Ballachurry Reserve, 29th & 30th August, 2016. Incidental reports.

A beautiful wild rose still blooming near the stream

I was at Ballachurry on both Monday and Tuesday, not to specifically record but to do a few jobs ahead of Saturday's Work Party. However, it's impossible not to notice the wildlife as you move around the Reserve, so here is a brief report of what was seen:

Monday, 29th August:

Birds:

SC209694 Brief view of young Moorhen swimming.

Butterflies:

SC209694 Speckled Wood 

SC209694 Small Copper

SC208694 Speckled Wood

SC209694 3 x Speckled Wood together on bramble flowers

SC209694 2 x Small Tortoiseshells on Water Mint in front of hide.

SC209693 Speckled Wood

Moths:

SC210694 A beautiful moth on the nettles near the Noticeboard. I think it is a Pink Barred Sallow.

Other:

SC209695 there are  still several Hawthorn Shieldbug nymphs on the Rowans

Tuesday, 30th August:

Birds:

SC208694 Wren singing and preening near the dam. Answering calls from near the fir trees at the same time. 

SC209694  Better view of the young Moorhen feeding. I took some video which I'll upload to the Blog eventually for comparison with the Water Rail.

SC208694  Goldfinch

Butterflies:

SC209693. Small Copper. This was originally feeding on the Cushag but I disturbed it walking by. It moved off into the grass where I managed to take a photo.

SC209693  Painted Ladies x 2

SC208694 Speckled Wood

SC209693 Speckled Wood x 2 near the  willows 

Hoverflies:

SC209694  Marmalade Hoverfly  + unidentified hoverfly which landed on the bag I was carrying. 

Late instar Hawthorn Shieldbug on Rowan berries

Two more

I think this may be a Pink Barred Sallow Moth

Small Tortoiseshell enjoying the water mint

unidentified Hoverfly

Marmalade Hoverfly

Juvenile Moorhen

Constantly pulls out the weed and tosses it away
when feeding

Another view of the young Moorhen

Painted Lady butterfly

Eye to eye with a Painted Lady butterfly

Painted Lady, wings closed

Slow ripening Sloe

Small Copper butterfly

Very vocal Wren

Ballachurry Reserve - Next Working Party, 3rd September 2016. Green Roof Special!

Now the bird nesting season is over our Work Parties can resume in earnest. We shall be meeting at the Reserve next Saturday, 3rd September, at 10 a.m. and have a variety of tasks in mind. These include cutting back the ivy and overhanging vegetation along the pavement. Within the reserve itself we shall be doing some "gardening" on what will become the wildflower glade.We shall remove a few docks and a large Hemlock Water Dropwort plant and plant some Flag Iris in their place. We'll be lifting and dividing some of the Marsh Marigolds and Meadowsweet plants and spreading them around the area. There is also some general path maintenance required where brambles and willow branches are intruding.

All of this will be taking place at the same time as a major task gets under way on the Bird Hide. James Nolan, who originally built the hide with the participation of children from Castle Rushen High School, will be replacing the Hide roof. Helped by a couple of our regular volunteers he will be demonstrating how to construct a "Green Roof". Anyone with an interest in how this is done is very welcome to come along to observe without being expected to take part in the work itself, as the task is being run as a Workshop.

We are very grateful to local firm J.D. Landscapes Ltd. for providing the turf  for the roof free of charge. Also to Magic Carpets for allowing us to raid their skip!

Those attending the Working Party will find gardening gloves useful. Some tools will be provided but additional shears, garden forks and spades would be welcome. We shall also need some watering cans to water in the newly planted perennials.

As always, refreshments will be provided.

Hope to see you there!

Ballachurry Reserve, 24th August 2016

Speckled Wood Butterfly

I visited the reserve on Wednesday in late afternoon sunshine. The first thing I noticed was a lot of condensation behind the glass of the noticeboard, so I opened it up to let it evaporate. The second thing I noticed was a multitude of earwigs living behind the glass!  Here is the full report:

Birds:

SC209694 - seen from Hide.

 3 x Blackbirds in Rowan including juvenile.

 Blackcap male in Rowan    

 Robin

 Great Tit

 Goldfinch

                                  

Water Rail x 2. Heard squealing from opposite ends of the pond, then both emerged  together about 15 minutes later from right hand side. Some chasing, but not so aggressive as last time. Eventually retreated to their own sides again.

SC208694 Wren 

Wood pigeon flying over.                                 

