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A tranquil scene? In fact it was blowing a north westerly gale! |
Another Tuesday visit to the Reserve but in the afternoon this time. I saw very few birds, which I put down to the very strong north-westerly wind. My sun hat blew off twice between the entrance gate and the noticeboard so I returned it to the car! In fact, I regretted not taking a fleece with me as, except in sheltered spots, it was quite chilly! Here is what I recorded:
Birds:
SC209693 male Blackbird flew up from track.
SC208694 2 x Warbler species briefly in tree but I didn't see enough of them for identification; 2 Greenfinches flew out of another tree; Chaffinch; Blue Tit x 2 ( 1 juvenile); Wren in undergrowth.
SC208695 ( feeders) 2 x Blue Tit; 2 x Great Tit; female Chaffinch.
SC208695 ( elsewhere) Great Tit in tree.
SC209694 ( hide) Moorhen ( juvenile?)
SC209694 ( elsewhere) Willow Warbler contact call heard from Sycamore tree on gorse boundary and also from near path junction.
Butterflies and Moths:
SC209694 Speckled Wood x 6; Green Veined White x 3; Small White; Meadow Brown x 2; Common Blue; Small Copper.
SC208694 Red Admiral; Painted Lady; Speckled Wood x 2; Meadow Brown.
SC208695 Speckled Wood x 3; Red Admiral.
SC209695 Large White; Peacock; Speckled Wood.
SC209694 Silver Y Moth; Udea lutealis Moth. Unidentified moth in hide.
Other:
SC209694 Blue-tailed damselfly.
SC208694 unidentified blue Hawker species hunting flies over the meadow
SC208695 nymph of Green Shieldbug.
SC210694 Burdock Gall Fly ( Tephritis bardanae) mating pair on Burdock.
SC210694 Nursery Web Spider on nettle nursery web.
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| possibly the juvenile Moorhen developing adult plumage |
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| Speckled Wood |
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| another Speckled Wood in the Willow Copse |
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| Red Admiral |
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| Peacock Butterfly |
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| recently voted Britain's favourite butterfly |
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| it was enjoying the bramble nectar |
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| Painted Lady |
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| Large White |
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| Small Copper |
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| Small Coppers love Cushag ( Ragwort) |
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| Common Blue |
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| it was near Ginnie's Bench |
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| Pale Straw Pearl (Udea Lutealis) moth |
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| unidentified moth in hide |
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| Blue-tailed Damselfly |
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| Can you see the spider the other side of her gauzy web? |
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| Nursery Web Spider ( Pisaura mirabilis) guarding her progeny |
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| Nymph of Common Green Shieldbug, I think |
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| Ripening berries on Rowan tree |
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| my sun hat blew off twice just here! |
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| more "the Meadowsweet Bend" these days |
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| but the reeds have crossed the path to the other side |
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| still green despite the drought |
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| the shady path junction |
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| Ballachurry Bird Hide |
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| the view from the ramp |
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| usual photos through the shutters |
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| looking back across the meadow to the hide |
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| meadow flowers |
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| the path from the hide through the meadow |
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| the Purple Loosestrife is looking pretty |
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| a shady route through the Willow Copse |
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| barely a trickle of water in the stream |
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| heading for the boardwalk |
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| bordered by Meadowsweet still |
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| usual view from the boardwalk |
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| more Purple Loosestrife |
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| the meadow from the boardwalk |
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| the open area in front of the Bowman Memorial Bench |
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| the Gorse Boundary is the Bracken Boundary in summer |
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| entrance to the Dragonfly Pond |
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| a bit too windy for dragonflies today |
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| I only briefly saw the Blue-tailed Damsel on the stone |
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| a large expanse of liner is visible |
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| caused by evaporation in the hot weather and lack of rain |
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| someone had been pond dipping |
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| the alien Parrot Feather weed has crept back |
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| a new bird feeder near the entrance! |
An enjoyable afternoon at the Reserve despite the windy conditions. The
day definitely belonged to the butterflies on this occasion.
please click on photos to enlarge them
And finally, for the Year of Man Language, Blein ny Gaelgey 2026 here is what was seen this afternoon:
Birds Ushagyn:
Blackbird Lhon Doo; Warbler species Kiaulleyder; Greenfinch Corkan Keylley Glass;
Chaffinch Ushag y Chloau; Blue
Tit Drean Gorrym ; Wren Drean
Great Tit Drean Mooar; Moorhen Kiark Ushtey; Willow Warbler Drean Vane
Butterflies and Moths: Foillycanyn as Lhemeenyn
Speckled Wood Breck ny Keylley; Green Veined White Baneag Gheayney; Small White Baneag Veg; Meadow Brown Donnag yn Aiyr; Common Blue Gorryag Chadjin; Small Copper Cobbyrag Veg.
Red Admiral Ard-Marragh Jiarg; Painted Lady Foillycan y Onnane.
Large White Baneag Vooar; Peacock Peacag.
Silver Y Moth Lhemeen Argidoil Y; Udea lutealis Moth Manx unknown.
