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| A rather murky afternoon at Ballachurry Reserve |
Not ideal conditions for a walk round Ballachurry Reserve on Friday afternoon, so I only did one circuit and didn't stay long. The Reserve was very quiet indeed , so not a lot to report this week.
Birds:
SC209694 Robin; Wren
SC208694 Robin; male Blackbird.
Several other robins heard round the Reserve but not seen.
Heron seen from Reserve but outside boundary in adjoining fir trees
Other:
SC210694 Common Wasps in ivy and on the wooden bridge
SC210694 Noon Flies on the wooden bridge rails
SC210694 Garden Snail in wall crevice and another hanging on a dead Burdock leaf
SC209694 a dozen Noon Flies on the bridge near the hide
SC208694 several more Noon Flies on the bridge near the dam.
SC209694 carpet round the Hawthorn saplings had some interesting invertebrates: Hairy Snail; various slugs; White Legged Snake Millipedes and when I peeped underneath 1 section there was a large earth worm too.
Autumn colours throughout the Reserve.
Remaining plants in flower: Ox-eye daisies; Ivy; Red Campion; the occasional thistle, greater Birdsfoot Trefoil, and Creeping tormentil, Dandelion family.
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| Hazel |
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| Oak |
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| Birch |
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| Sycamore with tar spot fungus |
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| Field maple? |
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| Bird food |
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| More bird food |
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| Quite a few leaves gone already |
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| ivy flowers provide late nectar for a variety of insects |
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| Stinking Iris |
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| large earthworm |
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| Tiny Common Hairy Snail |
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| White Legged Snake Millipede |
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| more snake millipedes |
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| unidentified slug |
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and another
must get myself a good field guide to slugs and snails |
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| there seemed to be Noon Flies everywhere |
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| this one was on a Hemlock Water Dropwort stem |
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| but mostly they were on the bridges and hand rails |
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| very distant shot of heron in the trees |
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| Garden Snail suspended on Burdock leaf |
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| Garden snail in wall crevice |
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| Common Wasp on bridge rail |
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The pond is being overtaken by Brooklime. Unfotunately
it has New Zealand Pygmy Weed beneath it too. The dilemma
is how to reduce the Brooklime without spreading the invasive
non-native Pygmy Weed. |
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| Looking towards the boardwalk |
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view from hide ramp
the mist lower than ever in the distance |
