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the Reserve now has a woodland feel
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A few chores kept me at home until 10 o'clock on Tuesday, nor was the weather very promising for my weekly visit to the reserve. My expectations were not therefore very high, so I was delighted to see my first Redwing of the season within 5 minutes of arriving there. I learnt later that a fellow birder had seen about 50 on the Reserve earlier in the day! Here is what else I recorded:
Birds:
SC209694 Redwing; 2 x Heron flying over; Blackbird; Wren; Woodpigeon flying over; Blue Tit; Robin; Jackdaw flying over.
SC210694 Robin.
SC208694 Robin; Great Tit; Magpie heard not seen; Blue Tit heard not seen; Blackbird; Dunnock.
SC208695 Robin heard not seen.
Butterflies, Moths, Caterpillars: None seen.
Other:
SC208694 Wood Pink Gill fungus ( Entoloma rhodpolium) - with thanks to Liz Charter for the ID.
SC208694 2 other species of fungi awaiting identification from under the willows.
SC208694 2 further species of fungi awaiting identification from under Hawthorn.
SC209693 Milkcap fungus awaiting identification + 1 other species.
SC209693 empty bird's egg shell beneath rather ragged nest in the tree above.
SC209694 evidence of Sparrowhawk kill on path.
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spotted from afar - a solitary Redwing
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eating the Hawthorn berries
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a lovely winter visitor
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I was mystified by this eggshell ....
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until I spotted the nest above - Woodpigeon?
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Sparrowhawk kill?
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there is a sea of Herb Robert under the willows
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as well as lots of fungi - unidentified in this case
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this one has been identified as Wood Pinkgill
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its scientific name is Entoloma rhodopolium
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something different again
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these were startlingly white
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again under the willows
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possibly little Waxcaps growing in the moss
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and there were some white Spindles growing nearby too
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the usual views of the new pond
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but I couldn't spot any pond life today
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the boardwalk beckons
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the view from it today was very gloomy
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there is a sea of Forget-me-nots in front of the hide
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the bridge across to the Willow woodland
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hard to see the Hide from the usual spot
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a better view from close by
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looking back towards the main pool
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the view from the bridge
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the meadow with Loosestrife seedheads
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water flowing well in front of the reed bed
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a photo to show the weather
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the new tool shed now painted to match the hide
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Although a visit to Ballachurry Reserve is always a pleasure, whatever the weather, I felt slightly cheated when the sun came out later in the week! So on Friday afternoon I briefly called in again on my way home from Port Erin. Sunny indeed it was, but it was also very windy with hardly any sheltered spots where insects might be found. I did record a few things though - here is Friday's list:
SC209694 Robin heard not seen; 3 x Goldfinch, male Blackbird , Magpie and a Blue Tit seen from hide
SC210694 2 x Pied Wagtails on the roof of Old School House eventually flew off across the reserve.
SC208694 Common Darter warming up on boardwalk; many flies doing likewise on boardwalk and handrail in particular.
SC208695 Green Shieldbug and unidentified fly on oak leaf together.
SC209694 Red Admiral flying; Leaf beetle in nettles/ brambles behind Ginnie's Bench.
SC209694 Several flies warming up on roofing felt of bird hide.
SC209693 open Hazelnut shells suggest Wood Mice etc. are not going hungry.
SC210694 Stinking Iris berries starting to show.
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through the shutters - there were about a dozen flies
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even more on the boardwalk handrail
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A Green Shieldbug and friend
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Stinking Iris berries starting to show
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a few open Hazelnuts from the path
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Leaf Beetle
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Common Darter
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Compare these photos weatherwise with those from Tuesday!
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lovely blue sky
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but notice how the trees are bending!
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Met. Office - please may I place an order for sunshine and only light breezes for my visit next week!
please click on photos to enlarge them
