A tree felled, and the evidence still there of why that had been necessary. Blushing bracket is a fairly common species of fungus which lives on and off quite a few types of trees. It gets its name because the surface of its fruiting bodies turns red when damaged slightly.
From the same garden as the yellow-flowered witch hazel (yesterday’s post), a companion shrub with red flowers. This had recently been given a thorough pruning. Despite that, or because of that, it produced this rich array of flowers.
Turkey tail is quite common as a bracket fungus. The fruiting bodies can be found at any time of year, and are long lasting when they develop. They grow in clusters which are small, fan shaped with concentric bands of different colours, on dead or dying wood. Often, as here, on stumps, or on fallen branches.
These had a coating of frost, on a stump on one of the gardens neighbouring the one with the witch hazels (the posts directly before and and after this one).
A garden opposite one of the side entrances of Bantock Park is always work a look at this time of year, when the witch hazel planted up against the garden wall is in full flower.
A few of the black-headed gulls from the resident flock at West Park lining up standing on the side rail of the lake in the middle of the month. All are at different stages in the adoption of breeding plumage, the cap of black feathers on the top of the head which gives the species its name.
A pair of carrion crows looking for food on one of the areas of short grass in West Park recently, frequently raising their heads and looking round in case there were any threats. This is the bird which was a little nearer to me.