Categories
David

Chicken of the woods growing on a cherry tree

Chicken of the woods growing on a cherry tree

Young specimens of this bracket fungus are considered a delicacy, in Germany for example. In this first picture, the fungus is beginning to turn orange, having been around for a few days.

Chicken of the woods growing on a cherry tree

The paler yellow here was the shade when I first saw the fungus.

Chicken of the woods growing on a cherry tree

From the slime trails around it, it had already been attracting the attentions of one or more slugs.

Chicken of the woods growing on a cherry tree

I don’t eat wild fungi anyway, but the slugs were welcome to this one. The cherry tree which was its host was growing only a few feet from the ring road.

Chicken of the woods growing on a cherry tree

Categories
David

Frog in water

Frog in water

A frog keeping as much of its body as possible under water to keep cool during the warm spell last week.

Categories
David

Various heathers

Heather flowering, Highgate Common

The heather flowers were beginning to go over last week, but were still making a show on Highgate Common.

Bee feeding on heather flower, Highgate Common

A lone bumble bee was prospecting for nectar.

Heather flowering, Highgate Common

Heather flowering, Highgate Common

The paler flowers below were in a small clump of heather on Toposcope Hill in Baggeridge Park.

Heather flowering, Toposcope hill, Baggeridge Park

Categories
David

Ruined windmill

Windmill, The Million

The conifers behind the mill are on the edge of the Forestry Commission wood the Million, near Kinver.

Categories
David

Zoned polypore

Zoned polypore

A common bracket fungus, which grows on dead wood – here a tree which had been felled.

Zoned polypore

Categories
David

Distant view of Kinver church

Distant view of Kinver church

View from a bridle path across the valley of the river Stour to Kinver church on the first ridge over the village.

Categories
David

Japanese acer leaves, Impression

Japanese acer leaves, Impression

The slightest breeze was enough to add an arty blur to this close-up of autumnal leaves.

Categories
David

West Park Japanese acers beginning to turn, 2011

West Park Japanese acers beginning to turn, 2011

The Japanese acers which are planted at various spots in West Park have now begun to put on their annual display of autumn colour. What is noticeable is the variation between the displays of the different trees. I don’t know whether this is because they are different species, or that different parts of the park have different micro-climates. These pictures were all taken within a few minutes of one another last week.

West Park Japanese acers beginning to turn, 2011

West Park Japanese acers beginning to turn, 2011

West Park Japanese acers beginning to turn, 2011

West Park Japanese acers beginning to turn, 2011

West Park Japanese acers beginning to turn, 2011

West Park Japanese acers beginning to turn, 2011

West Park Japanese acers beginning to turn, 2011

Categories
David

Troop of tiny mushrooms

Troop of tiny mushrooms

These tiny mushrooms were growing on the rotting trunk of a fallen tree, along with an even smaller-leaved liverwort.

Troop of tiny mushrooms

Categories
David

Alveley mine

Alveley pit buildings

The overgound buildings survive the mine’s closure in 1969, but the surroundings are reverting to nature. Most of the former mine area and the spoil heaps are now reused as part of the South Shropshire Country Park, but this is just outside that park’s boundary.