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| a beautiful February morning |
Monday looked like the best day's weather of the week for a visit to Ballachurry Reserve, but I had another commitment at 10 30 a.m. so was planning to go straight after lunch. However, I was up fairly early and realised I had time for an hour there beforehand so enjoyed just one circuit of the reserve and a little time in the bird hide before having to leave. Here is what I recorded on a beautiful sunny morning:
Birds:
SC209693 Long- tailed Tit flying over; Wren; Chaffinch heard not seen; 2 x Blue Tit together ( one on bird box); Great Tit.
SC209694 ( hide) as I approached the hide I could see a Heron at the water's edge; Blue Tit; 2 x Moorhen together; Mallard Drake; Great Tit; Magpie, Jackdaw & Carrion Crow in Churchyard trees.
SC209694( elsewhere) Blackbird on path; 2 x Robin together; Chaffinch heard not seen; single Robin singing from tree; Goldfinch; female Sparrowhawk flying over mobbed by 1 corvid.
SC208694 4 x Redwing flying over; Wren; single Robin; Blackbird; single Blue Tit; Chaffinch heard not seen; Coal Tit; 2 x Woodpigeon heard not seen; 2 x Robin together near boardwalk; 3 x Great Tit together near boardwalk; 2 x Blue Tit together in willows.
SC208695 ( feeders) female Chaffinch; Great Tit; Coal Tit; Robin nearby.
SC208695 Redwing in Willow.
SC209695 male & female Chaffinch; Woodpigeon; 2 x Blue Tit.
SC210694 Blackbird; Song Thrush ( both flew out of the ivy hedge)
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| Heron by the pond |
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| two Moorhens this morning |
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| Mallard Drake enjoying a snooze |
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| Blue Tit among the Pussy Willows |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Redwing well.hidden in the willow |
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| one of many Robins this morning |
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| this one was ringed |
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| whereas this one was not |
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| Robin near feeders |
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| female Chaffinch near feeders |
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| Coal Tit on the peanuts |
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| I watched for a few minutes |
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| Magpie in Churchyard trees |
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| Wren |
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| female Sparrowhawk passing through |
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| frogspawn in the new pond - branches to keep Mallards from eating it |
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| a backlit fern under the willows |
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| Marsh marigold leaves showing through |
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| usual view of the boardwalk |
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| and looking back |
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| usual view from the boardwalk |
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| bridge to the compost and willows area |
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| Blackthorn in full flower |
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| dragonfly pond ( hopefully!) |
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| looking across Reserve to Rushen Church |
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| usual view of the hide |
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| it's due for a coat of paint this year |
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| the laid willow hedge should now sprout long willow wands |
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| meadow view |
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| mature trees in the sunshine |
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| through the hide shutters |
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| view from the hide ramp |
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| the reeds near the boardwalk |
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| the stream near the boardwalk |
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| still an "unofficial pond" under the willows |
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| brambles cut back near the gate in order to remove invasive plants |
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| time to leave - back later! |
please click on photos to enlarge them
(to be continued)
