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| a late autumn path at Ballachurry Reserve |
My first visit to the Reserve this November and my first for two weeks. It was a sunny, blustery day but mild for the time of year. My first call was the bird hide to put up the bird ringing results from last Friday ( see previous post) and to glance at the whiteboard to see other people's sightings while I have been absent. I was also pleased to see a note of regular Police patrols in the light of some earlier antisocial behaviour. There was little wildlife to be seen through the shutters at this point, so I continued round the Reserve towards the meadow where I was just in time to see a Lesser Redpoll land in the Meadowsweet to feed. An excellent start to my bird list for the morning. Here is my report:
Birds:
SC209693 Robin heard; female Blackbird;
SC208694 Lesser Redpoll taking Meadowsweet seeds; 18 Goldfinch broke off from a much larger flock ( c. 50) to take Alder seeds from tree near boardwalk; Robin; Buzzard in fir tree just outside Reserve; Sparrowhawk flew past me at low level; 2 x Blue Tit; Wren heard.
SC209694 Robin heard; female Blackbird; Chaffinch; Goldfinch; Water Rail heard; Sparrowhawk flew through over pond; Magpie heard; brief view of Chiffchaff; Blue Tit; Long Tailed Tit; Goldcrest.
SC208695 Great Tit
Butterflies:
SC208694 Red Admiral in gorse bush
SC208695 Red Admiral basking on leaf
SC210694 Red Admiral on Ivy flowers
Other:
SC208695 Green Shieldbug in Oak sapling
SC209695 7-spot Ladybird
SC209695 2 x Gorse Shieldbug
SC208694 c. 50 large black flies on boardwalk handrail and nearby timber
SC208694 solitary unidentified fungus
SC209694 large area of unidentified fungi at path junction
SC208694 2 species of crust fungus growing on rotting timber
SC208694 Common funnel fungi still near the compost heap
SC209694 Hare's Foot Inkcap
SC209695 Honey bees in gorse
SC209694 Honey Bee in Cushag/ Ragwort
SC208694 Lichen on willows has fruiting bodies
SC208694 snail /slug eggs in leaf litter
SC209695 small slug inside mug left by bench
Plants still in flower:
SC208694 Red Campion; Herb Robert; possibly a Mouse-ear species ( small white flowers)? Gorse;
SC209694 Dandelion; Hogweed; Ragwort; Red Campion
SC209695 Hawkbit ( I think!)
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| Redpoll - female or winter plumage male? |
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| it came back frequently to the same Meadosweet plant |
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| it was taking the seeds intermittently for about 2 hours |
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| I took several photos |
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| the above is just a selection! |
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| 18 Goldfinches descended into this Alder near the boardwalk |
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| they were part of a much bigger flock flying over |
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| they were feeding on the seeds in the cones |
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| Blackbird seen from the hide |
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| same bird |
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| I was just closing down the last shutter........ |
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| when a Long Tailed Tit appeared! |
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| it didn't stay long unfortunately |
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| a Red Admiral in the gorse |
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| a rather worn individual feeding in the ivy |
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| and a third basking in a shaft of sunlight |
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| 7-spot Ladybird in one of the new Oak saplings |
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| and a Green Shieldbug on another |
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| Gorse Shieldbug |
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| and another elsewhewre |
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| small slug found in a forgotten cup on the reserve! |
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| Snail of slug eggs in teh leaf litter |
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| 2 of about 50 of these flies on the boardwalk |
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| honey bee enjoying the late Cushag/ Ragwort |
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| Common Funnel fungi still going strong |
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| a large area of these at the path junction |
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| Hare's Foot Inkcap |
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| a very small, solitary fungus on the path |
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| some sort of Crust fungus on the rotting planks |
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| and a different one nearby |
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| some Lichen on the willows has fruiting bodies |
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| Red Campion in flower near the compost heap |
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| and a larger clump on the gorse boundary |
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| Dandelion |
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| a Hawkbit I think |
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| Herb Robert under the willows |
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| late Hogweed |
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| possibly a Mouse-ear species? |
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| Stinking Iris seed |
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| Some trees are now bare - Sycamore |
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| others are still in full leaf - Hazel |
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| and Oak |
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| work is due to recommence on the boardwalk very soon |
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| fixed point photos each visit record the season and the weather - from boardwalk |
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| from hide ramp |
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| of the hide itself |
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| view through the shutters |
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| of the reed bed |
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| and the water |
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| plenty of water flowing in after recent heavy rain |
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| looking back towards the bridge |
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| and the flow into the pond |
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| the second reed bed |
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| the new pond is pretty much brimful |
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| the meadow with Mrs. Blogger's shadow |
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| sign of imminent new work on the Reserve |
Since Christmas seems to have arrived already in local shops I thought I would finish with the Holly & the Ivy !
A morning well spent. Fingers crossed for good weather for our work party on Saturday.
