 |
the new pond site the day before work began
|
Somewhat unusually, I found myself at Ballachurry Reserve 3 mornings running this week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday no less. This was because on Monday I suddenly received the good news that work could commence on excavating our new dragonfly/ dipping pond. So on Tuesday and Wednesday I was at the reserve to do some preparatory work, mostly related to the necessary Health and Safety issues sent to me in a Risk Assessment by Manx Wildlife Trust. Of course I took a walk round the Reserve afterwards on each day to see what wildlife was around and this is recorded at the end of this post.
On Thursday I arrived early (I thought!) but found Colin, our excavator driver, already on site and raring to go. I felt really excited watching the very first sod of grass being lifted! This project has been a long time coming to fruition, several years in fact. There have been so many hiccups along the way but finally the pond has been excavated. It was important to get this stage of the work completed during the winter before the ground nesting birds are on site during the spring and summer.
We had to close the reserve during the time the excavator was on site and just to make doubly certain no one sneaked in and wandered into the working area the nearby path was also taped off.
I am very pleased to say that this ban did not apply to myself or fellow
committee member, Margaret, as we were needed to show Colin what was
required, where the spoil was to go, and be consulted from time to time
on general issues. So from a very safe distance I was able to take some video and photos as the work progressed. It was good to be able to record this new chapter in the story of the Reserve and its development.
 |
the first sod of turf is lifted
|
 |
and dumped to the south of the pond
|
Here is a video of the early part of the work
 |
work well underway in this and following shots
|
 |
the spoil heap grows ever higher
|
 |
starting to dig the deeper section here
|
Another video of the work in progress
A welcome spin-off from this project is the opportunity to use the excavated soil to make a potential bee bank. Solitary bees like to burrow into south facing banks so we are hopeful a few might discover this new facility!
 |
the soil is leveled and tamped down
|
 |
both the top and the sides
|
 |
finally the job is done
|
 |
a deliberately shallow pond built in accordance with British Dragonfly Society guidelines
|
 |
a job well done - Colin leaves the Reserve - many thanks, Colin.
|
 |
a closer look at the potential bee bank
|
 |
further work will be needed on it
|
 |
but in the meantime the birds were enjoying the excavated worms
|
 |
the Robin and Wren wasted no time picking it over.
|
 |
the Robin was also down in the excavated pond area
|
 |
| a nearby Song Thrush was taking ivy berries - note bald patch on back of neck* |
 |
it stayed some time feasting on the fruit
|
 |
a handsome bird
|
*Professional Ornithologist, Aron Sapford, tells me that the Thrush family can shed feathers in an emergency, hoping the predator follows the feathers , giving the bird a chance to get away. So the chances are this Song Thrush had done exactly that when attacked by a bird of prey.
Birds recorded on 20th January:
SC209694 Song Thrush; Blackbird; Robin; Wren; Chaffinch.
SC208694 4 x Magpies together on damp meadow.
INCIDENTAL REPORTS FROM VISITS ON 18TH AND 19TH JANUARY
18th January, 2022
On Tuesday the weather was very gloomy. My camera kept asking me to
raise the flash but of course this is useless if the bird you are trying
to photograph is several yards away. I must admit I would have liked to
have turned on the lights for most of the morning myself!
SC209694 ( hide) female Chaffinch; 5
x Goldfinch; 3 x Blue tit; 2 x Great Tit; male Blackbird; Wren; Song
Thrush heard but not seen.
SC209694 ( elsewhere) Great Tit; Blue Tit; male Chaffinch; Blackbird. Wren.
SC208694
3 x Long Tailed Tit; Tree Creeper ( near the compost heap) ; Goldcrest; Blue Tit; male
Blackbird; male Chaffinch; Water Rail heard from reed bed; 5 x
Woodpigeon flying over.
SC208695 7 x Redwing; Blue Tit; Great Tit; male Blackbird
 |
just "record shots" of a Blue tit in the reeds,
|
 |
a Long Tailed Tit,
|
 |
and the Wren on its favourite perch near the hide
|
19th January, 2022
Wednesday was bright and sunny but strangely there was less bird life
around than on the gloomy day so not many photos yet again. I put up a notice about the Reserve closure next day.
 |
Reserve to be closed on 20th January during pond excavation works
|
 |
a much better morning, as can be seen from my shadow
|
SC210694 2 x Magpie;
SC209694 Long Tailed Tit; Chaffinch; Great Tit; 7x Redwing flying over; Goldcrest.
SC209694 ( hide) Wren; Great Tit; 3 Goldfinch
SC208695 2 x Chaffinch; solitary Redwing; Blue Tit; 2 x Great Tit;
SC209695 2 x Chaffinch; Great Tit; Goldfinch.
 |
I spent time in the hide but saw little bird life
|
 |
but it was a pleasure to walk round in the sunshine
|
 |
the highlight was definitely this Redwing
|
At the last work party we had discovered the tool shed roof was leaking quite badly. A huge thank you to Volunteer, Peter, for re-felting it in his own time earlier in the week
 |
our smart new tool shed roof
|
 |
sky clouding over, time to go home!
|
There is much further work to be done on the new pond and hopefully a dipping platform will eventually be constructed over part of it, to enable the Trust's Education Officer to take various children's groups there to discover which creatures move in. According to the British Dragonfly Society it may take up to 3 years for it to be colonised by Dragonflies, so we must be patient! Keep following this Blog for further updates!
Please click on photos to enlarge them
