Go for nature walks at weekends

Indeed, the littlest one was utterly fascinated by the large amount of rabbit poo. He has requested that I post this picture of a Parrot Waxcap (Hygrocybe psittacina var. perplexa) struggling to grow up underneath a lagomorph dottle.

Nature is harsh sometimes…

I am pleased to think that I caused amusement by wrongly identifying an Oyster Catcher as a Cerlew… I’m sure that at least three members of the party pee’d themselves laughing. Well, I know I’m a complete dunce when it comes to birds, but I am learning.

I did have an excellent time grovelling about for fungi and we found some beauties. I particularly like fungi because they don’t run away when you stalk them…

This is proof that it is worth going out even if the weather does not look promising. Nutmeg’s idea was a good one, and I thoroughly enjoyed the day out.

Highlights for me were spotting so many different types of duck, Little Grebes, and seeing a Treecreeper shuffling up tree trunks looking for food.

We took our wellies, and that was a good thing as the paths in places were flooded.

I discovered that I can’t take photographs through my binoculars, and that I can rustle together a mean picnic at short notice :-)

Here is a picture of some of the Bracket Fungi we found on a fallen Silver Birch tree.

I really thought that we had made a mistake with the weather today. The sleety rain in the morning would guarantee grumpy kids, and grumpy kids = miserable adults. We even went for a picnic at my mother’s house, which was on the way, just to avoid the weather. However, by the time we had dressed up accordingly, the sun shone gloriously.

Ok, so the kids were having so much fun (loudly), we didn’t see much wildlife, but it was a grand walk.

... and the first time I had been to that location. I will definitely return as there is lots to see and do there.

Today was the first time I had seen a woodpecker.

I had a great time taking photos, and got absolutely covered in mud in the process. I managed to take a really not very good photo of a blue tit that I’m actually very fond of.

It was well worth it, and I am looking forward to the next one in a fortnight.