Ballachurry Reserve. Work Party 28th December 2017.

a perfect blue sky day

Perfect weather conditions today for our last Work Party of the year at Ballachurry Reserve. Well, maybe a little chilly in the shade perhaps, but we stuck to the sunshine and soon warmed up once we started work.

Today we were cutting back brambles where they threatened to invade the paths. Our 8 volunteers worked hard and thoroughly deserved Janet's delicious Christmas cake and hot drinks at half time ( thank you, Janet!) The area near the hide was, in fact, the chilliest spot so we did not linger long this morning and were soon back at work.

A very big thank you to everyone who came along and an especial welcome to Voss from Wales who gave up a morning of her holiday to help today.

spot the workers

well wrapped up against the weather and the brambles

let battle commence

tough but satisfying work

making some progress

 this is how the mid week muckers spend their day off!

see those arching brambles?
not for much longer!

does the risk assessment mention hot tea? 

a well deserved break

the reserve still basking in the sun when we left

And what of the wildlife?

SC208694 Dunnock; Great Tit; Robin

SC208695 Great Tit; Blackbird

SC209694 ( hide) male Blackbird; Great Tit

SC209693 male Blackbird

SC209694 Robin; Song Thrush; male Pheasant.

Mostly seen on a quick return visit after lunch ( couldn't resist the sunshine) 

Thanks to everyone who has helped on the reserve during 2017 and best wishes for a very Happy New Year, 2018.

Ballachurry Reserve, Boxing Day - Hunt the Wren!

view from the hide on Boxing Day

Boxing Day enjoys a special tradition here in the Isle of Man -Hunt The Wren - or in Manx Gaelic, Shelg yn Drean . Although I was unable to go along to Port St. Mary this morning to join in the singing and dancing I did go on a special Wren Hunt of my own to Ballachurry Reserve in the afternoon, where I was not disappointed. Just near the boardwalk a Wren was busily preening in a thorn bush. Later I both saw and heard others. Here is my full report.

Birds:

SC210694 Blackbird heard but not seen.
SC209694 ( from Hide) 2 x Great Tit; Wren;  Jackdaw; 2 x Robin; Wood pigeon flying over.
SC209694  ( elsewhere) 2 x Great Tit; Song Thrush; 2 x Chaffinch
SC208694  2 x male Pheasant; Wren preening; 2 x Magpies flying over; 2 x Chaffinch; Robin;
 3 x Long Tailed Tit;
SC208695 Goldcrest; Great Tit. Wren heard but not seen.

Just outside the reserve in the thicket I also saw 2 x Blackbirds SC209692 and across the road at Ballakilley a male Pheasant noisily came in to land SC210694

Noted: 

Some of the Hawthorn trees are already in full leaf!

this hawthorn in full leaf is visible from the hide

looking back from the bridge

reed bed and pond, late December

December landscape

Great Tit

busily preening Wren

thankfully no longer persecuted
and looking its best on its special day.

And , as for Hunt the Wren, for those of you who may like to know more about this tradition here is the link to last year's celebration.

http://www.culturevannin.im/video_story_465967.html


P.S. for those attending the work party on Thursday: following all the rain on Christmas Day the paths are very wet. Wellies could be useful!

Ballachurry Reserve : The Final Fling - work party update

Just taking a break from the Christmas prep. to let you know that we'll be going ahead with a final fling of the year at Ballachurry next Thursday, 28th December  between 10 and 1 as usual.  A great opportunity to work off the Christmas excesses, although I can't guarantee that there won't be any mince pies around in the tea break. Brambles mostly, so bring those thick gloves ( hope you asked Santa for some?) and possibly repainting the blackboard if you are of a more artistic nature.

Please check the Blog  before setting out (or contact Janet) if the weather suggests the Work Party might be cancelled. 

www,ballachurryreports.blogspot.com    Janet Thompson 07624 428953   jthompson@manx.net

Very best wishes to you all for Christmas and thank you once more for your hard work maintaining this wonderful habitat during 2017.  If you can't make it this time we look forward to seeing you in 2018. 

Ballachurry Reserve, 20th December 2017

a rather murky afternoon with mist over the hills

I didn't start my walk round the reserve until  nearly 2.30 on Wednesday and already the light was fading. As I reached the Hide a solitary thrush flew over my head. It landed in one of the big boundary trees at the far side of the reserve (known as "the orchard") and even with binoculars I was struggling to see what it was at that distance. However, my camera is slightly better than my bins. and through the viewfinder I could make out the telltale patch of red! A Redwing! What a great start to the afternoon. Another solitary bird flew over my head a good 10 minutes later to join it. Then I spotted a third. Needless to say, by the time I'd walked over there to get a closer view they had gone. Fortunately I saw 6 of them later in the afternoon in the nearby Orchard ( seen from the Reserve but not in it) . Finally I spotted them again (or were they different ones?) this time in the trees on the Church boundary. Here is the full list:

Birds:

