Apologies for late posting of this account - I did not have time to organise the photos before going away on holiday.
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| shutters open and a sense of expectation! |
I was busy on Tuesday morning but after a hasty lunch I headed down to Ballachurry Reserve, anxious to make the most of a sunny afternoon. What anticipation as I approached the hide knowing that there was now a lovely expanse of water just outside the shutters! Would there be any wildlife after just 24 hours? Unfortunately not! At least nothing on the water, although I eventually saw a few birds in the hedge at the back. Here is my report:
Birds:
SC208694 Robin; Blackbird; Wren.
SC208695 Robin; Chiffchaff; Goldfinch.
SC209695 Song Thrush, male and juvenile Blackbirds all in the popular Rowan tree taking berries; Robin.
SC209694 ( from hide) 4 x Goldfinch in hedge at the back of the pond; 2 x Wren flew in together, 1 then worked along the edge of the pond in the vegetation; juvenile Blackbird.
SC209694 ( elsewhere) Blackbird on Rowan berries; 2 x Blackbirds near dragonfly pond.
Butterflies & Moths:
SC209694 Speckled Wood; 2 x Red Admiral; Small Copper.
SC208694 Small White; Red Admiral; Comma; Large White; Speckled Wood x 4.
SC208694 unidentified moth in grass. (possibly Flame Carpet, tbc)
SC209694 2 x very small moths on Cushag/ Ragwort.
Other:
SC208694 2 x Common Darter on boardwalk, male and female 7 planks apart.
SC209694 unidentified blue Hawker over main pond.
SC209694 Green Shieldbug on bramble leaf.
SC209694 Sulphur Tuft fungi on path.
SC208695 4 x Pestle Puffball fungi under willows and birch.
SC209693 Redlead Roundhead fungi and also unidentified brown fungi.
SC208695 unidentified orange fungi on path.
SC208694 funnel fungi still there.
SC208694 white fungi on path.
SC209694 footballer Hoverfly on Cushag /Ragwort.
SC209695 Common Oak Spangle Galls ( caused by Neuroterus quercusbaccarum gall wasp)
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| Blackbird taking Rowan berries |
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| this one is a juvenile |
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| I Spy with my beady eye! |
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| Song Thrush |
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| definitely the favourite tree on the Reserve at present |
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| Blackbird and Thrush happy to share |
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| Speckled Wood |
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| Small White |
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| Small Copper |
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| Comma |
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| the white comma that gives it its name just visible |
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| this may be a Flame Carpet - checking |
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| tiny moth on Cushag |
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| male Common Darter |
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| female Common Darter |
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| male and female Common Darters just a few planks apart |
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| Green Shieldbug |
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| Oak Spangle galls |
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| 2 species of fungi growing together |
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| the funnels are long lasting |
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| there are fungi on most paths at the moment |
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| biro shows scale of this Pestle Puffball |
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| Redlead Roundheads |
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| Sulphur Tuft fungi |
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| Sulphur Tuft gills |
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| unknown White fungi |
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| the "usual view" of the hide now looks quite different! |
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| this view will eventually be screened from the footpath |
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| my final photo from this angle to avoid future disturbance |
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| inside the hide |
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| new view through the shutters looking left |
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| through the shutters looking right |
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| through the shutters looking straight ahead |
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| through the side shutter |
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| usual view from the ramp |
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| usual view looking towards the boardwalk |
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| looking back along the boardwalk |
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| view from the boardwalk |
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| looking back to the hide across the meadow |
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| near the compost area |
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| the dragonfly pond |
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| but no dragonflies seen there today |
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| the view from the bench |
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| the reed bed near the boardwalk |
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| and the main reed bed near the hide |
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| the meadow as last I saw it |
Since my last visit to the Reserve the meadow has been cut and there has also been a Work Party undertaking various tasks, so I am looking forward to my next visit to see all the changes.
please click on the photos to enlarge them
