David

A pair of sweet chestnuts – the edible kind – ripening on one of the trees in the garden at Wightwick Manor.

Red admirals were one of two species which were attracted to the last few buddleia flowers in the garden at Wightwick Manor. There were three around, but this was the ony one cooperative enough for me to get pictures of it.

Heritage open days in September give a chance to see National Trust properties without the usual entrance charges. The garden at Wightwick Manor is usually (given good weather) beginning to turn attractively autumnal, as the leaves on this tree reflected in the still water of one of the ponds.

Wood chip mulch often brings fungal spores along for the ride, and then forms a source of food for the spores to grow. This burgeoning growth is of wrinkled fieldcaps.

It doesn’t look possible that they can move along making so little impression on the water: the power of surface tension. Water boatmen on the pond at Wightwick Manor.

The delicate pink spreading across the cap of a rosy bonnet mushroom. From the fungi-rich woodland at Himley Plantation.