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bathed in a golden light
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After last week's Ballachurry Bonanza visit I was expecting today's to be a bit of an anti- climax. True, there was nothing extraordinary to be seen this morning, but it was an enjoyable visit none the less. The sun was shining when I arrived about 9.30 but the reserve was still dripping from over night rain and I could see my breath inside the hide! I quickly established that the Gadwall and Snipe were no longer there and moved on round the reserve under increasingly cloudy skies. Here is what I recorded:Birds:
SC209694 Magpie flying over; Greenfinch; 2 x unidentified Thrushes flying over Blackbird; Robin heard but not seen.
SC209694 ( hide) 2 x pair of Mallards; Water Rail heard but not seen; Pheasant heard but not seen;
SC208694 Blackbird and Long-tailed Tits heard but not seen; A Robin flew out from under the bridge as I crossed it; Wren; Blue Tit; Great Tit.
SC208695 Blue Tit; Chaffinch heard but not seen;
SC210694 male Pheasant; Wren heard but not seen.
SC210694 2 x Jackdaw on adjacent building
Other:
SC209694 still the odd Campion plant in flower + Gorse.
SC208694 Some Hogweed still in flower.
No fungi seen
No insects of note seen, although there were myriads of gnats/ flies above the vegetation near the pond.
Whilst walking through the willows I heard little voices calling out "Cheese"! This proved to be about 8 very small pre-schoolers from Rushen Hopes and Dreams Nursery School having their photo taken on the bridge. They looked very cute in their over large Hi-Viz jackets and their carers had posted on the whiteboard what they had seen from the hide. I was glad there had been some ducks for them to see and it's lovely to see the facility being enjoyed across all the age groups.
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note entry by Hopes and Dreams
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juvenile Blackbird
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Blue Tit
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female Mallard
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the sunshine was picking out the colour of her bill
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a handsome pair
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another pair were in amongst the vegetation
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Jackdaws next door at Old School House
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I think this colouration is a natural process rather than pollution
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Hogweed providing late nectar
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the reed bed seen from the willow walk
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Woody Nightshade berries
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Red Campion
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Stinking Iris berries almost ready to drop
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regular photo of Boardwalk and stream
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progress since my last visit
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this will be the ramp up onto the boardwalk
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a similar one will be needed at the opposite end too
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the usual shots of the new pond
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the reflections show what a still day it was
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more reflections
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usual fixed point shot from the boardwalk
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no Gadwall or Snipe today
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view through the shutters
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usual fixed point view from the ramp
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looking towards the bridge
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and back to the pond ( against the sun)
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the reserve was dripping from last night's rain ( Hazel catkins)
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| hardcore - part of the boardwalk project |
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The hardcore arrived during the course of the morning - a reminder that there is a work party planned for next Saturday morning. The last before Christmas, no less!
By 11.30 I was feeling chilly so headed home for hot coffee, just in time as it happened - an unpredicted sharp shower started a few minutes later. A quiet but enjoyable late November visit to the Reserve.
please click on photos to enlarge them
