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| View through the willows |
I have been off-Island for a few days so was keen to visit Ballachurry Reserve, if only to see if Storm Doris had caused any damage or flooding. The hide roof seemed to be the only casualty ( see previous post for photos) and hopefully this can be put right at the next work party. The morning sunshine had given way to a rather gloomy afternoon, although the sun did try to shine from time to time, mostly without success!
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| Spot the sun! |
There were quite a few birds flitting about and some birdsong too, but photographic conditions weren't ideal. Here is the list:
Birds:
SC209693 Blackbird
SC209694 ( from hide) Blue Tit; Great Tit; Robin; single Goldfinch nearby + flock of c.35 in boundary trees;female Chaffinch;Song Thrush singing; single Long Tailed Tit; pair of Mallards mating.
SC208694 (Willows) 5 x Goldfinches; 2 x Wren; 3 x Chaffinch; Goldcrest; Blue Tit; Song Thrush; Blackbird.
SC208694 ( near reed bed) 5 x Goldfinch; 2 x Chaffinch; Blue Tit; Great Tit; Blackbird; Robin.
SC208695 ( old beehive loop) Great Tit
SC209695 (orchard entrance corner) 2 x BlueTit; Robin; Blackbird; Great Tit; domestic hen
SC209694 ( gorse boundary) Wren.
Other:
SC209694 more frogspawn than when I was last at the reserve, some in a second area.
SC209694 Fungi still appearing along the paths
SC210694 It's hard to spot the snowdrops this year but they have struggled through at last.
SC209693 Dandelion in flower
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Always pleased to see dandelions - good nectar source for
next month's insects, especially early butterflies. |
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a small lagoon of frogspawn
please don't remove any - illegal without a licence. |
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| Mallards were bathing when I arrived |
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| then mating |
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| female is right under the water! |
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| then feeding |
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| and preening |
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| some of the goldfinches in the boundary trees |
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| Robin singing |
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| female Chaffinch |
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| Fungi looking frilly |
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| Great Tit near the stream |
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| very vocal |
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| Robin seen from the hide |
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| Snowdrops near the gate |
Hopefully March will come in like a lamb and there will be some sunshine for my next visit.
