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A sunny day at the Reserve but the hill fog was never far away
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Not having been beyond my own garden gate for 10 days I decided that a change of scene was perhaps necessary and that a couple of circuits of Ballachurry Reserve would be good exercise while at the same time giving my gardening muscles some respite! Accordingly I arrived on Friday morning in brilliant sunshine which had brought out the Ladybirds and Bees. Three other families came and went but we all managed to social distance even more than required, so this was not a problem. Just as I was thinking of returning home the fog rolled in from the hills and everyone else vanished. I decided to do an extra circuit as I had the reserve entirely to myself and was enjoying the fresh air, the birdsong and the solitude. Here is the wildlife I noted as I walked round:
Birds:
SC210694 Redwing; female Blackbird; 2 x Great Tit ; male Chaffinch; Wren.
SC209694 2 x Mallard ( drakes); 5 x Goldfinch; Blue Tit; 2 x Robin.
SC209695 2 x Buzzard overhead; 2 x Long Tailed Tit.
SC208695 Magpie; female Blackbird; female Chaffinch;
SC208694 2 x Ravens overhead; Chiffchaff heard not seen; Woodpigeon; Blue Tit; Goldfinch; Chaffinch; Goldcrest; Long Tailed Tit.
Ladybirds:
SC209694 5 x 7-spot Ladybirds in gorse
SC208694 7-spot Ladybird on Hemlock Water Dropwort by stream
Other:
SC210694 Honey Bee on "No Dogs" notice on gate
SC209695 Honey bees in gorse
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At Ballachurry the wildlife starts at the gate!
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notice how full the pollen sack is on this bee
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another bee with a full pollen sack
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one of 5 x 7-spot Ladybirds in the gorse
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this 7-spot was on Hemlock Water Dropwort near the stream
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this fly landed on the Ladybird!
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Hazel catkins are starting to fall now
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the daffodils were not social distancing
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yellow is definitely a spring colour
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one of 2 Robins foraging together along the gorse boundary
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Mallard drakes
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| Goldfinch |
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Croaking Ravens were putting on an acrobatic display
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Blackthorn in full flower now
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Marsh marigolds coming through but not yet in flower
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this is why I call it the gorse boundary
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fog creeping closer
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hills blotted out
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a distant bird.....
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proves to be a chaffinch
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I heard the Buzzards approaching through a foggy sky
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they were circling over the adjacent field
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chaffinch in the willows
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hills totally vanished into the fog
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atmospheric reserve
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Long Tailed Tit
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my final view of the reserve before heading home
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An interesting visit.
Please click on the photos to enlarge them
