Ballachurry Reserve: Wednesday, 22nd November, 2023.

Ballachurry pond and reed bed

   I visited Ballachurry this week on Wednesday morning around 09.15. It was a dull, grey day but that meant I didn't have the low sun shining in my eyes as I sat in the hide bird watching. It also made photography easier.  In particular there were several species of "garden birds" in the vegetation at the back of the pond. Here is what I recorded:

 Birds:

SC209694 (from Hide)  male and female Blackbirds; Greenfinch x 3; Robin; Great Tit;  male and female Mallards;  Moorhen; Goldcrest ( very close view in willow adjacent to bird hide shutter); Wren x 2 also in willow adjacent to shutter);  5 x Goldfinch; Coal Tit;  male Chaffinch; Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow and Sparrowhawk in Churchyard trees; Long-tailed Tit x 3; Blue Tit x 2.

SC209694 ( elsewhere) 2 x Blackbirds flying through; Robin;  3 x House Sparrow; male Chaffinch; Great Tit; Blue Tit.

SC208694 Woodcock flushed from under the willows; Robin; Great Tit.

SC209693 Robin; 5 x Goldfinch flying over.

SC208695 Dunnock.

SC210694 Great Tit x 2.

Other: 

 SC209694 several pond snails on stone in  new pond.

No new fungi seen; no other invertebrates seen.

SC208694 Domestic cat sitting on boardwalk.

first view through the shutters

I heard a Water Rail from this area of the pond

 

and  another was calling from the reeds, very close to the path

Moorhen

Mallards

Rosehips  popular with the Blackbirds

and three Greenfinches

Chaffinch

Goldfinch

Wren right outside the shutters

a lovely close view but I failed to photograph a Goldcrest there earlier

Sparrowhawk landed in Churchyard trees opposite

as did this Carrion Crow

and a Magpie

Great Tit

it spent some time preening

the Dunnock was near the old beehive loop

two views of the new pond

lots of tiny snails visible

crossing the bridge from the willows to the meadow

usual view of the board walk

later I found I was being watched from it

a lovely pet, but the birds better watch out!

view from the boardwalk on a grey day

Red Campion still in flower

the usual view of the hide

 An enjoyable morning despite the grey conditions. I had called in briefly the previous afternoon, which was bright and sunny, but saw very little. Here is what I noted:

21st November, 2023.

SC209694 Robin; Water Rail heard from right of pond;  6 x Chough flying over calling.

SC209693 Long-tailed Tit x 2; Water Rail heard from reed bed.

SC208694 Dunnock; Robin; Blackbird heard not seen.

SC209695 Robin.

please click on photos to enlarge them

 

Ballachurry Reserve: Work Party, Saturday, 18th November, 2023.

 

from this

to this, in just 3 hours!

 

On Saturday morning a dozen or so volunteers gathered at the reserve to spread the large pile of wood chip near the gate along the paths in an attempt to keep the mud  at bay.

We had had very heavy rain overnight and water levels were high throughout the reserve. This had the advantage of showing us where the chip was most needed, whereas when I was there earlier in the week the paths were mostly dry. 

loading chip into barrows 

 

setting off with a barrowful

 a few more of these yet to go!

off to where it's needed ( note water to left)

 

 keep 'em coming!

 

then rake it out along the paths

I'm afraid I forgot to take the usual teatime photos as interesting travelers' tales were being related and a bird picture was testing everyone's I.D. skills ! However, the usual wonderful spread of cake revived us and then it was back to work. Many thanks to those who provided cake.

 work done

and the paths looking less muddy

we concentrated on just one area of the reserve

and round the hide

a good flow of water coming into the reserve after heavy rain

the first time I've seen water coming over the dam for years

and a very full pond

looking back at the end of the morning's work

 Other areas of the reserve will need the same treatment when time and resources permit.

Wildlife seen:

SC209694 Buzzard; Sparrowhawk; Goldfinches; 2 x Long -Tailed Tits;  probable Woodcock; Large Carabus beetle; Very long earthworm. Water Rail heard. Those who arrived early to set up the work party also saw 3 x Snipe.

identified by iRecord as Carabus granulatus

 A huge thank you to all the volunteers for their hard work, the Committee for organising the morning, the bakers for providing the cake and Roots to Shoots for the wood chip. All very much appreciated.

 

please click on the photos to enlarge them

Ballachurry Reserve: Tuesday, 14th November, 2023.

 

a sunny morning near the bird hide

With 50+ trees down on the Island during Monday, 13th November as Storm Debbi hit us, I think we were lucky to have no damage at Ballachurry. Yes, Ginnie's Bench had blown over but had quickly been colonised by the invertebrate population of the vicinity! Some of the dead hedging had blown onto the paths and into the stream but this was quickly rectified. Some birch twigs had also blown into the new pond and I removed them to the dead hedge. A floating hogweed stem was covered in pond snails which made me go back to the birch twigs to examine them more closely - sure enough I had to rescue and re-home several more! But the hide and the trees were all still standing. This was a shorter visit than usual but here is what I recorded:

 Birds: 

SC209693 Raven flying over croaking.

SC208694 Blue Tit; Robin heard not seen; male Chaffinch;  2 x Siskin.

SC208694 ( hide)  Pheasant heard not seen; Water Rail heard not seen;  3 x Goldfinches; 2 x Blackbird ( m & f)  Great Tit; Blue Tit.

SC208695 Blackbird heard not seen; Woodpigeon flying over.

Other:

SC209694 40+ pond snails in new pond on stones and floating twigs + Backswimmer Water Boatman.

SC208694 Iodine Bonnet fungi (Mycena filopes)

SC208694 Redleg Toughshank  ( Gymnopus erithropus) NEW RECORD

SC208694 Russet Toughshank ( Gymnopus dryophilus) NEW RECORD

SC208695 Russet Toughshank ( Gymnopus dryophilus)

SC208695 large Pestle Puffball (Lycoperdon excipuliforme/ Handkea excipuliformis). NEW RECORD

SC209694  about 50 White-legged Snake millipedes on Ginnie's bench which had fallen over during storm Debbi + a few other unidentified millipedes / centipedes/  Woodlice.

SC209695 small slug on discarded drinks can by Bowman bench.

SC209694 a few Dandelions and lawn Daisies still in flower

one of two Siskins taking Alder seeds

blown over during Storm Debbi on 13th November.

where the wood touched the ground  ............

it had been colonised by millipedes

and woodlice

and a different sort of millipede

pond snails afloat on a twig

more pond snails under water on a stone

Backswimmer Water Boatman

unidentified slug on litter

fungi growing on fungi!

a closer look

each of these toadstools is growing on a  fallen twig

Iodine Bonnets -Mycena filopes

Russet Toughshank  -Gymnopus dryophilus

 More Russet Toughshanks at an earlier stage

 Pestle Puffball  Lycoperdon excipuliforme (Handkea excipuliformis)

full of dark spores - a new record for the Reserve

November daisy

November dandelion

usual view from the boardwalk

recent heavy rain had flooded some areas

Hide still standing after the storm

the meadow in the sunshine

Oak sapling still in leaf

stream flowing well in front of reed bed

still a few leaves left despite the storm

 looking back as I left the reserve

 

 Tuesday remained quite windy as Storm Debbi moved away from us and this might have been the reason why the reserve was so quiet. Such birds as I did see were in the heart of the vegetation and therefore difficult to photograph. I was grateful for the good view of the Siskins!

With thanks to Karen Rodgers for fungi identification.

 

please click on the photos to enlarge them