Another day when a heron was showing itself on one of the West Park lake islands. This time the bird was on one of the regular lookout points, on a fallen but still healthy willow, keeping watch on what was going on.
Shaggy inkcaps half deliquesced
Shaggy inkcaps. Like other inkcap mushrooms, they release their spores by deliquescing. Their caps gradually turn to a black mush containing the spores, starting from the rim and moving towards the centre. This pair show the process half completed.
Autumn: mellow fruitfulness
Bright colours of some of the ripe fruits and berries I’ve noticed on my walks this month. All growing wild, though some possibly escaped ornamental garden varieties (e.g. the crab apples).
Lesser Marsh Grasshopper
Lesser marsh grasshopper jumping about in the grass. As it leapt around it kept landing in positions were it was only half-hidden in the grass.
Autumn: garden spider season
Autumn, so it’s garden spider season again. Sometimes called cross spiders, they and their orb webs are around at all times of year, but most visible now, as egg-laying time approaches.
Hoary Plantain, Wellcombe Hills
Hoary plantain, still flowering in September, growing in meadowland on Wellcombe Hills, Stratford on Avon.