Ballachurry Reserve, Rushen, IOM.: Ballachurry Reserve, 25th July 2019.

One of the areas we rake off in the autumn
to encourage wild flowers. Some Yellow Rattle has survived
this year and will help reduce fertility & make the grasses
less vigorous, giving wild flowers a chance in future.

Thursday was a very warm day! I thought there might be more of a breeze at Ballachurry than at home and it was indeed very pleasant just by the gate. However, most of the reserve was sheltered from the breeze and I soon donned my sunhat to walk round. The exception was the area by the compost heap which was in deep shade. I was tempted to linger there but there didn't seem to be much wildlife so I ventured out into the sunshine once more. Here is my report:

Birds:

SC209694 ( hide) 2 x female Mallard; Great Tit. Swallow flying over. Blackbird on rowan berries. Unidentified small bird in berries.

Butterflies & Moths:

SC209694 ( path junction)Meadow Brown; Small White; Speckled Wood.
SC209694 ( hide) Small Tortoiseshell flew in through window and out through the door! Meadow Brown outside. 6 Spotted Burnet Moth on bramble flowers outside; Unidentified White flying.
SC209694 ( gorse boundary) Meadow Brown; Painted Lady;
SC208694 ( meadow area)Meadow Brown x 2:
SC208694 ( willows) Meadow Brown; Speckled Wood x 2; unidentified White flying
SC208694 ( boardwalk) Speckled Wood; unidentified White flying.
SC209695 Meadow Brown; unidentified White flying.
SC209693 Red Admiral; Meadow Brown;

Ladybirds:

SC210694 ( near entrance)7-spot x 2
SC209693 ( path parallel to road) 7-spot
SC208694 ( meadow area) 7-spot x 2
SC208694 ( near boardwalk) 7-spot
SC209694 ( gorse boundary) 7-spot

Other:

SC210694 here and throughout reserve - Soldier Beetles.
SC209693 Capsid Bug ( Grypocirus stysi)
SC209694 Very large spider in the hide with very large web - probably Tegenaria sp. ( gigantea?)
SC209694 Nursery Web Spider ( Pisaura mirabilis) tent in grass outside hide
SC208694 here and elsewhere Honey Bee; Common Wasp. Common Green Capsid Bug
SC208694 (willows) Tortoise Beetle nymphs, Cassida family

Mallard feeding in the pond

7-spot Ladybird

another on Greater Birds Food Trefoil

this one was on Hogweed

and this one on nettles

Meadow Brown Butterfly

You will have to believe me when I say
this was a 6-spot Burnet Moth ! Too deep in the brambles for
a good photo.

Speckled Wood Butterfly

Rowan Berries look spectacular against
a blue sky

and always merit a closer inspection

the little green Shieldbug nymph obligingly walked
onto my hand when I lifted the bunch of berries

This is the nymph of a Tortoise Beetle.
It disguises itself as a bird dropping by covering itself
in its own excrement, politely referred to as frass!