Soggy Again

With continuing things to get done, there was a definite Patch-y flavour once more. Though having said that, I did get off-Patch on Sunday - albeit not for birding - and managed to see [well, hear, then see] something nice; Brambling! At least one, possibly as many as three [I was looking out of a window and trying not to be too obvious about it, ahem], with assorted Chaffinch and so on, at.. We'll say 'near Totnes'.


Earlier on and definitely chasing birds while on the way to doing Things, we have a few odds and ends for you.

Snowbell!!
[AKA Three-cornered Garlic]

Before the Solstice..?!?!

This was taken while out in epic rain, and my camera was not happy with how much of said water came to say 'Hi' up close and personal. I think it's recovered, but I didn't risk it again that day.


Sunday morning was Patch Patrol time, with if not gentler rain [harder, even, with extra crunchy bits for that ow! factor] then at least spaced-out rain.

As tends to be the way, most of the good stuff [relatively speaking] was at the Nose..

About to go for the coconut!

But not all. :D
Things have been perking up again, with Blackbirds and Robin much more obvious. 


Anyways, the day did start quite promisingly;

Red sky in the morning.

Take a coat.

The Sun was trying behind the rain

Zoom in!

How many Guillemots can you see?

Inevitable gull shot

Obliging Block 'ead

As a change from horrid immature

Herrings, here's a Geeb

Ahem.

Seal 1 "Has he gone yet?"

Seal 2 "Nope..."

GND: "Showboater"

Looking down from IMD, a couple of mid-sized grebes [probably BN] were in Hope Cove, but no sign by the time I got that close. The GND up there had shown up, though, so not all bad.
Also present, a few scattered auks. Further off, a party of Scoter were again loitering around the Buoy Farm - Outer Buoys this time - with about 40 present.

Shall I spare you more blobs?

Nope.

Caught about half up top, 

but at least there's a wingflap

Also of note; some late migration, with this little darling in/off and landing practically at my feet!

"Whaddya mean, 'Yes, I have no sarnies'?!?"

Speaking of things up close and possibly even in focus..

Heath Waxcap

Only waxcaps still to be found - the brightly-coloured ones having mysteriously vanished - but fortunately, more to look at with

Hmm, what are these?

Velvet Shank

Growing on Blackthorn stumps.


Also of interest, a visible Tawny Owl on Saturday evening, unfortunately this due to being flushed by some morons setting off a bunch of fireworks... [Why?!?!?]



Be Seeing You...

Looking Down

Right then. After seasonal delays, here is what I've been looking at when not being pre-festive.

Plentiful Winter Heliotrope

I've not been doing no birding, why only on Sunday I saw a lovely female Sprawk cruising along the undercliff below the Downs. Too slow with the camera, of course...

The day before, I made time to go prowl about in the howling gale, to- Well, not exactly great results. A lone GND in Hope Cove - which scarpered before I got into photo range - was the best of it, and even the Gannets weren't on great form. I did find a good gathering of BHGs [with a camera-shy Med {2w} among them], but no little Surfing Things up my end of the Bay.

Looking down has been more productive, with some almost good results. Possibly actually interesting results [If I've got the IDs right anyway, which is.. Well... If.]

Ok, on with the horrorshow assorted pictures;

Awful even for me, but you can just see 

the white blobs of Guilles back on the Ore Stone

[there were about 85 visible to bins]

Yeah, I know..

"Oh Bonxie*, he's got a camera!"

[Kitt on shore - must be windy!!]

"Did you see where Mum and Dad went..?"

Black-headed Gulls

Herring Gull variation

Token flight shot

But let's get to the title reference. I was both surprised and delighted to find some more fungi on Patch, including a few I'd not seen since a certain trip up North...

Parrot Waxcap

Did not expect to find this. It wasn't alone, either..

Vermilion Waxcap

Butter Waxcap

Heath Waxcap

Hygrocybe reidii

[How about 'Orange Peel Waxcap'?]

Five flavours. Not bad for my li'l Patch.  :D

Other fungi on show around and abouts;

Deer Shield

Possibly a small Tawny Grisette

Oyster Mushroom

Satin Shield

Old and manky

Cortinarius sp., possibly porphyropus

Rigidoporus ulmarius

That's all, folks.


Be Seeing You...



[[*This being a very rude word in Kittiwake..]]

Update Post

I'm alive and still here.



Just in case you were wondering.


You know how it is, busy busy busy.

Here are a few things from Home to keep you occupied until I can put in a longer update.

Actual berries on my Hawthorn!

French Lavender in bloom again. 

In December....

Not just one or two; out and coming are a whole load of flower heads. I have no idea, either.

Feathered Thorn

[ID via new Moff book!]

Hopefully sooner than later, I shall


Be Seeing You...

Biiiirding In The Rain. Pt. 2, Fun At Yarner

Delays delays delays.. Well, it's also that time of year. Losing a whole day to my head didn't help either, but what can you do?
There won't be a post about this last weekend, as I've already covered all the birding I got to do.


So. Here, but a week later than it couldawouldashoulda been, is the second part of last week's Postage;



Having run into my Dad - out for a drag walk with the LBD - on my way to the Nose that morning, we decided to take an amble about Yarner on Sunday afternoon. I may have mentioned cake :)

We even found some birds!

And lots of fungi :D

Observe several [mostly] in focus pictures of sometimes even interesting spp.!! [Really]

Still Autumnal

Yarner, wood for all seasons

We found a few birds, some of which even posed a bit, but while 7+ Redpoll were present in a large group of assorted Birch-munchers, I managed to miss them all [I was shooting at random silhouettes, to be fair], but I did hit the odd Siskin;

Siskin

Star performers were the fungi, with an interesting variety, including some proper head-scratchers as well as the regulars.

Blackfoot Polypore

Birch Polypore

Artist's Bracket?*

Turkeytail?*

Lactarius uvidus

[and what's that..??]

Silky Piggyback

A mushroom parasite, you can even see the hungry mycelia munching the fallen milkcap!

Wood Pinkgill

Very pretty..

..Very pretty indeed.

Field Blewit

This growing on the edge of a grassy ride [covered by leaf litter], so not quite so odd to be 'in' a wood.

Wood Blewit

[Note differences from above]

Giant Club

[And it really was!]

What the...?!?!?

....?!?

Porous 'stem' reaching flush to a slightly shiny olive-tinged cap. After a fair bit of looking, I reckon I have an answer; Hypomyces hyalinus. This is another mushroom parasite, and 'grows on the stem and under the cap, sometimes turning the host fruiting body into a club shape'. Hosts are usually Amanitas, and that 'cap' does look quite like a well matured A. phalloides.. 

Not far away, were these;

Charcoal Burner

Young Charcoal Burner, 

plus probable A. phalloides

[veil just visible]

IDs somewhat tentative.


It's tough to be a tree at Yarner. If the fungi don't get you, the deer will!

Munch munch

Munch munch?
I did mention cake up there. We were a bit pre-occupied at the time, so no nicpic pic, but here's a shot of the leftovers, so you can appreciate what I mean ::Eeevil grin::

Barmbrack Mk II

[fruit soaked in tea and gin!]

Heh heh.

A good time was had by all, though a Certain Little Black Dog would have preferred a cake she was allowed more of!


Be Seeing You...



[[*I am beginning to suspect my Big White Mushroom Book is not quite as comprehensive as I first thought, at least, compared to a quick look at the Collins..??]]