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| a clear blue sky at Ballachurry Reserve on Friday |
Friday, 15th October was a lovely autumn's day with plenty of sunshine - perfect for my weekly recording visit to Ballachurry Reserve. I had other commitments in the morning but made it down there by 2 p.m. What I hadn't taken into account is that at this time of year the sun is very low, even at that time of day, and that the trees and hedges have grown up considerably over the years casting their long shadows and making the paths quite shady! It was always the intention that the Reserve should become woodland with a few open glades and sure enough I was indeed walking in deep shade in some areas! I stood in the sunshine wherever possible feeling the warm sun on my back and I think the wildlife was doing likewise. Here is what I saw:
Birds:
SC208694 Blackbird & Robin heard not seen
SC209694 Magpie; Robin; male Chaffinch; Wood pigeon flying over; Blue Tit; Dunnock. Goldcrest; Song Thrush; Chiffchaff.
SC210694 Robin
SC209695 Blue Tit; Wren; Robin heard.
Other:
SC210694 7 spot ladybird
SC209695 Gorse Shieldbug
SC209694 3 x Gorse Shieldbug
SC209693 Green Shieldbug and Gorse Shieldbug on Hazel
SC209693 last week's white fungus had opened up and looked quite different - see photo
SC208694 Wood Pinkgill fungi + another unidentified species
SC208694 Pinkgill species fungus + another unidentified species.
SC210694 ivy flowers attracting many Common Wasps and unidentified flies
SC209693 and throughout reserve - gossamer from ballooning spiders very apparent in sunlight
SC209694 gossamer from ballooning spiders also inside hide from side to side as shutter and door had been left open, probably overnight.
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Green Shieldbug |
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| I think this one is Gorse Shieldbug despite being on Hazel |
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| Gorse Shieldbug |
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| Common Wasp visiting Ivy flowers |
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| Unidentified Fungi under the willows |
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| this is the pure white toadstool I photographed last week |
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| it had been kicked over but I stood it up again for the photo! |
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| one or two of these along the path through the Blackthorn - Pinkgill sp. |
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| and this lemon coloured one was close by |
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| back under the willows in the gloomiest part - Wood Pinkgills |
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| the undersides look like this |
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| some of them are splitting in interesting ways |
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| sunshine picking out the lichen tree but cloud building up in the hills |
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| I tried to photograph the gossamer |
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| this web was across the shutter in the hide |
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| bracken looking autumnal now. |
I enjoyed my afternoon stroll but in future will try to visit during the morning on sunny days! A friend reported a Brambling from the reserve about an hour after I left - it really is a question of being in the right place at the right time.
please click on the photos to enlarge them
