Ballachurry Reserve, 25th and 26th May 2018.

Still catching up with posts from before my holiday. Below are notes from two very brief evening strolls round the Reserve. I was passing by, the sun was still shining, how could I resist? 

25^th May 18

Butterflies:

SC210694  Wall Brown . Male Orange Tip.

SC208695 Green Veined White

Birds:

SC208695 Wood Pigeon seen. Sedge Warbler heard.  

SC208694Willow Warbler heard 

SC209694 hide 2 x adult moorhens + 5 chicks ( one away from parents for a long time, then caught up much later) + 2 larger ones – different brood?

Other:

SC208694 large beetle, greenish "armour plated"
SC210694 Garden Snail

Hemlock Water Dropwort just coming into bloom

Adult Moorhen

There's always one! This chick has an independent streak.
It seemed to be all alone and rather vulnerable.

It eventually set off for the rushes and rejoined its family.

Spotted these two in the iris 

they looked larger than the ones out on the water

perhaps a different family?

first cultivated purple iris in bloom

Wall brown on dandelion

26^th May 18

Five p.m. - a lovely evening.

Birds:

SC209693 Great tit; Blackbird  heard but not seen.
SC209694 2 adult Moorhen,  4 (possibly still 5) chicks.

SC209694  ( path junction) Willow Warbler;  Sedge Warbler 

SC208695 Sedge Warbler; Willow Warbler

SC209694 ( gorse boundary) Wren;  Sedge Warbler

Other:

SC209694 (Path junction) Blue Tailed Damselfly 

SC208694 (meadow) Hoverfly on Buttercup ( Dasysyrphus venustus agg.)

Hemlock Water Dropwort flowers starting to open

Moorhen chick begs food by waving tiny wings

Closer view of one of the chicks

Sedge Warbler near the path junction

and another on the gorse boundary

same bird singing

Wren also singing

then taking a breather

beautiful Hoverfly on Buttercup
Dasysyrphus venustus aggregate

Two lovely evening strolls, then home to do the packing!

( with thanks to Steve Crellin, the Island's dipterist for help with identification)