 |
Early November at Ballachurry Reserve
|
Seize the day! I hadn't planned to visit the reserve until later in the week but the sun was shining on Tuesday morning so I decided to make my first visit of November straight away. The sunshine didn't last but I still had a very enjoyable visit. But first of all I had work to do. My earlier attempts to tape off the bridge had not survived the recent stormy weather so this time I took a couple of posts and a lump hammer with me to do the job properly. It was not a very arduous task given how wet and soft the ground is at present so it wasn't long before I collected my binoculars, camera and note book from the car and started recording. Here is what I saw:
Birds:
SC209694 a solitary Redwing perched right on top of a fir tree in the garden of Old School House.
SC208695 I put up a Jack Snipe from the old beehive loop. I must have been standing by it for some time ( looking at the fungi) before it suddenly decided to fly off.
SC209693 5 x Siskins taking Alder seeds; Goldfinch also taking seeds; Robin heard not seen;
SC209694 ( hide) Blackbird; Wren; Robin heard not seen; Water Rail heard not seen.
SC209694 ( elsewhere) Blackbird; Robin; Wren.
SC210694 Goldfinch x 2
SC208694 Wren; Blackbird; Dunnock on tape on bridge; Robin seen in 2 different locations;Magpie flying over; large mixed flock of Siskin and Goldfinch
Other:
SC208694 several Funnel toadstools round base of compost heap
SC210694 Clump of small toadstools near the gate
SC208694 another large Pinkgill toadstool on wood chip path.
SC208695 Still Deceiver fungi on the old beehive loop.
SC208693 unidentified brown toadstools in grass close to path.
SC208694 still a few Wood Pinkgills under the willows
SC208694 6 x Noon Flies on laminated notice.
SC208694 among stacked rotten timber : many worms, wood lice, millipedes and a large spider.
 |
Siskins were taking seeds from the Alder cones
|
 |
a tasty snack for this male Siskin
|
 |
they are very acrobatic - they can hang right upside down to feed
|
 |
the first time I saw them was near the entrance
|
 |
| but later they were near the compost heap over the bridge |
|
 |
| looking more like sleeping bats than feeding Siskins! |
 |
they were sharing the bounty with Goldfinches
|
I thought there were about 5 birds in the tree but then something put them all up and about 20 birds flew out of the tree towards me - a mixture of Siskins and Goldfinches.
 |
| Wren |
 |
one of many Robins on the Reserve
|
 |
this one was near the hide
|
 |
the Redwing in Old School House garden
|
 |
Dunnock defying the bridge closure!
|
 |
a patient photographer in the Hide - will the Water Rail show?
|
 |
the wonky bridge sealed right off
|
 |
as seen from the opposite direction
|
 |
water on the Reserve has subsided a little, but the area is still flooded
|
 |
I spotted these fungi growing round the base of the compost heap
|
 |
the deep indentation suggests they may be Funnels
|
 |
the very decurrent gills also suggest this - seeking ID
|
 |
fungi near the gate are quite different - also seeking ID
|
 |
several had snapped off revealing the gills
|
 |
elsewhere there is still an occasional Inkcap
|
 |
| this Pinkgill had fallen over but I stood it up again for the photo |
 |
a good view of the pinkish gills
|
 |
the smaller Wood Pinkgills under the willows are going over now
|
 |
the stream still brimful - I checked out the wood pile
|
 |
and found it had been colonised already by worms
|
 |
there were lots of them
|
 |
millipedes too + woodlice and spiders
|
 |
I saw no acorns this year, only "oak apples" caused by a wasp
|
 |
a last view through the reeds before going home
|
please click on photos to enlarge them
