I am not going to get the attendance prize for Ballachurry Work Parties, having had to miss the last two for one reason or another. Last Saturday's saw volunteers spreading a large heap of wood chippings along some of the muddy paths and this has made a huge difference to the Reserve. It is now possible to walk to the hide dry shod! Which is just what I did on Monday afternoon in the beautiful spring sunshine. Here is my report:
Birds:
SC210694 2 x Great Tit flitting through the trees
SC209693 Great Tit foraging at base of tree; Chiffchaff, Blackcap heard but not seen; Woodpigeon flew in from road and landed in tree; Willow Warbler in tree; Mallard drake flying over; Blue Tit in tree.
SC209694 ( hide) Sedge Warbler x 2 in reeds catching insects; Great Tit, Dunnock in vegetation near pond; Raven flying over croaking; Pheasant heard not seen; Moorhen x 2 swimming on pond; Chaffinch heard not seen; Blue Tit
SC209694 ( elsewhere) Willow Warbler in Willow; Blackcap, Chiffchaff, and Chaffinch heard not seen; Great Tit in Willow; Robin in tree; Blackbird alarm call heard.
SC208694 Willow Warbler singing from top of tree near boardwalk; Great Tit in Willows; Chaffinch; Blue Tit; Song Thrush in full voice from tree near meadow.
SC208695 (feeders) Blue Tit x 2 ; Great Tit; male Chaffinch in tree, female on feeder; male Blackcap briefly in tree.
SC208695 ( elsewhere) Buzzard flying over with many Herring Gulls; Willow Warbler heard not seen; male Blackcap in mature boundary trees.
SC209695 Goldfinch near Bowman Memorial Bench.
Butterflies:
SC209694 Speckled Wood x 4
SC208694 Speckled Wood x 2
SC210694 female Orange Tip on dandelion
SC209693 male Orange Tip flying, female on dandelion
SC208694 male Orange Tip on Cuckoo Flower
Other:
SC209694 Gorse Shieldbug
SC209694 Bogbean in flower; Apple Blossom in bud;
SC210694 Spanish Bluebells in flower near gate
Apologies once more for lack of photos.
