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July flowers, Ballachurry Reserve.
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Tuesday morning saw me slapping on my Factor 50 and grabbing my sunhat before heading down to the Reserve. In fact there was a cool breeze and conditions at Ballachurry were very pleasant. Only once was I bothered by a determined fly when I paused to take a photo of a caterpillar, so the insect repellent stayed in my pocket. Very quiet once more from a birding point of view but the butterflies were loving the sunshine. Here is what I recorded:
Birds:
SC209694 Hybrid Mallard + duckling; Moorhen juvenile. Sedge Warbler flew low over the pond and flew into the reeds with something in its beak; Goldfinch
SC208694 Wren heard but not seen
SC208695 female Blackbird; Song Thrush.
SC209693 Juvenile Wren
SC210694 2 x juvenile Sparrows
Butterflies, Caterpillars:
SC208695 Depressaria daucella caterpillar in Hogweed
SC208694 Small White; Meadow Brown; Speckled Wood; unidentified White flying
SC208695 Small White x 3; Meadow Brown x 3;Green Veined White
SC209694 Meadow Brown x 2; Unidentified Whites flying; Common Blue; mating pair of Green Veined Whites; Small Tortoiseshell.
SC209693 Meadow Brown; Unidentified White flying;
Ladybirds:
SC209695 2 x 7-spot ladybirds on Hogweed
Other:
SC209694 ; 3 x Marmalade Hoverflies ( Episyrphus balteatus)
SC208694 Helophilus pendulus Hoverfly;
SC209693 Noon Fly
SC210694 Marmalade Fly ( Episyrphus balteatus) on Cushag ( Ragwort)
SC209695 Scaeva pyrastri Hoverfly;
SC209695 Syrphus species Hoverfly
SC209693 Syritta pipiens Hoverfly
SC209695 Soldier Beetles on Hogweed
SC208694 Common Valerian in full flower; Sneezewort coming into bloom.
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this young Sparrow has spotted an ivy berry
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the stalk comes away with the berry
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leaving the Sparrow with a problem!
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Mother Mallard Hybrid take a nap while her adolescent duckling continues to feed
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and go off exploring independently
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young Moorhen also now fends for itself
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the weed has turned red - do hope it's not alien Azolla
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| Goldfinch |
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juvenile Song Thrush
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| Small Tortoiseshell |
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Green Veined White
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| another Green Veined White |
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A rather tattered Meadow Brown - has been in the brambles!
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this is two Green Veined Whites mating
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Meadow Brown near Small White
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Meadow Browns are very common at present
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Small White on Marsh Woundwort
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Small White on Brambles
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Small White on Meadowsweet
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and another on Purple Loosetrife
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7-spot Ladybird on Hogweed
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another on the same plant
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view from the meadow of mist coming in through Fleshwick gap
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mist was coming and going all morning
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a fine stand of Marsh Woundwort
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it seems to be doing particularly well this year
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Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) on Cushag (Ragwort)
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a "footballer" Hoverfly - Helophilus pendulus
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another Syrphus species Hoverfly
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Marmalade fly ( Episyrphus balteatus)
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it's hard to get a photo of them hovering -05
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| this Marmalade fly liked the Meadowsweet |
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Noon Fly
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Syritta pipiens Hoverfly
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a distinctive Black & White Hoverfly - Scaeva pyrastri (SC209695)
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it finally landed on the flower ( NB.SC209695)
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Soldier Beetles on the Hogweed
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Willowherb starting to flower among the Hogweed and Woundwort
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the heather is blooming up on the hills
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Common Valerian
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Sneezewort starting to show
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the meadow really does look attractive at present
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Altogether a very pleasant morning's walk.
Incidental report 19th July:
SC208694 Common Blue butterfly. Unidentified Whites flying
SC208695 juvenile Wren
With thanks to Garry Curtis for confirming a couple of butterfly IDs and Steve Crellin for the fly identifications.
Please click on photos to enlarge them