                                     

Butterflies:

SC209693 Wall Brown

SC209693 Speckled Wood

SC208694 Speckled Wood

SC208695 Speckled Wood x 2 together

SC209695 Speckled Wood x 2 together

SC209695 Wall Brown

SC209695 Green Veined White

SC209694 Small Tortoiseshell

Flies:

SC208694  Several Crane Flies - Tipula palludosa ( or oleracea) 

SC209694  Ophionine  species Wasp

SC209695  Large unidentified Hoverfly

SC209695  Eristalis Hoverfly possibly arbustorum

SC209694 Rhingia Campestris Hoverfly

Shieldbugs:

SC208694 & SC209694   Gorse Shieldbug adults and various instars

SC208695 & SC209695   Various instars of Hawthorn Shieldbug  on Rowan berries.

Other:

SC210694 Many Earwigs on Noticeboard

SC208694 Tiny orange beetle on thistle

SC208694 Wasps going in and out of underground nest just off the old beehive path loop.

SC209695 Chrysomelid beetle.

SC209694 Leaf hopper

SC209694 Large Cross Spider in gorse

Noticeboard earwigs

Water Rail

Water Rail

Water Rail

Second Water Rail is just behind the Peahen

Two Water Rails together

 

 male Tipula paludosa ( slight chance oleracea)

Female Tipula palludosa CraneFly on willow

Ophionine species Wasp

Juvenile Blackbird taking berries

Enjoying the Rowan berries

Cross Spider

Wasp going into nest......

.......and coming out again

Leaf Hopper

Small Orange beetle on thistle

Gorse Shieldbug and nymph

Chrysomelid beetle

Instar nymph of Hawthorn Shieldbug on Rowan

Earlier instar

Late instar

male Eristalis Hoverfly possibly arbustrorum

This was a much larger Hoverfly

Video : Ballachurry Reserve , Water Rail feeding.

This video was taken on 8th August 2016.
The loud noise at the end is my husband opening the hide door! I had alerted him by text message to come and see the Water Rail.

The problem with Youtube videos is that your own video is then automatically followed by someone else's. I am trying to find out if it is possible to stop this as I am unhappy with the content of some of these "follow-ons". In the meantime, I can only apologise!

Ballachurry Reserve, 14th & 17th August 2016.

Possibly Ballachurry's most famous resident.

We have been busy with visitors recently but managed a very quick late afternoon stroll round the reserve on 14th August when, as well as the usual Gorse Shieldbugs etc, we also saw the following:

SC209694 Water Rail                              SC208694 2-spot Ladybird.

On Wednesday evening  (17th) I was able to return for a slightly longer visit, and was pleased to see the Water Rail yet again. The 2-spot Ladybird was still there. A second one appeared damaged.

Butterflies:

SC210694 Red Admiral + some Red Admiral caterpillars in feeding cocoons on nettles.

SC210694 Speckled Wood

SC209693 Unidentified White

SC209694 Red Admiral

Birds:

SC208694 Wren

SC209694 Water Rail

SC209694 Willow Warblers/ Chiffchaffs seen from hide on Church boundary. Too far away for positive ID. The tree they were in does not look very healthy.

Flies:

SC208694 Rhingia campestris hoverfly on Purple Loosestrife

SC209695 Noon Fly

Ladybirds:

SC208694  2 x 2-spot ladybirds on thistles

Shieldbugs:

SC208695 Various instars of Hawthorn Shieldbugs + 1 adult on Rowan berries

SC208694 Various instars of Gorse Shieldbugs on gorse + 2 x Adults

Other:

SC209694 Leaf hopper (or Froghopper?)

SC208695 Leaf hoppers/Froghoppers ( 2 species?) 

SC209694 Unidentified yellow snail.

SC208694 Common Wasp

SC208694 Half a white eggshell cleared out from a nest - not sure what sort of bird.

SC210694 Unidentified moth on nettles  Pink Barred Sallow?

Hoping to get back to regular reporting later next week. 

If you wish to see the Water Rail I would say your best chance is between 5 and 7pm judging  by the notes on the whiteboard in the hide. Please resist the temptation to go in front of the hide as this disturbs the wildlife and delays birds such as the Water Rail from emerging again - it's very shy!

2-spot Ladybird, I think this is the same one
as observed on 14th

Plenty of aphids for dinner but
this one appears damaged

Discarded egg-shell

Small yellow snail

Noon Fly

Early instar nymph of Hawthorn Shieldbug

Later instar showing shoulder projections

Adult Hawthorn Shieldbug - they feed on Rowan berries
as well as Hawthorn

Not sure about the distinction
 between Leafhoppers & Froghoppers
these could be either or both

There's a Red Admiral caterpillar
feeding beneath this silk cocoon, I think.

unidentified moth - taking advice

Rhingia Campestris hoverfly, I think.

Water Rail posing in the Willow Herb

 

Water Rail heading back home

I heard it before I saw it -
makes a noise like a squealing pig!

Quick dash across the water lilies

Notice the length of its legs!