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first October visit of the month
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A Tuesday morning visit to the Reserve this week. It was very windy ( again!) and there didn't seem to be many birds about. I did find some insects though, mostly sheltering in the undergrowth, so here is what I recorded:
Birds:
SC209693 Long-tailed Tit heard not seen; Robin heard not seen;
SC209694 Blue Tit seen from hide taking blackberries; Magpie; Robin heard not seen; Woodpigeon x 7 flying over; 3 x Jackdaw flying over; 2 x Wren together; 5 x Goldfinch among berries seen from hide; Blackbird alarm call heard. Sparrowhawk flew in low over pond from over hide roof and away over vegetation at the back of the pond.
SC208694 Wren; Robin heard not seen.
SC209695 male Pheasant; 3 x Long-tailed Tit; 2 x Swallow flying over; Robin heard not seen.
Butterflies, Moths & Caterpillars:
SC209695 Red Admiral.
SC209694 Holly Blue caterpillar returned to ivy.
SC209694 Unidentified caterpillar in thistles.
Other:
SC209695 7-spot Ladybird.
SC209694 7-spot Ladybird x 6 in thistles and gorse.
SC208695 7-spot Ladybird in oak sapling.
SC209694 unidentified caterpillar in thistles.
SC209694 Marmalade Hoverfly.
SC208695 Marmalade Hoverfly.
SC208694 Numerous flies in the reeds.
SC208694 Noon Fly on boardwalk
SC209695 unidentified Helophilus & other Hoverflies on Cushag / Ragwort and on late Hogweed flowers.
SC209693 unidentified Hoverfly.
SC209694 several Common Wasps feasting on fallen apples.
SC209694 Green Shieldbug.
SC208694 Green Shieldbug.
SC209695 Gorse Shieldbug.
SC209693 unidentified Hoverfly.
SC209694 2 x unidentified Hawker dragonflies.
SC208694 unidentified fungi.
SC209693 and SC208694 Inkcap fungi.
SC208694 Woody nightshade berries by compost heap and in meadow.
SC208695 tiny unidentified spider on oak sapling.
SC210694 3 x Nursery Web Spider.
SC209694 Nursery Web Spider.
SC209694 3 x Water Diving Beetles + 1 Pond Snail.
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a small flock of Goldfinches were enjoying the blackberries
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as was this Blue Tit
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a Red Admiral was the only butterfly braving the windy conditions
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many flies were congregating near the reeds
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more nearby
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Noon Fly on the board walk
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Marmalade Hoverfly
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"Footballer" Helophilus Hoverfly
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possibly a Syrphus Hoverfly
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and another at the opposite end of the Reserve
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Wasps feasting on fallen apples
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fallen apples well pecked by birds
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Green Shieldbug
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Green Shieldbug
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unidentified caterpillar
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You may remember that a few weeks ago I was helping to search for Holly Blue caterpillars in the ivy? Some of the ivy had been cut back near the pavement. On Tuesday I spotted the cut ivy on a compost heap and checked the flowers. The first one I picked up had a Holly Blue caterpillar on it which Garry Curtis tells me was a late instar about to pupate. I put the sprig of ivy back into the living ivy near the gate so the caterpillar could move on to some "fresh greens" before pupating. It was the only one I could find on the compost heap but it proves that the Holly Blue Butterflies are breeding at Ballachurry.
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Holly Blue caterpillar on ivy buds
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a closer view- confirmation of breeding
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7-spot Ladybird on oak sapling
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one of several 7-spots on thistles
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small Nursery Web Spider
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there were a few sheltering in the nettles
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unidentified tiny spider on oak sapling
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I wondered what had been eating these leaves?
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fungi are back under the willows
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will they form rings again?
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they look like the same species as before
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Inkcap
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Inkcap on a different path
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Dragonfly Pool full to the brim
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but no dragonflies today
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a pond snail had crawled out though
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and the beetles were active
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Woody Nightshade near the compost heaps
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and more in the meadow - a new location
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tinges of autumn - Oak
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"The Lichen Tree" has lost most of its leaves
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Reed flowers, delicate against the blue sky
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Rose Hips waiting for the birds
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view from the bridge
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usual view from the boardwalk
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the short, direct route to the hide
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hide shutters had been left open and graffiti on the white board!
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flowers all but gone from the meadow now
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looking towards the reed bed and bridge
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usual view from the ramp
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reeds flattened by recent gales
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an October view through the hide shutters
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Usual view of the hide
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darkening skies - time to go home?
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The weather appeared to be deteriorating towards midday. I decided to have another 15 minutes in the hide then go home for lunch. However, I eventually realised that my watch had stopped at 12. 10 and it was 40 minutes later than I thought! Had my watch battery not stopped so unexpectedly though, I would have missed the Hawker dragonflies over the main pool and not seen the Sparrowhawk!
With thanks to Garry Curtis for identifying the Holly Blue caterpillar.
please click on the photos to enlarge them
