As we walked down the road to Kilbrandon House and the entrance to Ballachuan Nature Reserve the roadside verges were full of wild flowers. Some of the more common species identified included Red Campion, Common Sorrel, Pignut, Catsear, Bird’s Foot Trefoil, Tormentil, Silverweed, Wild Thyme and Foxgloves. In the ditches we also found rarer species such as Ragged Robin, Marsh Cinquefoil and Valerian.

Once into the reserve there were many Heath Spotted Orchids and several of the darker purple Northern Marsh Orchids. Although it was rather cool we soon spotted the first of several Small Heath butterflies and a couple of Common Blues. A few black Chimney Sweeper Moths were also evident low in the grass and rushes. A Sedge Warbler was singing loudly from the ditch on the edge of the reserve and a Stonechat accompanied him chatting away close by.

We were now searching for the rare Marsh Fritillary butterfly which breeds on the reserve and although the conditions were not perfect we did find one specimen which was very obliging and allowed some photography. This is a UK Biodiversity Action Plan species which is in severe decline, except here in Argyll. Its food plant is the Devil's Bit Scabious which is abundant here on Seil.

We left the grassland and headed into the hazel wood in search of more species. We were soon rewarded with a couple of Speckled Wood butterflies which prefer the more shadier conditions of the woodland, but more surprising found another Marsh Fritillary butterfly which again gave good opportunities for photography.

As we emerged from the woodland near the entrance we were lucky not to tread on a male Golden-ringed Dragonfly which was vibrating its wings on the edge of the path. This completed an excellent morning giving our members the chance to observe several rare species.

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