Saturday 21 November 2015

Several Cormorants were again fishing in a place near the Lido restaurant, where they have been doing well for several days. The Herring Gulls have realised that food is being brought up, and they were shadowing the Cormorants trying to grab it in the brief moment between one surfacing and swallowing its catch. This gull swooping on an emerging Cormorant is already carrying something, but I think it's just a bit of leaf that it was amusing itself with.


This gull did manage to snatch something, and carelessly dropped it.


Some other Herring Gulls were chasing a Common Gull which had won a bit of bread.


The funfair is open, and the shore near the Dell restaurant is crowded with people. The Black Swan's girlfriend was working her way through them begging for food.


She is a bit over-eager and tends to bit you painfully if you hand her something. The Black Swan himself is not yet used to barging through crowds of humans -- though he will soon learn -- and stayed behind at the restaurant terrace, preening himself.


Another young Mute Swan incautiously flew over the bridge on to the Long Water. It was there for all of 45 seconds. As soon as it came down the resident pair charged out of the distance, wings raised, and immediately forced it to fly away.


The treetops of Buck Hill had a fair number of Mistle Thrushes in them.


Some came down to look for worms. But next to the rowan trees that they like, the men building the so-called Cycle Superhighway were cutting a kerbstone with a machine that made a terrible din and was keeping them away.

A couple of Jackdaws arrived when I was feeding the small birds in the leaf yard.


This large mushroom was in the grass at the top of Buck Hill.


I keep failing to identify Stubble Rosegills, but this time I really think it isn't one, as it is quite broad for its height and has a stout shaggy stem. But, as so often, I can't identify it from the guides on the web.

Update: Mario says it's a Field Blewit, Lepista saeva.

6 comments:

  1. Do you know if the large male Swan on the Long Water is the original Swan who lost his partner earlier this year? It would be nice to think that he won his precious Long Water back.

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    1. Can't be sure, but I think he's a different one. The one who lost his partner became very depressed and lost his status in the mob.

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  2. Ralph, you are right, the mushroom is not Stubble Rosegill. It is Field Blewit, Lepista saeva. It doesn't show it in your photo, but the stem is slightly bluish-lilac.
    By the way, I must come to the park again, there seem to be a lot of 50 pence coins laying around!
    Mario

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    1. Many thanks for the identification. But I'm afraid it's the same 50p piece every time, as I stingily pick it up afterwards.

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    2. You Blewit not then!! ;-) Jim n.L.

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    3. It wasn't a blue blewit. It was at best pinkish beige. A hint of blue or violet might have got me to the right place. If I blunder along for a few more years I might get better at fungi, but meanwhile Mario will keep things on the rails.

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