A lovely spring day at Ballachurry Reserve |
19th April
2016
When I arrived at Ballachurry on Tuesday afternoon there was a battle taking place near the Notice Board as Small Tortoiseshells and a Peacock butterfly fought for territory in the nettles. At one point there were 4 Small Tortoiseshells chasing the Peacock butterfly, spiralling up into the air. A little later it was the Peacock butterfly chasing a Small Tortoiseshell! Although there was plenty of birdsong to be heard, there was not much flitting about, unlike last week. Here is the report:
Birds:
SC208694 Sedge
Warbler heard from inside the reed bed but not seen. This is
rather earlier than in previous years, from memory.
SC209694 Mallard
drake; Hooded Crow; Robin; Goldfinch
SC208694 Chaffinch;
Willow Warbler; Blue Tit
SC208695 Robin;
2 x Blue Tits;
SC209695 Goldfinch;
Wren; Great Tit
SC210694 House
Sparrows x 3 ( one enjoying a dust bath in the ditch)
SC208694 ( firs)
& SC210694 ( Old School House garden) Chiffchaff heard but not seen.
SC209695 Domestic
white hen in ditch
Butterflies:
SC210694 Peacock;
Small Tortoiseshells x 4; Green Veined White.
SC208695, SC209695
& SC209694 unidentified Whites, flying
SC209695 Small
Tortoiseshell
SC209694 Small
Tortoiseshell
Shieldbugs
SC209694 Gorse
Shieldbugs x 8
SC208694 Gorse
Shieldbugs x 10, including 2 mating pairs
Spiders:
SC208694 Wolf
Spiders near the dam
Flies:
SC208694 Unidentified
Crane Fly; Eristalis pertinax Hoverfly;2 mating pairs of Yellow Dung Flies;
unidentified small fly on gorse
SC209695 Eristalis
pertinax on Bowman Memorial Bench
SC209694 There was a
large Hoverfly with an orange look about it hovering near the willows. I hoped
it might settle but it was more interested in hovering.
Other:
SC209695 Water
Crickets x 8 + leech egg sacks visible on stones in stream.
SC209694 White
legged Snake Millipedes x 4, including ( I think) mating pair; Unidentified
slug; Unidentified grub/caterpillar; Brandling worm
SC209694 First
few Cuckoo Flowers/ Ladysmock in flower ( food plant of Green Veined White
& Orange-tip butterflies)
SC209695 First
sycamore flowers opening
SC208694 Large
unidentified bumble bee on grass
Notes:
Despite the warm, sunny weather ( about 14 C) there were less birds flying about and less insects in
the willows. The Reserve was noisier than usual with heavy plant working
across the road at Ballakilley. One of the Self Heal plants from under the
Notice Board had been pulled out and was dead on the grids, probably
uprooted by foraging bird such as Blackbird or possibly the hen/ peacocks
scratching from next door. I'll replace it when I can.
Peacock butterfly |
Small Tortoiseshell butterfly |
Green Veined White butterfly |
uidentified Bumble bee |
Eristalis pertinax Hoverfly |
Unidentified fly |
Goldfinch |
Robin |
House Sparrow |
House Sparrow enjoying dust bath |
Willow Warbler |
White legged snake millipedes |
mating White legged snake millipedes |
unknown grub |
Brandling worm? |
Unidentified Crane Fly |
mating Yellow Dung Flies |
another Eristalis pertinax Hoverfly |
unidentified Hoverfly hovering |
domestic hen from next door |
leech egg sacks on stone in stream |
mating Gorse Shieldbugs |
first Sycamore flowers |
lovely willows |