Ballachurry Reserve, 14th September 2019: Work Party.

The September Work Party is always one of the most strenuous of the year but also one of the most important. We have a very narrow window between the close of the bird nesting season and the end of September when we are allowed by DEFA to dredge silt from the streams that run through the Reserve. In the course of 12 months a great deal of silt is carried down the streams, added to which the late summer vegetation starts to collapse and die back, more often than not falling in to the water  where very often it traps the silt, restricting the water flow through to the reed bed and the pond.

So the main task last Saturday facing our 11 volunteers was to cut back the vegetation along both streams then to dredge out the silt where it had accumulated, especially near the two bridges. Everyone got very muddy but no one got thoroughly stuck this year, I'm glad to say. Once or twice I could feel the mud sucking at my wellies as I tried to move, but fortunately I didn't have to leave them behind!

Eleven thirty saw the arrival of our most popular Volunteer Number 12! Sheila S. arrived bearing the most delicious chocolate cake! The rest of the volunteers needed no second bidding to down tools, wash hands and tuck in. It was good to sit down too and straighten up our backs! Once again the weather had been kind to us and it was lovely to sit in the sunshine and hear how everyone had passed the summer.

However, the job was not quite finished so we were soon back at work once more until the water was flowing without restriction down both streams. This task always leaves the Reserve looking rather worse for wear with piles of dying vegetation along the banks and thick black mud piled high too. However, you will be surprised how quickly it all melts away and greens over.

Once everyone had gone home to a well deserved lunch I walked round again to take some photos and was delighted to see a Wren picking over the mud for insects ( SC209694). I was even more  delighted though on reaching the boardwalk to see a Grey Wagtail working it's way along the muddy bank, also looking for invertebrates. (SC208694) We rarely get Grey Wagtails on the Reserve so our efforts had been well worth it just to have attracted this bird to a temporary new habitat. Unfortunately I only had a phone camera with me so was unable to take its photo.

During the morning we'd seen some Speckled Wood butterflies again, and a few swallows overhead too. Once the water cleared a little we could see fresh water shrimps jetting around near the boardwalk and up where the stream enters the reserve we could once more see the water crickets.

Here are a few photos from our morning.

we spread out along the stream,
 tackling the vegetation first

shears and secateurs at the ready 

rakes came in handy

a couple of volunteers assessing what's needed
where the stream enters the reed bed

that's looking better

Some of us started at the opposite
end of the stream

the plan was to meet in the middle
- they finally came into sight!

 

at last it's possible to walk right down the stream
unimpeded by vegetation

the ladies standing up.....

and the gentlemen sitting down!
this tea is good yessir!

and so is the cake!

back to work

all done at last
 looking back from the boardwalk

and seen from the opposite end

looking back from the pond

and towards the pond from the same spot

water flowing better under the bridge now
and into the reeds

So a job well done by all concerned! A great big thank you to all our volunteers today, including our cake baker, and a warm welcome to our new recruit, Jan, too. 

September is the wet one. October the brambly one! See you then.

My next post will be a recording visit to the reserve.

Click on the photos to enlarge them