Friday 9th. October 2012

Non stop rain put paid to any thoughts of getting out today , but it has made time to catch up on some interest found during recent visits .
A visit to High Elms LNR turned into a fungal foray , as apart from the common birds , no others were found . I headed to the area below the Orchid Bank looking for one of my favourite species of fungi , Magpie Fungus / Coprinus picaceus , but all I could find were specimens that were just

forcing their way through the leaf litter . I eventually found one fully out , but unfortunately a slug or snail had got there first and munched through the stipe / stem of the specimen . It wasn't till I almost

reached the edge of the reserve that I found one in pristine condition . Other species found included ,

Calocera viscosa ,



Coral Spot Fungus / Nectria cinnabarina ,

 and lots of Stag's Horn or Candle-snuff Fungus /  Xylaria hypoxylon .

On the way home , a stop at Keston Ponds produced False Chanterelle / Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca , before the return of the rain had me heading there .

A return visit to Knole Park at Sevenoaks , still found no sign of the Autumn rut , but I did find the

buck that Ken / Focusing on Wildlife  posted recently . He was strutting around the high ground , but that was the only male seen during the visit . Small groups of does and youngsters were seen , a few

joining the buck on the high ground , but it seemed his top priority was resting . Given the time of year and that these are wild animals , I kept a good distance and within easy reach of a fallen tree , but a group of people came up from the car park and got within 10 metres of the buck to get photographs . They were then joined by two young mothers with children in front facing pushchairs . As it happens , nothing untoward happened and they all went back down to the car park , but if the buck had felt threatened by the group and charged , who was in the front line to receive injuries from those formidable antlers ? Heading back to the car , a movement on a shady wall turned out to be a

Nuthatch , no doubt looking for insects . Further on , two female Sika deer crossed the the track in front of me and were soon bending into the woodland , distinguished by their dark coat and the light

coloured roundels on the back of their hind legs , just below the knee . Almost at the car , an

enormous specimen of Hoof Fungus or Tinder Fungus / Fomes fomentarius on a majestic Beech , being at least 60 cms. in height .
A visit to the 'tree laying' reserve , produced more Great Crested Newt sightings , along with a quick

glimpse of a Common Shrew , before it dashed off , and a more considerate member of the Rove

Beetle family , the wonderfully named Devil's Coach Horse / Staphylinus olens . A bright orange/yellow blob spotted in the distance , turned out to be a nice specimen of Yellow Brain

Fungus / Tremella mesenterica .
Another attempt at photographing a Kingfisher was going well when one flew into sight and looked to be intent on landing in some Willow some 15 mtrs. from the hide . As it did so a visitor opened the door , slammed it shut , then proceeded to make as much noise as possible opening and securing the

viewing flap . Before the Kingfisher flew off , I just managed four shots . Having sat down , the visitor asked ' anything interesting about ? ' , ' not now ' I answered . Only saving grace was that the

bird was in the shade and on a swaying branch . With not much else about apart from a small flock of Stock Doves and the male Mallards trying very hard to convince the females that it was in fact

Spring , I headed home .