Rock pipit by the sea, Ilfracombe

Rock pipit by the sea, Ilfracombe

The South West Coastal Footpath passes along the sea front at Ilfracombe, and that’s where this rock pipit obligingly posed on a wall, one December some years ago.

Autumn fungi flush – common rustgill mushrooms, city centre

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As part of the recent pedestrianisation of Worcester Street in Wolverhampton city centre, a series of plant containers have been set along the road. Several different species of fungi are growing on the wood chip mulch spread in these containers.

One such is common rustgill mushrooms. They’re a species which lives on (and off) dead wood produced by conifers, so that must be what the mulch was made from.

Autumn fungi flush – shaggy inkcaps, city centre

Autumn fungi flush - shaggy inkcaps, city centre

By the Chapel Ash roundabout on the Wolverhampton ring road, there’s a paper-bark birch tree, with its roots protected by a substantial metal grill. Popping up in gaps in that grill were these shaggy inkcap mushrooms.

Retreating squirrel, West Park

Retreating squirrel, West Park

One of the West Park squirrels started coming towards me, hoping I was going to give it some peanuts. Then it spotted someone with a dog coming from the opposite direction. It turned tail, and started to run for the nearest tree. Once it had climbed high enough to feel safe, it paused to look around.

Autumn fungi flush – spindles, white and yellow

Autumn fungi flush - spindles, white and yellow

The white spindles in this set which appear to be growing out of bare earth were in West Park. The others, white and yellow were growing together on the same lawn, which was also the lawn with the brown birch bolete (recent post).