Ballachurry Reserve, 2nd May, 2018.

2 photos stitched together ( not very expertly)
view from the bird hide

A gloomy lunchtime on Wednesday so no plans to visit the Reserve. But then the sun came out so I quickly changed my mind, grabbed my camera and binoculars and arrived about 2.15 p.m. The showers held off until 4.30 by which time I was spending a little time in the Hide anyway. The reserve was surprisingly quiet, I thought. No Blackcaps, Reed Buntings etc. today but I was pleased to see an Orange Tip butterfly just through the gate again.  Here is the report:

Birds:

SC209693 Wren; Sedge Warbler heard from reeds but not seen; Willow Warbler heard but not seen.
SC209694 ( from Hide) Great Tit; Wood Pigeon; Magpie flying over; Swallow flying over; 2 drake Mallards on water;
SC208694 ( willows/compost)  Blue tit;Willow Warbler heard, Chaffinch heard,  Wren heard ;Sedge Warbler heard from reed bed.
SC208694 ( near boardwalk) Long Tailed Tit
SC208695 ( beehive loop) male Blackbird; male and female Chaffinch;
SC209695 ( near Private entrance)  Goldfinch
SC209694 ( gorse boundary) Chaffinch heard but not seen
SC210694 ( entrance) pair of Blackbirds sitting on bridge handrail, eventually flew into ivy; 4 x Mallards flying over.

Butterflies:

SC210694 male Orange Tip;
SC209695 Small Tortoiseshell

Other:

SC208694 Ground Ivy in flower ( New Record)
SC210694 New Burdock plant growing ( pleased to see this as last year's supported a lot of wildlife)
SC209694 Memorial cherry tree in flower
SC208694 Greater Stichwort has appeared under trees ( possibly as a result of raking off the meadow area one  autumn)
SC210694 White Spanish Bluebells in flower by gate ( garden escapes)
SC209694 Flies/ Hoverflies on Dandelions & Marsh Marigolds again including Syrphus sp.
SC210694 Muscari ( Grape Hyacinths) in flower by gate ( garden escape)
SC210694  What I thought was a skull is in fact a bird's pelvic bone. Thanks to MWT's Education Officer, Dawn Dickens, for telling me this. She also tells me that in Medieval times people thought they were the skulls of dragons!
SC208695 Noon Fly on Ash Trunk
SC209695 6 Water Crickets in the stream

Blue tit in the willows

Goldfinch

pair of Blackbirds on the bridge handrail

male Blackbird

a couple of drake Mallards on the water

Marsh Marigolds with various flies, including Syrphus species
in foreground

Dandelion also providing nectar
Neoascia sp. Hoverfly on left, Melanostoma scalare on right
( thanks to Steve Crellin for IDs)

Noon Fly on Ash Tree

Small Tortoiseshell on nettles ( its caterpillar food plant) 

Male Orange Tip 

Male Orange Tip on Muscari

Cherry Blossom on Memorial Tree

Ground Ivy - New Record
 ( doesn't look anything like ivy!) 

Greater Stitchwort

(thanks to Andree Dubbeldam for pointing out earlier error) 

Not a skull but a bird's pelvic bone

bone turned over

Burdock

the damp meadow area

Ginnie's bench from afar

recently mown gorse boundary

fresh new reeds growing strongly

freshly mown path skirting future wild flower area

usual general view

 My husband, Richard, has taken over mowing for the time being, but our mower  is heavy and awkward so takes two to lift it in and out of the car. Not the ideal solution long term. We continue to search for someone better equipped for the job ( it only takes about an hour) or job share possible.

Finally, if  folklore is to be believed, this summer should only be a splash! The Oak is out before the Ash ( at least at Ballachurry Reserve)

Oak in leaf

Ash only in bud

Click on photos to enlarge. A click on each one moves through to the next.