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| 1st. September, Ballachurry Reserve. |
It was quite a cloudy day on Tuesday with only sporadic sunshine. At first I only saw Speckled Wood butterflies, a little hardier than the rest perhaps? But then towards lunchtime the temperature went up a little and I began to see a few more species. Similarly, there were not many birds about and I began to think I would have no photos with which to illustrate the Blog, but eventually two or three did show themselves and save the day. Here is what I recorded on this first day of September:
Birds:
SC210694 2 x Woodpigeon flew up from concrete bridge
SC208694 2 x Goldfinch flew over and landed together in tree; Great Tit flying over; Warbler species in apple tree; Chaffinch and Wren both heard but not seen in the willow copse; Blackbird by boardwalk.
SC209694 ( hide) Chaffinch; Blue Tit; Sedge Warbler; probable juvenile Water Rail glimpsed briefly; unidentified orange bird seen low in reeds , possibly drinking male Crossbill?
SC209694 ( elsewhere) Robin heard not seen; male Blackbird;
Butterflies and Moths:
SC209693 Small White
SC208694 Red Admiral
SC209694 Small White
SC209694 Small Copper
SC209694 Red Admiral
SC209694 Common Blue
SC209695 Speckled Wood x 10 flying together and settling on bench
SC208694 Speckled Wood x 7
SC209694 Speckled Wood x 9
S210694 Speckled Wood
SC209694 Rush Veneer Moth
SC209694 Unidentified Moth ( possibly Acleris comariana, Strawberry Tortrix ) caught in Spider's Web but escaped before Spider reached it.
Other:
SC209693 / SC209694/ SC208694 Pleated Ink Cap fungi
SC209693 Wrinkled Fieldcap Fungi
SC208694 unidentified Fungi
SC209693 Water Forget-me-nots bordering path
SC208694 Marsh Cudweed
SC209694 Pond Skaters x 4
SC209694 Common Darter
SC208694 Common Wasp on wooden handrail
SC209694 Unidentified spider ( almost caught Moth in web)
SC209695 Hawthorn Shieldbug and nymph
SC209694 Green Shieldbug nymph
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| juvenile Blackbird |
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| Blue Tit |
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| Sedge Warbler |
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| Cushag ( Ragwort) attracting Bees and Butterflies |
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| Small Copper |
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| old bench repurposed as Butterfly haven! |
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| Speckled Woods flew up as I approached |
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| and frequently returned |
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| they were also in the trees above the bench |
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| and in the grass near it |
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| I counted 10 at this location often flying together! |
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| this one was near the entrance though |
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| and this one on the bridge handrail |
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| Red Admiral |
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| Common Blue |
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| Aspen leaf reduced to a filigree, probably by caterpillars |
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| Rush Veneer |
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| Possibly Strawberry Tortrix moth the one that got away..... |
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| leaving a hungry spider |
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| Pond Skater at the dragonfly pool |
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| Common Darter at the dragonfly pool |
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| unidentified Hawker at main pool |
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| Hawthorn Shieldbug |
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| It was just above a Speckled Wood |
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| there was also a Hawthorn Shieldbug nymph |
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| they like Rowan as well as well as Hawthorn berries |
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| this nymph will become a Green Shieldbug |
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| Hoverfly on Cushag ( Ragwort) |
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| just the one plant was attracting many insects |
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| Angelica flower with Crane Fly |
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| Green Lacewing |
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| Marmalade Hoverfly |
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| an Eristalis species of Hoverfly , I think |
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| Small Snail on the gorse boundary |
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| blotches rather than bands |
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| Common Wasp |
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| Pleated inkcaps look like this initially |
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| then develop into these |
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| before liquifying into black "ink" |
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| Tar Spot Fungus on Sycamores |
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| new fungus under the Willows |
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| I will try to get it identified |
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| Wrinkled Fieldcaps (with thanks to Sue Moon for ID) |
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| Field mice continue to enjoy the Hazel nuts |
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| acorns now developing |
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| Angelica in full flower |
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| I'm surprised that these Ox-eye Daisies have never spread |
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| Forget-me-nots beside the path |
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| Marsh Cudweed |
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| Sycamore seeds are starting to fall |
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| Greater Birds' Foot Trefoil in the meadow |
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| a timely reminder that everything on the reserve was planted for the wildlife |
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| the path now goes through the reeds rather than skirting them |
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| glade at the path junction |
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| the path junction |
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| the hide awaiting some renovations |
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| the usual view from the hide ramp - no blue sky today |
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| usual views through the shutters |
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| no water fowl seen today |
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| most of the Loosestrife has now finished flowering |
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| an autumn feel to the meadow |
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| looking back across the meadow towards the hide |
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| I crossed the bridge |
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| the path through the willows |
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| to a glade near the pond |
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| mixed woodland |
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| only a trickle of water under the bridge....... |
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| as I crossed back to the meadow |
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| cloudy view from the boardwalk |
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| the Loosestrife is almost over here too |
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| looking back the way I have come |
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| the ash walk |
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| setting off along the gorse boundary |
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| I called in at the dragonfly pond |
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| then back along the direct path to the hide before heading for home |
An enjoyable morning at the reserve but with an Autumn feel already. With thanks to Ian Scott ( Moths) and Sue Moon (Fungus)for help with identifications.
please click on photos to enlarge them
You may have noticed that I am rather late posting this account of my visit. I was almost at the point of pressing the PUBLISH button when I glanced up at the screen and was horrified to see the entire post had disappeared apart from the Title! No amount of Ctrl Z-ing, going through History, or checking the recycle bin would bring it back! Nothing for it but to start all over again!
And finally for the Year of Manx Language, Blein ny Gaelgey, 2026, here are some of the species seen this morning:
Birds:
Woodpigeon Calmane Keylley; Goldfinch Lossey ny Keylley; Blackbird Lhon Doo;
Great Tit Drean Mooar; Chaffinch Ushag y Chloau; Wren Drean; Robin Spittag;
Blue Tit Drean Gorrym; Sedge Warbler Kiaulleyder Cliogagh; Water Rail Drean Ushtey.
Butterflies Foillycanyn:
Small White Baneag veg; Red Admiral Ard-marragh Jiarg ; Small Copper Cobbyrag Veg
Common Blue Gorrymag Chadjin; Speckled Wood Breck ny Keylley.
