 |
| Mist finally gone from the hills |
I wavered when the mist came down on Monday lunch time. I'd planned to visit the Reserve but the mist was making it chilly and uninviting. Eventually I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did because within minutes of my arrival the mist lifted on the hills, the sun came out from behind the clouds and suddenly it was a nice afternoon. Not as warm as the week-end, it's true, but despite a chilly breeze in places the sun was warm on my back and it was a pleasure to be strolling round. Here is what I recorded:
Birds:
SC209693 Great Tit; Robin
SC209694 ( from Hide) Coot; 3 x Mallard drakes; Blue Tit; Wren;
SC209694 ( near Hide) Robin; Wren; Blue Tit; Magpie flying over;
SC208694 ( willows) Great Tit; male Chaffinch; Blackbird; Wren; Robin;
SC208694 (near reed bed) Snipe; Wren;
SC208694 ( board walk) Wren; Robin; male Chaffinch;
SC209694 ( path junction) Robin; 2 x great Tit; female Blackbird.
SC209695 ( near private entrance) Blackbird
SC208695 ( old beehive loop) Wood Pigeon flying over
Outside Reserve:
SC209692 ( thicket) 2 x Mallard Drake; Moorhen.
SC 209692 ( Ballakilley seen from churchyard) 2 x Coot; 2 x Greylag Geese; pair Mallard.
Ladybirds:
SC209695 ( near private entrance) 7-spot ladybird - it took me some time to find it, but there it was as expected.
Other:
SC209693 lots of small Wolf spiders in the grass and on the dead stems of Hemlock Water Dropwort; Hazel catkins open; unidentified Bumblebee;
SC209694 ( path junction) Alder has tiny red flowers; unidentified Bumble bee; Eristalis pertinax Hoverfly.
SC208694 ( willows) Honey and Bumble bees visiting the willow flowers
SC210694 ( entrance) one of the hibernating snails still there
Also in flower: Dandelions, Gorse, Speedwell ( probably Common?); Celandines; Lawn Daisies
 |
| Bees enjoying the willow flowers |
 |
Thanks to Steve Crellin for identifying this as Eristalis Pertinax-
a sort of Hoverfly. |
 |
this snail is still hibernating
its neighbour has gone though |
 |
| resident 7-spot has been there for several visits now |
 |
tiny Wolf spiders just look black to the naked eye
but enlarged on screen you can see their markings |
 |
| Monday's water fowl all in one shot! |
 |
| Coot about to enjoy a meal of weed |
 |
| then resting among the rushes |
 |
| one of the Mallards was determined to power-nap |
 |
| but then gave in to sleep completely |
 |
| Robin in the Hawthorn |
 |
| another Robin singing its heart out |
 |
| male Chaffinch |
 |
| Great Tit |
 |
| Wren from the hide |
 |
| and another shot of it |
 |
| the Alder flowers are really small |
 |
| lawn daisies |
 |
| celandines |
 |
| dandelions |
 |
| Speedwell |
 |
view from the brambles
Snipe like the wet area they cover |
 |
| still looking wintry but will be greening up soon |
 |
| N.B. the Chiffchaff and the Butterfly - signs of spring indeed! |
