Category: David

There were only traces of colour on the feathers and beak of this goose, which is probably a cross between a barnacle goose and a white one.

It was happily swimming in the canada goose flock in West Park.

This recently emerged specimen of Coprinus comatus shows the beginning of the cracking of the cap covering which will eventually become the “shagginess” when it is more fully-grown.

This pattern is seen in the more developed, and parasol-shaped, fruiting body below.

This squirrel almost seemed to be posing to have its picture taken.

This is what a shaggy inkcap, also known as the lawyer’s wig fungus, looks like when it has only recently emerged.

As it sheds its spores, the cap of the mushroom appears to eat itself from the rim inwards.  This one is well on the way.

This grouping show more advanced stages in the process.

Finally, the cap is reduced to a blackened rim around the stem.

These yew berries don’t just look beautiful. They appear good enough to eat. But, like virtually every part of the tree, they are poisonous.

This toadstool was growing in heavy shade under leylandii.

The ones below, pictured at the same time, were a couple of days old.

This red admiral looked in fine shape as it was feeding on ivy flowers yesterday, even though this week is the last one when this species is normally seen in Britain.

This heron was fishing from the signpost at the junction between the Staffs & Worcs and the Shropshire Union canals

This little toadstool had already provided a hearty meal for several small creatures.

A view from Highgate Common recently.

This inkcap species was just peeping through the short grass inches from the little Japanese umbrella.

The prolonged spell of dry weather means that this has been a poor autumn for mushrooms so far. But a recent expedition to West Park still showed several species, mostly of small, inconspicuous fungi which could hide even in short grass.

Posts in the next few days come from this outing on October 25th unless otherwise indicated.

For the first find, these small puffballs – perhaps a centimetre in diameter – were lurking in the sculpture garden behind the Conservatory.