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| a rather cloudy, Autumn day at Ballachurry Reserve |
As I stepped out of my car outside the Reserve on Thursday morning I immediately noticed a lot of wasp activity under the willows on the road boundary. A little investigation soon showed why: the willows have Giant Willow Aphids which secrete a honeydew. The honeydew falls onto the foliage below and the wasps find it irresistible! Red Admiral butterflies are also partial to a tipple now and then, although there were none there that time. A good start to my morning at the reserve! Here is what else I recorded:
Birds:
SC209694 ( from or near hide) female Teal on the water; Grey Wagtail; Blackbird; 6 x Goldfinch; Wren; Song Thrush; Blue Tit; Chiffchaff. male Pheasant; flock of Jackdaws flying over; Robin.
SC209694 ( elsewhere) female Chaffinch; male & female Blackbirds; Robin; Great Tit; Song Thrush; Wren;
SC208694 Blackbird flew across; Goldcrest; Buzzard flying over;
SC208695 Coal Tit on peanut feeder;
SC209693 Robin
Butterflies:
SC210694 female Wall Brown.
SC210694 Speckled Wood.
SC209694 Red Admiral.
Other:
SC210694 Giant Willow Aphids.
SC208694 fungi growing in a complete ring under the willows; a Pleated Inkcap on the path.
SC208695 there are still Pestle Puffballs, Brown Birch Bolete and other unidentified fungi.
SC209693 small catkins on Hazels.
SC208695 lovely to see young oak saplings growing from fallen acorns.
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| near the path junction Blackbirds were feasting on Hawthorn berries |
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| as was this one near the hide |
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| that's quite a beakful! |
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| nearby Goldfinches preferred Blackberries |
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| photo taken from the hide |
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| part of a huge flock of mainly Jackdaws flying over |
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| Robin among the reeds |
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| Grey Wagtail |
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| feeding on the "mudflat" |
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| and among the reeds |
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| Speckled Wood |
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| female Wall Brown |
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| Giant Willow aphids |
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| Wasp enjoying a well-pecked fallen apple |
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| the Blackbirds have clearly been at work |
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| a well-loved pet, no doubt, but an extra worry for the wildlife |
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| fungi now turning up all over the Reserve |
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| some tightly packed |
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| others loosely scattered |
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| a solitary Brown Birch Bolete |
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| a single pleated Inkcap |
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| and one of several Pestle Puffballs |
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| this one releasing its spores |
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| this one only recently emerged |
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| several of these Rollrims |
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| just part of a complete ring of fungi |
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| early Hazel Catkins |
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| Oak sapling growing from fallen acorn |
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| usual view of the hide |
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| through the shutters - the exposed mudflat |
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| looking ahead to the reed bed |
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| through the side shutter |
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| usual view from the ramp |
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| Hemp Agrimony has now gone to seed |
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| looking across meadow to the board walk |
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| usual view from the bridge towards the board walk |
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| view from the board walk |
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| and looking back the way I had come |
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| the dragonfly pond |
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| seen from the other direction |
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| not sunny enough for dragonflies today though |
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| path through the willows |
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| the reedy bend...... |
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| from both directions |
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| the new glade from the gorse boundary |
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| taken from near the private entrance |
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| the ash walk already looking quite bare |
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| autumn colours |
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| a farewell glance before heading for home |
and to finish, a short video of the Grey Wagtail:
please click on photos to enlarge them
