February Work Party

The  Manx Wildlife Trust Southern Group Secretary has just sent out the following notification to volunteers about the next Work Party at the Reserve. New volunteers are always welcome. No long term commitment is necessary. One-off workers just as useful and appreciated! Do wrap up warmly though. Hot drinks provided.

"Our next work party is on  Saturday 6th February, 10am-1pm - weather permitting.
We plan to clear the ditches so be prepared to get wet and muddy. Strangely enough this can be a very satisfying job so please come along and join us.  If you are able to bring a hand sickle, shears, rake or any other tool you may think would do the job please do. Any offers of a cake would be much appreciated (please let me know)
Look forward to seeing you."

Ballachurry Wetlands Reserve, 27th January 2016.

Ballachurry Verywetlands Reserve today

It was certainly bleak down at Ballachurry Reserve this afternoon with very little sunshine and a strong cold wind blowing.There were very few birds about although, just like me, a sparrowhawk dropped in on the off-chance of finding something!

Birds:

SC209694  Sparrowhawk flying low near the gorse boundary. Hopped over into Old School House garden.

SC208694  Blackbird near the firs

SC208694  Moorhen on reed bed pond

Nothing visible from the Hide, although I could hear a Robin nearby.

Mammals:

SC209694  a very portly Longtail with a bald patch on its tail. Down in the ditch as usual.

Plants:

SC209694 Celandines in flower

SC208695 Fresh new leaves on Hogweed

SC209694  Rosehips -still a few left. 

SC210694  Flowers on Spring Snowflake near the entrance bridge

Fungi: 

SC210694 Jelly Ear - more and more of this each time I visit

SC209694  Coral Spot? - this has appeared on one of the tree stakes where the gridded path takes a right angle turn. New Record.

Snails:

SC210694  About 8 empty Garden Snail shells below the boundary wall. I noticed these when photographing the Jelly Ear fungus. I wonder if a Thrush is using the wall itself as an anvil?

A bright splash of colour on a grey day - celandines.

Spring Snowflake - a garden escape.

Hogweed leaves are quite advanced.

I think this is Coral Spot fungus on a tree stake.

Jelly Ear Fungus on dead Elderberry tree.

 

The dam is coping well with the high water levels.

Visit to Ballachurry Reserve, 20th January 2016.

Somewhat unusually for 2016 the sun finally came out at lunchtime yesterday, so I shot off down to Ballachurry Reserve. What a difference a little sunshine makes!

Birds:

SC209693  ( near the church corner)  Wren

SC208695  Hen Harrier ( ringtail) entered the reserve at old beehive corner, flew at low level along the gorse boundary then off over the road and away in the direction of the  Civic Amenity site.

SC208694 ( near the reed bed pond) Blackbird; Wren; Great Tit;

SC208695 ( beehive loop) 2 x Bluetits together; Great Tit;

SC210694 ( in ivy near entrance) Robin.

SC209694 In boundary fir trees overlooking reserve) Magpie.

SC209694 ( seen from Hide) Wren in reeds. Water Rail  flew across pond into vegetation beyond.

Flying over: Wood pigeon; Herring Gull; Rook.

Ladybirds:

 SC208694  First of the year - 7-spot on wooden stake of the dam. I think it had just flown in as wings were visible at first. 

Gorse Shieldbugs:

SC208694  2 x Gorse Shieldbugs together in gorse bush where stream runs into reed bed.

SC209694   2 x separate Gorse Shieldbugs along the gorse boundary.

Other:

SC209694 ( near Ginny's bench) large longtail* in ditch.

SC208694  ( near reed bed) honey bee in gorse. 

SC209694 ( direct path to hide) there are fresh leaves on one of the hawthorns; dandelion in flower.

SC210694 ( entrance) Jelly Ear Fungus still being produced on dead elderberry tree; Stinking Iris berries starting to fall; Hemlock Water Dropwort producing fresh new leaves :ivy berries still green rather than black.

SC209694 ( path junction) lovely to see alder catkins against a bright blue sky for a change.

Thicket:( SC209692) Not strictly the reserve but I went to investigate a lot of quacking coming from the area, which is very flooded. There was a pair of "mallards". I think they were hybrids as they were larger than usual and markings not quite right. 

*You are not supposed to use the R- word here in the Isle of Man! We call them longtails or R-A-Ts!

7-spot Ladybird.

Alder catkins.

Brave winter dandelion.

Great Tit

One of 4 Gorse Shieldbugs seen

Hemlock Water Dropwort already growing away.

Ivy berries not yet ripe

Jelly Ear Fungus on Elderberry

Magpie surveying Reserve from adjoining property.

Stinking Iris berries staring to fall now.

Female duck, possibly a hybrid Mallard.

Male duck, possibly a hybrid Mallard.

