Almost a week late posting this report! I have been busy with other Ballachurry business - firstly, an afternoon spent walking round the Reserve with Manx Wildlife Trust's C.E.O., Tim Graham, and Reserves Officer, Tricia Sayle, who are developing a new Management Plan for the Reserve. This was followed next day by our Working Party, an account of which is already posted. Then, Monday night we had a Southern MWT Committee meeting to discuss Ballachurry and other matters.
So here at last is the report for Wednesday 25th January.
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| A bright splash on a cold January day |
Although the temperature was in double figures on Wednesday - 10C - the wind chill made it feel much colder. Most of the bird life at Ballachurry seemed to be keeping warm down in the undergrowth or else was away on bird feeders in local gardens. Either way, there was little to be seen. Once I opened the shutters in the Hide a strong icy wind blew straight in, making me put up my hood and after half an hour I needed to walk round the reserve again to warm up! Two half hour sessions in the hide and two half hour circuits of the Reserve produced a very paltry list!
Birds:
SC209694 ( from Hide) 6 x Wood Pigeon; Blackbird; Pheasant; Wren; 5 x Goldfinch
SC208695 Robin
SC208694 Hooded Crow; Wren, heard but not seen.
SC209694 ( willows ) Blue Tit; Wood Pigeon;
SC209695 Robin.
SC209694 a few corvids and Herring Gulls flying over.
I mostly had quick glimpses of the above so this post is not strong on photos, I'm afraid. It was not all doom and gloom however, the Celandines are starting to flower and Gorse is still making a bright splash. In sheltered spots the Hawthorns are in leaf already.
Other:
SC210694 Celandine in flower
SC208694 Gorse in flower
SC210694 Hibernating garden snails still in situ
SC209694 Still a few fungi in the wood chip path
SC208694 & SC209694 Hawthorn bud burst
SC210694 Ivy berries now ripe and black.
SC208694 Blackthorn twigs have bright yellow lichen
SC209693 Hazels a long the pathway have had catkins for some time now.
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| A somewhat gloomy outlook from the Hide |
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| Wood Pigeons intent on preening |
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| Hawthorn sapling already in leaf |
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Blackthorn ( the one covered in caterpillar webs last year),
developing a coating of Lichen |
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| Hazel catkins |
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| Hibernating snails seem not to have budged |
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Do you remember my photo of this view on a sunny day
with the reeds looking golden? |
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Ripening ivy berries will provide welcome food
for birds over the next few weeks |
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| Not so many fungi now |
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| Our first Celandine - what a cheerful treat! |
In my last recording post I said things could only get better. I received a call next day from a regular visitor to the Reserve to say he had seen 2 Snipe, 2 Tree Creepers and 2 Waxwings just 24 hours after my own visit! It just goes to show that it is a question of being in the right place at the right time. The notice board in the Hide also records a sighting of the Water Rail on 22nd January - good to know it is still about.
