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the new pond - more work is imminent
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The Reserve was very quiet when I arrived on Tuesday. After an hour I had only seen a Robin, a Blackbird, a Chaffinch, a couple of butterflies and virtually nothing else. The arrival of a fellow bird watcher confirmed that it was not just Ballachurry that was quiet, he reported a similar story elsewhere. I returned to the hide and added a single Goldfinch to the list but then as I walked past the meadow at about 11.45 it was as if someone had opened a cage door and let everything out! Unfortunatly there was still more fresh dog fouling on the Reserve. Here is what I recorded:
Birds:
SC209693 Robin; Woodpigeon;
SC209694 Robin heard not seen twice in different areas; Goldfinch; Woodpigeon flying over; Great Tit.
SC208694 2 Robins heard at the same time but not seen; 2 x male Chaffinch together; single Chaffinch seen drinking from stream later; 2 x Blackbird in stream; Blue Tit in tree and Blue Tit bathing in stream later; male Pheasant; 2 x Blackcap together, one drinking from steam and one bathing
SC209695 male Blackbird flying through
SC208695 3 x Magpie in tree
Butterflies:
SC208694 Small White on Sneezewort; Speckled Wood;
SC209695 Green Veined White; 3 x Speckled Wood together
SC209694 4 x Speckled Wood; unidentified White flying
SC209693 Speckled Wood
Dragonflies: ( I have never seen so many on the reserve before)
SC209694 at least 4 Migrant Hawker over pond; at least 3 Common Darter over pond.
SC208694 three sightings of Migrant Hawker over meadow. Common Darter on stored wooden planks. Common Darter x 3 including conjoined pair on boardwalk
SC209694 2 x Common Darter males over new dragonfly pond!
SC209695 female Common Darter
Other:
SC209695 7-spot Ladybird on oak sapling
SC210694 7-spot Ladybird on thistle
SC209694 Diving beetle, daphnia and gnat larvae in new pond
SC208694 Unknown insect on boardwalk. Seeking ID. NEW RECORD
SC208694 2 x Noon Fly on stored planks
SC208695 Noon Fly and unidentified fly
SC209694 Great Pied Hoverfly ( on same flower as last week!)
SC209694 on Hogweed flowers - 4 x Hoverflies + one bright orange fly ( probably NEW RECORD) + 1 very small black fly ( possible NEW RECORD)
SC209695 Hoverfly on yellow flower
SC208694 Gorse Shieldbug
SC210694 Common wasps on ivy and bridge handrail
SC210694 Hoverflies on ivy flowers
SC210694 Bees on ivy flowers
SC208693 Bee on Cushag (Ragwort)
SC208694 Wolf spider on stored planks
SC209694 stash of hazelnut shells just off path - evidence of mice
SC208694 Woody Nightshade has one red berry among the green
SC209694 Shepherd's Purse seeds visible on hide roof
SC208694 2 x Hare's Foot Inkcaps, one each side of path
SC208694 very large fungus near compost heap ( probably too decayed to ID)
SC208694 unidentified fungus under tree close to above
SC208695 2 species of unidentified fungi
SC208694 unidentified red fungi
NB. as the paths had been mown recently most of the fungi reported last week had gone.
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| I sat on the boardwalk here to watch the birds bathing |
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two Blackcaps were in the stream
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one decided to take the plunge!
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and enjoyed a bath while the other was satisfied by just a drink
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a Blackbird was feeding along the stream bed
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male Blackcap and male Chaffinch in the stream
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Blue Tit enjoying a bath
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another in the willow tree nearby
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Great Tit
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one of three Magpies together in a tree
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| Robin |
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one of many Speckled Wood butterflies
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on ivy near the gate
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note the Hazelnut
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another on Hogweed Seedhead
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all Blog readers must recognise Speckled Woods by now!
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Green Veined White
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and a good view of the green veins
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male Common Darter
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this one is female or perhaps teneral
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this one landed directly outside the hide shutters!
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a closer view
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the unfinished dragonfly pond.......
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is already attracting dragonflies!
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male Common Darter over the water
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there were two - both males
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catching flies above the water , I think
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my first circuit of the reserve was under cloudy skies
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everywhere looked quite gloomy
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no sign of blue over the hills today
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then suddenly I had a shadow! but it was raining at the same time!
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the view from the boardwalk early in my visit
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and later when the sun appeared
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the sunshine made such a difference
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suddenly the Hogweed had insects feeding
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two Hoverflies 01 & 02
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Hoverfly 03
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Hoverfly 04 with another peeping over
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Hoverfly 05
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Hoverfly 06
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Great Pied Hoverfly
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Fly 07
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probably a new record for the Reserve
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a closer view
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Fly 08 possibly another new record
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Noon Fly
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lots of these around today
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this one was on the stored planks
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Hoverfly 09
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the entrance to the old beehive loop
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where fungi are growing
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the usual Hare's Foot Inkcaps
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there was one on each side of the path
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a very large, old fungus near the compost heap
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it reminded me of my early attempts at Yorkshire pudding!
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still a few of these about despite recent mowing
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very pleased to see 7-spot taking care of any aphids on this memorial oak
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7-spot Ladybird on Thistle
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wasp on handrail near gate
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Pond life at the unfinished pond
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Gorse Shieldbug
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seeking ID on this one
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Bee on the Cushag ( Ragwort)
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Hoverfly on ivy flowers
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Bumble bee likewise
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Wolf Spider
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mice have been enjoying the hazelnuts
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not sure what was making the incoming water foam
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foam had spread about 4 feet along stream
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Shepherd's Purse on the roof of hide
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just one ripe berry on the Woody Nightshade
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virus and autumn combine to be colourful
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And finally, the Common Darter landed right beside me while I was watching the birds in the stream. Occasionally it flew up to take a fly before returning to keep me company!
I have had to split the bathing birds video into three parts as the file size is otherwise too large.
(Those of you who receive the Blog by email will need to access the Blog itself to see the above videos.)
A thoroughly enjoyable morning !
please click on photos to enlarge them
