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Ballachurry reeds on a beautiful blue-sky morning
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Kept indoors most of the day by heavy showers on Tuesday, it was a real pleasure to be outside in the sunshine once more at Ballachurry Reserve on Wednesday. The two mornings could not have been more different! Clear blue skies and a gentle breeze had the birds singing and the butterflies flying and I thoroughly enjoyed my morning there. The highlight for me was finally seeing the Great Spotted Woodpecker which other people have reported from time to time. Here is my report:
Birds:
SC210694 female Blackbird.
SC209694 ( hide) 5 x Goldfinch, including adult feeding juvenile ( three adults, 2 ;juveniles); Blackbird heard not seen; Wren heard not seen.
SC209694 (elsewhere) Buzzard flying over low calling.
SC209693 male Pheasant crossing path; Heron flying over.
SC210694 Great Tit; Chaffinch heard not seen.
SC208694 3 x Swallows flying over; 2 x Goldfinch flying over; Great Spotted Woodpecker calling from top of tree; Robin; Chaffinch heard not seen; Woodpigeon heard not seen; Wren heard not seen.
SC208695 Blue Tit; female Chaffinch on bird feeder; Swallow flying over; Goldfinches heard not seen; Robin near feeder; Great Tit near feeder.
SC209695 1 adult male Blackbird and 1 juvenile taking Rowan berries; Woodpigeon.
Butterflies & Moths:
SC210694 Green Veined White.
SC209695 Speckled Wood x 2 spiraling together; unidentified White flying.
SC209694 Speckled Wood x 2 on gorse boundary; 2 x Speckled Wood near hide; Speckled Wood near path junction; Large White; Small White; Green Veined White.
SC208694 2 x Common Blue on Sneezewort; 1 Common Blue seen later near boardwalk; Speckled Wood x 3; unidentified White flying.
SC208695 Speckled Wood.
SC209693 3 x Speckled Wood.
SC210694 Angleshades Moth ( faded)
SC209695 unidentified moth on Cushag/ Ragwort
Other:
SC208694 20 + Flies on bridge handrail.
SC208694 male and female Common Darters on Boardwalk.
SC209694 male Common Darter over dragonfly pond; female on Gorse Boundary path nearby; male Common Darter flying near path junction.
SC209694 Froghopper
SC209694 and throughout the reserve - frequent Craneflies.
SC208694 large Bumble bee species on Boardwalk.
SC208695 Pestle Puffball still present.
SC209695 Spiny Puffball (Lycoperdon echinatum) NEW RECORD ( with thanks to Liz Charter for I.D.)
SC210 Froghopper.
SC209694 3 x Green Shieldbug nymphs, various instars.
SC209695 various Hoverflies on Cushag/ Ragwort, including several Eristalis species and a "footballer" Helophilus.
SC210694 2 x 7-spot Ladybirds on Thistle and Woundwort.
SC210694 Comma caterpillar on nettles ( with thanks to Garry Curtis for the I.D.)
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2 juvenile Goldfinches
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Adult Golfinch feeding juvenile
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juvenile Blackbird enjoying Rowan berries
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it was there most of the morning
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Great Spotted Woodpecker
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| the first I have seen at Ballacharry |
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| Robin |
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Common Blue
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Small White
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Speckled Woods were everywhere
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Angleshades Moth
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unknown moth
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side view
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caterpillar of the Comma butterfly
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munching through nettles by the gate
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female Common Darter on the boardwalk
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the male was just a couple of planks away
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another Common Darter very camouflaged on the path
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the dragonfly pool seen from the bench
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viewed from the entrance through the dead hedge
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Common Darters love the big quartz stone
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close-up male Common Darter
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other pond life
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lots of Greater Water Boatmen
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Water Beetle
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Tegenaria spider
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As I opened the hide door there was a very large spider indeed on the shutter directly opposite me. It would have made a great photo but it made off immediately the light fell on it and vanished into a corner. However, this slightly smaller one was nearby apparently guarding egg sacks. They look a bit scary but are harmless to humans. The exterior of the hide was only painted on Saturday but already the spiders have recolonised and are catching prey.
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Craneflies caught in spiderweb
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Green Shieldbug Nymph
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earlier instar of Green Shieldbug nymph
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there were three close together
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7-spot Ladybird on Woundwort
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7-spot Ladybird on Thistle
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| Froghopper |
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composite photo of a Bumble Bee on the boardwalk
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the Craneflies were everywhere
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Cushag ( Ragwort) is wonderful for insects
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Eristalis Hoverfly, I think
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unknown fly
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Helophilus "Footballer" Hoverfly
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there were over 20 flies sunbathing on the bridge
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a new record for the Reserve
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Spiny Puffball
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Pestle Puffball
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the reed bed from the hide
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and looking towards the Churchyard trees
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usual view of the bird hide from afar
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approaching the far end of the beehive loop
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one usual view of the boardwalk
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and another from the meadow
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water visible again from boardwalk as vegetation collapses
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usual view from the boardwalk
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the meadow no longer looks so flowery
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sunlight ahead as I leave the ashes
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And to finish, a couple of photos of the freshly painted hide. Very smart!
Well done, Volunteers!
With thanks to Liz Charter and Garry Curtis for help with identification.
please click on photos to enlarge them
