Ballachurry Reserve: Thursday morning , 30th January, 2025.

 

High water level in pond after recent storms

 At 9 a.m. when I arrived  at Ballachurry on Thursday it was a lovely blue-sky day but a bit chilly at only 4 degrees. Three hours later when I left it was still only 7 degrees. After last Friday's Storm Éowyn, followed by more gales on Sunday, I wondered what I might find there.  There was some damage but on the whole nothing too terrible. A willow partially uprooted in the wood and a large willow bough down across the path by the dragonfly pond were the worst casualties I spotted. As I was leaving, Manx Wildlife Trust Volunteers were already expertly dealing with the fallen bough.  Here is what I recorded:

 Birds:

SC209694 ( hide) Mallard pair;  Blackbird; Wren; 2 x Goldfinch; Blue Tit.

SC209694 ( elsewhere) 3 x Goldfinch; Wren; Rook; Blackbird; Hooded Crow flying over; 2 x Goldfinch drinking from stream; Robin; Redwing flying over.

SC209693 Robin, Magpie flying over; Blackbird; Woodpigeon flying over.

SC208694 3 x Magpie in trees near compost area; 2 x Woodpigeon flying over & 3 x Woodpigeon in tree; Great Spotted Woodpecker heard not seen; Great Tit; Goldfinch; female Chaffinch; Woodcock flushed from boundary ditch.

SC208695 ( feeders) Robin; 3 x Long Tailed Tit; Greenfinch; Coal Tit; 5 Goldfinch; 3 x Chaffinch; 2 x Blue Tit; Great Tit; 2 x Magpie atop feeder tree; 2 x Woodpigeon in tree.

SC210694 Robin.

SC209695 Blue Tit.

 SC209694 I called back at 4 p.m. when passing specifically to take a photo of the completed bough removal. Of  course, I couldn't resist a quick walk round and was rewarded by the sight of a Redwing with 4 Blackbirds in the adjoining field. 

Other:

SC209695  remnants of 4 x Puffball fungi.

SC208695 Longtail beneath feeders.

SC209694 Marsh Marigold leaves showing in pond.

SC209694 2 x unknown pupae on noticeboard - caterpillars visible inside cocoons now a notice has been removed.

 

Woodpigeons

Robin supervising fallen bough clearance

Redwing in adjacent field

Mallards

one of  three Magpies in firs

female or juvenile Blackbird

male Blackbird seen from hide

female Chaffinch

the bird feeders were busy

three Long-tailed Tits

close up of 2 of them

Greenfinch

Goldfinches

Great Tit

Coal Tit

remains a of Puffball fungus

What will these become, I wonder?

Marsh Marigolds showing new growth

this willow had fallen across the path

 lower branches  had already been cut back for access

all clear again a few hours later

lifted by the roots

another toppled tree and puddles round the trees

the "unofficial pond" is returning

sunny route to the boardwalk

usual view from the boardwalk

usual view of the hide

view from the hide ramp

view through the shutters

and looking the other way

the new "mudflat" is under water

looking across the meadow

on a blue sky day

the meadow from the opposite direction

looking into the willows from across the stream

looking into the reedbed from the bridge

and along the stream in the opposite direction

reeds thoroughly flattened by squalls

looking towards the compost heaps

usual views of the dragonfly pond

a bit too chilly to linger on the bench today

the grassy plot near the old beehive loop.

 

My last visit of the month, but I am looking forward to February.

 

please click on photos to enlarge them