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the Ballachurry Dragonfly pond awaiting business
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A poor weather forecast for the rest of the week meant Tuesday was my best option for a visit to the Reserve. A mid-morning appointment prevented my going at my preferred time but I managed an early lunch and walked through the gate at 1.30. I was quite glad to escape the Chaffinch in my garden which at this time of year prefers a single note call which it keeps up continuously for hours on end! However, its relative at Ballachurry was doing likewise just inside the gate waiting to welcome me! Here is what else I recorded:Birds:
SC210694 Blue Tit.
SC209693 male Chaffinch calling from tree ( answering call from Old School House garden, SC209694); Willow Warbler heard not seen; Robin singing from tree; Woodpigeon heard not seen; Magpie flying over.
SC209694 ( hide) Moorhen sitting atop of small tree.
SC209694 ( elsewhere) Magpie flew across chased by pair of Great Tits; Willow Warbler heard not seen; male Blackbird flew across path; male Chaffinch; Mallard drake flying over; 2 x Swifts high over reserve; Pheasant heard not seen; Blackbird heard not seen; Song Thrush heard not seen; female Blackbird.
SC208694 Sparrowhawk flew across; Buzzard seen in distance over Sloc Road; Willow Warbler heard not seen; Sedge warbler heard not seen from reed bed by boardwalk; Chaffinch heard not seen; 2 x Long-tailed tits feeding 2 x fledglings on branch; Great Tit; Blue Tit seen exiting nest box, joined by another in vegetation; Song Thrush singing from willow then flew out across path; Woodpigeon flew up from path.
SC208695 Chaffinch singing normal tuneful melody! Woodpigeon flying over; 2 Great Tit flying over together.
SC209695 Blackcap heard not seen; Song Thrush; Long Tailed Tit.
Butterflies and Moths:
SC210694 Red Admiral; unidentified White flying.
SC209694 several unidentified Whites flying; male Orange Tip seen twice; Silver Y Moth.
SC208694 unidentified Whites flying; male and female Orange Tips; Speckled Wood.
SC208695 unidentified White flying.
SC208695 Silver Ground Carpet Moth.
SC209695 Speckled Wood.
Other:
SC209693 unidentified Damselfly.
SC209693 Cranefly.
SC208695 Common Wasp.
SC209695 2 x unidentified snails in gorse bush ( one very small)
SC209695 unidentified solitary bee/wasp in gorse bush.
SC209694 Gorse Shieldbug and tiny snail in Gorse bush.
SC209694 Gorse Shieldbug Eggs.
SC209694 Cranefly.
SC209694 Green Shieldbug on dead dock stem.
SC209694 ( Pond Life) Unidentified damselfly on rock, possibly freshly emerged? Backswimmer; Pond Skater x 3; Lake Orb Mussel x 2; occasional Tadpoles; abundant Pond Snails.
SC208694 unidentified beetle on wooden post near bridge.
SC209694 garden Snail still hibernating in hide!
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Buzzards seen from the Reserve
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2 fledgling Long-tailed Tits awaiting a meal
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not where I usually see the Moorhen!
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Speckled Wood
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tiny solitary bee or wasp on bramble leaf
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a closer view
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will try to get ID
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unidentified Beetle on post near bridge
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| will try to get ID |
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Cranefly
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Damselfly in vegetation near the reed bed
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Gorse Shieldbug
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Gorse Shieldbug eggs
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a close up view
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a Green Shieldbug
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it was near the Dragonfly pond
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this snail looks big here but was really tiny!
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larger snail nearby
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another hidden in the gorse
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Pond Skater
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another view of the Dragonfly pond
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before leaving I added a couple of small branches
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for dragonflies and damsels to perch on
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this ploy attracted 2 species very quickly in my own garden pond
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but the damselfly here scorned the branch in favour of the stone!
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possibly it had just emerged from the water
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that may be its exuvia (cast larval skin) in the water near duckweed
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the willows are seeding everywhere
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the seeds catch on nearby spiderwebs
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Hemlock Water Dropwort encroaching on the bridge
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and in the meadow
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the Ash walk - extent of ash die-back starting to be seen
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lush vegetation along the beehive loop
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and along the other side of the loop
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usual view of boardwalk
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and the view from it
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usual view of the bird hide
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the hide from the other direction
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usual view from the hide ramp
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the meadow area from near the hide
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and looking back at it from the boardwalk
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Yellow Flag Iris in the meadow
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near the compost area
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and a different view
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looking along the gorse boundary
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Ginnie's Bench and the mini meadow
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yellow rattle coming into flower in the mini meadow
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Dropwort has invaded this reed bed - hopefully the reeds will push through
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reserve looking very lush and green
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usual view through the shutters
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and looking the other way
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the unofficial pond under willows has finally dried up!
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garden escape pink Oxalis and native Garlic Mustard against the wall
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I very much enjoyed my afternoon stroll round the Reserve but was left feeling rather inept as a naturalist and photographer! I had difficulty spotting the birds I could hear among the leafy boughs; many that I did see were against the bright sun and the photos turned out badly! I saw quite a few white butterflies during the afternoon, all flying by at speed and refusing to settle either for identification or a photo! So this week's selection of pictures is mostly of more static species and the usual views.
please click on photos to enlarge them