SC209695   3 x Redwing
SC209694 ( from Hide) Dunnock; Wren; 2 x Blue Tit; Robin heard but not seen. juvenile Blackbird; Wood Pigeon; 5 x Redwing. Chaffinch; flock of 16 Goldfinch
SC209694 Blackbird; Robin.
SC210694 Robin heard but not seen; large flock ( about 50) gulls flying over. Seemed to be Herring Gulls
SC208695  ( old Beehive loop) 2 x Great Tit; 2 x Blackbird; 2 x Chaffinch; Blue Tit; Wren;
SC209695 ( near private entrance to Orchard) Wren; Chaffinch; 4 x Long Tailed Tits;

Other:
SC209693 unidentified fungi
SC209694 unidentified fungi near the Hide ( not seen on this path before)
SC209694 water in ditch has turned orange - some form of algae?
SC209694 oak trees along the boundary path have open galls ( artichoke?)

fungus on path near the hide

on the path that runs parallel to the road

a nice frilly one!

2 Blue Tits seen from the Hide

closer view of one of them

probably a juvenile male? 

just a few of the gulls flying over

algae?

the whole tree is "decorated" with these attractive tufts -
remains of Artichoke Galls?

Distant Robin

The first Redwing I spotted, near the orchard entrance

One of 5 Redwings on the Church boundary

And finally.....

last year's Robin, but the sentiments are still the same.
Thanks to all the volunteers who have worked so hard throughout the year.

Stop Press! Ballachurry Reserve in Island's top ten bird watching sites!

See the latest newsletter at Manxbirdlife

http://manxbirdlife.im/new-garden-birdwatch-newsletter-dec-2017/

The Reserve is Number 2.  Whey hey!

Ballachurry Reserve, 15th December 2017

A beautiful December day at Ballachurry Reserve.

As the sun was shining when I drove back from Port Erin on Friday, I decided to call in the Reserve for a quick walk round. I didn't stay long so this is a short list.

Birds:

SC210694 No less than 6 Song Thrushes flew out of the ivy hedge one after the other as I entered the reserve. I continued seeing them throughout the reserve while I was there.  2 x Chough flying over.
SC209694 ( from Hide) juvenile Moorhen
SC208694 ( near the compost heap)  Chaffinch heard but not seen
SC208694 ( boardwalk) Wren
SC209694 ( gorse boundary ) ringed Blue Tit; Thrushes seen again; Dunnock; 2 x Great Tit;  Chaffinch; Robin.
SC208695 ( old beehive loop) Robin

Other:

SC210694 Stinking Iris berries making bright splash.
SC209693 Fungi still coming up along the path.
SC209695 Gorse in full flower

Stinking Iris - are the berries unpalatable to birds?

gorse in full flower

attractive fungi

the orchard boundary trees enjoying some low sun

Kirk Rushen through the reeds

Not the most flattering view of a Blue Tit!
 But the best one of its ring.
Unfortunately not quite good enough to read the number.

it was working its way through the branches looking for food

has it spotted something?

and another shot of the ring

one of 6 Song Thrushes

Three thin throstles flew through the thorny thicket!
or 6 in this case!

 down on the grass in front of Ginnie's Bench
just before I left

a cloudless winter sky 

hard to tear myself away,
but still hadn't written my Christmas cards! 

Ballachurry Reserve, 11th December 2017

low sun and a near cloudless sky

A lovely sunny afternoon to visit the Reserve last Monday, but I have been too busy with Christmas preparations to post the information on the Blog until now, almost a week later. I was a little taken aback to see the hide door left wide open, especially as we have had so much bad weather lately. The white board & pens inside had also proved irresistible to three children who had signed their names! Future ornithologists perhaps!

Birds:
SC209694  ( from Hide) Wren ; Juvenile Moorhen; 3 x Mallard ( 1 male, 2 female)
SC209694 ( near Hide) Snipe flew up from deep in brambles
SC209694 ( gorse boundary ) Wren; Song Thrush; Dunnock
SC208694 Blue Tit; Snipe; Dunnock; 2 x Robin;  Blackbird.
SC208695 Robin; Goldcrests heard but not seen;
SC210694 Song Thrush

Other:

SC209693 unidentified fungus on the path

fungi still popping up along the path

ice on the puddles

sun catching the reed bed

the 3 Mallards flew in while I was watching the Moorhen

the juvenile Moorhen seems to have claimed the territory
as its own

feeding amongst the Iris

Mallards and Moorhen together

those magnificent yellow legs remind me I need
to book my ticket for Twelfth Night at Erin Arts Centre
on 5th January! (" yellow stockinged and cross gaitered")
What on earth is she on about now, I hear you ask!

I seem to see Song Thrushes regularly at the Reserve recently

another view of the same bird

the nice thing about Dunnocks is that they don't
fly away when you try to photograph them!

this one was both preening and singing

beautifully preened, fluffed up and ready to go

afternoons are so short now, light fading at the Reserve,
time to go.

Not forgetting......

Thank you Ballachurry volunteer, Peter, for  going down in your own time and painting the new bird boxes with water based preservative to extend their life. Also for some necessary hide maintenance at the same time.

the bird box now matches the hide

all the other boxes painted with brown water based preservative. 

I made a brief return visit to the Reserve on Friday so will write that up when time permits.