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| view from the hide with one Grey Wagtail on the mud |
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I arrived at Ballachurry Reserve on Wednesday 10th August around 9 a.m. The weather was very warm with a cloudless, blue sky but the light breeze made it feel very pleasant. On opening the hide shutters I could immediately see that the pond was almost dry and a little investigation showed that the streams were not running either. Not good news for the wildlife on the reserve but nevertheless a couple of Grey Wagtails had been tempted to visit the new mud flat seeking invertebrates. Here is what I recorded during the morning:
Birds:
SC209693 Willow Warbler
SC209694 Wren heard not seen; Blackbird alarm call heard; Unidentified Warbler seen briefly from hide; female Mallard; 2 x Grey Wagtail on mud and in lilies
SC208694 Water Rail heard not seen
SC208695 Blackbird alarm call heard
Butterflies:
SC210694 2 x Wall Brown together;
Sc209693 Speckled Wood; Holly Blue: Small White.
SC208694 2 x Peacock; Meadow Brown; Unidentified white flying; Common Blue; Small Copper.
SC209694 Small Copper; Male and female Common Blue; Meadow Brown; Speckled Wood; Unidentified white flying
Sc208695 Meadow Brown; unidentified white flying
Other:
SC209693 Shieldbug nymph on meadowsweet ( Green?)
SC208695 Ichneumon Wasp, possibly Heteropelma amictum? ; 3 x Common Green Shieldbug nymphs ? on Hogweed; Marmalade fly.
SC209694 Syrphus species Hoverfly? another unidentified Hoverfly on Cushag (Ragwort) possibly Eristalis;
SC208694 Unidentified Hoverfly on Hemp Agrimony ( possibly Eristalis species).
SC209694 Shieldbug eggs ( Common Green ?) on oak leaf
SC209694 Adult Green Shieldbug
SC209694 Hare's Foot Inkcap fungus.
SC209694 2 x 7-spot Ladybird
SC209694 Web of Nursery Web Spider ( spider not visible)
SC209694 Carder Bee
SC209693 Angelica in flower
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photos of the 2 Grey Wagtails on the lilies and mud
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handsome little birds
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When I uploaded the above photos I could see that both birds were colour ringed. By enlarging the photos it was possible to read the letters on the rings and the Calf Bird Warden, Aron Sapford, was able to tell me that they had only been ringed the previous day on the Calf!
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| female Mallard |
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Common Blue Butterfly on Cushag ( Ragwort)
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and another on Greater Birdsfoot Trefoil
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this one is a female
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and this one a male
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lovely to see so many of them about
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Speckled Wood
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Speckled Wood
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Small White
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Small Copper
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Small Copper on Sneezewort in the meadow
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A Holly Blue
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Meadow Brown
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Meadow Brown
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| Peacock |
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7-spot Ladybird
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7-spot Ladybird
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Hoverfly 01 - Eristalis speceis?
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Same Hoverfly different view
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A different Hoverfly ( another Eristalis species?) on Cushag ( Ragwort)
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This Hoverfly had a very flat body - Syrphus species?
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A Shieldbug nymph - probably Common Green Shieldbug
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there were 3 on the Hogweed
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newly hatched Shieldbug nymphs - Green Shieldbug, I think
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Adult Shieldbug
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possibly Heteropelma amictum - a parasitic wasp
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web of Pisaura mirabilis spider ( Nursery Web Spider)
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a Carder Bee, I think
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| Common Wasp still taking wood for the nest |
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Hare's Foot Inkcap fungus
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Angelica in bloom
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I took this selfie to show you how tall the reeds have grown! I'm 5'1"
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this used to be the stream!
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usual view from the ramp to hide
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the meadow is still blooming
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and a final view from the hide
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please click on photos to enlarge them
N.B. Other commitments prevented me posting this account until now and I made no visit to the reserve during the week beginning 15th August.
