Yet another bird taking advantage of the large puddles left in West Park after persistent heavy rains. The most independent-minded of this year’s cygnets spending some time away from the rest of the family (nearby on the boating lake). It didn’t seem to be doing much, other than an occasional brief preen.
Small clump of horse mushrooms (Agaricus arvensis), which I noticed growing in a front garden. Someone had already uprooted one, so I was able to get a clear picture of the under-side; the gills and the ring on the stem.
More bird activity in the large puddles in West Park left after the recent heavy rains. One of the large flock of Canada geese goose-steps through the water, stirring up the lawn below, perhaps fiinding the flooding makes it easier to catch resident invertebrates.
Sulfur tuft mushrooms on a mossy tree stump, Himley Plantation. Common on dead wood, as here, and sometimes also near the base of still living trees, this wood rot fungus sends out fruiting bodies up to the early part of winter, coping with mild frosts.
The spelling looks wrong (American) to this oldie. Even words sometimes change.
Orange seeds with a bright pink cover, the distinctive fruits of a spindle tree. These were by the Railway Walk, opposite Cupcake Lane at Newbridge.
Birch polypores, otherwise known as razor strop fungus. Back in the days of straight-edged razors, these could be used to maintain the sharp edge of a razor needed for a close shave. Growing on the fallen trunk of a birch tree, almost certainly brought down after the fungal infection had rotted away its strength.