Ballachurry Reserve: Work Party, 24th August, 2024.

signs of a work party morning at the reserve

  15 adults and one grandchild turned out for Saturday's sunny work party. A variety of tasks were undertaken with enthusiasm, notably sanding down and repainting the bird hide, spreading wood chip along the paths and cutting back encroaching  vegetation. Most enthusiasm, however, was reserved for eating cake in the tea break! The photo below was taken by Eric, aged 5! Thank you Eric for taking the photograph and thank you committee for the delicious spread. Much appreciated as always.

Eric's photo of the cakes

 

The Teabreak -  a chance to relax, socialise and welcome Anne, our new volunteer.

   But this was not just a sunny picnic! Here are a few photos of the work being undertaken during the morning.

the huge pile of wood chip rapidly disappeared

on goes the paint

sanding down in preparation

painting the fiddly bits

the hide is looking better already

moving stored timber from around the hide.....

to a new location elsewhere

cutting back vegetation to check stream inlet

preparing for children's event

forthcoming event!

Booking essential!

Ladybird anticipating the Bug Hunt!

just one species of wildlife noted during the morning

 Wildlife seen during the morning:

SC209694 2 x 7-spot Ladybirds; Speckled Wood butterfly; Common Darter dragonfly over pond.

SC209695 Speckled Wood butterfly.

SC208694 Common Darter dragonfly on boardwalk; 2 x Buzzard overhead; Speckled Wood butterfly; Green Veined White butterfly. 

 Many thanks to all the volunteers for your hard work, energy and enthusiasm.

please click on photos to enlarge them

 

Ballachurry Reserve: Wednesday, 21st August 2024.

the Dragonfly Pond, Ballachurry Reserve.

  

 It is always interesting to visit the Reserve again after missing one of my weekly visits and Wednesday was no exception. More water in the pond, grass paths neatly mown,  and vegetation flattened by recent bad weather were my first impressions. The dull, windy weather meant my expectations were somewhat low but nevertheless I  recorded some interesting wildlife: 

Birds: 

SC209693 Chiffchaff heard not seen:

SC209694 (hide)  Juvenile Blackbird taking Rowan berries; female Blackcap taking Rowan berries;  2 x juvenile Goldfinches in vegetation; 3 x adult Goldfinches flying over;  Woodpigeon heard not seen.

SC209694 (elsewhere)  Chaffinch heard not seen; Blackbird heard not seen; male Pheasant walking along Gorse Boundary path; Buzzard.

SC208694  Blue Tit; Robin; Chaffinch heard not seen;  2 x Buzzard overhead calling, one almost landed in a tree close to Boardwalk which I was crossing at the time, so it changed its mind! 2 x Swallows flying over.

SC208695 3 x Woodpigeon flew away at my approach; Pheasant heard not seen.

SC209695 Blackbird taking Rowan berries; Buzzard overhead calling.

SC210694 Wren flew up from ground vegetation into tree.

Butterflies: (when sun came out briefly!)

SC209695 3 x Speckled Wood together.

SC209693 Speckled Wood.

SC209694 Speckled Wood x 2.

Other:

SC209695 various Hoverflies on Cushag/Ragwort including Eristalis and Helophilus species.

SC209693  various unidentified flies on recent dog mess on path ( Dogs are not allowed but we have an antisocial person regularly walking a dog on the Reserve recently).

SC209693 unidentified fungus appearing in a clump.

SC208695 3 x  Pestle Puffball fungi

SC208694 clump of fungi appearing under the willows.

SC209695 Craneflies here and throughout reserve 

SC209694 Greater Water Boatmen x 3

I opened the hide shutters to see a Blackbird on the berries opposite

 

it was a juvenile bird

enjoying a tasty treat

it did not have the berries to itself

 

a female Blackcap was also enjoying the feast

two young Goldfinches were nearby

juvenile Goldfinch

Robin

two Buzzards over the Reserve

no sunshine to light up the photo

but these are record shots

the blur is the buzzard - shows how low it came

Speckled Wood

and another elsewhere

this one flew up into a Hazel bush from the path

Hemp Agrimony

Hemp Agrimony is usually a magnet for Butterflies and other insects. I have not seen a single butterfly on it this year and it is starting to go over so it may be too late. There were a couple of flies on it today once the sun came out.

Helophilus  "Footballer" Hoverfly

another species of Hoverfly

this one was an Eristalis species , I think

yet another species of Hoverfly

this one had a flatter body

I apologise for the next two photos! Try to focus on the flies and not what they are feasting on. Nothing goes to waste in nature!

there really is no excuse  - the regulations are clear

there are Crane Flies throughout the Reserve

the Dragonfly Pond

view of pond from the bench

a Backswimmer Water Boatman but no dragonflies today

fungi is starting to appear on the reserve paths

and under the willows

these were under vegetation near the entrance

Pestle Puffball

they seem to fall over under their own weight

phone shows scale

near where the puffballs occur

and looking in the other direction

mown grass near the Bowman Bench

Cushag /Ragwort is excellent for insects

looking into the Reserve from the Private entrance

and another view from the same direction

usual view approaching the boardwalk

the Hemlock Water Dropwort is now over and dying away

usual view from the boardwalk - no blue sky today

looking back to the hide over the meadow

hide becoming visible again as the Dropwort collapses

usual view from the hide ramp

Loosestrife round the pond

the reeds are flowering too

entrance to the willow wood across the bridge

and looking the other way towards the meadow

the stream from the bridge

Alder cones forming in profusion

Hogweed seeds and Oak leaves with Powdery Mildew

Ox-eye daisies near the dragonfly pond

approaching the meadow

Sneezewort among the rushes and grass

Greater Birdsfoot Trefoil

mown path through the Reserve

reeds overhanging the path  - brought down by recent weather

don't forget to check the noticeboard for events

Midday - time to close down the shutters and go home

 

There is a work party scheduled for this coming Saturday (24th August) between 10 and 1 o'clock, Details from ballachurrybashers22@gmail.com if you would like to join us. New volunteers are always welcome. 

please click on photos to enlarge them