TEMPTING TOADSTOOLS

You know it's autumn when the fungi start sticking their heads up. The recent rain brought one or two familiar toadstools up on Friday 12th at the park. The tallest one commonly seen each autumn here is this parasol, pictured above. It is a fine specimen standing nearly 30 cms tall and with a top almost the size of a dinner plate. Talking of dinner plates, this is one of the tastiest mushrooms around and this one was very lucky to have had a stay of execution and not end up being taken home for supper.

Another tasty mushroom is this shaggy ink cap which has just appeared overnight in the park. Again I resisted the temptation to pick it, especially as this was the only one around. Maybe I shall wait until I see a few more before collecting one for the pot.

The moth trap was put out late on Thursday night and the cool clear sky did not make for a productive night. However one of the interestingly named moths is this quite common satellite moth with the two tiny white specks looking like satellites to the large white dots.
There were only about 30 moths of 12 species found including barred sallow, L-album wainscot, mallow, black rustics and lunar underwings.

The clear night was the typical condition for noting the redwings arriving from Scandinavia and at least two were heard calling in the darkness as they flew over the park heading westwards.

It turned quite bright at times and several common darters, like this colourful male basking, could be seen around the park in various places. Other dragonflies seen include the larger southern hawker and the migrant hawker. The shelter provided by the cliff, allowed two large whites and a small white to flutter along the beach.

The tacking calls of a blackcap was heard from one bush and a chiffchaff calling out too, were the only late summer migrants noted around the park. At the park pond 7 shoveler were seen but no sign of the kingfisher today.

At dusk a little owl started calling from the nearby caravan site and was immediately answered by a second bird 400 metres north near Bromans Lane. The tawny owl also started off the evening with lots of vocal activity along Bromans Lane.

Ian Black saw a common buzzard flying westwards across the Strood earlier in the day