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Mistlethrush high in a tree

Mistlethrush high in a tree

As the autumn leaves come down, it is easier to see birds perching high in trees. One mistlethrush features here. What may have been its mate was at the same level on the opposite side of the tree.

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Purple berries

Purple berries

Exotic and attractive purple berries brightening up the late autumn on a couple of bushes in West Park.

The bush is a purple beautyberry or early amethyst.

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Upright coral fungus, Castlecroft

Upright coral fungus, Castlecroft

The upright coral fungus is one of many fungi which grow on dead wood, often on wood hidden underground.

This one was growing among the undergrowth beneath the hedge by the towpath heading into the countryside beyond Castlecroft.

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Sepia boletes

Sepia bolete

Sepia bolete mushrooms growing on a grassy bank overlooking Wolverhampton ring road.

To confirm the identification as sepia boletes, I would have had to examine the spores under a microscope. All the features visible to the naked eye pointed to that species, which field guides rate as rare or infrequent in Britain.

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Shropshire hills, distant views

Wrekin from the Staffordshire border

Two views looking at the hills of Shropshire. Here the Wrekin is in the distance, seen at a gap in the hedge along the lane which runs along a section of the Shropshire/Staffordshire border: County Lane between Codsall and Pattingham.

Clees from Nurton Hill

Here the Clees are on the skyline from the top of Nurton Hill. Pattingham church is peeping up from a setting which looks deceptively sylvan on the left of the picture.