Saturday 22nd.November 2008

Had a two hour walk around High Elms Country Park this morning . All bird species were in short supply , even the reliable Rose Ringed Parakeets could only muster a count of four . A single Mistle and Song Thrush were the only Thrushes seen/heard , where have all the Winter visitors gone ? Corvids were few and far between with the odd Carrion Crow , Jay and Magpie showing up . I only came across one Tit flock , and that was small and almost silent . The noisiest birds I passed were a couple of Wrens that I disturbed in the undergrowth . No sign of the Buzzard which has been seen often beyond Burnt Gorse over the last few weeks . The largest flock of birds I saw was 16 Black Headed Gulls , which flew in and settled on the fairway of the first hole .

So , I went looking for fungi , and although there isn't much of that about either , the Rhodotus palmatus that I found in the middle of the Golf Course is still intact after 2/3 weeks .

Along the path , above where the Silver Washed Fritillaries were ovipositing , a couple of Lepista nuda-Wood Blewits were poking out from the carpet of fallen leaves .

Amongst the fallen leaves is also the place to find Geastrum triplex-Earthstar .

Well hidden amonst the leaves in this picture is the spore sack of one - can you see it ?

In the garden , the feeders are getting a right bashing from the Chaffinches , Goldfinches and Greenfinches . Regular visits from Coal , Blue and Great Tit , and at least once daily by Gt.Spotted Woodpecker . Robin , Dunnock , Blackbird and the occassional Wren , together with several Collared Doves and Wood Pigeons , clear up the bits and pieces .

The female Brambling hasn't been seen for well over a week , but the male and female Blackcaps fed constantly on the Callicarpa berries all day yesterday , but only the male today .

With not a lot to post , a couple of shots that made me smile , I'm not sure if this one is legal , but here goes . By the way , the Earthstar spore sack was in the top left hand corner of the shot .