October part 4

We are also visited by a wren.  The Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) is the second smallest bird here. The male will build several nests and may have more than one mate. She will lay white eggs with red/brown spots and may have 2 broods. They eat insects and seeds.
At a local castle a robin and chaffinch come down to share our food.

On the grass a mushroom grew. At the start of the week it looks like this.

By the end of the week it looks like this.

The Shaggy Ink Cap (Coprinus comatus) 6-14cm high it grows in gardens. Named after the shaggy scales on its surface. The cap drips away as an inky fluid that contains the spores.
By the end of the week the autumn colours are even more impressive. Pale yellow leaves in some taller trees show bright green mistletoe in their branches. Other trees are covered in brandy snap colours which looks burnt at the edges with darker reds on the outside of orange. October ends mild for the time of year .

October part 3

15th Lots of activity in he garden - a gang of sparrows, robin, a young pigeon eating berries, 5 blue tits and a cole tit.
The last week of October we return to the cottage in Shropshire. Leading up to the cottage a covering of leaves gives off a bejewelled glow on the ground where the sunlight hits them below the trees canopy. Lots of pheasants around making a commotion. I saw 18 in the field all strutting their stuff while at the same time looking around anxiously. it is hunting season.

 Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus). The Pheasants true home is Asia it was introduced here in the 18th century.It is well established as a wild bird but is also breed for hunting. The hen is less colourful and lays 8-15 pale olive eggs. They feed on fruit, seeds, leaves,  insects, lizards, field voles and small birds.

.The Buzzards also pronounce their ownership of the skies above.

They are majestic and come quite close banking then flying away. One lands in a tree close by.
Rain tracks across the field opposite with the sun shining there is a magical glow. The trees look they are lit with fairy lights.

october part 2

More from Slimbridge.

Golden eye ( Bucephala clangula).
Winter visitors that don't breed here. Feeds on small water animals, mostly shellfish and insects.
"He of white-cheeks, and Golden-eyed,
Of white and black alternate pied.     ... Bishop Mant

We also saw lots of other ducks- I'm not good at identifying ducks but I'm learning. 
However my favourite place was the  kingfisher hide even without a kingfisher. Lots of dragonflies zipped around on the bend of the river while tits and finches came to the bird feeder by the wooded area.

October part 1

"In the old of the moon
A cloudy morning
Bodes a fair afternoon."

1st October has opened with rain, rain and more rain. The sparrowhawk landed on the swingy chair in the corner of the garden but no small birds were to be found.
4th Used a bat detector in the garden - saw and heard 2 bats on 45khz. Pipistrells I think.
7th Saw a "charm" of goldfinch by the river and mallards fighting.
We went to Slimbridge at the weekend (cheating a little I know) but we took lots of pictures.

Eider duck (Somateria mollissima).
Found from the Artic to Britian. Eats mollusc's and crustacea. Lays 4-6 light green eggs in nests on the ground.

Wigeon (Anas penelope). Only breeding in Scotland. Lays 7-8 creamy buff eggs. Feeds on grass and grain