The Ballachurry Dragonfly Pond
This week's visit to the Reserve was between mid morning and early afternoon on Tuesday. Mostly blue skies but a chilly strong wind had me feeling cold along some of the paths and too hot where they were sheltered! I was struck on entering the Reserve by how quiet it was. Virtually no bird song at all, although a Song Thrush struck up about half an hour later and the Long Tailed Tits announced their presence from time to time. But no warblers providing the soundtrack to my visit this time. Here is what I recorded:
Birds:
SC210694 2 x Goldfinch flying over; male and female Chaffinch on millet feeder (at separate times)
SC209693 Woodpigeon; Blue Tit x 2.
SC209694 Song Thrush heard not seen; Woodpigeon heard not seen; Long-tailed Tit x 3; female Blackbird on the ground; male Blackbird in tree; Great Tit; Goldfinches heard not seen; Chaffinch heard not seen; Woodpigeon x 2 flying over; unidentified Warbler flew over main pond and disappeared into reeds; Magpie flying over; male Blackbird disturbed from drinking from dragonfly pond.
SC208694 Magpie flying over ; Woodpigeon flying over; Long-tailed Tit x 3; Blue Tit; Great Tit; Chaffinch heard not seen; male Blackbird flying over; juvenile Robin.
SC208695 Woodpigeon; Great Tit fledgling being fed by adult; Long Tailed Tit x 3
Butterflies:
SC208695 Green Veined White x 2
SC209695 Speckled Wood
SC209694 Speckled Wood in 2 locations
Other:
SC208695 2 x Grypocoris stysi Capsid bugs on Hogweed leaves.
SC209694 Yellow Dung Fly x 3.
SC208694 Great Pied Hoverfly.
SC209694 Great Pied Hoverfly.
SC209694 Common Blue Damselfly sheltering down among the nettles.
SC209694 Unidentified flies and Hoverflies.
SC209694 Honey bees on Hemlock Water Dropwort & Hogweed.
SC209695 Crab Spider in gorse.
SC209694 Nursery Web Spider.
young Blue Tit 
and a Long-tailed Tit fledgling 
little fluffy bundles! 
male Chaffinch on the millet feeder 
Speckled Wood Butterfly 
and another elsewhere 
Green Veined White Butterfly 
veins are green on the underside and black on top
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| Depressaria daucella larva on Hemlock Water Dropwort |
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| food for hungry fledglings no doubt |
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| the larval web of a Bird Cherry Ermine Moth |
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| Hogweed attracting Flies and Hoverflies |
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| Yellow Dung Fly |
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| probably an Eristalis species Hoverfly & Yellow Dung Fly |
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| unknown species of fly |
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| I hope to get it identified |
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| Great Pied Hoverfly |
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| and another elsewhere |
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| apparently they lay their eggs in Wasps' nests! |
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| a different species of Hoverfly |
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| look at the pollen basket on this Honey Bee! |
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| Crab Spider |
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| Nursery Web Spider |
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| Grypocoris stysi Capsid Bugs |
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| dragonfly pond |
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| Great Water Boatman and a few pond snails |
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| last week's fallen tree was quickly dealt with |
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| so the path is passable once more |
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| lots of these little flies were on the remaining stump |
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| developing sloes on Blackthorn |
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| and cherries on the Memorial Tree |
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| Hawthorn berries are showing signs of ripening |
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| but some Rowans have shriveled berries |
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| a colourful corner |
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| wild roses near the entrance |
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| a closer view |
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| the distant boardwalk |
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| bordered by Hemlock Water Dropwort |
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| usual view from the boardwalk |
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| looking back over the meadow towards the hide |
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| the usual view of the hide |
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| the gorse flowers are over |
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| and the seed heads starting to pop |
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| everywhere green and lush |
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| Dropwort and reeds together |
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| the damp meadow |
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| the mini meadow is doing well this year |
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| usual view of the main pond |
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| view from the hide ramp |
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| stream hidden by Dropwort so warning useful |
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| "the deep, dark wood" - Ballachurry style |
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| an inviting bench but it's time to leave |
And finally,
If you are visiting Ballachurry Reserve you might also like to take a look at the two fields of ox-eye daisies at nearby Rushen Church. Head for the church car park and you will spot their whereabouts.
please tap on photos to enlarge them
