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| View from the boardwalk, now with Blackthorn in flower. |
Thursday was a beautiful spring day, just perfect for a recording visit at Ballachurry Reserve. Even as I passed through the gate at around 9.20 I could see Blackbirds flying in all directions and the attraction proved to be the ivy berries in the boundary hedge. There were even a couple of Redwings taking these too. Here is the full report:
Birds:
SC210694 Blackbird x 2; Goldfinch x 2; Wren.
SC209694 female Chaffinch; 2 x Robin together; Great Tit x 2 together; Goldfinch; Redwing x 2; 2 x Blue Tit together; male & female Blackbirds; 2 x Magpie flying over; Greenfinch. 3 x Goldfinch flying over; Jackdaw.
SC209694 ( from hide) Mallard drake; Moorhen; Great Tit x 2 ; Woodpigeon x 2; Pheasant heard but not seen. 2 x Blackbird; Water Rail heard.
SC209693 Robin; Song Thrush;
SC208694 Robin; 2 x Long-Tailed Tit, one ringed, carrying nest material; Chaffinch heard not seen; Woodpigeon flying over;
SC208695 Wren x 2 together; male Chaffinch + 2 female Chaffinch; female Blackbird; 2 x Dunnock together; 2 x Magpie;
SC209695 Robin; Greenfinch; Great Tit.
Other:
SC208694 2 x 7 Spot Ladybird
SC209695 7 Spot Ladybird
SC208694 7 Spot Ladybird
SC209693 tiny red flowers on some of the Hazel bushes
SC208694 3 x Gorse Shieldbugs
SC209695 Gorse Shieldbug
SC209694Gorse Shieldbug
SC209694 and throughout reserve - Blackthorn in flower.
SC209695 and throughout reserve on gorse - Honey bees
male Blackbird in the ivy 
feasting on the berries
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| female Blackbird close by |
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| this Blackbird preferred invertebrates |
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| Blue tit |
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| female Chaffinch |
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| view through the shutters |
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| a dozing mallard near the reeds |
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| he later woke up |
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| Moorhen swimming |
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| and feeding on the edge of the pond |
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| later it came closer to the hide |
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| one of a pair of Dunnocks |
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| Greenfinch |
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| Long-tailed tit |
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| there were a pair |
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| this one is ringed |
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| they were very confiding |
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| and happily perched very close to me |
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| nesting material visible in beak |
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| Jackdaw |
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| another Greenfinch |
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| Redwing |
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| Robin among the catkins |
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| and another near the dragonfly pond |
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| briefly glimpsed Song Thrush |
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| one of a pair of Wrens |
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| Gorse Shieldbug |
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| and another elsewhere |
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| active Honey bee |
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| 7-spot Ladybird |
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| 7-spot Ladybird and Honey Bee in the background |
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| cultivated daffodils in bloom |
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| with wild Celandines nearby |
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| Blackthorn in flower throughout the reserve now |
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| including near the hide |
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| looks lovely against a blue sky |
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| delicate little, starry flowers |
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| parts of the reserve still look quite desolate |
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| tiny red female flowers on the Hazels |
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| a closer view. Catkins are male and carry the pollen |
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| the Ash walk |
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| some views of the new pond |
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| the meadow is still very muddy |
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| usual view of the hide |
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| progress since my last visit |
The Manx for February is Toshiaght Arree, which translates as "beginning of spring" . It certainly felt like that on Thursday. A very enjoyable visit with 19 species of bird recorded.
Please click on photos to enlarge them
