A sunny afternoon at
Ballachurry yesterday but an icy wind too.
Birds:
SC209694 2 x Mallard
on pond. 5 x Wood Pigeons in Church boundary trees;
SC208694 Male
Blackbird
SC209695 Great Tit
SC208695 Song Thrush
Wood Pigeons flying
over + usual Herring Gulls
SC209694 large
interesting footprint in mud.
Shieldbugs:
SC208694 8 x Gorse
Shieldbugs on Gorse bush where stream joins reed bed
SC209694 6 x Gorse
Shieldbugs along gorse boundary
Plants:
SC208694 Hogweed
flower
SC209694 &
SC209695 Lesser Celandines in flower
SC209694 and elsewhere
Hawthorn in leaf
SC208694 the Blackthorns attacked by Orchard Ermine Moth caterpillars last year are in healthy bud
SC209694 the
cultivated daffodils are in bud
SC209694 the
coppiced willows are beginning to bud
SC209694
attractive peeling bark on Birches
Moss & Lichen:
SC210694 moss on
stone gatepost has fruiting bodies
SC209695 several
types of lichen on Ginny's memorial tree, some with fruiting bodies
Other:
SC209694 Under carpet
- several worms, 2 x white legged snake millepedes, small black slug, 2 x very
small snails
SC209694 in boundary
ditch - large Longtail ( that's a R-A-T )sunbathing.-
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| Carpet Life - at first I just saw the worm and 2 millepedes |
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| ,,,,,,but take a closer look |
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| worms under the carpet |
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| female Mallard |
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| large footprint - heron perhaps? |
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| Hawthorns now in leaf |
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| close up of the Hawthorn leaves |
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| this Blackthorn tree was attacked by Orchard Ermine Moth caterpillars last year |
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| Lesser Celandine |
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| Cultivated daffs from before Ballachurry was a reserve |
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| First Hogweed flower of the year |
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| Sun catching the moss near the gate |
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| Gorse Shieldbugs enjoying the sun |
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| Gorse Shieldbugs again |
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| 3 of the Wood Pigeons on the church boundary |
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| These willows were coppiced last year. Sprouting again now. |
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| Lichen with fruiting bodies |
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| Another lichen with fruiting bodies on the same tree |
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| The tree is becoming encrusted with lichen |
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| Same tree, yet another lichen. |
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| Yet more lichen |
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| The peeling bark looked golden when backlit by sunshine |
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| Close- up of the peeling bark |
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| Can't resist photographing the reeds when they are back-lit |
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| Lovely to see Ballachurry looking so colourful in February. |
