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| Blue sky and buttercups at Ballachurry |
The drone of bees has given way to the drone of motorbikes! Yes, the TT is with us once more. I sought out the relative peace of Ballachurry on Tuesday morning, although there were plenty of bikes roaring along the adjacent road. It was good to see the little tots from the day nursery enjoying the reserve and, being half term, a child and parent photographing the ducklings. Here is what I recorded (Manx names in brackets) :
Birds: (Ushaghyn)
SC209694 ( hide) Mallard (Thunnagh Feie), drake, duck and 4 ducklings; 2 x Moorhen adults (Kiark Ushtey) + 4 chicks; Chaffinch (Ushag y Chloau) heard not seen; Pheasant (Kellagh Keylley) heard not seen; Sedge Warbler (Kiaulleyder Cliogagh) heard not seen; Wren (Drean) heard not seen; Woodpigeon (Calmane Keylley) carrying nest material.
SC209694 ( elsewhere) Willow Warbler (Drean Vane); Chaffinch heard not seen (Ushag y Chloau); 2 x Goldfinch (Lossey ny Keylley) in tree behind Ginnie's bench; Blackcap (Bayrn Dhoo) heard not seen; Chiffchaff (Beealerey) near dragonfly pond; Blackbird (Lhon Doo) flew across path; Blue Tits (Drean Gorrym) going in and out of bird box;
SC208694 Chaffinch (Ushag y Chloau); Chiffchaff(Beealerey); Blackbird (Lhon Doo) heard not seen.
SC208695 2 x Woodpigeon (Calmane Keylley) in tree; Wren (Drean) in and out of brambles; Blackcap (Bayrn Dhoo) heard not seen.
SC209695 Great Tit (Drean Mooar) going in and out of bird box above private entrance.
SC210694 Blackbird(Lhon Doo) heard not seen; Wren (Drean) heard not seen.
Butterflies and Moths: (Foillycanyn as Lhemeenyn)
SC208694 Painted Lady (Foillycan yn Onnane)
SC208694 2 x Speckled Wood (Breck ny Keylley); Green Veined White(Baneag Gheayney)
SC209695 2 x Large White (Baneag Vooar) spiralling together; Orange Tip (Baare Jiarg-buigh) Green Veined White(Baneag Gheayney)
SC209694 Red Admiral (Ard-marragh Jiarg)
SC210694 Red Admiral (Ard-marragh Jiarg)
SC209694 Clouded Border Moth (Manx unknown)
SC209694 Orchard Ermine Moth larval webs on Blackthorn ( Manx unknown)
Unidentified White butterflies throughout reserve
Other: (Reddyn elley)
SC209694 Blue-tailed damselfly ( Snaid-veg gorrym-fammanagh) at dragonfly pond and another in long grass near the path ( rufescens variation )
SC209694 Spider in gorse bush (Doo-Oalee)
SC208695 2 x Marmalade Hoverfly (Crowaltagh "soo oranje")
SC209694 Sawfly( Saaue-whaillag) Strongylogaster multifasciata (probably ovipositing)
SC209693 unidentified Fungi (Fungys)
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| Goldfinch |
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| Great Tit |
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| Woodpigeon with nesting material |
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| Willow Warbler |
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| Mallard duck |
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| Mallard Drake |
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| adventurous Mallard duckling |
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| the other 3 nearby |
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| Moorhen with chicks in the reeds |
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| Moorhen feeding chick |
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| the other parent with a chick |
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| 2 more in the reeds |
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| Blue-tailed Damsel Fly |
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| possibly the same one later |
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| Blue-tailed damselfly (rufescens variation) |
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| Green Veined White |
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| Red Admiral |
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| Orange Tip eggs on Cuckoo Flowers |
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| a closer view |
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| Marmalade Hoverfly |
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| another Marmalade Hoverfly nearby |
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| Orchard Ermine Moth larval webs on Blackthorn |
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| Sawfly -Strongylogaster multifasciata |
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| probably egg laying on the bracken which its larvae feed on |
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| Unidentified fungi along the path |
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| "snow" on the buttercups?............ |
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| and along the paths?........ |
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| "ice" on the pond? |
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| No! It's the time of year when the willows shed their seeds! |
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| usual shot of the reedy bend |
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| my "usual hide" photo is getting hard to see! |
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| path junction now dried out completely |
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| the not-so-new now glade ...... |
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| from both directions |
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| I'm heading for the hide |
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| opening up the shutters |
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| to see what's about |
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| I used to call this the mudflat! |
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| view from the ramp |
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| to cross the bridge you first have to find it! |
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| the coppiced willows are sprouting well |
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| more "snow"in the willow coppice |
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| usual view of the boardwalk , now part hidden by Dropwort |
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| view from the boardwalk - not a cloud in the sky |
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| brambly bend seen from the end of the boardwalk |
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| a nice shady walk in hot weather |
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| the dragonfly pond is covered in duckweed |
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| shady bench |
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| looking along the gorse boundary |
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| the stray hen was making herself at home |
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| someone had been concerned about her welfare |
The hen could, in fact, easily drink from the nearby dragonfly pond, and has been surviving happily on the reserve for about a month . I am pleased to report however that the owner has since been located and the hen returned home.
A lovely late May visit. With thanks to Steve Crellin for identifying the tiny Sawfly with a very big name.
Saturday Work Party
On Saturday, 30th May over a dozen volunteers met up at the Reserve with the aim of spreading this large pile of wood chip along the paths. Encroaching vegetation was also cut back and other sundry jobs accomplished. There was great teamwork to get the chip spread and even greater teamwork to consume the home made cakes at half time! Many thanks to those who provided the refreshments. My own task was to cut back the vegetation on the bridge (see picture from Tuesday) and from this location I took a few photos of the chip spreaders.
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| job finished |
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| bridge visible again |
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| the grass had been cut recently too, so the Reserve is all spruced up for summer |
Last word to the wildlife (but no "proper" camera or binoculars with me)
SC208694 ( where I was working all morning) 2 x Swifts flying over ; Robin "helping " me by the compost heap and sitting on the bridge handrail; Chaffinch watching me near the compost heap; Chiffchaff and Blackcap heard not seen; Painted Lady butterfly.
SC208695 Blackbird.
SC209695 Blackbird.
Other volunteers also saw the Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Many thanks to all the hard working volunteers today.
