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| A cold but sunny day at Ballachurry Reserve. |
I visited the Reserve this morning about 10.30. Lovely to see it in the sunshine, but the wind was icy. The ivy berries are now ripening and providing food for the birds, as are the seeds in the Alder cones. Here is the full report:
Birds:
SC210694 Female
Blackbird flew into the ivy hedge just as I arrived.
SC209694 Bluetit in
the Willow by the gridded pathway
SC208694 2 x
Goldfinches taking seeds from alder cones
SC208694 Great Tit
also in Alder & 2 x Chaffinches in the Willows & Alders
SC209694 female
Blackbird on the Gorse boundary, also Great Tit and Goldcrest ( lovely to see
this tiny bird)
SC209694 Wood Pigeon
eating ivy berries on boundary with Church ( seen from the HIde)
Large flock of
Goldfinches ( 30+) flying round the Reserve at intervals and coming down in
firs near Churchyard
Magpie flying over.
Gorse Shieldbugs:
These are easy to
spot, even from a distance, on sunny days as they catch the light and shine
out.
SC208694 ( gorse
bush where stream enters reed bed) 17 Gorse Shieldbugs
SC209694 ( along Gorse
Boundary) 9 Gorse Shieldbugs
Other:
SC209693 2 x
Earthworms, one very long. These were under the carpet round a sapling. You can
also see other burrows in the photo.
SC210694 ivy berries
now ripening to black
SC210694 Stinking
Iris seed pods now fully open and dropping the seeds.
SC210694 Jelly
Ear fungus photographed last week now going over.
SC208694
Blackthorn in flower near the dam.
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| Blackthorn starting to flower |
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| There were 2 Chaffinches in the Alder |
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| Wood Pigeon taking ivy berries, Photographed from Hide. |
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| Ivy berries turning black - blackbirds love them. |
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| Earthworms under the carpet square round a sapling. |
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| Gorse Shieldbugs enjoying the sunshine |
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| More Gorse Shieldbugs |
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| The bramble leaf amongst the gorse made a good sunbed |
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| Close up of Gorse Shieldbugs -they have red antennae |
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| Compare the Jelly Ear fungus with last week's photo |
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| Stinking Iris seed pod. |
