Both Little Owls were also in view, sitting together in the tree next to their nest tree. The female is in front.
The Hobbies are still here, and one flew over the Vista while I was looking for the Little Owls.
There are over 40 Pochards on the Long Water, straggling all down the east side. For some reason most of them are drakes.
The two female Shovellers have been joined by a male, seen here from the far side of the Long Water. These birds seem to arrive gradually, unlike the Pochards which came all at once in a flock.
The seven Mallard ducklings have been spoilt by visitors feeding them, and are now shameless beggars. Here they are touting for food at the Lido restaurant.
A Grey Heron has found that there are fish in the twigs of the abandoned Coots' nest at Peter Pan, and was trying to spear them. It didn't succeed while I was watching.
The Great Crested Grebes, on the other hand, have been fairly hauling fish out of this quite small place, which is easier to fish from below than above.
I've just been in the park to see the bracket fungus. It is Fistulina hepatica, the Beefsteak fungus. Somebody had poked it with a stick, revealing the characteristic flesh like bloody veining. It is still soft and succulent (and very much edible!). You can also see another bruiting body developing on the opposite side near the base. By the way, the tree is not a lime tree, but an old oak, which (like the next one along) was cut down some time ago because infected by another fungus, the Giant Polypore.
ReplyDeleteMario
Many thanks for the information. It was me who poked a bit out of the fungus so that I could take a picture to send to the Wild Mushrooms Online site -- I was reluctant to spoil it but it is already turning dark. Surprised that it is still edible, as it seemed very fibrous and tough.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the Pochards Ralph, the females migrate later than the males, so that's why the flock in the park is mostly males at the moment.
ReplyDeleteLovely photo of the two Little Owls today! Amanda
Thanks for telling me that, and for your kind words.
DeleteThe mystery fungus illustrated in Monday's post turns out to be a Beefsteak, as several people including our local expert Mario suggested, though no one was sure because it was oddly distorted. I knocked a piece out of its less photogenic side, and here are pictures of the upper and lower sides. Note the pink colour which identifies the species.
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