Amongst a lot of rushing around today , I managed two visits , one either side of lunch , and both in beautiful sunshine , so welcome after all the recent rain and cloud . The first was a quick look up on the Common . The Hornets are still busy , but at a slower rate , and I'm sure I saw another Queen at the entrance to the nest . Butterflies were few , just 2 Small Copper and a single Speckled Wood . I had several sightings of male Vapourer moth , but once again , never saw one
land . I did disturb a Plume moth-Platyptilia celidotus , I believe , and when it settled again , it allowed a few shots . The only other interest was a lichen , on the heathland area . 
It is Cladonia cristatella , but I prefer the second of it's two common names , British Soldier Lichen or Devil's Matches . The after lunch visit was to the farm lake , which was much fuller following the rain . I thought the Mandarins might have settled here as it is very close to Keston 
Ponds , but there was no sign , just the usual Coots , Moorhens , Little Grebes and 4 Tufted Ducks . I've posted a shot of the latter , as some Bloggers don't see many Tufties . Walking round the lake , I only recorded a single Comma , sunning itself on the warm side of a hedge . There was though , quite a good 
emergence of Caddisflies-Trichoptera , and one stayed still long enough to get a few shots . As things were quiet , I did a lap of the harvested field above the lake , and from the very top of the
hill took this shot of London through the Autumn haze .It reminded me of pictures I've seen of New York , from Central Park . The tall building right of centre is the NatWest Tower and to the right of it , the Gerkin , and Canary Wharf further right again . On my way back to the lake , I 
found Shaggy Parasol-Lepiota rhacodes in the shade of the hedgeline . I did another lap of the 
lake , and found 3 Migrant Hawkers , all males , sunning themselves , when not fighting aerial battles . As has been the case for some time now , the most numerous dragonfly found was the Common Darter with 15+ recorded , and even a couple of pairs egglaying in tandem . Some 
males still had good colouring , but several were like this one , described as over mature , with the abdomen going a browny/beige colour , and the wings become yellowish . On the way home , there was a large , mixed , Corvid flock in the horse fields alongside the bottom lane , which contained a good number of Rooks , a species that was not found locally until 
a few years ago . It was interesting to have a size comparison between one and the more numerous Jackdaw .
return , especially the Mandarins . The only other bird seen , was a Grey Wagtail , that would not let me get within a decent lens distance , before flying off to the other end of the pond . In 
fact , in the second shot , one foot is already in the air ready to go . The second thing , was a 
floating plant , in full flower , when everything else is dying off . I have fried to identify this in previous years , and failed , and have come to the conclusion that it is some alien species that has
invaded the top pond . With very little else found , I headed off looking for fungi , under ever more threatening skies . The rain and cooler temperatures are bringing more fungi out , but it seems to be a very slow process . It didn't need rain to make the cap shiny of the first species 
found , Suillus luteus , that shine giving it's common name Slippery Jack , a member of the Boletus family , all of which have pores , not gills , on the underside of the cap , from which the spores are released . Having found one on my last visit , I found 8/10 of the next species 
, Amanita muscaria-Fly agaric . All today's specimens were like this one , just having emerged . The white pyramidal warts covering the red cap can be washed off by the rain , leaving the cap smooth . This is one of the poisonous Amanitas . Deeper in the woodland , around a large Oak 
tree , were several specimens of Blackish-purple Russula-Russula atropurpurea . The Russula family is large and some are very common , but even those common members are few and far between so far this year . The last species found was Root Fomes-Heterobasidionb annosum , 
one of the bracket form of fungi . This particular fungi causes serious economical losses in conifer plantations .
Around the Sandwalk , where Darwin mulled over his thoughts , I found some Armillaria mellea-Honey Fungus , but the dry warm weather is certainly holding things up , as this area is usually very good for several species . Also on the side of the path , is what is left of the Violet 
Helleborine that I posted back in the Summer . Now all that remains are the seed pods , hopefully these will provide more plants in the years to come . Around the cricket field , are 
many Hawthorn trees , but this one stands out from all the others , producing marble sized Hawes , and much fewer leaves that the normal ones . I had hoped that I might have had another Clouded Yellow on my visit , but the meadows have been 'topped' since my last visit , and what flower there was has gone , leaving nothing to attract butterflies . I always have a second look around the walled vegetable garden before leaving , and found this small Small 
Copper , nectaring on Michaelmas Daisies . It was tiny , and also one of the blue spotted variants . Apart from this , just a single Painted Lady , warming up , high in a hedgerow , and two Hornets hunting insects , were the only other interest .
home . My first sighting was this caterpillar , found on the leaves of Yellow Flag Iris . I have looked through the images , and the only one that I can find is the Yellow Tailed moth , but , the flight time does not match . Any help would be appreciated .
disturbed a male Southern Hawker , that went into a few manic laps , before settling back at 
rest . As I was photographing this one , another movement , to my left , produced a second male . Walking further round , numbers 3 , 4 and 5 appeared , and continual aerial battles ensued . Added to this , 20+ Common Darter , mostly males , eager to defend their territory , it sometimes seemed like WW3 had started . I moved on to the small sheltered meadow , and was 
surprised to find , after yesterday's fresh female Brown Argus , a fresh male of the same species .
which were almost see through , and well camouflaged on some late Bramble flowers . Along with these two , I recorded another 4 Small Copper , 1 Comma and 2 Small , 2 Large and 1 Green Veined White . On the edge of the meadow I had yet another male Vapourer moth , that only just evaded being a meal for yet another male Southern Hawker .
say was very quiet , apart from disturbing a Grey Heron having his lunch on the floating island . He had caught a decent sized fish , but was having trouble 'getting it down' , as it flew off and left the fish behind . I waited for it to return , secreted in the surrounding trees , but it was too smart for me , and I left it in the horse paddock , well out of camera distance . Only other interest found was a single Migrant Hawker and 20+ Common Darters , some mating and some egg laying .
males and three females . Still very shy , all ten are in this shot , all perched on what seems to be their favourite tree which droops down to the water . Within 10 metres , was what I can only 
think was a Moorhen convention , with 11 specimens in the middle of the pond . Not unusual to see Moorhens here , but 11 together is unusual . Just as I was about to leave the bottom pond , a 
flash of yellow landed near the Mandarins , and the bobbing motion could only be a Grey Wagtail , but it insisted at staying as far as it could from the camera . With very little else of interest found , I headed off into the woods and heathland looking for fungi , with very little result for my efforts . I did find a Common Lizard on the heathland area , and shortly afterwards , found only my second 
other day up on the Ridge , but a well chewed specimen . It gets it's common name from being used in medieval times as a fly trap , as the cap was broken into bowls of milk , and the flies were 
fly . Very little else was found until I found 
Yellow last visit . Within a very small area , I recorded a very fresh , female Brown Argus , warming herself in the afternoon sun , an equally fresh Small Copper , and then , a very fresh
looking , twitchy , Painted Lady , three specimens that I certainly didn't expect to record . I had to pass the Hornet nest on my way back to the car , so stopped for a look . Things are definitely slowing down now , but still comings and goings . I got a few shots , then four Hornets came out , 
line abreast , heading my way . One last shot , and I got out of their way and out of the line of fire .
