The Stunning Fungi of Belvoir Castle

 We took a family trip to Belvoir Castle on a lovely crisp, if dull, autumn day to commemorate the 5th anniversary of my mum's death. We felt that was a nice way to mark it; a walk up to the castle and a mooch around the gardens there, followed by lunch down at the bistro in the rather pricey commercial village at the bottom of the hill. 

It is indeed a steep little drag up to the castle, along paths lined with fallen leaves and fallen sweet chestnuts, with the inevitable squirrels flittering about picking up various edibles to much on. 

The castle itself is a magnificent folly; a status symbol with no strategic purpose, but visible from far afield and boasting commanding views from the top. The gardens must look magnificent in spring and early summer, with their huge plots of roses, a babbling fountain and statues, but it what was visible on the day that took the attention. 

It was the numerous fungi poking out of the grass, and clinging onto to trees. In particular, the stunning oramge peel fungus, a species I've never seen before, was everywhere. How something that looks so delicate can force its way out of the ground is beyond me. 

Also present in one corner of the garden were big white fungi that looked like giant funnels. Feeding their photo into iNaturalist, it turns out that they are called "Giant funnels" so whoever classified them back in the day was obviously of a very literal mindset. 

I was particularly excited about seeing red kites up there; I've seen plenty while playing cricket at Belvoir cricket club in the past, but we only got to glimpse one off in the distance. But we had a lovely, and fitting, day regardless. 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 05.11.24

Meandering Along

 Hello readers.

Been pretty inactive lately, over which I feel very guilty. I've had a cold, sciatica, and other medical unpleasantness going on which has taken my enthusiasm for being outside away. The dark days and early sunsets aren't helping either. 

I did get a good run in last night, about 7km, but today my ankle is making me pay for it. At least I did some gardening, if you can call weeding planters and planting a few bulbs the names of which I've already forgotten gardening. Typically, there was light drizzle while I was doing this. 

The world without pollinators feels a sad one, I haven't seen a bee or a butterfly in a couple of weeks, it feels like. November always feels so bleak to me; At least in December I can start hunting for snowdrops and aconite again; they seem to get earlier every year. 

So yes, I'm suffering from autumn blues I guess. I hope you are all doing well.

Si

Wading Time

 Sadly not a post about spotting wading birds, but rather a walk at the weekend in the rain.

I've had a sore back the last couple of weeks, as well as a cold, so I've not been out too much. Determined to go out on Saturday despite the rain, I went out in full waterproofs and wellingtons, wellingtons I've only worn once before, and headed down to the park to see how the flooding was going. 

Well the water has receded somewhat, but the heavy rain that day was making them rise again, and a lot of the path by the River Devon was underwater. However, with wellies on, I was able to power on through! 

I felt ever so slightly adventurous, rather than slow and lazy for a change. 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 06.11.23

Autumn is Here

 It's October, one of what I think of as my two "doom" months, where wildlife and flora declines and everything goes green and brown, until December where the first snowdrops appear indicating that spring is on the way. 

I've restarted running now the cricket season is over. It was a painful and slow start, by golly gee I get so stiff now after a run compared to my younger days. But after a few weeks, I'm back under 30 minutes for 5km, so I've still got a bit of fitness left. 

It really helps with my mental health too, burning up some of that Tourette's and ADHD energy that would be otherwise used in highly constructive pursuits like waving my arms around, or hurting my already tic destroyed neck that is waking me up every morning with painful little spasms. 

The odd hirundid makes its way over the workplace, where the kestrel has resumed hunting after breeding season, and buzzards try and find thermals on the brighter days. Hopefully with the warm weekend forecast they will be able to do that.

But as thing stand now, rain is falling on the washing on my line. First world problems eh?

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 05.10.23

A Deeply Hideous Thing

 I was working from home on Wednesday, and was able to take advantage of this to have a quick afternoon wander along the river and to the park, which was still under a large amount of River Devon.

The eye-catching "thing" I found - and "thing" is the best word, was lurking on a tree stump in the lock gardens, where the cultivated cowslip is emerging, next to a clump of brightly coloured fungi.

And at first, this is what I thought this was. A horrendously awful fungus, looking like a pile of rotten mincemeat, squelched onto the wood like a pile of vomit.

I thought it must have been some sort of particularly ugly form of tremella type witches butter fungus. But researching at home has led me to believe that this was actually an agglomeration of fungus gnat larvae, which have a habit of forming nasty looking bundles that slomp around presumably looking for toadstools to eat.

Posting the picture on Instagram seemed to induce vomiting sensations among viewers, I hope you have stronger stomachs.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 05.02.21

A Muddy Trek to Winthorpe Village

 Decent weather this afternoon meant I felt like taking myself out for a couple of hours, and wondered where I could walk that I haven't visited in a while, and wouldn't be a mud bath.

It was always optimistic thinking anywhere would be an easy walk today, and so it proved, although to be fair my trip to Winthorpe wasn't all that bad, and rather better than Clay Lane, say, would be at this time of the year. 

It isn't an attractive walk at all, it's rather featureless, in common with anywhere maintained for serious angling, I find. It also takes you under various road and rail bridges, and alongside a sewage works. 

Lovely.

However, saw some interesting birds; colourful deep pink bullfinches in the hawthorn heshes, and a lovely group of reed buntings. In Winthorpe village, there were long tailed tits and chaffinches and above isolated gulls rode the breezes. 

Not such a bad trek, occupied a couple of hours, had a nice listen to the radio, and got my 15000 steps in!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 29.12.20

Scarlet Waxcap and other Fungi of Campus

 There's still the odd bee flying around, and the wasp factory in the spoil heap is keeping busy before the frosts, but insect life has declined with the passing of October so I thought I'd try and find other things to photograph.

As is clear when walking along the cycle path, the one thing we aren't lacking on campus at the moment are fungi. There are shaggy inkcaps in varying states of inky, melted decay everywhere, but I found something even more striking today.

These are scarlet waxcaps, a beautifully coloured fungus that seems to like the mowed area outside one of the car parks. Apparently they are widespread but not massively common, and are edible but essentially tasteless. 

They certainly provide some firey colour amongst the grass.

I also came across a very unpleasant looking fungus which I think is some sort of tremella species like witches butter, although I could be wrong and it is something squeezed out of a rather sick dog. 

The other fungi are more common and humdrum species. Although don't ask me to name them.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 21.10.20