2026 is the Year of the Manx Language -Blein ny Gaelgey. As a nod to this I am attempting to add, in italics, the Manx names for the birds after each entry. Only singular names are given. By the end of the year I might even have learnt them myself! Other creatures might be more tricky, but we'll see!
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| Yes! the photos are back! Direct path to the bird hide. |
I spent Monday afternoon at the reserve enjoying the fine, if breezy, weather. My computer had been collected on Saturday and whisked off to Colebourn's workshop for repair, so I wasn't at all sure when I would be able to put my report on the Blog. However, Wednesday afternoon saw it back, not just repaired, but thoroughly serviced and working as if back in its youth! So here goes with what I recorded:
Birds: Ushagyn
SC210694 Blackbird (Lhon Doo )flying over; female Pheasant (Kiark Cheylley) flying away.
SC209693 Wren (Drean) heard not seen; Willow Warbler (Drean Vane )heard not seen; male & female Blackbirds (Lhon Dhoo); Sedge Warbler (Kiaulleyder Cliogagh).
SC209694 (hide) Chiffchaff (Beealerey) heard; Moorhen (Kiark Ushtey) x 2; Swallow (Gollan Geayee) flying over; 2 x Sparrowhawk together (Shirragh ny Giark) flew across pond and out through willows, one returned alone a few minutes later and dropped down out of sight behind vegetation at back of pond.
SC209694 Sedge Warbler (Kiaulleyder Cliogagh) heard not seen; Willow Warbler (Drean Vane) heard not seen; 2 x Chaffinch together (Ushag y Chloau); female Blackbird (Lhon Doo ); Pheasant Kellagh Keylley heard not seen; Goldfinch Kiark my Leydee in Birch tree.
SC208694 Blackcap ( Bayrn Dhoo) heard in the willow copse; Great Tit (Drean Mooar); Chiffchaff (Beealerey) heard not seen; Chaffinch(Ushag y Chloau); Woodpigeon x 2 (Calmane Keylley) heard not seen; Blackcap (Bayrn Dhoo) near the boardwalk; Willow Warbler (Drean Vane) heard not seen near the boardwalk.
SC208695 Goldfinch "chatter" heard (Kiark my Leydee); Chiffchaff (Beealerey); Blackcap (Bayrn Dhoo); Willow Warbler (Drean Vane) "weep" heard but not seen; Wren (Drean); Chiffchaff (Beealerey); 2 x Great Tit (Drean Mooar) on feeders; Blue Tit (Drean Gorrym) on feeder; Blue Tit (Drean Gorrym) enlarging the hole of nestbox.
SC209695 Great Tit (Drean Mooar).
Butterflies:Folicanyn
SC208694 Speckled Wood (Breck ny Keylley)
SC209695 Holly Blue (Gorrymag Hollin)
SC209695 Speckled Wood(Breck ny Keylley)
SC209694 Holly Blue on Holly(Gorrymag Hollin)
SC209694 Orange Tip eggs on Cuckoo flowers ( Baare jiarg-buigh)
Other:
SC209694 Marmalade Fly.
SC209694 Blue Tailed Damselfly ( first of the year for me).
SC209694 Tadpoles ; Whirlygig beetles x 4.
SC209694 Long-tail in undergrowth.
SC209694 "Footballer" Hoverfly + other unidentified Hoverflies.
SC208695 Bumble bee ( White Tailed?).
SC208694 Herb Robert in flower.
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| male Blackcap |
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| singing its melodious song |
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| male Chaffinch |
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| Blue Tit on new feeder |
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| Blue Tit - loud tapping inside the box alerted me to watch |
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| Moorhen - the white dots are flying insects |
Three photos of the Sedge Warbler which I spotted as I was leaving
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| Large White butterfly |
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| Speckled Wood Butterfly |
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| Holly Blue Butterfly on Holly |
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| Some of the Cuckoo Flowers have Orange Tip Butterfly eggs |
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| close-up of one of them |
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| Marmalade Hoverfly on Hawthorn Blossom |
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| another species of Hoverfly |
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| one of the "footballer" species of Hoverfly |
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| Possibly a White-tailed Bumble Bee |
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| can you spot the tiny damsel fly on this stone? |
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| it was a Blue-tailed Damselfly |
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| Tadpoles |
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| Whirlygig beetles |
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a long-tail raced for cover when it saw me - possibly 2 in there? |
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| Oak apple ( gall ) forming on Oak tree |
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| Herb Robert flowering profusely in the willow copse |
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| white and pink Hawthorn Blossom growing side by side |
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| flowers in the meadow |
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| fresh leaves on the Sycamore trees |
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| Hawthorn Blossom backlit |
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| the reedy bend has fresh green reeds emerging |
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| usual view of the hide |
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| the area that was under water has now dried out completely |
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| the new glade looking lush |
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| the path junction |
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| view from the hide ramp - not a cloud in the sky but a chilly breeze |
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| inside the bird hide |
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| the pond has inevitable patches of spring algae/ blanket weed |
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| view through the shutters |
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| looking through the side shutter |
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| Hemlock Water Dropwort encroaching on the bridge |
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| looking down the stream from the bridge! |
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| dappled shade in the willow copse |
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| Herb Robert spreading |
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| shadier towards the compost area |
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| the reed bed is greening up with new growth |
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| usual view towards the boardwalk |
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| looking back the way I have come |
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| the meadow from the boardwalk |
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| the stream from the boardwalk |
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| usual view from the boardwalk |
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| usual photos of the dragonfly pond |
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| the meadow area |
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| the meadow path |
This domestic hen appeared on the Reserve some weeks ago now and there was some concern that it had been "dumped" there. However, it may have simply come through from next door where they keep hens. I didn't know whether the plastic container was litter or whether someone has decided to feed it, but feeding it on the reserve won't encourage it to return home, I fear.
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| heading for the gate |
A last look back at the reserve and a reminder that the next work party is May 30th from 10 o'clock when the main task will be spreading this pile of wood chip along the paths.
Many thanks to Garry Curtis for identifying the white butterfly for me and also to Andrew and the computer team at Colebourn's for making photographs a possibility once more.
Use of Manx language: Thanks are due to Derek Phillips for his list of Manx birds, "The Manx Bird Atlas," (Chris Sharpe et al) "Birds of the Isle of Man"( J.P. Cullen & P.P. Jennings) and to Adrian Cain for casting an eye over the finished product.
please click on photos to enlarge them
