Ballachurry Reserve, 15th September 2018 - Work Party.

 (Click to enlarge photos)

"Five go to Ballachurry" seemed a good title for our Work Party on Saturday but then I spotted two more volunteers down in the ditch! We were back to our Magnificent Seven. With a long list of tasks pinned to the hide door, we consistently worked our way through them, making short work of all the bits and bobs left over from previous work parties. Even the sun came out and we were soon shedding coats and jumpers. Rumours went round that Carrie had brought along her legendary Apricot Slices so we needed no second bidding when tea break was called. Then we discovered Janet had contributed a tin of home made cookies too, so we were all in clover.  It's always pleasant to sit and chat in the sunshine but a few tasks still remained and we spent another hour ticking them off between us.

We have some major tasks coming up over the next few months so it was good to finish up all these niggly little jobs. A big thank you to all concerned for all your hard work. Especial thanks to our two bakers for reviving us at half time and to our invisible volunteer Number Eight who regularly mows the paths to keep them passable and looking trim.

Several areas were strimmed and generally tidied up

our final chance to remove excess silt

and the flow visibly improved

this task is a bit like painting the Forth Bridge -
once you reach the end it's time to start all over again!

but here is the boardwalk at the end of the morning
looking really good

this is the section of stream we delayed clearing earlier
just in case we disturbed late nesters in the reeds

No way was she going to get stuck in the mud this time around!

flowing again and the banks will soon green over 

the last few grids go down at last!
Once filled with gravel they should help us through the winter mud

has anyone seen Ian?

time for a break 

and recharge the batteries

assessing how best to repair the wattle panel

a couple of new posts and a lump hammer should do the job

in it goes

job finished - certainly looks better

"the wrong sort of willow" - these should have come out a
couple of years ago but had managed to elude us - proved a tough job!

 Last word must go to the Wildlife of course without which all this hard work would be totally unnecessary! We counted about 30+ swallows flying over the reserve during the tea break and undeterred by all the activity there was a female Mallard on the pond. Blackbird, Chaffinch and Song Thrush were seen in the Hawthorn and Speckled Wood butterflies were along every single path.

Fox Moth Caterpillar ?
Sometimes referred to as a Woolly Bear

a very scruffy Blackbird

I've seen this fellow before

and a very smartly turned out Song Thrush

it's some time since I've seen a thrush on the resreve

this one certainly had attitude!

and finally... just a note to say that my hoverfly video is now on the post for 12th September if you want to check back and see it.

Ballachurry Reserve, 12th September 2018.

My report from a couple of leisurely circuits of Ballachurry Reserve on Wednesday afternoon in the September sunshine, which in sheltered spots was decidedly warm.

Birds:

SC209693 Willow Warbler / Chiffchaff - briefest of views
SC208694 Chiffchaff heard singing. Robin.
SC208694 Loud croaking just like a Raven coming from reed bed??? ( not frog like)
SC208695 Robin heard not seen
SC209694 ( hide) juvenile Moorhen preening in reeds; Grey Heron flying over low

Butterflies & Moths:

SC209694 ( path junction) Speckled Wood
SC209694 ( hide) Speckled Wood
SC208694 2 x Speckled Wood
SC208694 ( willows) 3 x Speckled Wood
SC208694 ( boardwalk) 2 x Speckled Wood
SC208694 ( brambly bend) 2 x Speckled Wood
SC208695 ( old beehive loop) Speckled Wood; Silver Y moth
SC209695 ( near Private Entrance) 2 x Speckled Wood

Ladybirds:

SC208694) 2 x 7-spot
SC208695 7-spot
SC209695 2 x 7-spot
SC209694 7 x 7-spots

Other:

SC209693 Spider - Metallina sp?
SC208694 various Hoverflies and flies
SC208694 Spider on Gorse
SC208694  what appeared to be juvenile Water Crickets ( much smaller than adults)
SC209695 Dagger Moth Caterpillar;
SC209695 Hawthorn Shieldbug
SC209695 Spider - Metallina sp?
SC209695 3 x Gorse Shieldbugs
SC209694 5 x Gorse Shieldbugs
SC210694 Spider on nettles - Metallina sp.?
SC208694 Noon Fly
SC210694 Jumping spider on wall - Salticus scenicus - Common Zebra Spider
SC210694 Grass Hoppers x 2 on wall
SC209694 large House Spider  (Tegenaria sp.) + 2 dead spiders in same web ( suitors who got their timing wrong?)

7-spot Ladybird - always worth checking out gorse bushes

another 7-spot in the same gorse bush

this one was in the brambles

and this one on a thistle - spiky plants obviously afford some
protection from predators

an uncropped photo of a Ladybird - so easy to miss them .

       

Spot the difference!

Hazel catkins already and the first hint of autumn colours

I think this is a Grey Dagger Moth caterpillar

a closer view

Gorse Shieldbug ( they are not always on gorse!)

Adult Hawthorn Shieldbug......

.....and a very early instar of its progeny

Speckled Woods everywhere again

they seem to have done very well this year

they particularly like the brambly areas

Metellina species spider?

and another enjoying lunch

Tegenaria sp. ( Agelenidae family - Funnelweb spiders)
a House Spider

a tiny jumping spider on the wall near the gate
Salticus scenicus -the Common Zebra Spider

a closer view
according to the distribution map this is the only Salticus spider
we have here in the IOM

another Metallina species?

same spider, different angle
couldn't get closer without breaking the web, which
I didn't want to do

not sure about this one - no web,
but looks similar to the Mettalina species again

The Zebra spider caught my attention but then I noticed
 the Field Grasshoppers nearby

these are the ones that make the intermittent tst ........tst
sound, rather than a continuous reeling stridulation

a small Hoverfly - a male Episyrphus baleatus
"The Marmalade Fly"

Marmalade fly seen from a different angle

and head on

a different sort of fly - a soldier fly of the Sargus species

I took some fascinating video of this one washing itself -see below
it's a female Eristalis pertinax ( one of the drone fly species)
It has pale "feet" on the front and middle legs.

Once this video has played a choice of 3 further videos are offered. None of them are mine, I have not viewed them myself and I am not responsible for the suitability or otherwise of the content!
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another small one - a male Eupeodes corollae

Forget the blackberries - can you see the Silver Y Moth?

recently mown area - thank you Stan!

just look at that clear, blue, cloudless sky!

route back to the gate

always nice to get a bouquet !

with thanks to the Island's dipterist, Steve Crellin, for help with identifications