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| no blue sky behind the boundary Aspens today |
Monday was forecast to be dry but cloudy so as I drove down the road towards Ballachurry I was alarmed to see spots of rain on the windscreen. Fortunately by the time I arrived at the Reserve it had stopped again so I didn't get wet when dealing with the small mammal traps. Once these were checked I collected a pair of shears from the car to cut back the Hemlock Water Dropwort which was seriously encroaching on the bridge . While busy with this job I suddenly heard a Sedge Warbler and glanced up to see it perched in the reeds. It quickly vanished but once my job was done and the shears safely stowed back in the car I returned to the bridge and waited patiently - all eyes and ears! My patience was eventually rewarded as you will will see below. Here is what I recorded during the next couple of hours:
Birds:
SC208694 Sedge Warbler in reed bed. Woodpigeon heard not seen; Wren; Robin; Chaffinch; Chiffchaff heard not seen; male Pheasant; male Blackbird; Mallard flying over.
SC209694 Sedge Warbler seen from hide in Reed bed. Reed Bunting seen from hide in reeds; single male Blackbird & a pair of Blackbirds flying together;Willow Warbler on roof of hide and also heard elsewhere; Chiffchaff heard not seen; Wren; 2 x Goldfinch; 2 x Swallow over pond; 3 x Woodpigeon; pair of Mallard; Moorhen; Robin;
SC209693 Robin
SC210694 Robin; male Blackbird; Woodpigeon heard not seen; Coal Tit.
Other:
SC209693 Hare's foot Inkcap fungi in path
SC208694 Hare's foot Inkcap fungi in path
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| male Chaffinch in gorse bush |
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| my first view of the Sedge Warbler! |
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| patience rewarded! |
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| Sedge Warbler warbling |
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| I'm always so pleased when they come back year on year to Ballachurry |
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| lovely view of Coal Tit for the second time in a week |
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| this time it was close to the entrance gate |
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| clearly finding insects to eat |
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| lovely smart little birds |
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| Goldfinch |
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| and another elsewhere |
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| today the Mallards were almost hidden in the vegetation |
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| the Moorhen was back in residence |
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| a Woodpigeon nested in this tree last year..... |
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| Robin keeping an eye on me |
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| and another elsewhere |
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| this one was down near the boardwalk area |
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| Wren in the Hawthorn |
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| so pleased to see a second Sedge Warbler in the other reed bed |
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| my first view of the Reed Bunting |
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| time too zoom in for a closer look |
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| this one is a male |
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| no sign of his mate |
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| such handsome birds |
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| Hare's Foot Inkcaps |
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| the hide from where I saw so much today |
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| still cloudy and time to go home |
Monday's visit proved to be the best of the week in terms of the birds I saw. It only goes to show that glorious sunshine isn't a prerequisite for visits to the Reserve.
P.S. There were no footprints in the hedgehog tunnels overnight.
please click on photos to enlarge them
