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| An unplanned Boxing Day visit to the Reserve. |
Originally I had Thursday penciled in for a visit to Ballachurry but I changed my plans when Boxing Day dawned bright and sunny and they forecast showers for Thursday. I didn't get a very early start but still enjoyed a couple of hours there. Here is my report:
Birds:
SC209694 ( Hide) Moorhen; Water Rail heard; male Blackbird; Hooded Crow; Woodpigeon; Robin; 3 x Rooks; 20 Goldfinches flying over; Goldcrest; Wren.
SC209694 ( elsewhere) 2 x Magpie flying over; Great Tit flying over; Robin seen in three different locations; 3 x Blackbirds together; female Chaffinch; Wren; Woodpigeon flying over; Redwing.
SC208694 Robin; Blackbird; Wren.
SC208695 Woodpigeon flying over; Robin; Jackdaw; male and female Chaffinch.
Other:
SC208694 there is an orange fungus rust or lichen growing on the trunk of one of the willows.
SC208694 and SC209694 Hogweed plants in flower
SC209694 Hemlock Water Dropwort has come through where Blackthorn was cleared.
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Chaffinch at the path junction
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and another elsewhere
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Blackbird near the new pond
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I spotted this Redwing across the meadow as I left the hide
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a closer view
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Goldcrest - our smallest bird from a great distance!
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Jackdaw, also from a distance
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one of three Wrens seen during the morning
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I was determined to see some Wrens this morning as Boxing Day is associated with the Hunt the Wren (Shelg yn Drean) tradition in the Isle of Man. Live Wrens are no longer hunted but songs are sung, dances danced or, in my case, Wrens are photographed and recorded!
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at first sight, nothing on the water
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but on closer inspection...........
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a Moorhen was foraging both round the pond edges
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and in the water
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there were plenty Robins about - this one near the new pond
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and this one at the path junction - very seasonal!
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a splendid blue sky when I arrived about 11 oclock
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usual view from the ramp of the hide
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I walked through the meadow
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headed for the bridge across the stream
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where the willows were still flooded in places
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there was no bird activity near the compost heap
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but I noticed this orange rust on a willow trunk
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a closer view - fungus or lichen?
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there was also Hogweed in flower under the willows
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I crossed back into the meadow
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and looked back from the boardwalk
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can you see the tiny white dot in the stream?
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a golf ball had washed down from somewhere!
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view from the Boardwalk -clouds building up now
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I lingered by the Bowman bench but there was nothing about
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so I walked on along the boundary
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and noted more Hogweed in flower
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Blackbird and Robin noted here but no aquatic life
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I carried on towards the entrance
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and turned down the direct path to the hide
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where Hemlock Water Dropwort is coming through
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back at the hide I sat awhile
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the Water Rail was calling but didn't emerge
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so time to close down the shutters and go home for lunch
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Almost certainly my last visit of the month and of the year - what will 2024 bring?
please click on photos to enlarge
