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| Hawthorn flowers brightening the Reserve with colour and scent |
I have been away on holiday and very busy since my return, so Tuesday afternoon's visit to the Reserve was quite a treat. Recent good weather had brought everything on considerably and Ballachurry is looking very lush! All the Hawthorn is now in blossom and the reserve smells very fragrant and fresh. With the paths dry underfoot once more, now is a perfect time for a visit. Here is what I recorded:
Birds:
SC210694 Wren heard not seen.
SC209693 Great Tit; Goldfinch chatter heard; Willow Warbler; Raven flying over croaking.
SC209694 ( from Hide) Moorhen; Pheasant heard not seen; Magpie heard not seen; Jackdaws heard not seen; Robin heard not seen; Sparrowhawk flew across at very low level; Sedge Warbler heard not seen.
SC209694 ( elsewhere) 2 x Goldfinch flew into birch tree; Blackcap heard not seen at path junction; Chiffchaff on gorse boundary; Blackbird flew across path junction.
SC208694 Chiffchaff and Chaffinch heard but not seen in the willows; 2 x Woodpigeon; Sedge Warbler near the boardwalk; Chaffinch heard not seen; Buzzard flying over.
SC208695 new feeders noted, some food remaining but no birds seen; Blackcap heard not seen.
SC209695 male Blackcap.
Butterflies & Moths:
SC210694 male Orange Tip
SC209693 male Orange Tip; Orange Tip eggs on Cuckoo Flowers.
SC208694 male Orange Tip on Cuckoo flowers.
SC209694 Speckled Wood.
SC208695 Speckled Wood.
SC209695 2 x unidentified Whites spiraling together.
SC209694 Bird Cherry Ermine Moth webs on Bird Cherry.
Other:
SC209694 dragonfly pond: abundant tadpoles; 4 x Whirligig Beetles; Pond Snails.
SC209694 2 x Gorse Shieldbugs.
SC210694 Hairy Shieldbug.
SC210694 Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura Mirablis).
SC210694 Rhingia campestris Hoverfly.
SC209695 various unidentified Hoverflies in gorse and vegetation.
SC208694 Herb Robert in flower beneath willows.
SC210694 Domestic Hen from next door!
SC208695 Sycamores in flower.
SC209694 Oaks in flower.
SC209694 Bogbean in flower.
SC210694 1 solitary Garlic Mustard plant noted ( caterpillar food plant for Orange Tip and Green Veined White butterflies)
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| not in focus but a record shot of a Buzzard overhead |
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Moorhen |
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| Sedge Warbler on Hawthorn |
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| it was ringed |
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| not singing though |
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| Caterpillar webs of the Bird Cherry Ermine Moth |
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| male Orange Tip on Cuckoo Flower |
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| Orange Tip eggs on Cuckoo Flower |
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| Speckled Wood |
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| Carder Bee |
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| Unidentified Hover Fly |
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| Rhingia campestris Hoverfly |
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| Gorse Shieldbug |
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| Nursery Web spider |
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| Pond Snails |
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| Tadpoles |
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| Whirlygig beetles |
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| Bogbean in flower |
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| Cuckoo Flower |
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| Hemlock Water Dropwort coming into flower |
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| Herb Robert |
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| Oak in flower |
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| Sycamore in flower |
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| Ginnie's Bench is back |
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| but what is that beneath it? |
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| a domestic hen! |
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| probably escaped from next-door |
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| the reedy bend looking greener |
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| the muddiest part of the reserve almost dried out |
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| usual view of the hide |
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| the path junction |
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| view from the hide ramp |
Views through the shutters
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| looking across the meadow to the apple trees |
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| the bridge across to the willow copse |
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| the stream from the bridge - fast disappearing |
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| pond from the willow copse |
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| coppiced willow re-sprouting |
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| the shady compost area |
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| usual boardwalk view from the meadow |
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| looking back towards the hide |
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| looking back the way I came |
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| hard to believe this is a view of the stream! |
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| Cuckoo Flowers beside the boardwalk - spot the butterfly |
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| new feeders |
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| the shady ash walk |
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the gorse boundary |
usual pictures of the dragonfly pond
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| I'm heading for home now - and the hen has woken up! |
I enjoyed my first May visit - always my favourite month.
please click on photos to enlarge them
