We last visited Kirkconnel Flow (a National Nature Reserve near Dumfries) in 2019, when I blogged about it seeming to be in decline (see this post). When we visited it during our recent visit to Dumfries, it was obvious that the decline was actively being halted.
When we visited, large parts of the reserve were full of bog cotton in glorious full bloom
We were very happy to find this Four Spotted Chaser
this Large Red Damselfly
and this Ringlet Butterfly
though we were disappointed not to see many Common Lizards, which in previous visits have been a main feature of the reserve. I only caught a very brief glimpse of one lizard, scuttling through the undergrowth. We guessed that it was actually too hot for the lizards to be basking in the sun! It really was unnaturally warm for Scotland.
Away from theboggy areas, part of the reserve is woodland,
with some magnificent Scots pine trees
and plenty of bilberries (blaeberries)
Looks like a nice place for a walk.
ReplyDeleteIt is neat seeing the cotton.
Great capture of the butterfly.
Take care, have a great day and happy new week.
Glad to see the area is back to normal conditions. We've had a lot of rain this spring and the same is happening to our reservoirs. The wildflowers there looked amazing!
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