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looking towards the private entrance
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Another 9 o'clock visit to the reserve to check there was food in the mammal traps. Again, a beautiful morning but tempered by a strong breeze. I needed my coat today. Here's what I recorded after I'd checked the traps and hedgehog tunnels:
Birds:
SC210694 Goldfinch; Chiffchaff heard not seen.
SC209694 3 x Goldfinch; Robin; Chaffinch; Woodpigeon; Chiffchaff with nesting material in beak; Song Thrush heard not seen; 2 x Blackbird; male Reed Bunting;
SC208695 Wren; Chaffinch; 2 x Great Tit; Pheasant heard not seen;
SC209693 Wren; Chiffchaff heard but not seen;
SC208694 male & female Chaffinches separately; Woodpigeon; 2 x Long Tailed Tit; Willow Warbler;
SC209695 male Chaffinch
Butterflies:
SC209694 2 x Small Tortoiseshell;
SC209695 Small Tortoiseshell
Other:
SC208694 Crane Fly - probably Tipula oleracea
SC209694 2 x Gorse Shieldbug
SC209695 Unidentified spider
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1 of 2 Goldfinches in the new Oak sapling
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they flew off into the nearby ivy
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there are always Goldfinches about at Ballachurry
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very handsome little birds
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| male Blackbird |
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Chiffchaff near the new pond
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it spent some time on the ground too
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Ah! Collecting nest material!
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the new pond area is often very busy with birds
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Chaffinch and Sycamore buds against a clear blue sky
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male Chaffinch
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and his mate
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I stopped in my tracks here as I could hear a Reed Bunting
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sure enough it was perched nearby
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a very handsome male in breeding plumage
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| Woodpigeon |
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| Wren |
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Great Tit
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we have lift off!
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Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly camouflaged in the bracken
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another Small Tortoiseshell
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Small Tortoiseshell nectaring on Dandelion
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Crane Fly - probably Tipula oleracea
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one of two Gorse Shield bugs
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unidentified spider
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looking across the reserve from one boundary to the other
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the blossom will soon be out on the Hawthorn
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tempting to sit on the bench for awhile
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but it's time to head for the gate
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Finally you might like to see the Hedgehog Tunnel and the small mammal trap. The red flags are a good idea as the foliage is growing quickly now and soon they would be hard to find in the undergrowth
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hedgehog monitoring
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small mammal monitoring
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So much for Thursday. What will Friday bring?
With thanks to Steve Crellin for Crane fly ID.
please click on photos to enlarge them
