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Beatutiful day, beautiful reserve.
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I could hear a Chiffchaff singing from inside the Reserve as I stepped out of my car on Wednesday. Then as I stood on the pavement I spotted the Ivy Leaved Toadflax in flower, growing on the Reserve wall. Such a pretty little flower. An excellent start to a lovely spring visit . Here's what I recorded:
Birds:
SC210694 Chiffchaff heard but not seen. 2 x Buzzard overhead
SC209693 Robin; female Chaffinch; female Blackbird; Song Thrush;Magpie heard but not seen; Woodpigeon flying over.
SC208694 ( near compost) Wren; Magpie; Blue Tit x 2 together; Robin; Chiffchaff heard not seen;
SC208694 ( general) Chiffchaff; 4 x Long Tailed Tit
SC208695 Dunnock; Blue tit; Wren; Great Tit; Goldfinch
SC209695 Magpie; 2 x Wren;
SC209694 Chiffchaff; Goldcrest; Buzzard ( fleetingly) Robin with nesting material; Magpie; Jackdaw; Goldfinch; Great Tit;
Other:
SC209695 3 x 7-spot Ladybird; 2 x Gorse Shieldbug; Metellina species spider ; Honey bees & Bumble Bee. (all in gorse)
SC209694 3 x Gorse Shieldbug; Sloe Bug ( aka Hairy Shieldbug)
SC209694 Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly on dandelion + in territorial dispute with Peacock butterfly
SC208694 Small Tortoisehell flying over
SC208694 Broad Buckler fern growing under willows ( with thanks to Andree Dubbeldam for ID)
SC208694 Hare's Foot Inkcap fungus
SC208694 Lesser Spearwort, no longer floating
SC208694 Honey and Bumble Bees on Willow flowers
SC209694 Honey Bees in Daffodils
SC210694 Ivy Leaved Toadflax on reserve wall
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Blue Tit
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one of about 3 Chiffchaffs on the Reserve
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this one was close to the new pond
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in a birch tree
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a welcome summer migrant
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Great Tit
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Long Tailed Tit
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| Robin |
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Wren was thoroughly exploring this log for insects
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first glimpse of calling Buzzards just as I was leaving
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a composite picture of one of them
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Insects love the willow flowers - Honey Bee
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and a Bumble Bee
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Honey Bee in daffodil
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and Bumble Bee in gorse
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a Bumble Bee in the Blackthorn blossom
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Honey bee visiting gorse
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this is the plant that was floating last week - Lesser Spearwort
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signs that we have an active Hedgehog
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usual view to indicate the weather
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looking back towards the hide
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7-spot Ladybird in gorse
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this one was on the dead stems of Hemlock Water Dropwort
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photographed in same spot last week, this one is still with the Mettellina spider
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the stream banks are turning green with Hemlock Water Dropwort
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same stream, different area
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usual pic. to record the season
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the damp meadow was slightly less damp this week
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Hare's Foot Inkcap
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looking down on the cap
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Gorse Shieldbug - note red antennae
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Sloe Bug ( aka Hairy Shieldbug)
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I checked out all the dandelions in the hopes of finding a butterfly!
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Small Tortoiseshell
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heading for the bridge
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and across towards the compost heap
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lovely spring colours
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Red Campion, Nettles and Cleavers near the compost heap
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this is the first time I've seen a fern at Ballachurry! Broad Buckler Fern.
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Surprisingly, these Hawthorn berries have been left by the birds
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water level falling during the current dry spell
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Ivy leaved Toadflax
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a donation of slate chippings soon to be put to good use
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destined mostly to firm up and raise path levels above the mud
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but some already in use as boardwalk foundations
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water levels have finally fallen enough to press on with this work
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also awaiting our next work party - boardwalk timber
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I had a very pleasant morning at the reserve.
My next post will be about our Work Party on 26th March.
Please click on photos to enlarge them
