JUNE 2015
3rd June
2015
I was at
Ballachurry today but only looking at wildlife for a short time as I had
taken down some wild flower plants and was busy planting them for most of
my visit. Hemp Agrimony, a large, pretty pink perennial which
attracts many insects later in the season, including butterflies, grows well in
damp places. Jack-by -the -Hedge / Garlic Mustard is one of the food plants for
Orange tip and Green veined White
butterflies. It likes a wall or hedge at its back so I have put it in suitable
places including against the hide. Hopefully it will seed around the Reserve,
although it may struggle against the vigourous grass. I discussed
both species with Andree Dubbeldam
( Wildflowers of Man Project Manager) before planting them to make sure they
are appropriate.The butterflies clearly thought they were! As I stood with a
pot of Jack-by-the-Hedge in my hand a female Orange Tip appeared from nowhere
and fluttered round the pot! It obviously decided the seedling plants were not
ready yet and settled on its other food plant, the Ladysmock instead!
What a good omen! It's always hard to see female Orange Tips and this is the
first one I have seen at Ballachurry even though there are eggs there every
year. I planted all of the plants close to paths so that they should be
easy to observe once established.
Birds:
20+ House
Martins wheeling overhead near the entrance and over the pond.SC210694 &
SC209694
SC209694
seen from hide : Moorhen. House Sparrow ( NB. The photo is a composite of 3
shots, all of the same sparrow which was darting about after insects)
SC210694
Robin flitting about near the open fronted nest box area. I looked at the box
through binoculars but couldn't see any signs of nesting material.
SC209694
Goldfinch in young alder near the path junction. It was calling and moving
its head from side to side in a very regular pattern.
Intermittent
fleeting views of Sedge warblers - mainly heard not seen from various locations
Flying
over: Wood Pigeon. Hooded Crow.
Butterflies:
SC209694
Female Orange Tip
Shieldbugs:
NEW RECORD: Hawthorn Shieldbug SC209695 ( in Rowan, not
hawthorn) They are very distinctive with redish spiky "shoulders".
Unfortunately I didn't manage to get a good photo.
SC209694
Usual Gorse Shieldbugs in gorse. I counted 5 but only checked the bushes where
I saw eggs last time ( couldn't spot the eggs again)
Plants:
Hawthorn
looking good in full flower. Sorrel in flower throughout reserve
Purple Iris
near the dam in flower and first hint of colour in the yellow flags. Brooklime.
Water forget-me-not SC208694
Willows now
seeding.
Fungi:
SC209694
There are several really large toadstools growing on the horse dung put round
the memorial tree. They are quite magnificent. They may be some sort of
inkcap but I am seeking help on ID. NEW RECORD in any case.
Other:
SC208694
Wolf spiders on the boardwalk
SC209695
Wolf spider carrying egg sack
SC208694
2 of the Blackthorns have caterpillars in webs. I think these are probably the
sort that can completely defoliate Blackthorn. I will find out more, as
they might also be sort that can cause skin irritiation. NEW RECORD
Bumble and
honey bees throughout reserve.
SC210694 2
x Garden snails on wall near entrance
SC209695
Hoverfly
Notes:
Some
fouling.
Bench had
blown over but otherwise seemingly little damage from Monday's storm.
5th June
2015
Having
spent much of my last visit "gardening" at Ballachurry I went back
again for a proper look round this afternoon. I was so glad I did because I
immediately saw some ladybirds just inside the gate. I have been rather worried
about the lack of ladybirds everywhere generally, so it's good to see them
back. I hope they find something to eat as there are no aphids as yet on the
nettles or on the sycamores. They will have to make do with the black ones on
the Campion. Here is the full list:
Ladybirds:
SC210694
7spot on Nettles near the concrete bridge. Another on the nettles near the
Noticeboard.
SC209694
7spot on nettles near Ginny's bench,
Birds:
SC209693
Sedge Warbler.
SC209694
in willows near path junction,Willow Warbler ; 4 x Goldfinches; 2 x Sedge
Warblers
SC209694
from Hide, Moorhen
SC208694
second pond 2 x Moorhens
SC209694
Sedge Warbler
SC209695 2
x Bluetits going in and out of Nest box. This must be at least a second
brood by now, I think.
Heard but
not seen: Chiffchaff near firs SC208694; Chaffinch SC208694; Chaffinch
SC209694; Pheasant SC209693
Flying
over: Hooded crow; House Martins and Swallows; 2 x Wood pigeons.
SC209695
Sparrowhawk flew out of orchard and across reserve, mobbed by small flock of
finch sized birds.
Butterflies
& Caterpillars:
SC210694
Wall Brown flew into reserve over the gate, turned round and flew out again ( I
was still in the car at this point)
Several
unidentified White butterflies flying around the reserve,
SC210694
there are 5 lots of Small Tortoisehell caterpillars on the nettles
immediately to the left of the Noticeboard.
SC209694
nettles near Ginny's bench have pupating caterpillars "sewn" into the
leaves.
SC208694
the caterpllars on the Blackthorn are still munching their way through the
tree.
Bees:
SC208695
over in the orchard the wild bees were busy. There were also honey bees out and
about in the reserve, including near the ash saplings. One or two bumblebees
around, Carder bee in buttercups near boardwark SC208694
Spiders:
SC210694
Large "ginger" spider in nettles. I usually see this sort running in
the vegetation and they are very hard to photograph, so I was lucky with this
one.
