spring woodland at Ballachurry Reserve
For the first time this year I was able to walk round the Reserve without a coat! Not a cloud in the sky and lovely warm sunshine. The strong wind which had bothered us for several days had finally gone and there were birds and butterflies everywhere! Here is my report:
Birds:
SC210694 a very confiding pair or Chaffinches just inside the entrance gate.
SC209693 Blue Tit; Woodpigeon; Willow Warbler; Chiffchaff; Robin; Pheasant heard not seen.
SC208694 Wood pigeon x 2; Magpie; Wren; 2 x Blue Tit foraging together; 2 x Goldfinch; Blackbird flying across; male & female Chaffinch; female Blackcap; Willow Warbler.
SC209694 ( hide) Mallard duck with 4 ducklings; joined by Mallard pair later; 7 further Mallard drakes flew in causing lots of noise and disruption; further female Mallard came walking in close to hide, then flew off pursued by 2 of the drakes; 2 Magpies drinking from pond and scrapping together; Blackbird; Pheasant heard not seen.
SC209694 ( elsewhere) male Blackcap singing from willow; Great Tit; Mallard pair on Dragonfly pond; Chiffchaff near dragonfly pond; Chiffchaff heard from Old School House garden; male Chaffinch holding fly which it later dropped; pair of mating Chaffinch; 2 x Goldfinch; 2 x Blue Tit showing courtship behaviour near nest box; 2 x Robin together.
SC208695 ( on or near feeders) 2 x Blue Tit; 2 x Goldfinch; male Chaffinch; Dunnock.
SC209695 Robin in tree behind Bowman bench; 2 x Woodpigeon; Blackcap heard not seen; female Blackcap in oak tree; Goldfinch;
Butterflies:
SC209695 Small Tortoiseshell on dandelion.
SC209694 Small Tortoiseshell on dandelion; Peacock on dandelion; 2 x Speckled Wood together on wood chip path; Speckled Wood seen from hide.
SC208694 2 x Speckled Wood together near compost area; unidentified White flying.
SC208695 Speckled Wood.
Other:
SC209694 7-Spot Ladybird on wild raspberry leaf.
Sc209694 Gorse Shieldbug on Gorse.
SC208695 3 x Longtails under feeders.
SC210694 unidentified small flies on dandelion.
SC209694 unidentified small Hoverfly on dandelion.
Sc209693 Bird Cherry in flower.
SC208694 Hawthorn in flower.
SC208694 Hogweed in flower.
SC209694 Pond Skater x 2 on dragonfly pond
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| Willow Warbler singing as I arrived |
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| another elsewhere |
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| this one was near the bridge |
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| same bird as above |
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| first Willow Warbler still singing as I left |
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| Magpies near the pond |
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| this one came down to drink |
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| Magpie elsewhere near the compost heaps |
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| male Chaffinch |
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| male Chaffinch near the entrance |
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| and his missus |
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| male Blackcap |
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| female Blackcap |
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| pair of Blue Tits near the boardwalk |
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| Blue Tit enjoying peanuts |
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| Dunnock near the feeders |
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| Goldfinch |
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| and another elsewhere |
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| Great Tit among the willows |
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| this one was singing from his song post |
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| Robin |
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| Woodpigeon near the bridge |
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| and another seen from the hide |
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| Wren |
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| a pair of Mallard on the water and another female on the grass |
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| Mother Mallard - it was some time before I spotted she had ducklings |
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| she eventually brought them out onto the water |
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| there were 4 altogether |
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| they were busy feeding |
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| and swimming |
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| seven more drakes noisily flew in |
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| 2 flew off after a lone female put in a late appearance |
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| a photo of the label would be "a spoiler" on this unusual species of duck |
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| 2 of 3 longtails under the feeders this week |
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| 7-spot Ladybird |
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| Gorse Shieldbug |
Pond Skater
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| where would insects "bee" without dandelions? |
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| tiny flies on dandelion |
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| a Hoverfly on Celandine |
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| Speckled Wood - they are quite camouflaged on woodchip |
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| another Speckled Wood |
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| Small Tortoiseshell |
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| butterflies depend on Dandelions for early nectar too |
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| Peacock Butterfly on dandelions |
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| Bird Cherry now in flower |
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| close up of Bird Cherry blossom |
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| some early Hawthorn blossom |
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| early Hogweed in flower |
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| Marsh Marigolds in the meadow |
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| Stitchwort in flower |
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| a close up of the flowers |
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| heading towards the bird feeders |
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| note the cloudless sky! |
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| bridge over into the willow wood |
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| looking back along the boardwalk |
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| usual view from the boardwalk |
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| banks of stream now covered with Hemlock Water Dropwort |
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| looking towards the compost heaps |
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| and the other way into the willow wood |
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| the ever increasing mudflat |
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| lack of rain definitely apparent |
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| usual view of hide |
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| view from the hide ramp - what a beautiful day |
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| "the reedy bend" |
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| the dragonfly pond |
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| when will the first damselfly appear, I wonder? |
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| not long now, I imagine |
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| the gorse boundary living up to its name |
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| a shady route to the bridge |
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| the damp meadow with rushes growing well now |
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| another view of the meadow |
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| the new glade |
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| view towards the churchyard boundary |
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| usual view of the boardwalk |
I was delighted to see some new nest boxes which have been made by the Scouts - just in time for the new nesting season. Hopefully they will soon have occupants.
an excellent morning's visit but time to go home now.....
bye bye Ballachurry
please click on photos to enlarge them
