31st October 2023 - a small herd of young Fallow Deer in the field just south of the Old Railway Cutting. They were close to the hedge, and may have been heading into the undergrowth in the cutting, but had second thoughts when they spotted Andy M, and scampered off!
31st October 2023 - Andy M spotted this lovely Bloody-nosed Beetle, with its bluish iridescent sheen, happily walking along a log along the Old Railway Cutting. This flightless beetle gets its unusual name from the bright-red, foul-tasting fluid that it exudes from its mouth when threatened.
29th October 2023 - a few more fungi! A charming little group of Clustered Bonnet were popping out of the 'beechers' in Andy M's garden, and there were several Common Earthball in the flower beds. Also a group of Common Bonnet had appeared in the grass along the Old Railway Cutting.
29th October 2023 - it seems that over the last few days (and cooler nights!) the trees have finally decided that Autumn is upon us! The colours of some along the Settlements roads were lovely against the clear blue sky.
17th October 2023 - Andy and Polly M joined a lunchtime 'Autumn Walk' around Granta Park, led by Iain Webb from the Wildlife Trust. It has seemingly been a good year for fungi, since there was something new to see at virtually every step! A great walk!
From the Giant Puffball, bigger than a football, right down to tiny white Mycena toadstools bearly a centimetre across. Whilst it was not possible to identify everything we saw on the walk, I have tried to add names where I could from the photographs.
17th October 2023 - the fungi season is upon us, and Andy M spotted these Shaggy Inkcap toadstools as well as a type of Boletus fungus - which although slightly nibbled, showed the tubular spore tubes underneath that Boletus fungi have rather than the more familiar gills.
