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.