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| late September at Ballachurry Reserve |
I live on a hill and on Tuesday we spent most of the day up in the fog . It wasn't really possible to see what the weather was doing elsewhere but at 1 o'clock I drove down to Ballachurry Reserve in the hope that there might be some sunshine. There wasn't! But at least it wasn't foggy and I saw some interesting wildlife. Here is my report:
Birds:
SC209694 ( hide) Blackbird; Robin heard not seen.
SC209694 ( elsewhere) Robin heard near path junction; Juvenile Blackbird at path Junction; Blackbird flying across track; Blackbird down on track; Blackbird alarm call heard near apple trees; juvenile Blackbird taking Rowan berries near dragonfly pond. Great Tit; Blue Tit; male Chaffinch and Goldcrest on Gorse Boundary; female Chaffinch; 5 x Long-tailed Tit.
SC208694 male Blackcap in brambles; 2 x Robin; Chiffchaff heard not seen; Wren; 11 x Goldfinch flying over; Blackbird flying over.
SC208695 Robin heard not seen; female Chaffinch.
SC209695 Robin heard not seen.
Butterflies & Moths:
SC208694 Red Admiral on blackberries.
SC209594 Speckled Wood.
SC209695 Speckled Wood.
SC209694 Rush Veneer Moth.
Other:
SC209694 6 x Pond Skaters.
SC209694 5 x Hawker Dragonfly species over main pond.
SC208694 Crested Coral Fungus under willows.
SC209694 various fungi throughout reserve.
SC208694 very small Rove beetle and Fruit flies ( Drosophila species perhaps?) on fungus.
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| female or juvenile Blackbird taking berries |
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| this one was moulting into new plumage |
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| this could be the same Blackbird |
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| distant view of male Blackcap |
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| a closer, cropped view - just an out of focus record shot |
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| male Chaffinch |
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| Goldcrest |
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| it was working its way through the gorse |
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| there seemed to be Robins calling everywhere |
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| Red Admirals love fruit |
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| Rush Veneer moth |
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| tiny Rove Beetle and Fruit Fly on fungus |
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| possibly Drosophila Fruit Fly on fungus |
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| Pond Skater |
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| two of six pond skaters seen |
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| Crested Coral Fungus |
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| they are very small and easily missed |
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| a different fungus nearby |
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| Inkcap fungus and a Hazelnut on the path |
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| there are lots of toadstools under the brambles..... |
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| and under the ivy |
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| two views of the path through the reeds |
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| path leading to the hide |
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| Ballachurry Bird Hide |
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| view from the ramp - hills in fog |
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| a little later the fog had lifted |
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| view through the shutters |
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| no wildfowl today |
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| the meadow will soon be cut, weather permitting |
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| looking back to the hide across the meadow |
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| I'm heading for the bridge |
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| and through "the Triumphal Arch"! |
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| from the bridge water is visible once more |
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| on both sides |
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| I strolled through the willows |
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| then back over the bridge |
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| view of the meadow from under the archway |
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| the reeds were cut back during last week's work party |
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| cut vegetation from the work party |
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| a start had been made on digging out silt |
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| sometimes the silt attracts Grey Wagtails |
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| but not today |
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| view from boardwalk - hills in fog |
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| leaving the boardwalk |
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| view from the private entrance |
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| inlet stream visible once more |
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| we should be able to watch birds bathing again |
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| blue sky on the gorse boundary ( lasted about 5 minutes) |
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| I'm heading for the dragonfly pond |
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| no dragonflies today though |
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| Ginnie's bench area, paths have been cut again |
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| just as I was leaving the sun came out! |
An interesting visit despite the lack of sunshine. Thanks to Liz Charter for the Crested Coral identification, Steve Crellin for the fungus insect identification and Ian Scott for the identification of the Rush Veneer moth.
please click on photos to enlarge them
And for the Year of Manx Language, Blein ny Gaelgey, 2026, here are some of the species seen today.
Birds Ushagyn:
Blackbird Lhon Doo; Robin Spittag; Great Tit Drean Mooar; Chiffchaff Beealerey;
Blue Tit Drean Gorrym; Chaffinch Ushag y Chloau; Goldcrest Ushag y Fuygh;
Long-tailed Tit Caillagh Veg Yn Arble; Wren Drean; Goldfinch Lossey ny Keylley;
Blackcap Bayrn Dhoo.
Butterflies Foilleycanyn:
Red Admiral Ard-marragh Jiarg ; Speckled Wood Breck ny Keylley.
