Ballachurry Reserve, Rushen, IOM.: Ballachurry Reserve, 31st March 2017.

Ash saplings along "the old beehive loop".

The sunny weather promised for Friday afternoon arrived early at about 11 o'clock and by 2pm when I was able to visit the reserve, it was already starting to cloud over. However, in the last 15 minutes or so of sunshine I spotted a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly and several 7-spot Ladybirds, which made the trip more than worthwhile. What's more, as I glanced up, a small bird with a forked tail flew over. It took a few seconds to register - had I just seen a Swallow? I hastened to get the binoculars on it but it was away out of the reserve and across the road by then. Too late. Never mind, the whole afternoon lay ahead of me. Here is the list:

Birds:

SC209693 Swallow? Chiffchaff/ Willow Warbler;
SC209694 ( pond/ from hide) 2 x Mallard; Wren heard not seen; 3 x Wood Pigeon;
SC208694 ( willows/ compost area) Great Tit; Song Thrush; Blue Tit; Chiffchaff singing; Goldcrest; 2 x Long Tailed Tit; Chaffinch;
SC208694 ( boardwalk area) Chiffchaff/Willow Warbler; Kestrel flying over, hovered briefly.
SC208695 ( old beehive loop) Blue Tit; Jackdaw.
SC209694 ( near direct path to hide) Goldfinch.
SC209694 ( gorse boundary ) Pheasant heard not seen; Robin.
SC209695 ( near entrance to orchard) Robin.
SC210694 (Willows near road) Great Tit

Before leaving I often walk along the road to view the Reserve over the wall, look at the adjoining thicket near the Church and cross the road to the old horse drinking area to look across the land towards Port St. Mary. There are sometimes birds to be seen in these areas and today was no exception. Having noted a Wren, a Robin and a Blue Tit I suddenly noticed three birds swooping low over the short turf beyond the stream, then up high and wheeling round. Forked tails, but just very fast black silhouettes against the light so difficult to positively identify, but I think they were swallows. Sand Martins are, I believe, supposed to be first back but these didn't really look right. I tried moving along the road to view them from an angle where the light would be better but of course they then disappeared. But at least my earlier sighting from the reserve was confirmed. I returned to my car with a spring in my step!

Ladybirds:

SC210694 I stopped just inside the gate to check on the Hedge garlic/ Garlic mustard plants planted near the wall last year and immediately noticed a 7-spot Lady bird on a dead ivy leaf. A quick inspection of the nearby nettles produced 6 more.
SC209694 two more 7-spots near Ginnie's bench.

Butterflies:

SC209694 Small Tortoiseshell near Ginnie's bench.

Other:

SC210694 near the gate there is a pretty combination of garden escapes/ previous plantings and wild flowers - daffodils, grape hyacinth and lesser celandines. The aforementioned Hedge Garlic is coming into bud. One Celandine had an unidentified small fly on it.
SC208694 Some of the Hawthorns now have blossom open
SC208695 Pair of mating dung flies on Hogweed + one singleton
SC208694 In the gorse, very small fly or bug. Too small for me to identify but not something I had seen before. Unfortunately the photo I took was blurred and it vanished before I could try again. SC208694 Stitchwort in flower
SC208694 Marsh Marigolds planted in the autumn coming into flower
SC209694 I needed to move the barrow near the hide and discovered it contained a White legged snake millipede, several tiny spiders, a minute brown beetle and a small black beetle.