May 4th was a fairly damp and drizzly kind of day, but around 13 Volunteers turned out nonetheless for the morning work party. The task was to spread the large pile of woodchip in the entrance along the very muddy paths. The chip had been been standing there for many weeks waiting for the ground conditions to improve. Today was the day at last! The barrows plied too and fro for most of the morning and the paths steadily improved as the pile diminished.
Other volunteers were kept busy digging out the Yellow Archangel and Spanish Bluebells near the gate which are essentially rather thuggish garden escapes and not appropriate to a Nature Reserve. They may have been illegally dumped as garden rubbish many years ago and since taken a hold. Indeed several plastic compost bags were also found along with bits of metal and old carpet. Although the plants made the entrance to the reserve look very pretty and some regrets were expressed to see them go, Spanish Bluebells and their hybrids are in fact proscribed by the Manx Wildlife Act as an alien species which threatens our lovely native Bluebells. Although not strictly "The Wild" perhaps, the Wildlife Trust has to set a good example on its Reserves. There are, in fact, a few native Bluebells on the Reserve which it is hoped may multiply over the years.
The rain held off ( mostly) and we enjoyed some cake, biscuits and convivial conversation during the tea break. I took a few hurried photos but, alas, some of them were out of focus and had to be discarded. Nevertheless, those below give a flavour of the morning's work.
 |
the large pile of woodchip to be spread along the muddy paths
|
 |
note the procession of volunteers in the background.........
|
 |
as the barrows are loaded
|
 |
only another 999 to go!
|
 |
tipped up along the paths to soak up the mud
|
 |
back for more
|
 |
preparing the ground
|
 |
here comes the first barrow
|
 |
over it goes
|
 |
meanwhile out comes the Archangel
|
 |
a pretty ground cover plant best kept in the garden
|
 |
a welcome break
|
 |
the muddy area near the boardwalk a few days earlier
|
 |
and after a lot of hard work
|
 |
same area looking the other way
|
 |
the Spanish Bluebells a few days earlier
|
 |
and the area after the work party
|
I removed a couple of hollow rusty iron bars from this area and found a tiny glass snail inside one of them. I wondered if it could be one of the Garlic Snails found previously on the Reserve but iRecord suggested an 88% possibility Oxychilus draparnaudi. That would be a new record for the Reserve but we'll have to wait awhile for confirmation of the species.
 |
Glass Snail
|
During the morning we were also treated to a great deal of birdsong which made the various tasks a pleasure.
With thanks to all the volunteers, and the Southern Group Committee for organising the Work Party and for providing the refreshments to sustain us. Always much appreciated.
please click on the photos to enlarge them
