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| still a few autumn leaves at Ballachurry Reserve |
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Sunny intervals and scattered showers" didn't sound too bad for this week's visit to Ballachurry Reserve. I've sat out showers in the bird hide before and there was some blue sky on the horizon when I set out, arriving at my usual 9 a.m. The North West wind was very chilly though, and after one circuit I went back to my car to collect an extra fleece and some gloves! Just as I arrived back at the hide it started to rain - a short sharp shower - but I could soon set out again. The next squally shower arrived at 11.10 but this time was still going strong an hour later! With no sign of it stopping I headed back to my car to go home. Fortunately, each time it started to rain a female Teal swam out from behind the reeds so that was quite a treat. She (or another perhaps?) also treated me to a fly past. She flew the whole length of the pond from left to right at eye level before turning back towards the road and away over towards the ponds at Ballakilley. Here is my report of the visit: Birds:
SC209694 ( from hide) female Teal; Long-tailed Tit x 6; Wren; Robin; female Chaffinch; Blue Tit; male & female Blackbirds seen separately; Magpie flying across; Chiffchaff "weeep" call heard but not seen.
SC209694 ( elsewhere) Robin; Long-tailed Tit heard but not seen; 2 x Blackbird flew up from fallen apples; Chaffinch heard not seen.
SC209695 Wren; Goldcrest heard not seen; small Flock of Goldfinches flying over.
Fungi:
SC208694 Pleated Inkcap x 12 along path; various unidentified fungi among ivy and leaf litter under willows; solitary large red-brown fungus on edge of meadow.
SC209694 Pleated Inkcaps x 5 along path and more in front of hide
SC209693 numerous Pleated Inkcaps along path, various stages.
SC208695 various unidentified fungi under the trees.
Flowers providing late nectar:
SC210694, SC209694, SC208694 Ivy
SC208694 Herb Robert; Red Campion ; Hogweed
SC208694 & SC209694 Creeping Thistle
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| Robin dodging the showers like me |
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| female Teal |
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| beautiful turquoise-green flash showing |
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| she was feeding |
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| close -up of Teal during rain shower |
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| a large red-brown toadstool near the meadow |
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| the Pestle Puffballs are long lasting |
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| unidentified fungi under oak tree |
and a few more of the many fungi on the reserve
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| early stage of Pleated Inkcaps..... |
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| which mature to look like this |
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| then go over looking like this |
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| toadstool and Red Campion growing together |
Still a few flowers on the Reserve:
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| Fuchsia |
I believe the Fuchsia was planted for the bees when there were beehives on the Reserve
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| Herb Robert under the trees |
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| late ( or is it early?) Hogweed in flower |
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| Creeping Thistle |
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| Ivy is very important for wildlife - nectar, berries and nest sites | |
And now the usual "fixed point" photos to show the weather, season and how the reserve changes over the years:
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| entrance |
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| the "reedy bend" |
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| weekly shot of the hide |
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| the new glade |
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| new glade seen from the other side |
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| view from the ramp |
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| through the shutters |
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| looking straight ahead |
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| and off to the right |
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| reeds tossed about in the squall |
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| sheets of heavy rain |
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| less water in the stream this week |
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| a hint of sun in the meadow |
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| usual meadow view |
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| a branch has broken near the compost heap |
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| water flowing through the reed bed |
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| usual view of reed bed from near the bridge |
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| looking along the willow path |
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| stormy light near the board walk |
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| looking back along the board walk |
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| looking back from the boardwalk towards the hide |
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| usual view from the boardwalk |
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| no Jack Snipe this week! |
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| all the Hawthorn berries have been eaten |
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| this is what the bush looked like on 11th September! |
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| the dragonfly pool |
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| and from the other direction |
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| autumn colours along the gorse boundary |
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| no bathing birds today |
And finally a short video to give you a flavour of the weather!
This was my last October visit so I wonder what November will bring?
please click on photos to enlarge them
