It's official! Ballachurry becomes the Manx Wildlife Trust's 24th Reserve.

 Following the conclusion of legal formalities a few weeks ago, 23rd June 2016 was set as the date for the formal handover of  Ballachurry Reserve to the Manx Wildlife Trust by Stan and Pam Clucas, the landowners.

Various Wildlife Trust Members, Trustees, Staff, Volunteers, Committee Members, Adrian Cain (representing Culture Vannin), and other interested parties  gathered at 2 o'clock to witness this long awaited moment. Needless to say, the Press and Manx Radio were also invited.

Whilst waiting for Stan, Pam , Richard Higgins ( Trust Chairman) and Tim Graham ( Trust CEO) to arrive, the Southern Group Committee wasted no time in setting up the tea urn and plates of luscious cakes. In true work party mode, spare path grids and the wheel barrow were quickly  pressed into improvised service in the refreshment area, making something of a contrast with some of the fine bone china and dainty serviettes provided!

Once assembled, we were neatly arranged by press photographer Mike Wade in front of the noticeboard (constructed by volunteers and financed from donations, including the interpretation panel from Culture Vannin) Hands were shaken, the lease handed over. We all laughed and smiled as cameras clicked.  Do look out for the photos and press release in local papers and on the Trust website :  http://www.manxwt.org.uk/news/2016/06/26/all-buzz-about-ballachurry

Speeches followed from both sides, duly recorded by Howard Caine from Manx Radio with his roving microphone.

Formalities over, happy groups stood around chatting and drinking tea. A small school party from Rushen Primary School appeared along the path, setting the seal on Stan and Pam's wish for community involvement and enjoyment of the facility.  It was lovely to see the children already benefiting from this new reserve, right on their school doorstep.

Last word  must go to the wildlife, of course! For the benefit of that roving mike, I had already  managed to find some caterpillars and ladybirds to talk about and now, as people began to drift away, a small party of us set off  to find some "baby Shieldbugs" - the various instars (or life stages ) of  the Gorse Shieldbugs  I had recorded earlier in the week. Hard to spot at first, we all gradually "got our eye in", and as a bonus also found Shieldbug eggs on a gorse pod. The eggs had tiny orange blobs attached, something I hadn't seen before. My first thought was some sort of parasite but when enlarged on the computer at home these "blobs" turned out to be hatching Shieldbugs! The lids of the egg cases were clearly thrown back and the tiny creatures were emerging. A very fitting start for the next "instar" of Ballachurry Reserve!

Cutting the cakes

Delicious sponges

Handy barrow

A photo for the Press

Richard Higgins, Tim Graham, Stan & Pam Clucas

Tim, Stan and Pam with some of the invited guests

Historic moment!

Stan Clucas making the handover speech

Tim Graham thanking Stan

Adding a few words

A welcome cup of tea

Formalities over, time to chat.

Some of the guests

Two of our regular volunteers

Informal chat

A lovely social afternoon

Chatting with Tim

Chatting with Stan & Pam

General view of the guests

Taken & posted with the kind consent of
 Rushen Primary School

One of four  Mallard ducklings spotted on the pond

One of several  7-spot Ladybirds in the nettles

Mating ladybirds in the nettles

First instars emerging from Gorse Shieldbug eggs

A big thank you to everyone for making this important day so memorable and enjoyable.

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25th June, 2016.

Ballachurry Reserve, 25^th June 2016. Flies identified by Steve Crellin ( dipterist, IOM) during  MWT Bug Hunt with Dawn Dickens. This list added retrospectively, January 2018.

Dolichopididae                Dolichopus popularis                                  SC209694

Rhagionidae                     Chrysopilus cristatus                                   SC209694

Sepsidae                           Sepsis cynipsea                                           SC209694

Sepsidae                           Sepsis fulgens                                             SC209694

Stratiomyidae                  Chloromyia formosa                                   SC209694

Syrphidae                         Episyrphus balteatus                                  SC209694

Syrphidae                         Eristalis arbustorum                                   SC209694

Syrphidae                         Eristalis horticola                                         SC209694

Syrphidae                         Eristalis pertinax                                          SC209694

Syrphidae                         Eristalis tenax                                               SC209694

Syrphidae                         Eupeodes latifasciatus                                SC209694

Syrphidae                         Eupeodes luniger                                         SC209694

Syrphidae                         Helophilus pendulus                                   SC209694

Syrphidae                         Meliscaeva auricollis                                   SC209694

Syrphidae                         Myathropa florea                                        SC209694

Syrphidae                         Platycheirus granditarsus                          SC209694

Syrphidae                         Riponnensia splendens                              SC209694

Syrphidae                         Syritta pipiens                                             SC209694

Syrphidae                         Syrphus ribesii                                            SC209694

Tabanidae                        Haematopota pluvialis                               SC209694

Tephritidae                      Xyphosia miliaria                                         SC209694