Thursday 19th.November 2009

Just a catch up on the last three days volunteering . Tuesday and Wednesday were spent finishing laying , then tidying up , what could only be described as a random row of bushes , now layed , and will hopefully , in years to come , provide habitat and homes for birds , mammals and insects . A lot of the material cut out from the original bushes , was re-used in laying the hedge , and the remainder , of which there was quite a lot , was burnt off in an adjacent field . The fire , once started , was fed by a tractor , using the silage grab fitted to the front .

Today was spent up on the Common , improving the habitat there . The big news was from the chap who organises the work parties . He was up there working on his own on Tuesday , when he got very good views of a female Hen Harrier . He didn't have a camera , but he is a good birder , and I have no doubt of the sighting , which must be very rare in the area . The bird quartered the heathland area at tree top level for a short time before moving on . No such luck today , but on an Oak leaf on the ground , I found Common Spangle Gall , produced by a tiny Cynipid Wasp , another of the same family produced the Knopper Gall , also found on Oak .

A couple of interesting fungi were also found . The first is Ascocoryne sarcoides , this a young specimen , found on s dead Gorse stump . The others were found together under an Oak . Three specimens of Amanita muscaria-Fly Agaric , and tucked away behind , a single specimen of Lycoperdon perlatum , a relation of the Puff-balls and Earth-balls . Close by , was a nice specimen of Clitocybe flaccida-Tawny Funnel Cap .
Nothing else to post , so just adding a couple of shots taken in our daughter's garden in NZ . Carol was looking out , and said , 'have you seen this one ' . It was strutting around the lawn , obviously looking for worms . It is known in NZ as a Masked Lapwing , but also known elsewhere as a Spur-winged Plover . A strange looking bird with that yellow wattle on it's face . I did see several others whilst out and about .