Ballachurry Reserve, 19th March 2018

reed heads and Blackthorn
 giving a "snowy " look to the Reserve

A beautiful sunny day today, especially if sheltered from the cold wind. I arrived at the Reserve around 2.30 and left just before 5. Today's highlight without a doubt was spotting a Coot in the reeds from the Hide. This is a new record for the Reserve ( at least as far as my personal records are concerned). You may remember that a couple of  posts ago I reported seeing 2 Coots across the road at Ballakilley and lamenting that we never saw them at Ballachurry. My first thought was that this must be one of that pair, but a quick visit up the churchyard steps from whence there is a reasonable view across the road ( apologies, Mal & Sharon if you are reading this!) showed that that pair were still at home, so "ours" is a third. Here's my list for today:

Birds:

SC209694  pair of Blackbirds
SC209694 ( from Hide) Coot; Wren down in the pond weed again; Mallard drake; Blue Tit
SC209694 ( gorse boundary) 40+ Goldfinch flying over reserve came down on boundary; Blue Tit; female Chaffinch; Great Tit.
SC209693 Pheasant heard but not seen
SC208695 (old beehive loop) Great Tit; 2 x Blue Tit
SC209695 ( near private entrance) Robin
SC209694 ( Ginnie's Bench) Blackbird
SC208694 ( Willows/ compost area) Kestrel flying through.

[SC209692 Ballakilley 2 x Greylag Geese; 2 x Coot.]

My husband was also at the reserve earlier in the day to unblock the inlet pipe and reported the following: SC209693 Snipe; SC209694 2 male Mallard.

Some interesting sightings listed on the whiteboard in the hide. I have seen Buzzards up the nearby Sloc area so are they extending their range? Ballachurry bunnies better watch out this Easter!

always good to see what I have been missing!

Ladybirds:

SC209695 7-spot Ladybird. Having found a ladybird at this location last week, I thought there would be a good chance of finding it again. It took me some time to spot it ( no pun intended!)  but sure enough there it was amongst the gorse flowers.

Other:

SC208694  & SC209695 Honey bees
SC209695 Unidentified fly.

It's good to see a few insects out and about again!

7-spot Ladybird

one of just 2 Honey Bees seen

Female Dung Fly - Scathophaga stercoraria
( thanks to Steve Crellin for identification)

close up of that Blackthorn taken against the sun

Blue Tit

through the shutter

my first view of the Coot

for a long time it stayed in the reeds
but eventually ventured out

I was so pleased to get a picture
I just kept on clicking!

it was finding lots to eat

I watched it for a long time

a chance to study its markings closely

I hadn't realised they had red eyes

not everything that is black and white is a Coot!

a few of the usual views round the reserve
 to finish the afternoon

an almost cloudless sky

taken from the road