Just a few shots from the last two day's volunteering . Yesterday , up on the Greensand Ridge , just a couple of fungi , both from the same family .
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A fresh stand of Laccaria laccata-Deceiver ,
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and Laccaria amethystea-Amethyst Deceiver .
Today , helping another Warden , with my favourite job-not , reed pulling , in a moat surrounding a property in South Darenth , but it did have it's good points .
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As we drove onto the site , I spotted movement at the edge of the large field we were driving through . The movement turned out to be three young Foxes , probably born earlier this year . They played like three children , jumping on each other , and racing in and out of the adjoining woodland .
As I only had my old camera with me , I got out and tried to get closer . Halfway across the field , I'm sure the youngsters saw me , but carried on playing , occasionally returning to an area of
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long grass , near the fenceline . As I got closer , I could make out the outline of two more Foxes , probably the parents of the three youngsters , enjoying the early morning sun . As I got even closer , the nearest of the pair , heard me and in an instant , they were gone . The youngsters , who were some distance away , carried on playing , till a call from a parent had them disappearing into the woodland as well . If only I had had the new camera with me !
The same could be said later , when a Water Vole , very briefly , showed on the reeds that we
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were pulling . As quick as it appeared , it too , disappeared , not to be seen again .
The next sighting had me thinking , it is the first of September today , isn't is ? The reason for the question was because at least two Mayflies flew across my line of sight within a very short period of time .
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It wasn't till I got home that I identified Ephemera danica , a species that can be seen from May into September .
Whilst reed pulling , I came across 4 specimens of this caterpillar , and placed each safely on the
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bank . Once again , I needed to get home before identifying them as the caterpillars of the Fox Moth , I think , quite appropriate to start and finish the visit with Foxes .
2 comments:
A lovely photo of the pair of foxes, Greenie and how lovely to see a Water Vole, I haven't seen one for some years!
I often wtach young foxes at this time of year greenie, doing just as you describe - playing like children. Rarely do I get close enough for a photo though :-)
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