mushrooms and other fungi

many zoned polyphore, very common, very variable colours, set off against the vivid green of sphagnum moss.

fly agaric

fly agaric just appearing above the ground (in exactly the same place as last year, see link)

foam monster

I noticed this little patch of foam at the base of a small pine tree in a dark patch of conifers. I have no idea what it is due to but presumably there is a bug of some sort making it.

more autumnal scenes

in the woods near Broadgate, Luckett.

squirrats

just to prove that rats are grey squirrels with bare tails. Current score:- rats 35 lurchers 0, match was abandoned at half time due to fog in dogs' heads.

sunrise spectacular

it was an amazing sight this morning as the sun rose over Stoke Climsland

fungi are back

for the first time this year there are some fungi appearing in the woods. The top picture is of a coral fungus growing on a pine stump; it looks exactly like a piece of white coral, but smells unpleasant. The next picture is my idea of what a mushroom should look like, minus the caterpillar on the top smoking a hookah. The bottom picture is of staghorn fungi.

a camera shy bird

It is surprisingly difficult to get a good photo of magpies. This solitary bird has been hanging around the garden for several days and coming down to feed on the bird feeders.

waiting for sunrise

rooks waiting for the sun to rise, the tower of Stoke Climsland church is just visible through the bare branches of the huge sycamores that stand over Venterdon duck pond

looking for cold newts

I like the evil glint in this buzzard's eye.

as cold as a newt

a small newt of some sort that was caught out by last night's cold and was stunned into immobility outside the front door. As soon as it had warmed up a bit in my hand it was off. It was probably migrating from a garden pond somewhere nearby. All newts are protected (see link).

mist on the Tamar

with the first cold morning of the autumn comes the first frost, and the mist gathers in the river valley. Just visible in the far distance to the left is Princeton radio mast on Dartmoor.

Tamar images

a warm, soft day with early morning mist enveloping the river and moving through the trees. One solitary dipper bombing about.

early hibernator

this hairy caterpillar (?tiger moth) was trying to burrow under a puffball, no hookah in sight though.

meeting places

but I didn't have to walk far to see these rooks. I was wondering what they were doing but on reflection I think they were trying to warm up as the sun started to burn through the mist.

a soft day

the view from Kelly Bray woods, looking North. The church tower in Stoke Climsland is just visible through the mist.

Pictures are in short supply at the moment because walking is proving painful.