Ballachurry Reserve, 3rd October 2018.

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Autumn at Ballachurry Reserve

It's always interesting to visit Ballachurry Reserve after a short absence to see how things have moved on. I returned from a short break "across" on Sunday night (30th September) and made a quick visit to the Reserve on the following Wednesday afternoon. The autumn colours were certainly more pronounced than when I was there nearly three weeks ago and the patches of fungi definitely gave the reserve an autumnal feel. Here is what I recorded:

Birds: 

SC210694 Robin
SC209694 female Mallard;  Great Tit; 3 Goldfinch flying over; Grey Heron flying over.

Butterflies: 

SC210694 Red Admiral on ivy

Fungi:

SC209693 unidentified fungus
SC208694 unidentified fungus
SC209694 unidentified fungus  ( brown spore print) + another species, no spore print taken
SC209695 unidentified fungus

Recorded Plants ( some still in flower):

SC210694 Ivy
SC209695 Dandelion
SC209694 Red Campion
SC209695 Autumn Hawkbit? ( must take a closer look)
SC209694 Alder catkins

Other:

SC209694  20+ Water Crickets in stream
SC209694 4 x Gorse Shieldbugs in gorse
SC208695 Hoverfly - Eristalis pertinax?
SC210694 Hoverfly - Eristalis pertinax?
SC210694 numerous flies and wasps on ivy flowers, including Noon Fly
SC210694 Spider - possibly Zygiella x notata   ( on Noticeboard)
SC208694  2 different species of spider in the gorse bush.

Sunny Autumn day - the old beehive loop.

these fungi definitely looked to be growing  in a ring
but don't seem to be "Fairy Ring Fungi"

they give a chestnut brown spore print

closer look

and the gills underneath

a different sort of fungus

and yet another

 these were growing near the willows

this one was past its best!

ivy flowers near the entrance attracting all manner of insects

Noon Fly

unidentified flies on ivy flowers

This Hoverfly was at the opposite end of the Reserve, along the
old beehive loop

this one looks similar but was in the ivy

can you spot the spider?

a different one nearby, repairing its web.

Possibly Zygiella x notata (Missing -sector Orbweb spider)
It's certainly very similar to one I had identified in the same place in 2016

still some Dandelions in flower to provide late nectar

but others are seeding now

possibly Autumn Hawkbit?

Gorse Shieldbug

looking left from the Bird Hide

looking right from the Bird HIde

female Mallard came down to the pond to drink

the damp meadow area soon to be cut

purple loosestrife in autumn livery

Ballachurry's oldest record!
Fossil in the wall

we associate catkins with spring but they are already
well advanced on the Alders

possibly one of the Reserve's last butterflies of the year
Red Admiral nectaring on Ivy flowers.