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| the hide roof at Ballachurry Reserve |
Only a few days since my last visit to the Reserve but still plenty to report! We are having a delightful spell of good weather which makes it a pleasure to be out and about in the countryside. Here is what I recorded:
Birds:
SC209694 ( hide) Robin; juvenile Blackbird; Woodpigeon flying over; Blue Tit.
SC209694 ( elsewhere) Great Tit x 2; ringed Robin; non-ringed Robin; Raven x 2 flying over croaking; Blackbird heard not seen; Buzzard x 2 flying over (seen on 3 separate occasions) Goldfinch x 5.
SC208694 Chiffchaff; Blue Tit x 2; Blackbird; Robin; Woodpigeon; single male Chaffinch + 3 together; Goldfinch x 3; Wren; Blue Tit.
SC209695 Blackbird; Great Tit; male Chaffinch; Blackbird flying over; Blue Tit x 2; Buzzard perched in tree seen from a distance; Magpie.
SC208695 Robin; Wren; Great Tit; Song Thrush; juvenile Blackbird.
Butterflies:
SC209694 ( from hide) Speckled Wood x 3
SC209694 ( elsewhere) Speckled Wood x 3
SC208694 Speckled Wood.
SC209695 Speckled Wood x 2 spiraling together + 1 other.
SC209694 Red Admiral flying over.
Other:
SC209695 Migrant Hawker dragonfly.
SC209694 Common Darter x 8 including mating pair on bench near dragonfly pond followed by ovipositing 8 minutes later; another pair ovipositing at the same time; single female seemingly ovipositing without male; 2 x single males along and on paths and 1 male patrolling over main pond.
SC208694 Common Darter on path.
SC209694 4 x Greater Water Boatmen.
SC209695 Puffballs still appearing.
SC209693 unidentified Toadstool.
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| juvenile Blackbird |
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| juvenile male Blackbird |
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| Blue Tit |
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| the Buzzards appeared while I was standing near the dragonfly pond |
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| soon one was right above my head |
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| composite picture of one Buzzard |
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| Robin singing |
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| ringed Robin |
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| male Chaffinch |
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| Song Thrush |
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| Speckled Wood |
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| another showing underside of wings |
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| Common Darter on bracken |
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| Common Darter on path |
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| dragonfly pond |
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| dragonfly pond close-up |
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| Common Darter flew from bench occasionally to patrol pond |
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| on one occasion he returned with mate |
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| after about 8 minutes she began ovipositing |
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| the male dips the female into the water to lay their eggs |
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| but this female was ovipositing without a male |
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| female Common Darter |
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| Migrant Hawker |
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| Greater Water Boatman |
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| maturing Puffball |
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| unknown species |
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| the direct path to the bird hide |
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| heading for the sunshine |
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| usual view of boardwalk |
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| usual view from boardwalk |
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| the gorse boundary path |
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| near the Bowman bench |
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| looking back towards the hide from the boardwalk |
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| approaching the meadow area |
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| view from the ramp |
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| looking through the hide shutters |
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| very little water left in the pond |
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| usual view of the hide |
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| the reed bed in full flower |
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| Dandelion clock on the hide roof |
A morning well spent at Ballachurry Reserve.
please click on photos to enlarge them
