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| First August visit of the month |
With overcast skies and the temperature struggling to reach 15 degrees, it didn't feel at all like August when I arrived at Ballachury Reserve on Tuesday at 09.30. I was glad of my coat at times and had to take shelter in the hide during a prolonged shower. At one point I decided to return home as soon as the rain stopped but then the sun came out and the whole complexion of the reserve changed. Not many bird photos today though. I think many are moulting at present and keeping a low profile while they are vulnerable. The ones I saw certainly looked scruffy! Here is my report:
Birds:
SC209694 Robin; female Blackbird ( seen twice in 2 different locations); Wren; Sedge Warbler ( not singing); female Mallard; Willow Warbler heard not seen.
SC208694 flock of Goldfinches in firs; female Chaffinch; Dunnock ( seen twice in 2 different locations); Woodpigeon flying over; Robin.
Butterflies & Moths:
SC208695 Speckled Wood x 2.
SC209695 Speckled Wood.
SC209694 Speckled Wood x 2.
SC209694 Meadow Brown.
SC209694 Unidentified White flying x 2.
SC209694 Green Veined White.
SC208694 Holly Blue.
SC208694 Common Blue x 3 ( all males).
SC208694 unidentified White flying.
SC210694 Holly Blue on ivy by the entrance gate.
SC210694 Wall Brown.
SC209693 Speckled Wood x 2.
SC208695 Unidentified moth in oak sapling Dingy or Common Footman?
SC209694 Grass moths.
Sc209694 Silver Y moth .
Other:
SC208694 Common Darter on boardwalk.
SC209694 Common Darter flying over new pond.
SC209694 Blue-tailed Damselfly.
SC208694 Crane Fly
SC208695 Crane Fly.
SC208695 Common Wasp.
SC208694 Digger Wasp (possibly Ectemnius lituratus?) on boardwalk. NEW RECORD?
SC209695 orange-brown fly among rowan berries - very camouflaged.
SC208694 unidentified ants on boardwalk.
SC208694 Nursery Web Spider on nest.
SC209694 small greenish spider Enoplognatha species?
SC208694 Gorse Shieldbug + several nymphs ( various instars).
SC210694 large toadstool by noticeboard.
SC209693 unidentified fungi along path.
SC209694 Inkcaps along path.
SC208695 small white fungi growing on dock(?) stalk. Twig parachute Marasmiellus ramealis ?? NEW RECORD?
SC208695 very small toadstool in leaf litter.
SC208695 Inkcaps along path.
SC209694 Hedgehog scat
(SC208694 dog mess on path despite No Dogs Allowed)
SC208694 Unidentified hoverfly
SC209695 2 x Marmalade Flies.
SC209695 unidentified Hoverfly.
SC209694 various flies on Cushag ( Ragwort) including bright orange Hoverfly NEW RECORD?
SC209694 Philaenus spumarious froghoppers
SC209695 Leafhopper, hebecephalus species? NEW RECORD?
SC209694 Green capsid bug.
SC208695 Silk Button Spangle Galls on Oak sapling - Neuroterus numismalis NEW RECORD
SC209694 Pond Snail NEW RECORD
SC209694 Greater Water Boatman
SC209694 Pond Skater
SC209693 Angelica beside path but not yet in flower
SC209694 Shepherd's Purse growing on hide roof
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| only one Mallard today |
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| 4 of flock of 8 Goldfinches |
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| Dunnock in the Willows |
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| Dunnock near the boardwalk |
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| female Chaffinch |
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| Footman moth - to be confirmed |
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| Common Blue on Greater Bird's Foot Trefoil |
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| it is a male |
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| there were 3 males in the damp meadow |
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| this one is on Sneezewort |
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| always worth checking Sneezewort for butterflies |
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| a rather ragged Meadow Brown |
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| this one has fared rather better |
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| Speckled Wood |
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| there were several on the Reserve |
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| not a view of the Bee's Knees! |
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| you have to study their "tails" to determine species |
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| this one is a Carder bee, I think |
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| there were lots in the Marsh Woundwort |
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| I think this may be the Digger wasp Ectemnius lituratus |
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| this Hoverfly was startlingly Orange rather than yellow |
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| it may be a new record |
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| Marmalade Hoverfly |
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| Marmalade Hoverfly |
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| they are abundant at this time of year |
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| unidentified Hoverfly 01 |
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| unidentified Hoverfly 02 |
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| unidentified fly on Cushag ( Ragwort) |
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| three more, different species |
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| Hoverfly in Meadowsweet |
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| this fly was the same colour as the unripe berries |
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| a Flesh Fly ? |
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| tiny fly on Wild Carrot |
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| Nephrotoma flavipalpis Crane Fly |
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| a different species of Crane Fly |
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| Green Capsid bug |
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| another Green Capsid with even smaller bug or fly |
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| Philaenus spumarius Froghopper |
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| a very patterned Leafhopper |
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| possibly Allygus mixtus ( though not on distribution map for IOM) |
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| plenty of Gorse Shieldbug nymphs about |
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| this is a late instar |
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| whereas these are quite young |
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| the finished product! ( with a youngster) |
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| I was so very pleased to see the grasshoppers back |
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| they have been very scarce these last few years |
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| I think they are Common Green Species - this one had climbed the wall! |
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| these ants may be nesting under the boardwalk |
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| the new pond |
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| usual view |
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| although a bit gloopy the water is clear |
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| and the pond life is increasing |
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| Blue-tailed Damselfly |
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| Common Backswimmer ( Water Boatman) |
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| Pond Snail in the water NEW RECORD |
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| this one had crawled out onto a rock |
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| Pond Skater |
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| 7-spot Ladybird |
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| Soldier Beetle |
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| Pisaura mirabilis - Nursery Web spider |
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| possibly an Enoplognatha species spider? |
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| we still have Fairy Rings under the willows |
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| an Inkcap showing the gills |
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| fungi along the path parallel to the road |
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| fungi along the short path to the hide |
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| Inkcaps near the gate |
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| unidentified fungus near the noticeboard |
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| these tiny toadstools may be Twig Parachutes |
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| a new Record |
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| an even smaller toadstool but out of reach for a better photo |
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| Silk Button Spangle Galls on Oak - Neuroterus numismalis |
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| Angelica yet to flower |
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| Ragged Robin - a flower still left |
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| Shepherd's Purse on roof of Hide - birds sometimes feed on the seeds |
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| usual view of the Hide |
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| the willow screen beside the hide |
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| view from the hide ramp |
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| looking back to the hide from the boardwalk |
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| the boardwalk |
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| view from the boardwalk |
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| looking along the Ash Walk |
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| rushes in the meadow flattened by recent weather |
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| still looking good though |
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| as is the pond |
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| but time to go home! |
Although it may take me some time to verify all the new records, this seems to have been an exceptional summer for them.
please click on photos to enlarge them
