Flyladyphotography By Wendy Cooper

  Over the last few weeks, autumn has arrived in a burst of colour on the Local Patch  so I thought I'd share some of what I have been seeing on walks at the end of October - there were a few gloriously sunny afternoons, which were also quite mild, so I simply HAD to get out and about! The woodland canopy was still holding tight to the leaves, which had kept the 'floor' on the dry side.  I had been hoping for as colourful a selection of fungi as I saw last year, however, a lot of the old wood had gone and there has been very little about. Last year there were a lot of Purple Deceivers, assorted Russulas and even Orange peel fungi.  I did find a few, one tucked away in a tree bole and a fairly large crop about 8 foot up a tree trunk, there have also been a few bracket fungi starting to appear as well.   Hidden away!   Up a fallen tree, parts of which are still growing.  Something has been snacking on this and I also noticed the amount of insec...

  Well back at the end of October, we spent a few days up in Norfolk, it was mostly wet...  followed by more wet, however on the Sunday, we woke to a morning of 'washed clean' skies and sunshine.  There was nothing for it, but to go for a stroll down to the beach at one of our favourite haunts, RSPB Titchwell, where there is always something to see!    We decided to keep to the path which runs down to the beach, keeping an eye open over the marshes to one side and the scrapes to the other.  Near the start, on the marsh side we watched a Chinese Water Deer grazing along one of the mud channels.    Chinese Water Deer; these are quite solitary creatures, but can be seen most often on wet marshy habitats, and are quite strong swimmers should the need arise.  They are not a native species, but were introduced, from China, back in the nineteenth century.  Whilst they are slowly increasing over here, in their native Asia, they are a vul...

   Well back at the end of September, I went for a little wander on the Local Patch, to see what was about. It was a warm sunny afternoon and far too nice to be indoors. Most of the butterflies had disappeared, with just a few Small Whites and Commas appearing here and there, some were nectaring on a few remaining thistle heads or hawkbit.  I could hear a lot of the birds - Wrens, Long Tailed tits, Great and Blue as well, Dunnocks and even a couple of Chiff Chaffs, however, these were only giving brief glimpses and staying mainly tucked away inside the Blackthorn bushes whilst chattering away.  There were also quite a few Goldfinch flitting from tree to tree and feeding busily.  Robins had also started to sing again from previous perches, renewing their territories.   Comma Butterfly Small White Butterfly   I decided to have a stroll along the edge of the meadow, where there is a small brook, bordered by banks of brambles and very young oak t...