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| old reeds and new Hemlock Water Dropwort foliage |
I missed my usual visit to the Reserve last week as I was off-Island on holiday in Cumbria. On Wednesday it was amazing to see how much had changed in just those few days. Some of the Hawthorns had blossom, the Apple trees were starting to flower and the Hemlock Water Dropwort was now growing vigorously. What's more, a Sedge Warbler had arrived to join the other warblers on the Reserve. Here is what I recorded during (eventually) a lovely sunny morning at Ballachurry Wetlands.
Birds:
SC210694 Willow Warbler.
SC209693 Goldfinch x 2; Chaffinch; Willow Warbler; Song Thrush; Blackbird x 2; Blackcap heard not seen;
SC209694 Blackbird; Robin x 3; Chiffchaff heard not seen; Reed Warbler heard not seen; Woodpigeon; Sedge Warbler heard along Gorse Boundary; Heron flying over; Moorhen; Pheasant heard not seen.
SC208694 Blue Tit x 2; Great Tit; Robin; Song Thrush; Willow Warbler; Chiffchaff; Long-tailed Tit; Blackcap heard not seen; Woodpigeon on ground in meadow; male Chaffinch; male Pheasant; Sedge Warbler heard in reeds near boardwalk; Song Thrush; Blackbird flying over; Dunnock.
SC208695 Chiffchaff; Chaffinch ; Goldfinch;
SC209695 Blackcap heard not seen; Goldfinch;
Other:
SC208695 Peacock Butterfly on flowering currant flowers.
SC208695 male Orange Tip Butterfly.
SC208694 male Orange Tip Butterfly.
SC209694 male Orange Tip Butterfly.
SC209693 male Orange Tip Butterfly.
SC209695 male Orange Tip Butterfly.
SC210694 7-spot Ladybird x 2.
SC210694 Sloe Shieldbug x 3.
SC210694 Nursery Web Spider.
SC209694 Gorse Shieldbugs x 7 along the Gorse Boundary path.
SC209694 unidentified water beetle in new pond.
SC209694 other unidentified water creatures in new pond.
SC209694 Pond Skater on new pond.
SC209694 unidentified spider walking on surface tension of new pond.
SC209694 /SC210694 Garlic Mustard in flower.
SC208694 Tremella mesenterica fungus on gorse.
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| Two Goldfinches were flying round together |
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| a close-up of one of them |
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| male Blackbird |
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| Blue Tit |
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| same bird singing |
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| Chiffchaff |
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| male Chaffinch |
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| Song Thrush |
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| it was sitting very quietly in a Birch tree |
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| Grey Heron flying over |
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| Moorhen |
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| the Reserve has several Robins - this one is ringed |
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| this one was singing |
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| while this one was looking for food |
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| the Thrush in the meadow was very vocal |
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| as was the Willow Warbler |
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| another Willow Warbler elsewhere |
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| the new pond |
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| the water continues to clear, so some water creatures are visible |
IDs being sought for the following:
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| possibly lesser Water boatmen? |
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| possibly an Agabus diving beetle? |
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| lesser Water boatman? |
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| possibly a Mayfly nymph? |
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| it was in the water weed |
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| Pond skater |
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| this spider was on the stones round the edge of the pond |
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| another looked the same but walked some distance on surface tension |
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| a very small Oulema beetle ( malanopus/rufocyanea) |
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| Gorse Shieldbug |
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| an Eristalis Hoverfly |
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| one of the Andrena species of mining bee |
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| 7-spot Ladybird - one of two seen |
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| Nursery Web Spider |
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| male Orange Tip butterfly - note pattern on underwing |
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| male Orange Tip |
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| Sloe Shieldbugs |
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| they are also known as the Hairy Shieldbug |
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| a small amount of Tremella mesenterica on gorse |
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| apple blossom |
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| Bird Cherry |
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| its blossom is followed by small black berries |
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| Bluebells by the gate are Spanish, not native variety |
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| Hawthorn Blossom |
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| Hogweed |
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| Garlic Mustard - food plant for Orange Tip & Green Veined White butterflies |
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| the meadow still looks colourful |
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| looking towards the bridge and reed bed |
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| grassy area in front of the Bowman bench |
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| usual view from the hide ramp |
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| usual view of hide now with some Hawthorn blossom |
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| someone had made themselves comfortable on the boardwalk! |
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| the Hemlock Water Dropwort is growing fast here |
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| the stream is almost obscured by it |
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| birch trees still have no leaves |
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| view down the gorse boundary |
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| usual view from the boardwalk |
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| the gorse makes a bright splash |
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| and finally, the Ash walk |
Five Warblers on site wasn't a bad tally for the morning!
With thanks to Steve Crellin for invertebrate identifications. More IDs expected, do check back again later.
please click on photos to enlarge them
