Ballachurry Reserve, 18th June 2018.

There has been so much going on at Ballachurry Reserve recently that I've not had time to write up  any of my visits or post the Work Party photos. I'm trying to catch up now in chronological order so this one goes way back to the 18th June.

This was not a recording visit but a trip to the hide to clear up the mess left by miscreants who had been smoking and drinking on the reserve and indulging in quite a bit of vandalism. I'll spare you the  photos of the mess ( taken the previous day) but suffice it to say copies went to the Police who later visited the Reserve themselves to see the havoc at first hand.

Somewhat saddened by this task, once I'd finished I allowed myself a brief walk round to cheer myself up. And cheered up indeed I was when I realised the Reserve was awash with Ladybird activity. Having scarcely seen a Ladybird during 2018,  suddenly the Reserve was awash with their larvae and pupae and even a few fresh new adults. (Newly emerged ladybirds start off quite pale and become more red as the day goes on)

The damp meadow area had several male Common Blue butterflies patrolling,  on the look out for females. However, the only female I saw was right over the other side of the Reserve on the path that runs parallel to the road.

There was a smallish black beetle ( about the size of a 7-spot Ladybird) in the grass  near the boardwalk.

I heard plenty of bird song - Willow Warblers, Sedge Warblers and a Chiffchaff -  but didn't manage to photograph any of them. They are well hidden by the leaves at this time of year. The duck on the pond didn't seem to mind my hammering and banging to put up a No Smoking notice  in the hide and was still there when I left.

SC 208694 3 x 7-spot Ladybirds and numerous larvae & pupae.
SC208694 4 + male Common Blue Butterflies.
SC209693 female Common Blue Butterfly.
SC208694. unidentified Black Beetle.
SC209694 Hybrid duck
SC209694 Pale Shouldered Brocade Moth in Hide  NEW RECORD

Hybrid female duck 

Pale Shouldered Brocade
( thanks to Ian Scott for ID)

will try to identify this small beetle

a female Common Blue butterfly

 7-spot larva on the right, 2 x pupae on the left

Ladybird larvae are very beneficial in the garden
Please don't squidge!

ladybird pupa

and the finished article!

My next visit was on 20th June, armed with a proper notebook, binoculars and camera - but I'm afraid you'll have to wait a little bit longer for that one!

Ballachurry June work parties

Just a quick line to say that today's work party at the Reserve achieved most of its objectives so we do not need to go back again tomorrow ( Monday). We may need to organise a similar work party towards the end of July just to keep the vegetation in check - watch this space!

A big thank you to the 8 volunteers today ( and to Margaret  for the refreshments). Everyone worked really hard and got a tremendous amount done in the time. Well done everybody!

I'll post a few photos when time permits and I still have last week's recording visit to share with you. Do go down and take a look for yourselves during this wonderful weather. The reserve is looking very pretty and is filled with birdsong and butterflies.

Volunteers' garden open, Surby, 24th June 2018

I have been asked by our Ballachurry volunteers, Mike and Wendy Ingram, to give a late plug to the charity opening of their garden  from 12 till 4 p.m. on Sunday 24th June. What better way to relax after our work party than by enjoying  refreshments in their beautiful garden near Surby Bridge,  (Thie ny Chibbyr, Surby Road, Surby.) Plants and cakes etc. for sale + a display of art work.  Full details on

 http://www.rotary-ribi.org/districts/page.php?PgID=687798&DistrictNo=

Admission is just £3.

When I called round today ( Saturday) everyone was working extremely hard to make sure the event will be a big success. There is plenty of parking in an adjacent field and a sunny day is forecast.

Unexpected Work Party, Sunday 24th June

I had been planning to post a note on the Blog to say that there will be no work parties at Ballachurry over the summer while the birds are nesting but that there will be a lot to do from the end of August. In the meantime, if you are missing the graft, Tricia Sayle would be glad of extra help on the Trust's other reserves. Please contact her on tricia@manxwt.org.uk if you would like to volunteer.

BUT,  suddenly things have cropped up and we need to do the following tasks:

re-stake wattle pan

cut back vegetation along boardwalk and bridge.

cut back along paths (minimum to make passable) removing brambles and fallen Dropwort /Hogweed/ Bracken etc.    remove a few small overhanging branches from trees which are impeding walking along paths.

trimming back hawthorn and blackthorn from across paths. 

possibly weeding the boardwalk and hide ramp, if time.               