SC208695
Small spider carrying egg sack.
SC209694 2
small spiders mating in the gorse
Shieldbugs:
SC209695
near the stream 4 x adult Gorse Shelbugs, 4 x batches of eggs noted. Some empty
egg cases.
SC208694
Gorse Shieldbug on bush by second pond.
Carpet
life:
SC209694
There were 4 White leggedsnake millepedes and a very pale slug on top of the
carpet surrounding one of the oak trees. Underneath was the same magnificen
beetle that I have been trying to photograph for ID purposes for several weeks!
Plants:
Whole
reserve looking very pretty in the sunshine with an increasing number of
flowers in bud and in bloom.
Other:
SC208694
Ash saplings had Noon Fly ( something not quite right about this one, is it
parasitised?) and another sort of fly.
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Hoverfly on buttercup
SC210694
Small green beetles mating in nettles
SC208694
two types of Water Boatmen
SC209694
oak sapling leaves showing signs of galls ( caused by type of wasp)
This was my
last visit before my holiday.
19th June 2015
Back from
our trip to Donegal and anxious to see what has been happening at Ballachurry
Reserve in my absence.
Birds:
SC209694
( main pond) 2 adult Moorhens with 3 x chicks. Two seemed to be fending
for themselves but one was being repeatedly fed by the parent.It was flapping
its little featherless wings begging for food.
SC209694 (
near the hide) Male Reed Bunting; Sedge Warbler.
SC208694 (
second pond) I could hear a Moorhen very close in the vegetation and there was
another chick ( looked slightly older) on the water; Sedge Warbler heard not
seen.
SC209693 (
between entrance and church corner) Sedge Warbler
Heard but
not seen: Chiffchaff; Chaffinch.
Butterflies:
SC209693 (
between entrance and church corner) Wall Brown
SC209695
( orchard entrance) Speckled Wood
Some
unidentified whites flying
Caterpillars:
SC208694
The caterpillars in the Blackthorn are denuding the tree as predicted
SC210694
and SC208694 Hemlock Water Dropwort has numerous caterpillars.
Snails:
SC208695
Small White Lipped Banded Snail on Hogweed
SC209695
Unidentified yellow snail.
Gorse
Shieldbugs:
SC209695
2 x Gorse Shieldbugs in the gorse near the stream. Several batches of eggs.
Plants:
The Reserve
is looking very pretty at the moment with many flowers in bloom. I took a lot
of photographs but there are too many to include here. List includes Water
Lily, Flag Iris, Cultivated Purple Iris, Ragged Robin, Marsh Thistle,
Hemlock Water Dropwort, Hogweed, Ox-eye Daisy ( SC208694 new record?) Red
Campion, Brooklime, Sorrel, Docks, Water Forget-me-nots, Meadow buttercups,
Common Valerian, Hawthorn.The sycamore keys are ripening.
Other:
SC209694
Hedgehog scats near Ginny's bench; Hoverfly and Soldier Beetle in the nettles.
SC209695
Large bumblebee resting on the grass.
SC208694
Wolf spider and unidentified beetle on the dam; 3 x Water crickets in the
stream below the dam.
SC209694
Small irridescent green fly in gorse
SC209694
Still some fungus round the tree. I think this is Panaeolus semiovatus, the Egg
Head Mottlegill ( new record).
SC208694
Hoverfly and Honey Bees on Hemlock Water Dropwort
Cuckoo spit
leaf hoppers throughout reserve.
27th June 2015
I went to
Ballachurry this afternoon. Unfortunately it had clouded over by then and I
even caught a shower but, as you will see "it was lovely weather for
ducks"!
Birds:
SC209694 (
from hide) 2 x Mallard
SC209694 (
willow near gorse boundary) Sedge Warbler
SC210694
(Noticeboard) male blackbird + female on the path
SC209693 (
church corner) Goldfinch; 2 x Great tits
SC208694 (
near second pond) Goldfinch
SC209694,
SC208695 & SC208694 Sedge Warblers heard but not seen.
SC209694
Willow Warbler heard but not seen from willows near path junction.
Ladybirds:
SC210694 2
x 7spot ladybirds
Grasshoppers:
SC210694
Grasshopper. Exactly the same colour as the remains of the aggregate on
which it was sitting at first before moving off into the grass. Very hard to
see its "distinguishing features", because of colouration and because
it was not calling. The fact it was on bare ground at first suggests it might
have been a Field Grasshopper.
Plants:
SC210694
Self sown poppy ( probably from bird seed?) a rich dark purple; Stinking iris
just about visible in nettles; wild roses in full bloom.
SC209694 (
gorse boundary) Madow vetchling coming into flower; spear thistle.
SC209694
(hide bridge) Common valerian
Other:
SC210694
( entrance)Tephritis bardanae fly ? on the burdock ; also black aphids.
SC209694
( Ginny's bench) Unidentified gold and green irridescent flies on Hemlock Water
Dropwort;
SC209694
still several lots of Gorse Shieldbug eggs on gorse. No adults seen.
SC208694
Blackthorn caterpillars mostly hanging vertically as if about to pupate.
SC208694
Green bodied fly on blackthorn.
Still
several caterpillars on the Hemlock Water Dropwort throughout the reserve;