The previous afternoon (19th January) I went down to the Reserve to finish off filling the grids with gravel. I suddenly became aware of a "presence" right behind me ( scary feeling!). When I turned round there was next door's peacock looking over my shoulder, taking a keen interest in what I was doing!

Investigating the buckets of gravel.

Finished grids round notice board.

Work Party 16th January 2016.

There was a good turn-out for yesterday's working party, about a dozen people in all, including a couple of newcomers ( welcome!). The rain held off until we were just packing up, so we got quite a lot done. We have re-staked some trees which had blown over, increased the wood chippings on the wettest sections of path, repaired the latch on the hide so the door opens/closes again and almost finished putting a grid base around the noticeboard in the hopes of keeping the nettles at bay in this area, We have also painted the back of the board with blackboard paint so it can be used as a noticeboard too.

Many thanks to all concerned for your hard work ( and for the tea and cakes!).

 A Robin and a Dunnock were seen despite the disturbance. The peacocks next door were very interested to see what was going on!

Spectators!

Removing the turf.

Laying grids over weed suppressing fabric.

Blackboard painting.

Put your back into it!

Barrowing wood chips

Lots of activity.

Next load, please.

Welcome cuppa!

Sociable tea break

Time for tea

Tea and a break

Time for a chat over tea.

Our next Work Party will probably be 6th February - watch this space!

Work Party, Saturday 16th January.

 Good morning everyone!

Manx Wildlife Trust Southern Group have just sent out the following email to volunteers. New volunteers are always welcome. Just turn up at 10 o'clock. Some refreshments available but bring a hot drink if you can.

The weather is looking hopeful for our work party on Saturday morning (16th) from 10am- 1pm.
Although Duncan is unable to spend the whole morning with us he has said he will come along to set things in motion .... there are wood chippings to be laid on the paths (please bring a wheelbarrow/spade if you are able) and plastic grids to be laid by the notice board. We may do some ditching work so a spade/rake would come in useful for this. There is a problem with the hide door (it won't shut) so if you are handy with wood work please come prepared  (a phillips screwdriver). Don't worry if you can't bring tools just come along. The site is very wet at the moment so wellies/work gloves are essential.
Hope to see you there.

First Work Party of 2016

Please note that the first Work Party of 2016 has been re-scheduled for Saturday, 16th January between 10 and 1. All welcome.

5th January 2016 - first visit of the year.

5th January, 2016

As today was dry ( well, sometimes) I decided to visit the Reserve for the first time this year. I did wonder if I had made a mistake and had headed for the Wildlife Park instead, as I was greeted by the sight of the Peacock and Peahen from next door pecking around under the Noticeboard. It's the first time I have seen the Peahen, so I suppose this starts the year off with a new record! SC210694

Despite the intermittent sunshine there was very little about, but here is the full list:

Birds:

Wren, first seen near the fir trees then flew to the hedgerow behind the reed bed SC208694

Wood Pigeons x 3 seen on church boundary from hide SC209695

Male Blackbird seen from hide SC209695

Male Blackbird seen near where stream comes in SC209695

Flying over: 2 x Chough, calling.

Robin heard but not seen SC208694

Plants:

Lawn daisies on paths including near the path junction SC209694

Gorse in flower near reed bed SC208694

Dandelion in flower near Ginny's Bench SC209694

Celandine in flower  Ginny's Bench area SC209694

Stinking Iris seedpods making bright splash of colour near entrance SC210694

Berries ripening on ivy SC210694
Rosehips SC209694

Other:

Jelly Ear fungus on branch of tree overhanging from Orchard SC208695

2 Honey bees seen on gorse flowers SC208695 and SC209694

Very tiny rust coloured  spider on exterior of hide SC209694

Notes:

Hide door needs urgent attention at next work party - impossible to close, have wedged  almost shut with bench to prevent it swinging back in bad weather.

Bolt also needs some oil

Spotted the new bench near the orchard and a new tree to replace the Prunus.

Grass and creeping buttercup are starting to grow through the chippings path.

Incoming stream has burst banks near willows and is flooding adjacent ground to some extent.

Dam just about coping with water level but water can be seen bubbling up to the side of it too.

(Apologies for the upside down photos - they are posted the right way up but any "portrait" photo seems to get turned round into "landscape" on this Blog. I am trying to find out why)

Not Ballachurry's usual wildlife!

View over new bridge from seasonal path

Celandines

Chippings ready for next Work Party

Area raked off at last Work Party

View towards "Orchard" boundary from stream

Very small spider on hide

Incoming stream level

Ivy Berries

Close-up of Jelly Ear fungus

Jelly ear fungus on overhanging branch

Close-up of lichen on bridge handrail

I used to measure the lichen each January but it's now racing away!

The new bench

New tree

Next door's pet

Reed bed against stormy sky

Rosehips

Stinking iris

A sudden shower

View from hide during shower

Willows where stream has burst its banks