These have arisen following the recent windy weather ( storm Hector?) which has "felled" the Hemlock Water Dropwort across paths, along with other vegetation making them difficult to mow and indeed walk along. 

 The work party will be from 10 till 1 as usual ( or whatever you can manage in that timescale). Loppers, sickles, shears useful + pruning saws. We have a few but if you can bring your own, so much the better.  Some of the vegetation is Hogweed so gloves essential  ( dodgy sap!) We have a few pairs of eye protection but again, please bring your own if you have them. 

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE WORK PARTY IS  SUNDAY - THIS IS BECAUSE OF CONGESTION NEAR RUSHEN CHURCH DURING THE PARISH WALK ON SATURDAY.

If we do not complete the work on Sunday, some of us will be back on Monday morning to finish the job. I'll post on the Bog if help is still required.

As always, please check the Blog before setting out if cancellation looks probable because of weather conditions - at the moment though the forecast is looking good. 

As some of you may already know, the Reserve has been discovered by local youngsters as a place to hang out. They are using the hide for smoking and drinking and had damaged the latch and hook so that it was no longer possible to close the door firmly from the inside. The latch has been fixed and we can replace the hook.The vandalism has escalated recently and they made a camp fire near the Bowman Memorial Bench with  branches, tree stakes and the wildlife magazines from the hide. The Police are aware of the situation and are making visits. 

P.C. Gorry has given me the following advice

I’d ask that if there are any young people (or old people for that matter!) who are not welcome visitors should be challenged as to them being there, let them know that you will be passing the information to me (and name me, as most of the CRHS age kids will know me), and ideally take a photo of them. You are entitled to do so as it will be assisting in the detection of crime and apprehension of offenders. “Will I be Seen? Will I Be Recognised? Will Anybody do anything about it?” stops a lot of petty crime and particularly criminal damages, so if they know that they will  be held responsible they most likely won’t do it.

Those long lenses could be useful!

He can be contacted at Castletown Police Station on stephen.gorry@gov.im  or  01624 631212

One of our regular bird watchers has already had words with them over them playing loud music - they claimed to be bird watching! If they see the reserve is being well used in the evenings, of course, they may find the area less attractive. 

Looking forward to seeing some of you at the Work Party on Sunday.

With thanks in anticipation,

Sheila.

Manx Wildlife Trust Event in Peel

Not too late to buy tickets for this event organised by the Manx Wildlife Trust. See the link below.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-evening-with-mark-cocker-tickets-44872131754?aff=estw

also on the Trust's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ManxWildlifeTrust/

Ballachurry Reserve: 12th June 2018.

an inviting bench with a flowery outlook

It was overcast with a cool breeze when I arrived at the Reserve about 3 on Tuesday,  but the sun came out very soon afterwards and, despite a singular lack of visible bird life, I had an interesting afternoon as you will see.

Birds:

SC209694 ( from hide) Great Tit; 2 x Adult Moorhens + 4 chicks; female hybrid Mallard; male Teal flew in just as I was leaving.
SC208695 Blue Tit flying over

Butterflies & moths:

SC209694 Silver Y moth; 2 x  Speckled Wood together on grids ( courtship behaviour)
SC20993 Meadow Brown ( first I have seen this year)
SC208694  ( willows path)  2 x Speckled Wood
SC208694 roosting Common Blue on rushes in damp meadow
SC208695 ( beehive loop path)  4 x Speckled Wood
SC209694 Silver Ground Carpet moth
SC208694 Unidentified moth.  Hope to identify.
SC209694  Small Tortoiseshell caterpillar? Checking.
SC 209693 & throughout reserve, Depressaria daucella moth caterpillars
SC210694 Orange Tip caterpillars

Ladybird

SC208695  10 spot Ladybird ( first I have seen this year)
SC210694 2 x 7-spot Ladybird larvae
SC208694 2 x 7-spot Ladybird larvae

Other:

SC210694  4 x very small Grasshoppers. Probably Common Green.
SC209694 1 Gorse Shieldbug
SC208694 Hoverflies -female Myathropa florea ( Batman fly); female Eristalis, possibly pertinax; another Eristalis species;
SC209695 male Epistrophe ( grossulariae?) hovering 
SC210694 Liocoris tripustulatus (?) bug on nettles - big name, very small bug! male Syritta pipiens + very small unidentified fly together.
SC209694 Blue tailed Damselfly
SC208694  and throughout reserve , honey bees.
SC208695 Bee mimic - female Merodon equestris ( Narcissus bulb fly)
SC210694 Tephritis bardanae flies on Burdock
SC209694 Memorial tree has cherries
SC210694 Quaking grass? ( garden variety)
SC209694 Common Valerian in flower
SC209694 and throughout reserve , wild roses in flower.

hide hiding in the Hemlock Water Dropwort

large hybrid duck

she's really quite beautiful

delighted when this Teal flew in just as I was leaving.
I almost missed it!

adult Moorhen

chicks are now able to feed themselves

youngster still looking very fluffy

I'm always delighted to see a 10-spot Ladybird
that line of spots across its back is very diagnostic
although they don't always have 10 spots.

Just to give you an idea of how small they are this
 is a supermarket trolley token

this fearsome looking creature is a 7-spot Ladybird larva

I was so pleased to find them as Ladybirds
have been in short supply again this year

these two were on the wooden post by the bridge

two very flirty Speckled Wood butterflies

unusual to see Speckled Woods together as
the males are very territorial, sending off everything that
ventures into their chosen patch regardless of whether it is
a butterfly or not!

Another Speckled Wood along the old beehive loop

Common Blue butterflies roost head down.
This one was keeping out of the strong wind amongst the rushes.
I was lucky to spot it.

Meadow Brown also keeping warm out of the wind
down on the wood chip - wonderfully camouflaged.

Possibly a Small Tortoiseshell larva - checking.

can you spot the caterpillars here?
camouflage is very important if you live on a bird reserve!

take a closer look - they are Orange Tip butterfly caterpillars
on Garlic Mustard

This tiny caterpillar will become a Depressaria daucella moth
( if not fed to a bird nestling first!)

A Silver Ground Carpet Moth
 - there seem to be lots of them about at the moment. 

I think this is a moth too - seeking advice

a Hoverfly enjoying the nectar from Hemlock Water Dropwort
Steve Crellin tells me it's a female Myathropa florea (Batman fly)

Close-up of the same Batman Hoverfly
Myahthropa florea

it was not alone - a different one
Female Eristalis ( possibly pertinax) 

same one, different view
Eristalis ( possibly pertinax) 

yet another - different Eristalis species

a difficult shot to capture ( hence it's not in focus!)
but you can see why they're called Hoverflies
( male Epistrophe, probably grossulariae)

not just Hemlock Water Dropwort
can you see the stand of Common Valerian behind it?

this is the stream taken from the bridge!

and this is the reed bed

tiny grasshoppers about 3/4 inch long

nettle leaf gives an indication of scale

pleased to see them back as their "patch"
was under the mountain of wood chip by the gate
earlier in the year.

only the second Gorse Shieldbug I've seen in 2018

I finally managed to photograph a Blue Tailed Damselfly

the bees were out enjoying the Hemlock Water Dropwort too

I think this bug is called Liocoris tripustulatus
they feed on nettles ( here on a nettle flower) 

and a couple more

absolutely no idea what this is - it was tiny
and the fly behind it was even smaller
thanks to Steve Crellin for identifying the one in the foreground
as a male Syritta pipiens

identified by Steve Crellin as a Narcissus bulb fly
( female Merodon equestris)

same fly - a good bee mimic

and again

Tephritis bardanae fly
Associated with Burdock, as here.
They do lots of semaphoring with their wings

Ginnie's memorial tree has cherries
suspect the Blackbirds will take them shortly

this caught my eye as I was leaving
could it be quaking grass?

beautiful elderflowers
this autumn's berries for the birds

wild rose

the wild roses are looking beautiful at the moment

no need to tell you what this is - you must know by now!
Very poisonous tubers, by the way.

Purple Loosestrife coming into flower

the reed bed viewed from the hide

and a view across the water

Good to see so many invertebrates - abundant bird food especially for nestlings!