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| December, Ballachurry Reserve. |
Circumstances prevented me from making my usual weekly visit to Ballachurry Reserve last week but I was back there again once more at 10.45 this Wednesday. At 9 degrees C. it seemed comparatively mild for the time of year, particularly after last week's icy blast. However, the strong, blustery, north westerly wind gave the reserve a decided chill, despite the weak, winter sunshine. Here is this week's report:
Birds:
SC209694 Redwing flying over; Hooded Crow flying over; 20+ Goldfinches flying over.
SC209694 ( hide) Heron flew up from water; Blue Tit; 7 x Goldfinch; 2 x Woodpigeon on Church boundary; Redwing; Wren; Blackbird; Water Rail heard.
SC208694 2 x Redwing; male Blackbird; Robin; male and female Chaffinch.
SC208695 3 x Redwing; male and female Chaffinch together; male Blackbird; Buzzard flying over low; female Pheasant.
SC210694 Carrion Crow on chimney pot Old School House.
Other:
SC209694 Hoverfly in gorse - female Meliscaeva auricollis ( with thanks to Steve Crellin for ID)
SC208694 Blewit fungi now going over.
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| a small charm of Goldfinches were active at the back of the pond |
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| Close up of one of them |
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| Blue Tit seen from Hide |
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| busy looking for insects, I think |
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| Crow on chimney pot next door to Reserve |
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| one of 2 Woodpigeons on Church boundary |
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| a very handsome Redwing |
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| the first I have seen this year |
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| Stinking iris still making bright splash |
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| Blewits now going over |
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| female Meliscaeva auricollis Hoverfly |
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| a bag trapped in the stream - it will be removed |
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| this year's rakings already have 3 burrows - cosy for small mammals! |
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| reflections in new pond |
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| view from the opposite end |
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| taken from the bridge |
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| the strimmed meadow |
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| looking back to the pond along the stream |
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| another view of the meadow |
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| this Oak has lost a lot of leaves since my last visit |
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| a nice sunny glade |
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| pond from the hide |
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| view from the ramp |
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| and view from the boardwalk |
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| looking back along the gorse boundary |
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| lovely reed seed heads against a wintry blue sky |
and finally.........
