Ballachurry Reserve, Rushen, IOM.: Ballachurry Reserve, 22nd March 2016.

Thursday 24 March 2016

Ballachurry Reserve, 22nd March 2016.

The reserve looking rather bleak & wintry under grey skies

It was a cold, dull day at Ballachurry on Tuesday - not at all like spring. Not even warm enough for the gorse shieldbugs to be out and about, let alone a butterfly. However, a 7spot Ladybird was in the Hemlock Water Dropwort. I wondered if it had perhaps been hibernating in last year's hollow stems, which I suspect make cosy homes for all sorts of invertebrates through the winter.

Birds:

SC209694 Magpie;Wren

SC209694 2 Drake Mallards; Bluetit; Robin; female Chaffinch; Song Thrush; male Chaffinch; 2 x Blackbirds together; 2 x Wood Pigeon

SC208694 Wren; Bluetit; Reed Bunting;

SC209695 Robin; 2 x Great Tits together.

SC208694 Pheasant heard but not seen.

SC208694 Grey Heron flying over.

Ladybirds:

7spot on Hemlock Water Dropwort

Spiders:

SC209694 Tiny spider walking along Ginny's bench. I think it may be one of the Money Spiders Walckenaera sp. (seeking confirmation)

Bees:

SC208694 Honey bees in gorse.

A few Bumble bees on the wing.

Notes:

I found a golf ball on the reserve and thought "oh no, we are going to have to put up a "no ball games" notice!," however when I picked it up I discovered it was very damaged and had possibly been dropped by a dog (even though no dogs are allowed!).

It's now time to put up some signs about keeping to the paths during the bird nesting season.

It was good to see an ornithologist spending time at the Reserve. With his telescope he was spotting all kinds of birds that I had missed, including a flock of linnets. He phoned me later that evening to say he'd even seen a Swallow after I'd gone.

We all know that 1 swallow doesn't make a summer but the clocks are about to change...........