Ballachurry Reserve, 26th January, 2023.

 

a beautiful blue sky day at Ballachurry Reserve.

 Sun shining, bees buzzing, Song Thrush singing -it certainly felt like Spring at Ballachurry Reserve on Thursday! I saw 20 species of bird , plus heard the Water Rail, which was a pretty good tally, I thought, but very few of them wanted to be photographed, I'm afraid. I walked right round the Song Thrush's song post hoping to find an angle where it wasn't obscured by branches or other vegetation but it remained low down in the heart of the tree rather than atop and I had to admit defeat. It was a pleasure to listen to it though as it went through its repertoire, which included a car alarm and a Buzzard! The latter had me fooled for a minute but a Buzzard's call doesn't end with a trill!

Here is my list:

Birds: 

SC210694 Robin in Reserve seen from road; male Blackbird; male Pheasant.

SC209694 Magpie; 4 x Rook; Woodpigeon heard not seen;  single Redwing; Great Tit;  male & female Chaffinch; Wren; Song Thrush; male Blackbird; Robin x 2 ;

SC209694 ( bird hide ) Robin; Wood pigeon;  4 x Mallard ( 2 pairs)  Moorhen; Long Tailed Tit;  Water Rail heard.

SC208694 Robin x 2; Woodpigeon;  Long Tailed Tit x 2; male Pheasant; Dunnock.

SC209695  Magpie; Hooded Crow; Dunnock; Blue Tit;  10 + Redwings; 5 + Chaffinches; Goldfinch;  Long Tailed Tit  x 2 ; Woodpigeon x 3;

SC208695 Sparrowhawk flying through;  Chaffinch x 2 females 

Other: 

SC209695 Gorse Shieldbug 

SC209694 Green Shieldbug  (in winter colours)

SC209695 Honey bees in gorse  x 3

SC209695 female Yellow Dug Fly Scathophaga stercoraria)

SC208694 Celandines in flower in front of reed bed. 

SC209693 Hazel catkins lengthening.

as I watched from the hide, two Mallards flew in to take a bath

after a good shake....

they headed for the bank to preen

a third preferred to doze among the reeds

a little later there were two pairs out on the water

and can you spot the Moorhen on the bank too?

 

it was foraging for food among the vegetation

two Rooks near the entrance

and a Magpie in next door's garden

a Hooded Crow seen from afar on the boundary

one of several chaffinches seen during the morning

The Meet & Greet Robin, serenading me as I got out of my car

and another behind Ginny's bench

this one was near the compost heap

and this one in the willows near the stream

there seemed to be Robins everywhere in fact!

the Honey Bees were enjoying the gorse flowers

lovely to hear the buzz of bees once more

female Yellow Dung Fly

you can see how small it was

Gorse Shield Bug in spring livery

 although in Gorse, I think this is a Green Shieldbug in winter colours

new pond, looking towards the dead hedge constructed last week

and usual shot with the reflections

green algae starting to form in the shallows

looking into the reed bed from the boardwalk

lengthening catkins on the Hazels

Celandines flowering near the reed bed

there were quite a few of them

silvery reeds in the sunshine

with willow cut back we can see the young Oak trees once more

looking along the gorse boundary

the new dead hedge

and seen from the other side

gorse in the sunshine

usual view of the hide

and usual view from the boardwalk

in a few weeks the stream won't be seen for vegetation

my long shadow on the wet meadow

awaiting volunteers on Friday

through the shutters

the reeds look lovely at this time of year

and looking the other direction.

Spring-like days such as Thursday are most welcome in January and made my visit a real pleasure. 

Please click on photos to enlarge them . With thanks to Steve Crellin for fly identification.

Ballachurry Reserve, 21st January 2023 - Work Party.

 This Saturday's work party had been postponed from the previous week-end because ground conditions on the Reserve had been unsuitable for it to go ahead.  Although still very muddy, the flooding had subsided during the week just enough to make a work party feasible and the 15 volunteers on site achieved a great deal in the time available.

During the morning the willows to the left of the hide were reduced in height, the "trimmings" being piled along their bases to form a thick screen or "dead hedge"

getting stuck in

this task was also done last year

it's amazing how much Willow grows in 12 months

Meanwhile on the opposite side of the reserve, other volunteers were busy constructing another "dead hedge"  between the new pond and the pathway. Dessie, with his Chainsaw, made light work of sawing up the thicker pieces of a trimmed willow to make retaining posts for the hedge. The rest of us, with saws and loppers, reduced the remainder to manageable lengths with which to infill the construction. Dead hedges such as this are excellent habitat for all kinds of small creatures and invertebrates. Additionally this one also acts as a safety feature by breaking up and slowing down access to the area with the deep water. It also provides a screen from behind which to observe any wildlife using the area.

work begins

plenty to do

making short work of the thicker timber

at least the soft ground made putting in the posts a little easier

                                                   team work is the key!
 

Other tasks were also slotted in. Ian was busy preparing for another onslaught on the boardwalk, and the brambles which were attempting to cross it to the other side were put in check. 

 Mrs. Blogger at work!

keep back, you brutes!

just passing though

We all broke off for a welcome tea break at half time, exchanging our Christmas news and taking a brief, well earned rest. Many thanks to Margaret ( and possibly others?) for the refreshments.

         Then there was a final push to get the work finished  before lunch time.

finishing off

and tidying up

the finished job

 Many thanks to the Committee organisers and all the volunteers for an excellent work party.

P.S. The first people on the Reserve this morning were lucky enough to see Snipe and shortly before I left I heard the Water Rail calling.

 

please click on photos to enlarge them