male and female Blackbirds together at path junction; Blackbird near dragonfly pond;male Pheasant "proclaiming" under apple trees; 2 x Jackdaw flying over; 2 x Robin; Great Tit flying over; 2 x Goldfinch; 3 x Woodpigeon in boundary trees; Wren.
SC209693 Mallard flying over; Great Tit flying over; Chaffinch; Robin heard not seen.
SC208694 Chiffchaff with food or nesting material in beak; Magpie; male Chaffinch; Woodpigeon heard not seen; Buzzard flew out of firs; 2 x Woodpigeon flying over; 4 x Goldfinch flying over; Blackbird flying over; 2 x Blue Tit together in willows; 2 x Jackdaw flying over.
SC208695 ( on or under feeders) 6 x Goldfinch; 2 x Blue Tit; male Blackbird; Dunnock; 2 x Chaffinch; 2 x Robin together; Wren; 2 x Long-tailed Tit ( both ringed) 3 x Great Tit.
SC208695 ( elsewhere) c. 30 Redwings flying over; Robin; Blackbird.
SC209695 Blue Tit investigating hole in tree ; male Chaffinch; c. 30 Woodpigeon in adjacent field.
Other:
SC209695 7-spot Ladybird.
SC209695 Green Shield Shieldbug.
SC209694 Small Tortoiseshell butterfly flying.
SC209694 ( dragonfly pond) Tadpoles have now dispersed; 1 very small pond snail seen.
SC208694 Bumble Bee in damp meadow.
SC208694 Eristalis species Hoverfly.
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| Blackbird |
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| this Blue Tit investigated a nest hole in the tree |
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it was a long time before it came out again!
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| Long-Tailed Tit |
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| Long-tailed Tits on the feeder |
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| both of these birds were ringed |
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| close up of one of them |
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| Blue Tit |
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| Great Tits |
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| Goldfinch |
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| female Chaffinch |
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| Magpie |
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| Robin in full voice |
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| Robin foraging among the reeds |
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| Mallard drake |
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| A Moorhen emerged from the reeds |
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| Moorhen at the back of the pond |
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| quickly joined by a Snipe |
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| Snipe |
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| Snipe feeding |
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| 7-spot Ladybird |
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| Bumble Bee in the meadow |
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| Eristalis species Hoverfly |
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| Green Shieldbug |
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| Longtail beneath the feeders |
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| tadpoles |
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| Marsh Marigolds in the meadow, not yet in flower |
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| Spring colours - gorse, blackthorn and cloudless blue sky |
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| usual view of the hide |
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| view from the hide ramp |
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| looking through the shutters |
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| very little water in the pond |
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| the meadow on a sunny day |
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| another view of the meadow |
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| looking towards the boardwalk |
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| Hemlock Water Dropwort coming back along the stream |
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| looking back along the boardwalk |
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| usual view from the boardwalk |
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| usual view of the stream from the boardwalk |
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| a sheltered corner |
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| the ash walk still looking wintry despite the sunshine |
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| emerging from the old beehive loop |
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blackthorn and birches
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| looking over the gorse boundary |
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| dragonfly pond |
The water in the pond was very muddy and disturbed. The grass round the pond was also flattened as if by many feet. I wondered if a pond dipping event had been held there recently or perhaps just some pond maintenance.
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| the gorse boundary in full flower |
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| the reed bed - usual view |
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| and the "reedy bend" |
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| view from the bridge |
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| and looking in the other direction |
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| this used to be "the deep, dark wood" until recent storms! |
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| back at the entrance |
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| time to go home - reluctantly! |
Unfortunately, some people have taken to dumping their garden rubbish just inside the gate at Ballachurry Reserve. On this occasion it was a houseplant - a Poinsettia from Christmas. Why this could not be sent to the nearby Civic Amenity Site or even disposed of in household compost/waste, I can't think. I removed it and found that despite having spent a few frosty nights outdoors and being completely dried out it appeared to be still alive. I couldn't resist the challenge! I have cut it back, re-potted and re-hydrated it. We shall see if it revives!
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| discarded Poinsettia |
Rather than finish on this rather annoying note of what was essentially fly tipping, here is a short video of the snipe feeding in the main pond.
Another enjoyable visit!
Please click on photos to enlarge them
