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a sunny afternoon at Ballachurry Reserve
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Tuesday dawned somewhat cloudy but we were promised sunshine later so I postponed my visit to the reserve until early afternoon. By 12.30 it was indeed sunny and I spent a lovely afternoon counting butterflies and dragonflies. I even saw some birds! Here is my report:
Birds:
SC209694 ( hide) Chiffchaff in the reeds
SC209694 ( elsewhere) Song Thrush; Great Tit; Robin heard not seen.
SC208694 Blue Tit; 3 x Long Tailed Tit; 2 x Warbler species together; Great Tit; 2 x Woodpigeon; 2 x male Chaffinch together; Goldcrest; Rook heard not seen; evidence of Sparrowhawk kill; 7x Goldfinch flying over.
SC209695 Song Thrush alarm call heard.
SC208694 Robin heard not seen.
SC210694 Blackbird heard not seen; Great Tit.
SC209693 Raven flying over croaking.
Butterflies:
SC210694 Red Admiral x 2 in ivy; Speckled Wood in ivy.
SC209694 Speckled Wood near hide; Speckled Wood near Dragonfly pond; 2 x Speckled Wood along path.
SC208694 Speckled Wood; unidentified white flying.
SC209695 Speckled Wood x 4.
Other:
SC209694 Hawker species x 4 over main pond marginals; Common Darter x 2 in main pond marginals; Common Darter x 2 on grassy path; Common Darter on bench near dragonfly pond.
SC210694 Common Darter just outside reserve on pavement.
SC208694 Common Darter in willows + 2 on Boardwalk.
SC208694 Caddis Fly landed in Hawthorn near bridge.
SC209694 3 x Noon Flies on bench.
SC208694 3 x Noon Flies on Boardwalk; several other flies on boardwalk.
SC208694 Angelica in bloom under willows.
SC209693 Hazel nut shells chiseled open by woodmice.
SC209693 Unidentified pale fungus along path.
SC208694 Unidentified brown fungus under willows.
SC209695 Puffballs turning brown.
SC 209694 Water mint in flower, dragonfly pond.
SC209695 Naturally generated Oak seedling.
SC209694 c. 20 Water Crickets..
SC208695 Green Shieldbug.
SC209694 2 x Green Shieldbug together.
SC210694 "Footballer" Hoverfly in ivy.
SC210694 Grasshopper on bare earth near gate.
SC209695 Craneflies here and throughout reserve
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| Goldcrest |
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it was hard to see among the branches
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Long Tailed Tit
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evidence of a Sparrowhawk kill ? Woodpigeon?
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Red Admiral on Ivy flowers
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there were 2 + other insects enjoying the late nectar
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Speckled Wood on Ivy flower
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Speckled Wood on path
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2 Speckled Woods feeding on Cushag/ Ragwort
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2 Common Darters, one each end of boardwalk plank
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one was a female
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the other a male
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Common Darter near Ginnie's bench
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there was a male nearby too
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the dragonflies near the main pond are hard to photograph
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there were some Hawkers - possibly Migrant Hawkers
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Caddis Fly
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Noon Fly
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unidentified flies on boardwalk
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"Footballer" Hoverfly
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Eristalis species Hoverfly
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| Cranefly |
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Green Shieldbug
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2 Green Shieldbugs in nettles
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| Field Grasshopper |
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Greater Water Boatman
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Pond Snails
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Water Crickets
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puffball now turning brown
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unidentified fungus near the path
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a different species under the willows
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Water Forget-me-nots
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Water mint
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| Angelica |
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Sycamore has abundant keys waiting to drop
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Blackbirds haves stripped this Rowan bare of berries
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remains of Hazelnut feast for Woodmice
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the Dragonfly pond
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heading along the gorse boundary
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the meadow from the boardwalk
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approaching the meadow from the hide
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end of season mini meadow ready to be cut
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usual view from the hide ramp
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through the hide shutters
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the reed bed from the hide
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usual view of the boardwalk, shows weather and season
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and the usual view from the boardwalk itself
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heading past seeding Willowherb for the gate
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A lovely sunny afternoon spent at the reserve but with a definite autumnal feel.
please click on photos to enlarge them
